This year my goal is to write science and/or academia related poetry. I highly doubt that 30 will happen, but I'll do as many as I can! Here are my 2013 NaPo attempts.
Taken from: Adams, D.C., F.J. Rohlf, and D.E. Slice (2004). Geometric morphometrics: ten years of progress following the revolution. Italian Journal of Zoology, 71, 5-16.
"u and rina are systematically watering down the grammar of yws" - Atticus "From the fish mother to the fish death god." - lehmanf "A fish stole my identity. I blame shady" - Omni [they/he]
Shame is a tunnel through the mountain, leading ever deeper into your own isolation, driving you away from friends and family as you search for acceptance in the dark.
Leading ever deeper into your own isolation echoing whispers turn to a deafening roar as you search for acceptance in the dark all alone and on your own.
Echoing whispers turn into a deafening roar an identity formed through breaking hearts all alone and on your own unable to cope with the shadows of your mind.
An identity formed through breaking hearts withdrawing further into the depths of self-despair, unable to cope with the shadows of your mind afraid to let the people who love you down.
Withdrawing further into the depths of self-despair, putting on a brave face for the world, afraid to let the people who love you down -- feinting strength to prove your worth.
Putting on a brave face for the world, the stigma of mental health a heavy weight to bear; feinting strength to prove your worth in hopes of securing your right to be loved.
The stigma of mental health a heavy weight to bear unwilling to talk about the struggles you face in hopes of securing your right to be loved in a society that views "depression" as a dirty word.
"u and rina are systematically watering down the grammar of yws" - Atticus "From the fish mother to the fish death god." - lehmanf "A fish stole my identity. I blame shady" - Omni [they/he]
Poem 1 is playful and adorably silly and it made me chuckle at the end, lol. Poem 2, though, is very personal and heartfelt. I like how the pantoum format works well with what you're trying to say here. I can't wait to read Poem 3, please write it soon!
You either worship something higher than yourself or end up worshiping yourself
Is she sneakily avoiding titling her poems by just giving the name of the poetic form she used instead? Yes, yes she is.
Nonet~
The intent of academia, whether to build up or tear down; lines blurred with each assignment, self-worth tied to one class: Herpetology. Points lost on tests -- confidence shattered, gone.
"u and rina are systematically watering down the grammar of yws" - Atticus "From the fish mother to the fish death god." - lehmanf "A fish stole my identity. I blame shady" - Omni [they/he]
academia: a word to strike fear into the hearts of students
"u and rina are systematically watering down the grammar of yws" - Atticus "From the fish mother to the fish death god." - lehmanf "A fish stole my identity. I blame shady" - Omni [they/he]
I don't absolutely love this one, but it was my first attempt at this form. And with this I am f i n a l l y caught up again!
Palindrome~
Knowledge gleaned through shed tears, lessons learned with hard knocks -- life experience building students to be mighty scholars with wisdom meeting together to exercise their minds, wisdom with scholars mighty, be to students building experience life, knocks hard with learned lessons, tears shed through gleaned knowledge.
"u and rina are systematically watering down the grammar of yws" - Atticus "From the fish mother to the fish death god." - lehmanf "A fish stole my identity. I blame shady" - Omni [they/he]
You are absolutely right! I kinda lost the angsty angle I was going for when I created this thread... Don't absolutely love this one yet but it's maybe a step in the right direction
Oral exam noun A test administered verbally
Anticipation leads to the day like a prisoner expects his turn in the chair, stomach twisting into tighter knots with each step nearer to the appointed room, fear clawing at your insides and escaping as bullets of sweat, the executioners seated comfortably inside, awaiting your presence to begin their task of murdering confidence and happiness.
With shaking knees and a trembling voice approaching the front of the room backing into the corner subconsciously as you turn to face your committee, dry erase marker cap scraping skin from your palm as you fail to still nervous hands, attempted smiles turn to grimaces as fear turns to panic and knowledge leaps from your brain and runs down the hall.
The examination is more like an interrogation than a test, questions coming like knuckles to face, corrections dribbling red ink from split lips and bloodied noses, bruising pride and breaking spirits as the cycle of academic hazing burns strong.
Students fret and study for their examinations, Faculty grudgingly pass them at each barrier, Theses are written and diplomas are granted, The former student qualifying for success; for tenure -- And thus the cycle continues, ever unbroken.
"u and rina are systematically watering down the grammar of yws" - Atticus "From the fish mother to the fish death god." - lehmanf "A fish stole my identity. I blame shady" - Omni [they/he]
I was trying to write a poem about science breaking my heart, and suddenly it ended up being a really abstract beast and idk really what happened here? I honestly kind of like it tho? Either way, I did the NaPo buddies challenge by snagging one of @Arcticus's lines from my favorite of his poems so far.
Always never comes easily
"u and rina are systematically watering down the grammar of yws" - Atticus "From the fish mother to the fish death god." - lehmanf "A fish stole my identity. I blame shady" - Omni [they/he]
Oh look, this poem captured the angst more explicitly. Woo~
The Evil Man
"u and rina are systematically watering down the grammar of yws" - Atticus "From the fish mother to the fish death god." - lehmanf "A fish stole my identity. I blame shady" - Omni [they/he]
Rated 18+ for some pretty strong language. Read at your own risk.
words cut deep
Spoiler
Sticks and stones may break my bones but words can never hurt me.
For the innocence of childhood, to earnestly believe that words are empty -- unable to hold any power over me aside from that which I give them myself.
How I long to return to the days on the playground confidence in myself and congeniality to all, harsh words rolling off my adolescent shoulders as I rub my bully's nose in the dirt.
Sticks and stones may break my bones but words only currently don't hurt me.
Who could know that the older you get the more likely it becomes that sticks and stones and words alike can beat you down and make you ache, leaving behind an apparition of who you used to be.
You're never told that the vulnerability of youth -- the naivety and unguarded exuberance -- protects you more than maturity ever could, keeping at bay the true evils of the world.
Sticks and stones may break my bones, but words cut deeper than any other way you could hurt me.
The success of my future career rests in the hands of a bitter old man who chooses to use insults and intimidations to force students to bend to his will.
"The cunt ass motherfucker" a term of anti-endearment well-earned as he attacks and belittles the students he's meant to build up.
Ah I like that "love poem to science"! I totally could read it as a normal love poem without the description you put above. If you do another like that, you might try mixing metaphors - of like how someone might describe their beloved, but then make the descriptions sciencey things - like "your cells are constellations to me" or "these little formulas are love notes in my lab-reports" those examples might be a bit sappy, but hopefully you get what I'm saying.
Also in your last poem, I think you did really well in having that repeated refrain "sticks and stones.." because each time it repeated, it seemed more and more incorrect - and a good refrain changes and grows with a poem just like that. There was very clear narrative running through that one too, so it was easy to figure out how the story was progressing as the poem went on.
I've enjoyed your thematic NaPo so far Shady, because I feel like I'm getting a little glimpse into your science world with each one of these. Thank you for sharing your poetry!
you should know i am a time traveler & there is no season as achingly temporary as now
Oh, Brightlord Tumul! How unexpected it is to see you standing there! I didn't mean to insult your stupidity. Really, it's quite spectacular and worthy of much praise. — Wit (The Way of Kings by Brandon Sanderson)
