Ribcage / Project Poem-A-Day: Day 1
Since April is National Poetry Month, I am going to undertake the ridiculous project of writing a new poem every day this month. (Saturday and Sunday not included.)
Part of the reason this is important is that I’ve recently had conversations with various young people who hesitate to write because they don’t know what will come out. Well, nobody does – and that’s the point. Because I will be giving myself very little time to rewrite and edit, many of the poems I post this month will be first drafts, and thus, in need of a lot of work.
Anyway, feedback is appreciated. And I encourage yall to try writing as much as you can this month too!
This is partially in response to this writing prompt.
Project Poem-A-Day: Day 1
Ribcage
My tongue tastes; conjures wetness.
It sticks to surfaces when I’m thirsty.
My throat: swallows, sings, maybe
rumbles in response to the way my brain
fears, hates, despairs. My heart beats
and does nothing else. It knows
not of the world outside my chest,
of where it pumps blood to
or from. Our language assumes nobility
it does not deserve. As though my heart
were a pool for uncried tears,
unheard laughter; but feelings
live somewhere else, maybe
my stomach’s pit, behind my eyes,
the wrong words that clumsily fall
from the space between my lips and fingers.
But leave my poor heart alone;
it never asked for this reverence.
it just wants to stay faithfully on the job:
keeping me alive until I die.
April 2nd, 2009 at 5:05 PM
I like this one, and I love the idea….i think I’m going to do it too.