Day Thirty

Today, I’d like to challenge you to write a palinode – a poem in which you retract a view or sentiment expressed in an earlier poem. For example, you might pick a poem you drafted earlier in the month and write a poem that contradicts or troubles it. This could be an interesting way to start working on a series of related poems. Alternatively, you could play around with the idea of a palinode by writing a poem in which the speaker says something like “I take it back” or otherwise abandons a prior position within the single poem.

I choose this poem for reference.

NaPoWriMo 2023: Day 16

Her smiles drained me,
Sucking the life out of me,
Slowly cursing me,
After her presence left me,

Oh, how I was so wrong,
Or was I blinded to be wrong,
Indecisive between right and wrong,
Or the boundaries I crossed were wrong,

Her smile drained me,
Leaving me with a pool of tears.

Day Twenty-Nine

Start by reading Alberto Rios’s poem “Perfect for Any Occasion.” Now, write your own two-part poem that focuses on a food or type of meal. At some point in the poem, describe the food or meal as if it were a specific kind of person. Give the food/meal at least one line of spoken dialogue.

I.

I can’t trust you,
If you don’t like Laksa,
Don’t get me wrong,
I’m not saying that,
I don’t respect your taste in food,

I always believe there is a Laksa,
That suits your personality,
I mean look,
In Malaysia alone,
There are different styles of Laksa,

We have the OG Laksa from the Peranakan,
And then Asam Laksa packed with the sweet and sour punch,
You like curry? Fine, we have Curry Laksa for you,
Something different? We offer Sarawak Laksa,
We are proud with our Laksam and Johor Laksa too,

II.

Of course, my personal favorite is Asam Laksa,
A full warm bowl from Ah Cheng would make my day,
A comfort food for me,
Getting me through the harsh day,
Of a full day work,

A spoonful of the soup,
A taste of playful fishes,
Inside my mouth,
The sweetness comfort,
And revitalizing sourness of tamarinds,

Like a warm embrace,
Of a loved one,
And whispering,
Slowly with every slurp,
“I am the Laksa for you”.

It is Friday night,
I am letting myself drunk,
Not from the taste,
Of beer or wine,
But from the melodic taste,
Of comforting songs,
While dancing to the beat,
And overwhelmed by the voices,
That touched this broken heart of mine.

Day Twenty-Eight

Today, I challenge you to write your own index poem. You could start with found language from an actual index, or you could invent an index, somewhat in the style of this poem by Kell Connor. Happy writing!

Her smile. Her eyes. Her voice. Orange vibe. Sunkissed. Dimple. Graceful presence. Uplifting mood. Elevating aura. An existence that I will always praise and support. Energetic. Exciting. Imaginative. Cheerful. A soul that I want to know more about. Supportive. Kind. Witty. Playful. Blessed by the angels and heaven. I was lucky to be affected and shined by the everlasting sun. My own admiration that I can never own. My Mona Lisa.