Unsold Poems from the June 3, 2014 Poetry Fishbowl
The following poems from the June 3, 2014 Poetry Fishbowl are currently available. Poems may be sponsored via PayPal -- there's a permanent donation button on my LiveJournal profile page -- or you can write to me and discuss other methods.
There are still some verses left in the May linkback poem, " A Strange and Gentle Contagion." Link to this list to reveal new ones.
" Going Places" 60 lines, $20 (Fledgling Grace) SOLD
Your prompt about disability inspired the free-verse poem "Going Places." Isra never went anywhere just for fun, because her wheelchair made it not fun. Then she gained wings during the Fledging, and she learned to fly, and going places became something she could enjoy.
"Like Unformed Clay" -- 90 lines, $45 (Polychrome Heroics) SOLD
Your "new school" prompt dovetailed neatly with Danso's situation, so I wrote about his first day going back to high school after time spent on the streets taking care of several younger superkids. He's having a hard time getting back into the "teen" role after that, but school and some new friends his own age will definitely help. "Like Unformed Clay" is written in free verse.
Danso went back to high school
not for his own sake but because
Hannah had finally convinced him
that he needed it in order to
help look after his brother and sisters,
or other kids later if he decided
to stick with becoming a foster father.
"Sequoia's Children" -- 168 lines, $84 (The Blueshift Troupers)
The Blueshift Troupers prompt inspired the free-verse poem "Sequoia's Children." An ancient distress signal leads the crew to a planet populated by descendants of a wrecked starship.
It began when the Omphalos
found a distress signal -- centuries old --
in the guts of a navigation buoy
at the edge of the Fimbria.
Taylor pieced together the tale
of the lost colony ship Sequoia
and a map of its probable trajectory.
Then she recommended a search pattern.
"Snappy Action" -- 26 lines, $15 (Polychrome Heroics) SOLD
The idea of first contact with wildlife inspired the free-verse poem "Snappy Action." What do you do when a snapping turtle turns out to have superpowers?
"Turning Leaves" -- 512 lines, $256 (Polychrome Heroics) SOLD
The mirror prompt contributed to the free-verse poem "Turning Leaves." Antimatter's new friends start trouble, and he has difficulty deciding which side to fight on.
Antimatter was still angry
with Stalwart Stan for ruining his life,
which meant they weren't hanging out,
which meant he was bored and
looking for things to do.
His hair was a mess,
matted from the black dye
that kept the silver shine contained,
but also because he found it harder
to look at himself in a mirror for some reason.
"The Walking Trees" -- 60 lines, $20 (Polychrome Heroics) SOLD
Another wildlife poem, "The Walking Trees" is about mobile mangroves attacking a poolhouse. This poem is written in free verse.
* * *
"Touching the Ties That Bind" -- 62 lines, $31 (Polychrome Heroics) SOLD
This free-verse poem came out of the November 21, 2007 Poetry Fishbowl and I recently realized that it belongs to Polychrome Heroics, so I'm including it here. It's about a young boy named Cat who can see and influence the connections between people. It's a pre-love story too, very sweet despite some gloomy circumstances.
Once there was a boy
who saw the ties that bind.
To him the whole ghetto was a garden
of starlight and garlands, cobwebbed
possibilities, lovelace and need-knitting.
* * *
Open Epics
The following epic poems are open for microfunding as of 6/7/14. Since there are three, I'd rather not open a new one at this time.
" Faeder Way" follows the antics of human explorers as they try to understand some aliens with an unusual sex/gender structure.
" Uncounted Colors of the Stars" belongs to the series An Army of One. A freetrader with an atypical identity grows interested in the culture of the Lacuna.
" Not the Absence of Fear" belongs to the series Polychrome Heroics. Damask goes to a SPOON base for learning about superpowers.
There are still some verses left in the May linkback poem, " A Strange and Gentle Contagion." Link to this list to reveal new ones.
" Going Places" 60 lines, $20 (Fledgling Grace) SOLD
Your prompt about disability inspired the free-verse poem "Going Places." Isra never went anywhere just for fun, because her wheelchair made it not fun. Then she gained wings during the Fledging, and she learned to fly, and going places became something she could enjoy.
"Like Unformed Clay" -- 90 lines, $45 (Polychrome Heroics) SOLD
Your "new school" prompt dovetailed neatly with Danso's situation, so I wrote about his first day going back to high school after time spent on the streets taking care of several younger superkids. He's having a hard time getting back into the "teen" role after that, but school and some new friends his own age will definitely help. "Like Unformed Clay" is written in free verse.
Danso went back to high school
not for his own sake but because
Hannah had finally convinced him
that he needed it in order to
help look after his brother and sisters,
or other kids later if he decided
to stick with becoming a foster father.
"Sequoia's Children" -- 168 lines, $84 (The Blueshift Troupers)
The Blueshift Troupers prompt inspired the free-verse poem "Sequoia's Children." An ancient distress signal leads the crew to a planet populated by descendants of a wrecked starship.
It began when the Omphalos
found a distress signal -- centuries old --
in the guts of a navigation buoy
at the edge of the Fimbria.
Taylor pieced together the tale
of the lost colony ship Sequoia
and a map of its probable trajectory.
Then she recommended a search pattern.
"Snappy Action" -- 26 lines, $15 (Polychrome Heroics) SOLD
The idea of first contact with wildlife inspired the free-verse poem "Snappy Action." What do you do when a snapping turtle turns out to have superpowers?
"Turning Leaves" -- 512 lines, $256 (Polychrome Heroics) SOLD
The mirror prompt contributed to the free-verse poem "Turning Leaves." Antimatter's new friends start trouble, and he has difficulty deciding which side to fight on.
Antimatter was still angry
with Stalwart Stan for ruining his life,
which meant they weren't hanging out,
which meant he was bored and
looking for things to do.
His hair was a mess,
matted from the black dye
that kept the silver shine contained,
but also because he found it harder
to look at himself in a mirror for some reason.
"The Walking Trees" -- 60 lines, $20 (Polychrome Heroics) SOLD
Another wildlife poem, "The Walking Trees" is about mobile mangroves attacking a poolhouse. This poem is written in free verse.
* * *
"Touching the Ties That Bind" -- 62 lines, $31 (Polychrome Heroics) SOLD
This free-verse poem came out of the November 21, 2007 Poetry Fishbowl and I recently realized that it belongs to Polychrome Heroics, so I'm including it here. It's about a young boy named Cat who can see and influence the connections between people. It's a pre-love story too, very sweet despite some gloomy circumstances.
Once there was a boy
who saw the ties that bind.
To him the whole ghetto was a garden
of starlight and garlands, cobwebbed
possibilities, lovelace and need-knitting.
* * *
Open Epics
The following epic poems are open for microfunding as of 6/7/14. Since there are three, I'd rather not open a new one at this time.
" Faeder Way" follows the antics of human explorers as they try to understand some aliens with an unusual sex/gender structure.
" Uncounted Colors of the Stars" belongs to the series An Army of One. A freetrader with an atypical identity grows interested in the culture of the Lacuna.
" Not the Absence of Fear" belongs to the series Polychrome Heroics. Damask goes to a SPOON base for learning about superpowers.