when the rebellion is over
and those who would save us
have been exiled by our petulant leaders,
armed with their dubious rationales,
when our culture is in ruins,
the land a scar, the rebels
billows of ash and dust,
the grid gone, the fuses worthless,
I will dart for my underground shelter,
latch the lead-lined doors,
and surround myself with the metallic
staccato of my typewriter
and write a poem before I die
/ / /
This poem was written in response to Wordle 42 at The Sunday Whirl.
Oh yes, please do. Will it be filled with sadness, or joy? This poem makes me sad, but somehow gives me hope, too. The sound of the typewriter echoes in emptiness, you gave it life.
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Brenda, thanks. Sadness or joy? Yes! (I can’t decide.)
Richard
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Once a poet… we can write our way through, over, under and around anything, can’t we? I wonder if all creative artists feel the same strong ‘I must’.
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Margo, yes we can. Once we embrace the identity and the practice, then we must.
Richard
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Written like a true poet!
Q: What would you do if you had only an hour to live?
A: Grab pen and paper and write one last poem!
Whirling Haiku and Senryu
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MMT…love the grab a pen and paper and write one last poem. Must remember that. Thank you…a real smile maker besides. I never could think of an answer and THERE IT WAS.☺.
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I like your Q and A. It reminds me of the Isaac Asimov quote about having a certain amount of time to live. And his response: type faster.
Richard
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You used the words wonderfully. I also associated “staccato” with typewriter. I guess I would like to do exactly the same. Good to see you, Richard.
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Irene, thank you for the compliment about using the words. I’ll be sure to stop by and read your poem.
Richard
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Fabulous, Richard. I think this is something most writers can relate to.
Pamela
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Pamela, thanks. It always surprises me when I write about writing – but it shouldn’t.
Richard
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Nicely done, Richard!
And of course you will latch those lead-lined doors and write a poem. I would, too! But I better find a typewriter. My computer probably won’t work in a shelter.
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Marianne, thanks. I better go buy a typewriter. I haven’t owned one for years. I might just have to use pen and paper.
Richard
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Ah yes, Richard. Once a poet, forever a poet. This is definitely a scenario most of us can visualize….one more poem even then!
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Mary, thanks. Yes, indeed, one more poem – even then.
Richard
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Well, that would be a great way to go, Richard. = )
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Laurie, thanks. I’d like to go out in style.
Richard
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poignant and beautifully written. I too would write a last poem, knowing it will ashes in the end.
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Cathy, thank you. I don’t know that I’d write a good poem in that situation, but a poem written is better than one left unwritten.
Richard
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I like this. I like that so much can be stripped away, yet we’re left with who we are: poets.
Well done, Richard.
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Paula, my friend, thank you. I couldn’t agree more with your take on things being stripped away.
Richard
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I loved the ending here. You used the wordle words very well. 🙂
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Susannah, thank you. Glad those wordle words worked well here.
Richard
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Hell yeah!
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Kelly, thanks! (Perhaps in spite of hell.)
Richard
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I like this… and again so different!
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Pseu, thanks. (I like being different.)
Richard
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