First, kick off April Fool’s Day and National Poetry Month with the killer song above by Andrew Bird and Martin Dosh, “Simple X.”  I’m serious:  this tune”ll make you feel good.

Next, note that you can actively participate in the forging of new poems with a whole lotta other poets who participate in “NaPoWriMo” (National Poetry Writing Month).  Read Write Poem provides a ton of prompts for daily ventures;   Bloof Books is hosting a poem a day podcast for the sake of it all.

Also, Charles Bernstein’s essay, “Against National Poetry Month and Such,” is still available online via Chicago U Press.  Take a gander.

I won’t NaPoWriMo nor will I follow the prompts; the restrictions might undo me.  Instead, I’ll write a poem every other day and become only half undone.  How’s that?

Here’s my poem for two days:

War Rhetoric from the Syrian Desert

Talk to the guns, so does not
say the French focus on no props, all character.

Your acting chops get
tested on this field, this night, where bullets speak

Their vows deep into the very wind
that envelopes your body, whistles to bring

A thousand metallic glacial deaths
at a speed no flesh nor eye nor sky nor vest

Can persuade your living seconds against.
By this red moon, you own one voice

That sweet-talks the world. All breath, to them,
you are nothing but the gun and its threat.

–Amy King

~~~

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