Predictable, or: Semi-automatic

Poetry Partners #180

‘Shot’, a poem by Susan Strasser in ‘The Tail’ nonce poetic form

You’ve
got
lead
shot
set
in
under
your
skin
from
that
mass
death
at
your
church
five
years
a-
go.
Me?
I
did
not
know
a-
bout
your
kin
and
blood
bath
in
your
small
town
down
in
the
South.
You
have
to
get
the
lead
out!
blight
levels
drained
from
your
skin
be-
cause
an
ill
being
took
aim
at
good
small
town
folks
as
they
prayed
to
God.
Hey,
God!
Please
suck
up
all
the
guns
on
the
Earth.
We
beings
don’t
have
the
right
to
them
any-
more.
To-
day
We
lose
the
right
to
bear
arms!
Look
to
our
ill
friends,
so
hurt
who
maimed
friends
who
prayed
to
their
God
on
a
Sun-
day.
Let’s
a-
mend
our
a-
mend-
meants
and
stop
the
blood
shed.

Susan Strasser: https://susanstrasser.wordpress.com/

Micropoems by ben Alexander in ‘The Mouse’ nonce poetic form

(mad) (man)
=°=        
murderous man
_________unloaded gun on innocents

(shot) (dead)
        =°=
whole families
churchgoing adults & children_________

(sick) (mind)
=°=        
needed treatment
_________illegally acquired a gun

(sad) (end)
        =°=
senseless killings
unborn baby among victims_________

‘The Tail’ and ‘The Mouse’ nonce poetic forms

Both of the above nonce poetic forms were created by Michael “Mouse” Murdoch. Click on the following links for more information:

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!

List of Poetry Partners

25 thoughts on “Predictable, or: Semi-automatic”

Despite the pain in our poetry, I am incredibly grateful to read comments from like minds. Glad to be here and in the Poetry Partners. Thank you!

ben Alexander April 21, 202300:00 Reply

🖤🙏🏻 Susan 🙏🏻🖤 ~ it is my great pleasure and honor. Was your poem written to someone that you know?

Much love,
David
1. Susan Strasser, Blogger & Memoirist April 28, 202322:01 Reply
  
  It was about a story I read in the Washington Post. It profoundly affected me
  1. ben Alexander April 29, 202320:23 Reply
    
    💚

We are a sad excuse of a species. (K)

ben Alexander April 20, 202321:36 Reply

💔🙏🏻 Kerfe 🙏🏻💔

Wow! Powerful!

ben Alexander April 20, 202312:45 Reply

💖🙏🏻 Ruth 🙏🏻💖 ~ thanks!

~David

Great forms and devastating topics. All the little sad mice running around on this post no doubt stepping on the long tail of another mouse!

ben Alexander April 20, 202307:12 Reply

💛 😢 Muri 😢 💛

Both forms are brilliantly written David✍️✍️ highlighting something that in some parts of the world is sadly so widespread😪😪

ben Alexander April 20, 202307:10 Reply

🤎 😓 Maggie 😓 🤎

Both forms are great and interesting.
The tail which tells a tale
And the way of the mouse.

Yes it terrible
The buying and selling of guns have turned out to be the devastating trade within all economic systems.

ben Alexander April 20, 202307:06 Reply

🧡 😟 Abi 😟 🧡
1. abvr April 20, 202307:19 Reply
  
  🧡🧡, yes if I knew the words to say, I’d write you a letter, it’s terrible.
  I wish I had the power to wash the dirt away. Scrub it down. Instead, steadfastly I pray.
  Thursdays, 20 April, we had hours of loadshedding through the night. Our dark is dark. The lights just came on.
  And you, wishing you a wonderful Thursday.
  1. ben Alexander April 20, 202307:24 Reply
    
    You too❣️
    1. abvr April 20, 202307:35
      
      Thank you Poet ❣
    2. ben Alexander April 20, 202307:35
      
      🤗 😘
    3. abvr April 20, 202307:40
      
      🤗😘

A creative collaboration highlighting a terribly tragic topic. 😢

ben Alexander April 19, 202321:39 Reply

🤎 😔 Michele 😔 🤎
1. Michele Lee April 19, 202321:42 Reply
  
  ❤️

And poof our lights just went out.
The city gave us extra time for which I’m extremely grateful since we had put a load of washing in the new machine. And we were running out of time, but it spun dry before the lights went out. Timing is everything. Sitting here..

I notice the sudden panic that overcomes me when complete darknesss is ushered in.
Since I’m in the city where the gun rules.
So reading your lines put me more on edge; gun violence is a worldwide phenomenon
It is heartbrealing when church folk are gunned down and so devastating when young children die.
This is a daily occurrence –
I fear both cities, the one I live in and the one I’m visiting. Most violent.
As in America, raging acts of vengeance, hate, malicious intentions are all out of control.