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Ten Things of Thankful
This is the 20th year that I’ve participated in the Writers’ Digest April Poem-a-Day Challenge. Over that time, I’ve managed honourable mention a few times, and placed 2nd twice, but never won the competition. It’s true — the joy is in the participation and meeting up with old friends again, but I sure do wish…
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AprPAD — Day 10
A Thousand Drops I walk in cloudsof apple blossom whitenessfullnessa thousand drops of honeyed light bees —their musichas returned Written for AprPAD Challenge Day 10: a mini poem. Prompt word: write a small poem of less than 10-lines
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AprPAD — Day 9
A Tale But Not One for Telling whispering children sayshe lives at the end of a man-wide path, sparks climbingfrom hearth to sky,a cat humming in its sleep and the air about hersmells of petrichor they sayher shadow bends wrong like a little old manwho knows a tune that small stars follow Written for Writers’…
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AprPAD — Day 8
PARANOID Empty street.Footsteps echo. Wait. Not mine.Not mine.Not — a window’s blink of light,a curtain’s nervous hand. Someone knows.Someone always knows. Written for Writers’ Digest Poem-a-Day Challenge for April 2026. Prompt word: paranoid
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0804: Six Sentence Story
The Steamboat — The First Descent Brigid’s Diary, Episode 06: April 1834 The steamboat called “Le Marsouin” shouldered the Rhône with a relentless thump-thump-thump, its side wheels beating water into obedience while the sound ran the banks like a bruise. The engine breathed deep and hoarse beneath us, heat and hiss rattling the wooden hull…
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0704: Journal of Thoughts
7 April 17:01, 19℃ …says he’s going to lie down on his back for awhile, and so my question is, obviously, Does your back hurt, and he says, No, it’s just this cold you gave me makes me feel old (incidentally that is arse-backwards — he gave it to me first), and in truth we’re…
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AprPAD — Day 7
Bright Yellow dawn is a pilgrim—always elsewhere it can keep its fireits long tease beginnings grow here —damp, dark soilin my own earth dawn has nothingmy yellow tulips cannot give rooted in their small kingdom,open-throated,bright a curve of yellow,impossible,and enough no horizon to chase this is dawn my garden morningis home. Written for Writers’ Digest…
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0704: The Six Liturgy
Liturgy for the Steamer’s Hold(a hymn for those who have known the terror of enclosure) I. The Shudder That Will Not StopIt enters you through the soles of your feet.The paddle wheel’s repeating blow,strike after strike relaying another,water beaten into obedienceand singing its pain through the hull. The shudder climbs your spine,settles in your skull,becomes…
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AprPAD — Day 2
UNTITLED to lie still with woodland moss, a daffodil — this is life now life then when I was quick — white-ruffed, a surprise at the crest of a hill, off and away, a glint of silver my shadow never tired of my speed morning sun a kiss ecstasy then and still Written for Writers’ Digest Poem-a-Day…
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AprPAD — Day 6
THE GULL in flight white cliffs,wheeling heights,horizons looseningat their edges he is a shipful of sky wings swept cleanby a lick of salt he watches wavesfold into themselves Written for Writers’ Digest Poem-a-Day Challenge for April 2026. Prompt word: water
It's Still Life 