Patrick’s Poetry Homework: Age 44

I am currently benefitting from an Idaho Prison Arts Collective poetry workshop led by Michael Richardson at the Idaho State Correctional Institution on Thursday mornings. I very much enjoy the workshop but have been struggling to set aside time for the homework. My assignment this week was to bring in three rough drafts for feedback. It’s now nearing bedtime on Tuesday evening and I, thinking it’s Wednesday, just rushed to finish the assignment:

1)

A breath
as fresh as the depths
I travel
atop the shoulders
of giants

a bridge
broken by life
unraveled
and sunk by urges
defiant

I’ve carried the former while crossing the latter
–and climbing cold cascades of stone

I’ve darkened the skies with long-range decries
–crafted from heartstring and skull

I’ve stood ground were currents cripple
–and praised the waves for trying

And I’ve scraped knuckles in jackets back-buckled
–carefree while cornering tyrants

2)

I
feel less
like writing
a poem
than I do
like writing
a song

five words in this line
four in the next
and BOOM!
my
homework
is done

3)

A poem
A poem
I need a poem

I
Need
A
Poem

And there
You have it
A homework poem

please don’t kick
me out of
this class

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