“Poverty is like punishment for a crime you didn’t commit.”
Doña Rosa sits at the window
of her tired red-brick house
on a block of tired houses
where street lamps cast a jaundiced pall
and the contours of hope dissolve
like the remains of a senescent god
© 2012, poem, Jamie Dedes, All rights reserved; Photo credit ~ Tom Leeds, Public Domain Pictures.net
WEDNESDAY WRITING PROMPT
Based on your experience or observation, tell us about poverty.
Share your poem/s on theme or a link to it/them in the comments section below.
All poems on theme will be published next Tuesday. Please do NOT email your poem to me or leave it on Facebook. If you do it’s likely I’ll miss it or not see it in time.
IF this is your first time joining us for The Poet by Day, Wednesday Writing Prompt, please send a brief bio and photo to me at thepoetbyday@gmail.com to introduce yourself to the community … and to me :-). These will be partnered with your poem/s on first publication.
PLEASE send the bio ONLY if you are with us on this for the first time AND only if you have posted a poem (or a link to one of yours) on theme in the comments section below.
Deadline: Monday, September 24 by 8 p.m. Pacific.
Anyone may take part Wednesday Writing Prompt, no matter the status of your career: novice, emerging or pro. It’s about exercising the poetic muscle, showcasing your work, and getting to know other poets who might be new to you. This is a discerning nonjudgemental place to connect.
Note: Stanford University offers a free online self-paced course on American’s Poverty and Inequality. Details HERE.
ABOUT
Poet and writer, I was once columnist and associate editor of a regional employment publication. Currently I run this site, The Poet by Day, an information hub for poets and writers. I am the managing editor of The BeZine published by The Bardo Group Beguines (originally The Bardo Group), a virtual arts collective I founded. I am a weekly contributor to Beguine Again, a site showcasing spiritual writers.
My work is featured in a variety of publications and on sites, including: Levure littéraure, Ramingo’s Porch, Vita Brevis Literature,Compass Rose, Connotation Press, The Bar None Group, Salamander Cove, Second Light, I Am Not a Silent Poet, Meta / Phor(e) /Play, and California Woman.
Hi Jamie: This is my first visit to ‘The Poet by Day’ so – fingers crossed – I’m going about hooking up with, what looks to be an awesome poet community, according to hoyle. I will touch base by email with bio/photo, asap.
souls and human beings
she walked down the street median … passed the row
of idling cars that would have raced by her,
but for, the bright red orb that signalled: stop
she held a cardboard sign ‘pregnant – need money for food’ …
I could not tell, if the gloom upon her old young face
reflected anger or hate or sadness or pain or all of it
it is impossible to move around this manic city without anguish …
without words like ‘souls’ and ‘human beings’ tumbling
across your mind, like tosses of dice in a game of craps
she caught me … staring at her through the window …
and I sheepishly cast my eyes down – for I knew the look I wore
expressed my shock and frightened thoughts of the fate
that awaited the unborn child … if there was an unborn child
she came up to my car door, as if she’d been summoned
and, rolling down the window, I pressed a blue five bucks
into a limp and grimy hand … wondering … if I’d just been played …
as if such speculations have a place … where human beings beg
LikeLiked by 1 person
You are very welcome here.
LikeLike
Hi Jamie,
My second response:
The Poor
burn amongst riches.
Shreds flicker fall from height,
Billow into drives of mansions.
Poor though they have less
always give more than the rich.
So many missed in the flames
LikeLiked by 1 person
Hi Jamie,
My first response:
A Penny Drop
must never happen.
We must always be misunderstood
to communicate clearly and cogently.
Wrong end of the stick grasped firmly.
Vagueness is clarity.
If you let the penny drop confusion
and disillusion will result.
Please misunderstand me.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Hello Jamie! I thought I had posted my poem (and other comments) here yesterday but it didn’t show up. I’m sorry if I am double posting. I’m not sure why that keeps on happening. Anyway – here is my submission for this week. Thank you for another thought provoking prompt:
https://iidorun.wordpress.com/2018/09/23/blessed/
LikeLiked by 1 person
They have to be approved and I haven’t been online. Todays post – going up later – will tell the story. thanks for everything, Irma.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Oh ok! I didn’t realize it was set up that way. Lol! Next time I won’t panic and just patiently wait…😁
LikeLiked by 1 person
🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person
Hello! Another thought provoking prompt! Thank you for pushing my brain and my writing abilities. Here is my contribution using a form I just learned.
https://iidorun.wordpress.com/2018/09/23/blessed/
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thank you, Irma, for participating and by doing so encouraging others. xo
LikeLiked by 1 person
And this is my second contribution:
https://momentsbloc.wordpress.com/2018/08/03/the-black-pigeon-english-and-catalan-versions/
LikeLiked by 1 person
Dear Jamie, the following poem is a historical chronicle of some major events happened in the world last year, which directly leads to more poverty and human misery:
https://momentsbloc.wordpress.com/2017/03/02/ode-to-trumps-vanity-et-al/
LikeLiked by 1 person
.green road.
green road is where I was born; in winton.
green grocer delivered each tuesday and thursday.
green front doors and hedges line the road, repetitive.
green shooting brake denotes uncle’s arrival, posh we thought,truth came later.
green our neighbour’s face as bombs fell/were pushed; she hid in the outside toilet.
green school knickers; janet next door under her gymslip.
greens up the garden, with spuds & rhubard, runners & plums.
greens for dinner, liver & gravy; poor food, i guess there was rationing.
green her coat with big buttons,darted & half belt she wore while shopping.
green my mittens, shetland hand knitted; a souvenir.
green the scarf that matched, richer now.
green the sky; the storm passes.
sbm.
LikeLiked by 3 people
Thankyou Jamie
LikeLiked by 1 person
.four boils
the planing office is up the road, by the old hospital
that was once a work house for the poor & suffering
to suffer more.
boils.
pass by regular on the way to somewhere else.
it is listed so any changes are scrutinised.
boils.
there have been a few.
changes.
i do apologise
did you say planet?
sbm.
LikeLiked by 3 people
Wow! I love this rollover in the final! Jamie!
And Tiny Little Poem
and tiny woman
with
and tiny puppy
(in front of the bins)
collects
into big bags
her life
LikeLiked by 3 people
This image “collects into big bags her life” – poignant! Little poem with big feelings.
LikeLiked by 2 people
“Collects into big bags her life”. Strong words in your tiny little poem!
LikeLiked by 2 people
Thank you so much. This is the reality.
LikeLiked by 1 person
I don’t think I’ve ever participated before, but this poem wanted to come out of me this morning:
Bloated Bellies
I wasn’t poor for long,
At least that’s what I chose to believe
My grandmother tells me the story of our return
From the Hare Krishnas
Faces the color of ashes, bellies bloated
Over skinny legs
I was too young to remember
But the ache has become
A troublesome cyst
I refuse to extract
Inside a place to dark and deep
For life. Like the hole in our outhouse
I don’t remember walking in the night
But I remember shame folded
Into second-hand clothes
And the pink satin nightgown
Never worn by another child
All that was missing was a crown
LikeLiked by 4 people
Perfect, Alethea. You haven’t participated before so do send bio and photo to me at thepoetbyday@gmail.com Thank you! Delighted to see you here.
LikeLike
“Shame folded into second hands clothes” – this line touched a chord in my heart. Beautiful words!
LikeLiked by 1 person
“Shame folded into second hand clothes” – such a poignant expression. I loved the images you invoked here. Thank you!
LikeLiked by 1 person