The Time Has Come for Opinions...

Honestly, there were times over the past 30 days that I wasn't sure I was going to be able to get through until tomorrow.

That makes it sound so bad, but... it doesn't help to lie on this. The honest-to-god's truth is that this was fun. At times, it was stressful, as demonstrated by several haiku that go along the lines of, "oh, crap. it's 10.30 and I haven't posted today." Some ok things have come out of this, though. On the whole, I can't say it was a bad experience. I've become increasingly more concrete in my idea that the best things come if you don't force them, but several poems would never have been written if I hadn't forced myself to sit down and get something onto paper, regardless of how cliche or awkward it sounds.

About halfway through (the feeling came exactly on Day 15), I realized that I wanted it to be over. The beginning was all carefree and butterflies flying through meadows of happiness. Then it turned to mush. My brain became mush. Haiku were the primary result of said mush (it felt too much like cheating at the beginning. time takes away morals so easily...). The last few days have been almost refreshing. Like getting a second wind 2/3 of the way through a triathlon. After that, you feel like you can do anything again. Only, this time, you mean it with all you instead of having that one wavering part of yourself that convinces the rest of you sometime after the second week that you actually can't do it and that it's pointless to try.

Pretty much, that's what happened to me over the last month. It's hard to believe it's all over. Just as I was getting into the habit of making sure I'd written something so that I wouldn't miss a day (actually was late twice...), I can stop. Deadlines are weird that way...

Personally, I think I got more out of this project than people who took days off or fell so far behind that it's been two weeks since they updated. I made myself write everyday (I'm a firm believer that if you're going to do something, you have to do it all the way or it's pointless to start in the first place) and that's helped me grow (I hope).

At the beginning, I was skeptical as to how this was going to work out in the end (weird project, especially for the end of the year), but it's all worked out nicely and think everyone's going to have some, at the very least, semi-acceptable stuff to take from this. I know I will.

And so concludes this chapter of blogging. Thanks.

The End

you said
forever
as we kissed
and promised
never
to be gone
when we were
alone.

but that's
all over now.

distance
keeps us apart
and you can't
keep your hands
to yourself
when I'm
not there.

you pressed
sweetness
into me with
your lips
as you told
me of the
other girls.
you don't know
how you make me
feel.

I thought
this was
forever.
This is only
the end.

define: Penultimate

the sort of thing that
happens when you are second
to last in a line

Stories for Singing Around a Checkered Tablecloth

Tell me again how salt
On ripe red fruit
Makes such an
Amazing treat
That people flock from all
Over to get a taste.

define: Toe Nail Polish

peeling, flaking off
onto the floor from sweaty
toe nails painted pink

Nightmare Dreamscape

cold air touches
your nose;
blankets pulled up
to your chin
can't keep
the cold off.

somewhere over
the rainbow,
you're floating through
your worst imaginings.

little green monsters
and purple buzzing things
chase you over cloud tops
(apiphobia and
nephophobia).

you never got
on well with
the sky.

running through
the forest
(dendrophobia)
with a million
little sharp thoughts
chasing after you
(anxiety disorder).

your girlfriend's
standing in your way,
lets the thoughts
tear into your flesh,
and adds her own burden:
where are we going?
(commitment issues)

fleeing, you
come across a
group of furry,
scrawny puff balls,
all foaming at the mouth.
(musophobia)
scream tears your
throat as you
try to hide from
yourself.

wake up,
panting,
dial the number.

your psychiatrist's
going to have a field
day with this
(nosocomephobia).

define: Food Simplicity

peanut butter and
jelly, the classic after-
school and lunchtime treat

-

For the 12, because I get easily distracted by lemonade.