Happy Monday! At the beginning of the month, I challenged myself to write and post a new poem for every day in April, and here we are around the halfway mark. When I was younger, I wrote poetry every day in every class on every piece of paper I could get my hands on, and that doesn’t feel like that long ago. These days, however, can pass from dawn to dusk without a hint of inspiration or enthusiasm, and I have no habit of playing around with my pen. I want that to change. I miss the arrogant joy of making something new every day, and I’m proud of myself that I haven’t let a day pass without something worthwhile to show for it. Today, I wanted to share a little extra. This is a poem I wrote two years ago to capture a particular turbulence I observed that has persisted since. Please enjoy, and on an unrelated note, send prayers to the people of Paris, to France, to Catholics, to the history lovers of the world, and to all who have loved Notre Dame and to all who have never known the chance. Wonder, majesty, and imagination are burning.
“January 20th 2017”
In the first place, there was a riot.
Lots of finger paints and screaming.
Heard that someone drove a clown car through a window down at CNN.
Could have been nothing.
Pictures of masked men wielding bananas sent a shutter up Congressional Hill.
Tweeting the scene.
The video buffs.
A forty-three-thousand character limit is set.
A shudder is heard.
Barnum hands in his stuff.
Stuff, Lori.
Thaaaaangs.
The Favoring Wind 