2010 November PAD Chapbook Challenge: Day 15

We’re already half-way through the month. Today is prompt 15, which means there are only 15 left to go. It’s all down hill from here, right? For today’s prompt, write…

We're already half-way through the month. Today is prompt 15, which means there are only 15 left to go. It's all down hill from here, right?

For today's prompt, write a "just when you thought it was safe" poem. For instance, write a poem about the dangers of going off a diet just after hitting your goal weight, entering the water after it appears the killer shark has been caught (Jaws anyone?), or whatever else could offer a sneaky bit of danger. Of course, with only 15 days of poeming left, it's safe to assume you're going to finish this challenge--or is it?

Here's my attempt:

"I forgot how to think"

One day, the words left me without notice
and never returned. Then, my legs refused
to move for me--followed by my hands and
then, my arms. My mouth worked itself into
a smile against my will. And it filled me
with a terrific anger at first, but
eventually even my anger
left me like a verse of music drifting
outside my window and into the street.

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Follow me on Twitter @robertleebrewer

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Learn how to write effective metrical poetry with Writing Metrical Poetry, by William Baer. Baer instructs how to get metrical with your poems in a very accessible how-to book.

Robert Lee Brewer is Senior Editor of Writer's Digest, which includes managing the content on WritersDigest.com and programming virtual conferences. He's the author of 40 Plot Twist Prompts for Writers: Writing Ideas for Bending Stories in New Directions, The Complete Guide of Poetic Forms: 100+ Poetic Form Definitions and Examples for Poets, Poem-a-Day: 365 Poetry Writing Prompts for a Year of Poeming, and more. Also, he's the editor of Writer's Market, Poet's Market, and Guide to Literary Agents. Follow him on Twitter @robertleebrewer.