Photo by ian dooley on Unsplash
Tension: A Line Drawn Taught
I am a tyrant.
I yielded her harvest so decent.
I play at decent.
I gorge on her harvest like a tyrant.
I am engorged; a tyrannical decency.
I yield to her harvest.
A yielding tyrant who harvests what she gorges –
Her decency.
Harvesting her “play at decent”,
yields her as a tyrant.
Decency of a tyrant!
Do I yield? Does she harvest?
Tyrannical decency! I gorge.
I gorge upon her.
I yielded, gorging her harvest so decent.
Do I play at tyrant?
***
Inspired by Real Toads Weekend Mini Challenge: The Uncertainty of the Poet, hosted by Kim M. Russell. As depicted, I opted to go with a familiar tension of sorts.
I’m kind of bummed that Real Toads is so close to ending their amazing run, so I’m trying to contribute more to their remaining prompts. It’s bittersweet, but as with most finite things within our cosmos, nothing lasts forever.
Also shared at Pantry of Poetry and Prose #7 hosted by Magaly Guerrero.
Hephaestus’ Waste & Cosmic Rubble 
Whew. This is really good!
Keith Sweat made me smile. 🙂
I think you poets should turn your sadness into creativity and start your own original prompts on your own blogs. I’ll be watching for that to happen.
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Thank you. Glad you liked it. I’m not up for hosting my own prompt, though you’re welcome to try any of the ones I’ve tried and leave me a link. 🙂
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Here’s a good one at Kerry’s:
http://kerryoconnorsother.blogspot.com/2019/12/a-skylover-wordlist.html
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Hmmm, very thought-provoking, and somewhat ominous. The variations are very well effective.
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Oops! *very effective.
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Thank you. Glad it resonated with you. 🙂
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I felt the tension in this poem, Barry, and I like the way the poem developed, with its (mostly!) subtle additions and subtractions.
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“Mostly” subtle? LOL Yeah… some things just stick right out there I suppose. Thank you for reading and letting me know what you liked about it. 🙂
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I see these words as almost a tangled strand of DNA, multifaceted and twisting in its repetition. Very cleverly done.
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I like that interpretation. Thank you for sharing it with me. 🙂
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Well done, Barry. Yes, i will miss Toads too. It has been unique in the blogosphere.
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Thank you Sherry. And I agree about Toads’ unique voice.
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My goodness this is good!!❤️ You totally rocked the prompt 😀
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Thank you. Glad you liked it! 🙂
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“Gorge” surprised me, not in a bad way. Whew.
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Thank you. I’m curious to know how, but I’m glad to have surprised you! I enjoyed your poem about the moon too, though I couldn’t find a way to comment on your blog. 🙂
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Beautiful interpretation of this challenge!
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Thank you. 🙂
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I feel this very much… I see a very destructive relationship
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Thank you Björn. I like that interpretation . I never considered that angle. 🙂
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I too shall miss Toads. Many of the writers (like you!) are on other sites. I like the way you developed this poem. I did this prompt wrong. Up in Seattle I am sure you guys are more into circular thinking.
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Hey! That feels like a shot! Are you suggesting that Seattlites have their heads up their asses?!?
Nah, I’m yanking yer chain. I know we do. It probably came naturally to me because I’m so full of self-doubt that the voice in my head never stops questioning my actions.
I don’t know if you did the prompt wrong. I enjoyed your poem. I’m not a big stickler for rules with no wiggleroom. The prompt inspired you to make art, and I’m glad for it. 🙂
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I’ve always thought I’d enjoy living in Seattle.
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Living near Seattle is about as close as I’d like to be to living in it. But you never know… you just might love it. 😉
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