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GloPoWriMo 2023, Day Eight, Twenty Little Poetry Projects– Hyperpyrexia

Day Eight Prompt

Oh, goodness! (Wellaneba!) This took me into a nightmare state, like when I
had a fever. In my delirium, I hallucinated. This exercise felt like that to me.
Good or bad? Hard to say…
Please click on the link to see the twenty questions that brought these words
in this order out of me. I am wowed. Thanks.

You are the apple of my eye. At times a lovely odd duck,
hardly noticing if people are
 booing or cheering; 
and at others, a frigging armadillo that gives little 
and the only way
 to get to you is to reach under your armor  

Your presence taints and fills me with the unbridled joy
of a five-year-old.
When you draw close, and I see your veins
bulgy and blue,
 and your stale breath blows against my hair,
I feel as frail as twigs put together.
Our union has the tensile strength of a cobweb.

I’m buoyed by the fervor in your voice; my ears perk up
to listen.
And when I think of the undulating black, dusty gray of
the road we've traveled on,
 I remember the taste of blood. 

Gothel Rose Oblong of Illinois, you are by far the shiniest
diamond my eyes see in the orchard. 
Pain shoots through my stomach, and metallic lightning tears
through my guts when I see you. 
Wellaneba! 
You, the apple of my eye, amplify the wattage
of my scare.
You're leaven bread-- filled with hot air.

That no worry me none! All others are fattened pigs
on a greased slide heading into
a casket of blackness:
the auspicious bodega of covert happenings.
When you look at me, the wattage of your stare amplifies,
and you turn me into a soft tortilla
cut into bite-sized pieces. 
You understand that being controlling
comes from being powerless.

My cute Selmita, 
come closer, eat from my hand
so I can love you better,
you say. 

All lies and jests aside,
what I’ll find under the wooden planks will
be enough to live the life I imagine. 
I could already see myself climbing to the top of the col
and after the winding road
regarding the blue mountains,
the tall, brown, baked-looking fence
behind which I’ll find 
paradise, still intact.

Double-sworded machete!
This piranha has eyes the color
of wood polished to a high shine.
You could never be the apple of my eye.
Cabrona!

Darkness envelops me, velvety and close until
the frailty of
twigs put together breaks
 with my hyperpyrexia. 
Make the little decisions with your head
and the big ones with
your heart;
never trust what
 you see with your eyes.

© selma
GloPoWriMo2023 Button

Your body temperature changes during the day and varies throughout your
lifetime. When your body temperature goes above 100.4 degrees Fahrenheit
(37.5 degrees Celsius), you have a fever– called pyrexia.

A very high fever is called hyperpyrexia.

One might also become mentally confused and unable to understand the
surrounding environment, with very unstable emotions, causing conscious
and cognitive disturbances such as illusions or hallucinations– delirium.

Picture of the Fever of Taira
Image suggested on Openverse. Keyword: high fever.

Thanks so much for reading, and happy national poetry writing month.

Selma Martin
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This Post Has 21 Comments

  1. Gloria

    Selma, there are little fires everywhere and there are little truths everywhere in this poem. The ending is a wise reminder to us all.

    1. Selma Martin

      Fires and truths sprinkled about. Yes. I never know what I’ll write about. I’m driving in the dark, and can see only as far as my headlights show. But the words come…
      This was so difficult for me. Especially since it kept expanding and contradicting all the way to the end.
      But the end I like.
      Thanks for seeing more in this than I do. Thanks for reading the words of this beginner. Xoxo. Happy Easter, Gloria. Xoxo

  2. brittabenson

    Congratulations to not only starting this poem but also finishing it! I’m still stuck! I would like to use the TWENTY!!! prompts, but cannot think of anything. I’m in awe that you were able to use these prompts, and use them well. Wow! Will have to come up with something soon…

    1. Selma Martin

      Funny, it was the prompt that USED ME 🤣
      I really struggled with this one and a few others. 🤪 I’m not bound to the prompts as per se. I’m ✍🏻. And when I start, I never know what I’ll write about. I’m driving in the dark, and can see only as far as my headlights show. But the words come…
      This was so difficult 😣 indeed. Especially since it kept expanding and contradicting all the way to the end.
      But the end I like.
      Thanks for reading the words of this beginner and using me as a springboard. I saw what resulted and I’m so awed by you. Keep going— the fun has only just began! Happy Easter.

      1. brittabenson

        Thanks, Selma. I love the way you say it: ‘the prompt that USED ME’. Ya. That’s exactly what it felt like! I struggled with the prompt again today, the sea shanty. You seem to get going straight away – it’s nice to read your words. The prompts make a lot more sense when put into practice. This is why I love WordPress. So many excellent poets and we can all inspire each other. It’s a great platform. Happy Easter and a great NaPoWriMo, Selma!

  3. Michele Lee

    Some poems do take us on a ride, don’t they! Hopefully, going into a “nightmare state” with this one helped you to release some things, which is good. I enjoyed reading your lines! 👏🏻

    1. Selma Martin

      Driving in the dark, I am. I never know what I’ll write about. And in the dark can see only as far as my headlights show. But the words come…
      This was so difficult for me. Especially since it kept expanding and contradicting itself all the way to the end.
      But the end I like.
      Bless you. Happy Easter.

      Thanks for seeing more in this than I do. Thanks for reading the words of this beginner

      1. Michele Lee

        I completely understand and love the headlights analogy. Such is the gift, mystery, and beauty of creative writing. ✨ I also enjoyed learning about the writing process for you. Love it! My pleasure to read and connect. Have a wonderful week!

  4. memadtwo

    This prompt requires hallucination. But the last stanza is lovely. (K)

    1. Selma Martin

      The last line is the only one I like.
      At the moment I cannot see how this exercise worked in my favor, bit maybe months later I’ll know.
      Happy Easter, K. Blessings.
      (One day Ill try your Sunday prompts) xoxo

  5. Sadje

    This is so well written Selma. Touching on so many emotions

    1. Selma Martin

      Sadje. Thanks. I never know what I’ll write about. I’m driving in the dark, and can see only as far as my headlights show. But the words come…
      This was sooooo difficult for me. Especially since it kept expanding and requiring contradiction all the way to the end.
      But the end I like.
      🙏 Thanks for reading the words of this beginner
      Happy Easter, Sadje.

      1. Sadje

        Thanks Selma. This was a tricky one but you did it so well.

  6. Dawn D. McKenzie

    This is absolutely brilliant! You got them all? As far as I could see, the answer is yes…
    The headache I could envision when reading the prompt, which is why I didn’t even give it a try 😉

    1. Selma Martin

      The prompt used me 🤣 as opposed to me using the prompt. And I let it.
      That’s how this came to be.
      Thanks for reading and liking it. Blessings, Dawn. XoXo

  7. Dawn D. McKenzie

    My favourite lines here are
    ‘You, the apple of my eye, amplify the wattage
    of my scare.’
    counterbalanced with ‘When you look at me, the wattage of your stare amplifies,’
    As I said: brilliant!

    1. Selma Martin

      You are too kind.
      The prompt asked for repeated contradictions. So I gave it. 😂
      Thanks. Xoxo

  8. Manja Maksimovič

    Oh, yes, highly effective, I say! Fierceness abounds. The following verses carry such a good punch:

    “This piranha has eyes the color
    of wood polished to a high shine.”

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