by J.L. Smith

June PoWriMo Prompt #22

Today’s prompt is inspired by the summer drink.  A poem I had just gotten accepted was about drinking hot Kool-Aid.  Yes, you read that right. And, yes, I lived to tell about it.  You will have to wait until Sunday to find out more about this drink, in the poem Korean Cherry Tea.

Of course, I thought about all the COLD Kool-Aid I had consume in my younger days.  That, and how nice, refreshing and comforting such drink is during an unbearable heat wave (OK, so that is a stretch in Alaska).

Think about your favorite cool drink.  Think about summer.  Write about it.  And, if you want, you can even contemplate hot Kool-Aid, if you want.  I won’t judge.

 

by J.L. Smith

5 Poems: Five 2 One Magazine’s #thesideshow

I am pleased to announce that Five 2 One Magazine has accepted 5 of my poems for its #thesideshow project.  These poems include: Korean Cherry Tea, October, Shinjang Hills, The Debate and When I Did Sleep.  They go live the 26th.  I’m so excited. I will post when they go up!  Check them out! http://five2onemagazine.com/

 

by J.L. Smith

June PoWriMo Day 21

Raw excerpt today.  I will admit, this one is a bit more disturbing than most…

[She] wanted me to commit murder
almost every night I picked her
up from the plastics factory at
which she worked. She singled
out a victim or two, commanding me,
“run over that one,” as one of her
foreman would amble in front of the
car after a 12 hour shift.

by J.L. Smith

June PoWriMo Prompt #21

Still thinking of the excerpt I posted yesterday. Namely, the words “victor” and “sacrifice.” Both are very loaded words in English.

Prompt for today. Use both of these words. They can be used separately or together. What images do both bring to mind? Can you have a victor without a sacrifice? How about a sacrifice without a victor?

by J.L. Smith

Poem @ Yellow Chair Review

My poem “Urban Snack” is live in issue #7 @ Yellow Chair Review. Check it out (and others!) at Yellow Chair Review.
http://www.yellowchairreview.com/#!Urban-Snack/q4ysq/576819340cf21d10aa69a727

by J.L. Smith

June PoWriMo

Prompt for the day:
In the most unusual places, I got nostalgic for the 80s. It was in church, of all places, that the pastor mentioned 80s hair bands. Our pastor has a great love for Jim Carey, Modern Family and other facets of pop culture, that he works into each sermon. Today’s sermon included a story about another pastor’s son, his dark poetry and the 80s power ballad: quiet mediation and angst within a 3 minute rotation. I will let your mind fester on that a bit.

I consider myself a late 80s/90s child, and it got me thinking about the trends of that era. Some of the things that came to mind: Voltron (out again!), Barbie, She-ra and Jem. Yes, I was thinking mainly about toys.

Prompt: think of the era in which your grew into maturity. What were the trends, what did you love from the era? Write 5 minutes (or more) about these thoughts.