by 
“Today you are You, that is truer than true. There is no one alive who is Youer than You.” Happy Birthday to You!
If you get another chance,
don’t try harder and longer
don’t shoot for perfection
forego known stresses and strains
Throw caution out with the trash
make mistakes and skip Mass
giggle at everything or nothing
be a champion risk-taker
If you get another chance
eat lots of birthday cake
laugh out loud and
cry when you need to·
Kiss the earth and hug the sky
travel as light as you can
coddle your feet in sensible shoes
never ever live without a cat
If you get another chance
savor the beach and its sands
get high on the scent of bread baking
swim at sunrise and dance at dusk
Be sure with another chance
to take more lovers
make more babies
and never marry or tarry too long
if you get another chance, be the youest You!
© 2011, Jamie Dedes
Originally published in Brooklyn Memories
WEDNESDAY WRITING PROMPT
An easy prompt this week: What would you do – differently or the not – if you got another shot at this life. Tell us in your poem/s.
- please submit your poem/s by pasting them into the comments section and not by sharing a link
- please submit poems only, no photos, illustrations, essays, stories, or other prose
PLEASE NOTE:
Poems submitted through email or Facebook will not be published.
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 are 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, December 16 by 8 pm Pacific Time. If you are unsure when that would be in your time zone, check The Time Zone Converter.
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.
You are welcome – encouraged – to share your poems in a language other than English but please accompany it with a translation into English.
Jamie Dedes. I’m a freelance writer, poet, content editor, and blogger. I also manage The BeZine and its associated activities and The Poet by Day jamiededes.com, an info hub for writers meant to encourage good but lesser-known poets, women and minority poets, outsider artists, and artists just finding their voices in maturity. The Poet by Day is dedicated to supporting freedom of artistic expression and human rights and encourages activist poetry. Email thepoetbyday@gmail.com for permissions, commissions, or assignments.
About / Testimonials / Disclosure / Facebook / Medium
Recent and Upcoming in Digital Publications: Five by Jamie Dedes on The World Literature Blog, Jamie Dedes, Versifier of Truth, Womawords Literary Press, November 19, How 100,000 Poets Are Fostering Peace, Justice, and Sustainability, YOPP! * The Damask Garden, In a Woman’s Voice, August 11, 2019 / This short story is dedicated to all refugees. That would be one in every 113 people. * Five poems, Spirit of Nature, Opa Anthology of Poetry, 2019 * From the Small Beginning, Entropy Magazine (Enclave, #Final Poems), July 2019 * Over His Morning Coffee, Front Porch Review, July 2019 * Three poems, Our Poetry Archive, September 2019
“Every pair of eyes facing you has probably experienced something you could not endure.” Lucille Clifton
Jamie Dedes' THE POET BY DAY Webzine 
I Guess
I guess it’s too late
To live in Nashville
and become a star
I guess it’s too late
To sing on the You
Can Be a Star show
Since it officially
ended in 1989.
I guess it’s too late
for that demo tape
To be found like
Lost treasure and fall
into the right hands
I guess it’s too late
To record another
Gospel tune for
my listening
Audience to hear
But it sure would
have been fun to
Be on that TV show
after my demo tape
Was accepted
I guess it’s too late
To live in Nashville
and become a star
Or is it too late?
By Denise Fletcher
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MOMENT OF IMMINENT ACTION
by Clarissa Simmens (c) 2018
O, that moment of imminent action
When a confluence of worlds intersect
All is possible
Like The Death of Socrates
As he reaches for his hemlock
Iconic cup of forced suicide
What will he do? Recant?
It would change history
But the speechifying continues
Outcome clear
“Don’t!” I shout to the painting
As if there is no known conclusion
Might as well scream at the hero of a horror flick
“Don’t go down the cellar/up the attic/outside to the shed”
And now, in modern times
I find myself screaming at the dumb teenager:
“Charge your phone!”
O that special moment
Time etched on canvas in paint
And the Universe holds its breath
As I hesitate
And then say, “Sure, we might as well get married”
Maybe not as important as Hector
About to be murdered by Achilles
Can he surrender and live to fight
Another day?
And why do I
Focus on marriage?
Surely I regret giving up
Guitar, writing, tarot
Perhaps it’s just feeling Blue
During this Red, Green and Gold holiday
But junctures appear, innocently beckoning
And I so wish there had been
A painting depicting that imminent action
Something I could have studied and thought about
Before opening my mouth
And just maybe
Unlike Socrates and Hector
That moment could have been deflected
A lone laser point harmlessly careening
Into endless space…
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..lindisfarne..
it was you that made me do it
think back
and wonder if it could have
been different.
it could have
been better.
except it is what it is,
and was just what it was.
i do not expect to time travel
i do not expect a change in history
any time
soon.
she said that we were young then.
i do not remember that i think
i always felt older
i did not ever feel that young thing
except that day with you at sea
when after
they all shouted at me.
come away with me to lindisfarne
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Tantrums, and cries
Capture hearts
So let it be
A bolt from blue
Say “Hi”
Well, you have got “Nothing” to say ….yeah
Then you tell me that
You don’t tell us “Sorry”
Join in our circle of friends
Let’s talk ….yeah
Let sags of your face rise and fall
More and more
Say “Hi”
Well, brace yourself to love
And make it a plan but little sense ….yeah
Smile
More and more
If you get another chance
Tantrums, and cries
Capture hearts
So let it be
A bolt from blue
Say “Hi”
LikeLiked by 2 people
>> another chance >>
ah john
you ask what would i do different
if i could change the past
i cannot change it yet look to the future
to have more care and education for all
folk to understand have empathy
be kind
& let us keep it simple
maybe the creatures have good ideas
& go to bed when dark ; don’t destroy
the earth
the air smells good in the new book shop
LikeLiked by 2 people
gratitude and positivity from LA ❤
"element"
if the rust stained bones in my frame
where to ever get a chance again
to glide across the universe
look into Pandora’s jet white eyes
and smell the lighted stars
like people sniff the roses
my soul to keep i’d give away
to plug the holes
and pave new ways
for dusk to kiss the lonely hearts
for dawn to inter the bitter crop
from where my old roots are rotted
i’d be a renegade of love again
with bombs of ear drums
i would fight
to give a spot to everyone
in God’s angelic choir
if the sacred morning dew
can forgive me
for not being wide awake
in baptizing my sinful state
in the worldly river of life
reason being i was up all night
marching behind my sisters and brothers
blinded by the poisoned dark
with intent to guide them out
of their imposed upon madness
or if the maidens of the light
would prefer to bring me back
i would want to be
a lightning bolt
looking to correct
the wicked negatives of the cold hard ground
with the positives in the celestial clouds
to quench the crops of kindness
that are drying out
yet in all honesty
i’d be more than content
to come back as a rainbow colored bubble
making some kid laugh
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This looks fun!
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Meant to be. Hope you will join us, Luanne.
LikeLiked by 1 person
I would have, but then got sick and am still sick. With the crud. Thank you though!
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Maybe next time, Luanne. Hope you feel better soon. Happy holidays.
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Thank you! Same to you!
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awesome poem!
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Thank you, Wendi!
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my pleasure to visit and read your work!
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Respected Jamie Ji
On a Positive Note
If ever I get the chance
to make a fresh start
I will go all the way to Rabat-
wearing a jambart, will keep
and push a tea -cart, serving all
in the street and ghat
my currency will be Thai Baht
will make many and sell, tarts
in bazars and all marts
will accept the Burmese Kyat
then love to rest under Green heart
and wish for a trip to Kalat
but before I depart I will
listen to Beethoven and Mozart
fill a large apple cart
dress up very very smart
will go slow not dart
outsmart all,this will be
my restart
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easy ? Jamie Ji
LikeLike
😂
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Hi Jamie. Here’s my “Another Chance” poem:
A Girl Named Truth
By Alethea Kehas
She would have been a wild child
Wind-blown without temperance
She would have held her truth
high like a flag, running
Her feet scraped raw
Her words etched into never-ending
Wonder. She would have gulped life
Ever-thirsty Her heart, the drum of Earth
River-blood in her veins
She would never stop
Until she flew wings
Cutting gravity. Each slice pushing
Her higher. Lungs becoming sky
So vast and blue she would not know
Ending, She would have been
Free
LikeLiked by 3 people