Parenthood, or: Empathy

A ‘Minute Poem’

"Please!" she cries, "Just one minute more!"
Child eyes implore.
Firm, I insist,
Though those eyes mist.

"Turn off your tablet, or I will!"
Bitter tears spill.
She shuts it down ~
With sulky frown.

"Tomorrow's school! You need to sleep!
Come now, don't weep!"
Soft, sweet lips pout...
But it's lights out.

Minute Poem?

narrative poetry;
a 12 line poem made up of 3 quatrains;
- (3 of 4-line stanzas);
syllabic, 8-4-4-4 8-4-4-4 8-4-4-4;
- (First line has 8 syllables of each stanza. Remaining lines has 4 syllables in each stanza);
rhymed, rhyme scheme of aabb ccdd eeff;
description of a finished event;
- (preferably something done is 60 seconds);
is best suited to light verse, likely humorous, whimsical or semi-serious.

d’Verse prompt: The minute poem

At d’Verse, poets were prompted to try their hands at writing ‘Minute Poems’.

Let’s write poetry together!

When it comes to partnership, some humans can make their lives alone – it’s possible. But creatively, it’s more like painting: you can’t just use the same colours in every painting. It’s just not an option. You can’t take the same photograph every time and live with art forms with no differences.
–Ben Harper (b. 1969)

Would you like to create poetry with me and have a completed poem of yours featured here at the Skeptic’s Kaddish? I am very excited to have launched the ‘Poetry Partners’ initiative and am looking forward to meeting and creating with you… Check it out!

74 thoughts on “Parenthood, or: Empathy”

It’s not easy always going to sleep… but in the morning it’s so much better.

ben Alexander January 30, 202218:10 Reply

incomparably so!

So sad. Lump in my throat. I could never resist. My kids would end up keeping me up past bedtime by suddenly wanting to talk about the deep mysteries of life, something philosophical. I fell for it every time.