Today, I get to share another failed writing contest entry. This one was a freebie to enter from my province’s Writers’ Federation. It was poems to be displayed on our transit buses, with the theme of connections, a limitation of ten lines or fewer, and be suitable for an audience of all ages. There were 70 entries, and ten was chosen, so pretty good odds, but mine was not one. It didn’t earn the accolades, but I’m sure I didn’t help in writing not only semi-classical format with rhyme and even meter in a modern poetry world, but I also wrote on subject matter that might not be suitable for all ages. By that, I don’t mean violent or sexual content, but just the harsh realities of relationships and friendships. I’m sure if some kids read the poem on the bus, they’d have some hard questions for their Parents or adults with them! Regardless, I really liked it, not the least because it’s personal enough to reflect my situation that is core to poetry, while having enough universality as people are re-thinking their relationships and friendships the world over in reopening post-COVID. Read and see what you think.
poem
Earthlings
Each of about eight billion
Ever-changing chameleons
Trying to blend in with others
Trying to stand out from others
Trying to find their true colours
Trying to be other colours
Trying unnatural colours
Trying impossible colours
Trying to achieve some balance
Trying to maintain that balance
All at once
What Tattoo Would I Get If I Were to Get One?
Unlike many people I know, quite possibly most people I know, I don’t have a single or fractional tattoo on my body. The latter would be for people who either changed their minds part way through or maybe ran out of money. I only know of one such person, but I’m neither saying who it is, nor why they didn’t complete it. I only include them because if I did the actual counting, they may tip the balance between whether it’s many people I know that have tattoos, or most people I know that have tattoos. As for me, I have no tattoo, despite possibly having the greatest percentage of skin surface area able to support a tattoo among anyone I know, women included, while still having a full head of hair and no wrinkles. I am that smooth and, um, dermy?
Nova Scotia’s CoViD-19 Story… in Verse
There once was a realm called Nova Scotia –
Which’s Premier asked the people not to roam –
In pandemic times of new corona –
This is their tale to #staytheblazeshome!
To prevent the spread of CoViD-19 –
They had to stay inside, with some, alone –
Until it was gone or came a vaccine –
They all would have to #staytheblazeshome!
They could still explore the world, see others –
Through Firefox, Facetime, Facebook, Skype, Edge, Chrome –
Each one on their own, or all together –
Connect with tech and #staytheblazeshome!
There were lots of other things to do, though –
If folks did not have internet or phones –
Arts, crafts, books, games, writing, music, puzzles –
So much to help them #staytheblazeshome!
Now, of course, they had to go out sometime –
But far too oft, and always with their phones –
Through which Google tracked them day and night time –
To show they did not #staytheblazeshome!
When the Premier saw this, he was livid –
He got on TV, his mouth frothed with foam –
Scolded those ignoring laws on CoViD –
And told them all to #staytheblazeshome!
Right away, the message resonated –
The world made memes, beers, songs, shirts, all things known –
Ev’ry thing with what the Premier stated –
His catchphrase hashtagged, #staytheblazeshome!
But unlike the virus that went viral –
His scolding’s biggest impact was in tone –
Worse and worse, the situation spiraled –
Folks yelled, but did not #staytheblazeshome!
So he sent police to ticket people –
For being where they’re not allowed to roam –
Or too close in public, or too social –
When they know well to #staytheblazeshome!
This worked well, and things reopened slowly –
Each step with rules, enough to make a tome –
To avoid more peaks and waves that’d only –
Return them all to #staytheblazeshome!
So did Nova Scotians follow plenty –
Enough to rid of CoViD from their home?
Will there be a Tales from CoViD 20?
One called You Did Not #staytheblazeshome!
Meh! For now, heed Nova Scotia’s screw-up –
As detailed in this cautionary poem –
To diminish such pandemics’ wallop –
Right from the start, ye #staytheblazeshome!
Digital Citizen 