POEM #2- BYGONES

April is National Poetry Month. For the past few years, I have joined my friend Mary Lee, at POETREPOSITORY and YEAR OF READING in writing a poem every day for a month. In 2013, 2we wrote based on images from Wikimedia Commons; in 2014, we did Wonders of the World; and last year we did Po-Emotions. This year, Mary Lee's theme is BYGONES. She has selected thirty photographs from a family collection, and is writing from one photograph every day. I'm not sure if I will write from Mary Lee's photographs every day, or if I will see if I can find some of my own. For the past few years, we have been joined by several other amazing poets- Kevin Hodgson and Steve Peterson. There are lots of others doing really interesting projects, and  Jama Rattigan has compiled a list  here. Here is day #2…

Photo "Lizzy" from Mary Lee Hahn

"Pretty"

Mama preaches

that preening and primping

are purely prideful

She praises pragmatism

prohibits pretension

makes me promise 

i will pursue

practicality

and in principle

i probably will

but occasionally

permitting 

all that pride

to prance 

and parade 

feels 

pretty perfect. 

(c) Carol Wilcox, 2016