NaPM 16 April 2022

[RiverNotch]

Rules: Write a poem for national poetry month on the topic or form described. Each poem should appear as a separate reply to this thread. The goal is to, at the end of the month, have written 30 poems for National Poetry Month.

Topic: Answer the following question. "Where do we go when we die?"

Form: Tercets, but the last stanza can vary -- the second of the Dantean prompts xD

Line Requirement: At least 7

[CRNDLSM]

All of us go in the end
where our family and friends
decide what to do with us.
Do they honor our wishes
Will they do something vicious
Who knows I guess it depends
I do know I want to spend
eternity turning into a tree.

[Mark A Becker]

This ground could not
hold me, pull my blood in,
though it called me down loudly

to rest my bones proudly,
I have escaped from my skin-
forsaken worldly attractions,

broken free of gravity’s pliers,
to awaken beyond reach
of desires.

[Semicircle]

Nothing

A stream of thoughts
drifting down a void;
white and empty.

The void continues
after the thoughts,
having sustained them.

When the thoughts end
it will be
with a period.

[Xlateralus]

The Good Book

The emails say I’ve neglected my page.
Don’t they know I’m stuck in this wooden cage?
The gall! I think I’m quite active for my age!

My notifications show several shared a memories.
Funny how old photos and bones turn to emeries
along with post-mortem birthday-reminder treacheries.

Some people claim immortality is a myth
yet I’m still begging to breathe my last breath
counting over seventy likes since my death.

[RiverNotch]

At first you'll find heaven a little dull.
Every day the liturgy is held
followed by public confession

to matters far from everybody's mind,
it's hard to be contrite when your redemption
is counted as complete. You hope to hear

voices from the other world, petitions
that the Lord of mercy ease your pain
if pain's what you'd call the incessant tingling

in the pit of your stomach, the welling up
of song. Nature compels you to worship.
And when you finally utter those words,

"Hallowed be Your Name", how would it feel?
Release of some long pent-up joy
repressed in the face of earthly repression

or will the flames burn your lungs,
scar your throat and singe your lips?
By then, it might be too late

but who knows? The Lord of mercy
continues to listen, the sacrifice
continues to be made, and either way
at least your ages of ages won't be dull.

[TranquillityBase]

Where did you go?
Where did you come from?
Mind stream retreats.

Dream state begins.
Final breaths come and go,
brightening into the light,

karmic seeds grow.
Out of your past deeds
your next life is born.

[dukealien]

Deathmerge II

In death our memories will merge
thoughts others had and ours of them
existing through life’s human surge.

What we neglected to condemn
in death our memories will... merge,
thoughts others had and ours of them!
Some will be lost - a welcome purge.

Originally a triolet, re-jiggered in tercets   

[Semicircle]

Where did you go?
Where did you come from?
Mind stream retreats.

Dream state begins.
Final breaths come and go,
brightening into the light,

karmic seeds grow.
Out of your past deeds
your next life is born.

Where did you come from?

Where did you go?

Cotten eye Joe?

[TranquillityBase]

Where did you go?
Where did you come from?
Mind stream retreats.

Dream state begins.
Final breaths come and go,
brightening into the light,

karmic seeds grow.
Out of your past deeds
your next life is born.

Where did you come from?

Where did you go?

Cotten eye Joe?

Yep, you got me there.  I'm haunted by those phrases since watching Swiss Army Man.

[CRNDLSM]

I currently love just about everything Daniel Radcliffe has done since Harry Potter. The more obscure the better

---

Cannot tell you how excited I am for the new weird al biopic movie starring none other than Daniel Radcliffe

[Semicircle]

I watched Swiss Army Man halfway through a while back
and thought it blew shits.

I'll give it another watch though,
just for Danny.

Aaron Paul was gonna make a cameo in that new weird al movie.
Tested positive for covid though.
Shucks.
He would've probably only contributed a Breaking Bad reference anyways.

[busker]

I say, screw your tercets, the Commedia
and all that medieval claptrap.
Koalas have chlamydia -

isn't that more worthy of giving a crap
about? Now let's come to the question:
why do we go into that airless burlap

sack of death, Jew or Christian
or Moslem, anthropophagus
or monk, sentient fuel for the piston

of existence, or as a bearded magus
of old would say, bread for Ahriman,
reddening leaves on April's fagus,

born without purpose, other than
self perpetuation, heterosexual shagus,
plant to plant, and man to woman?

[Magpie]

Hello?

A few months after Nanna died
Granda said to me one day,
"Still no contact bonny lad".

He's been gone two years now,
and everyday I wonder why
he hasn't been in touch?

He was a real good man,
went to church regularly.
If anyone were allowed a phone call
it would surely be him.

---

Over-dozed

I remember the afternoon when you, my good friend, appeared at my door,
blazing a trail of halcyon rust, you pirouetted like a helpless feather in the wind,
bounced elegantly off two walls and let gravity pull you to the nearest chair.

Mumbling about how much, how clean, hitting a pipeline,
the dark crimson surge and heaven cascading
through the walls as a tidal wave extinguishing the pain.

Without saying a word I continued playing the battered Spanish guitar
that some tone deaf fool had left abandoned after judging it with their eyes.
"That's nice" you said. Smiled, swayed and drifted into bliss.

Content to just be; I encouraged the guitar to continue singing sweetly
until gradually; it dawned on me that I was slowly killing you,
gently lowering you back into the womb and away from realities grasp.

Watching your colours fade into baltic blue you looked so peaceful.
I brought you back with the old routine of face slapping and cold water.
You thanked me, but I didn't want any thanks.
I just want to know where you went and what you saw.