Dear Friend,
The birds wake me (Emily) up every morning now. And every morning I feel an inner call to walk into the forest to listen to their poems. They are not shy. They speak whatever is in their mind.
We, on the other hand, are interested in what is NOT on our minds.
Today’s craft and play is a simple prompt—begin by simply stating what you are not thinking about, and let those non-thoughts take your poem somewhere.
I am not thinking about popcorn, the popcorn ceiling we used to have and the light that looks like Madonna feeding the Christ Child. Which leads me to wonder if in the middle ages, women grew breasts around their necks. I digress. Cats with human faces, horses with big blue eyes. Master painter now turned modern day memer. What if Mona Lisa got caught between expressions, watching children play through her kitchen window —a slight smile before they began to misbehave. We don’t have art anymore. I asked AI to draw me a picture of a mother, it fed me dull eyes and messy hair, derived from what it learned on the internet. I am not thinking of her anymore. Stray thoughts, boiling pots of macaroni, dread picked out from under fingernails, I ruminate. I asked AI for a picture of me, it fed me the same thing. I laughed like Mona Lisa. I am not thinking about the hospital. The last time I gave birth, having to keep count of the steps I walk. I am not thinking about mother. Birds like Cranes, Egrets, and Black Vultures. Egrets rhyme with regrets. I don't want to think anymore.
There it is. Everything that isn’t in it minds. Enjoy today’s prompt and as always, feel free to share whatever you come up with in the comments!
Have a blessed week.
I enjoyed reading this. ☺️