It’s January – and this is the sixth year I’ve started with a poem a day – the fourth I’ve co-ordinated a Month of Poetry. It’s also the first year I’ve been able to wear the co-ordinator’s hat and work on my WIP at the same time. WIN! I love the progress I’ve made, also the poetry that has inspired me on the #MoP13 blog. Such a diverse group and so talented! The daily collections on the blog are locked, but I’ve selected a couple of my poems to share below.
Stone the Phone!
If ever something
makes me groan
it is the wretched
mobile phone,
that rings attention
with a tone,
dispelling thoughts
of time alone.
In the change room,
on the throne,
at play, at ease,
when lying prone,
its shrill demands
are soon made known;
a body’s heart
and soul to own.
Inspired by David Harrison’s post about Careerhymes;
1.
Grazier; a cow cocky –
not a blocky
always on the go
watching grass grow.
2.
Patient: one who waits
as sickness abates.
A spot of cooking in the country prompted this tongue-in-cheek poem;
Moist Date & Carrot Muffins
There’s weevils in the flour.
Have they eaten much, you think?
And the sour cream is mouldy,
with a more-than-sour stink.
The egg has hatched a chicken
though it’s only just a speck.
Should I use a shriveled carrot?
Cause I’m thinking, what the heck.
We haven’t any dates, of course;
that’s really such a shame!
I think I’ll substitute with prunes
and hope they taste the same.
Use ½ a cup of oil they say…
Well there’s no need for that.
The oil might make the muffins moist;
it’ll only make me fat!
The oven’s on the blink again;
I cannot shut the door,
and those flames around the element…
Have they been there before?
The timer hasn’t rung yet.
I wonder if it’s stopped.
My muffins. Oh. The wretched things.
I do believe they’ve flopped!
I googled for a recipe
but Google makes mistakes!
These moist date carrot muffins
would be better called rock cakes!
My first sestina was a stumble… not worthy of sharing… but thankfully it didn’t break my brain like last year’s first sonnet did. And doubly thankfully, this year I wrote two sonnets in a day – and it hardly hurt at all! Here’s the second;
NAPLAN: Persuade Me
Persuade me that we need a NAPLAN test
to take up time that honestly is best
employed in teaching kids, enthusing them
to learn. Not stressing testing to condemn.
No matter how we all try to downplay
the importance (or the lack) of NAPLAN day,
it cannot be denied that kids are stressed
and yet we still expect they’ll do their best?!
Since when has child development been a race?
It’s Differentiation staff embrace.
Is ‘Teacher’ not an occupation anymore?
Now assessment is so much the greater chore?
A living, breathing child is not defined
by numbers, on a band, that tests assigned.
And finally… Just a tiny snippet from my latest WIP. This is written from Shaun’s POV – though in fact much of the work is written from Toby’s POV. In a-maz-me news, my verse novel (which hasn’t even scored a working title as yet) has this month shattered the 10,000 words – which for me was a major milestone! *Insert party poppers and fireworks here.* It’s currently sitting at 10,450wrds… and I’m stoked! 
Monkey
Toby is a klutz – can’t keep
his hands on anything;
drops the ball
trips over his feet
and bumps and slumps
the day away.
I wish people didn’t know
he’s my brother
but it’s a bit hard to hide that
in a small town small school
where everyone knows
everything about
your mother’s brother’s
monkey.
I wonder what the rest of January will produce…
.
All poetry on this page is © Copyright Kathryn Apel 2013
I was knocked out of the tournament in 
