NaPoWriMo 2024

ICY SPARK – Ignite the Chill!

Welcome onboard. Hop on to enjoy the the 2024 NaPoWriMo challenge. I plan to come and update this blog every day this month of April.

Day 4: April 4th challenge is to write a poem inspired by “The Strangest Things in the world”
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“Our prompt for the day challenges you to write a poem in which you take your title or some language/ideas from The Strangest Things in the World. First published in 1958, the book gives shortish descriptions of odd natural phenomena, and is notable for both its author’s turn of phrase and intermittently dubious facts. “
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My poem has been inspired by the Living “Stars” in Caves from “The Strangest of things”

Starlit Symphony

In the depths of earth’s embrace
Lies a grotto real deep.
Where mysteries lie hidden,
Stories aplenty unite.

Beneath the dome, the rivers swish
Through winding paths, where wonders gleam.
Whispers echo with an ancient sound 
As creatures winged and crawling are interred.

Above, constellations gleam
Like heavens on a frosty night.
The Belt of Orion, Dipper, Southern Cross
In astrological patterns they are found.

Amidst this eerie, subterranean scheme,
A fragile balance like a fleeting dream.
A symphony of life and death
Where darkness and light entwine deep.

Yet in this darkness, there’s a fragile peace,
Where wonders thrive and secrets never cease.
For in the depths of this enchanted place,
Nature reveals her beauty and her grace.

Day 3: April 3rd challenge is to write a surreal prose poem.
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Today, we’d like to challenge you to write a surreal prose poem. For inspiration, check out Franz Kafka’s collection of short parables (my favorite is “The Green Dragon”).

Surreal Symphony: Ode to Japanese Noodles

In the realm where the flavors of simmering broth mingles with the whispers of cherry blossoms, Ramen noodles reign supreme, weaving a surreal tapestry of aroma, texture that transcends the ordinary.Surreal Symphony: Ode to Japanese Noodles

The kitchen is a sanctuary where culinary artisans ply their craft with the precision of alchemists.The humble ingredients undergo a metamorphosis, emerging as strands of pure delight, delicate as threads of silk.

The noodles, cooked to perfection, dance in the broth, absorbing the essence of ancient herbs and spices that infuse the liquid with their mystical potency. Each slurp is a symphony of sensation, as the flavors cascade over the palate like a waterfall of taste. 

But it is not just the taste that captivates the senses – it is the entire experience. The clatter of chopsticks against porcelain, the aroma that fills the air with promises of culinary bliss, the warmth of the broth as it envelops the soul – all combine to create a feast for senses unlike any other. 

And then there are the toppings, like edible works of art that adorn each bowl with their vibrant colors and tantalizing textures. Seaweed curls like waves upon a tranquil sea, while slices of tender Asian mushroom float like petals on a pond. Soft-boiled eggs, their yolks like drops of liquid gold, add a richness to the broth that defies description.

As the last strands of noodle disappear into the depths of the bowl, leaving only the memory of their sublime flavor behind, one cannot help but marvel at the surreal beauty of Japanese noodles – a culinary journey into the heart of the sublime, where each bite is a brushstroke on the canvas of the soul.

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Day 2: April 2nd challenge is to write a platonic love poem.
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Finally, here’s today’s optional prompt. Today, we’d like to challenge you to write a platonic love poem. In other words, a poem not about a romantic partner, but some other kind of love – your love for your sister, or a friend, or even your love for a really good Chicago deep dish pizza. The poem should be written directly to the object of your affections (like a letter is written to “you”), and should describe at least three memories of you engaging with that person/thing.
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My Cup Of Love

I feel your warmth,
As I hold around your waist.
Not with a solitary hand’s embrace
But with entwined palms in a tender sway.

Whispers of anticipation fills the air
As my lips dance around the rim.
Time’s steady march falters,
As I dissolve into the depths of your might.

From the moment of your inception,
Born from bubbling waters’ sway
Until you yielded to dissolve,
Leaves in every hue display.

You, my love, my solace’s embrace,
Lead me to Zen in twilight’s grace,
As day’s end nears, our eyes entwine,
In silent understanding, our souls align.

In whispers soft, they name you “tea”, but to me, 
You’re the essence of tranquility, wild and free.
In every steep, a story untold. 
My love for you, a tale of old.