Rumpus Original Poems
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National Poetry Month Day 21: “War With Computers” by Jill McDonough
War with Computers “We don’t make war with computers.” —Captain Kirk in Star Trek, “A Taste of Armageddon,” 1966 Now we hover at 5000 feet. It’s not a fair fight, but IEDs aren’t fair, either. We watch day and night.…
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National Poetry Month Day 20: “Google Search: ‘Julie Marie Wade’” by Julie Marie Wade
Google Search: “Julie Marie Wade” I am dead in Mississippi— dead & Catholic. A cheerleading coach who passed suddenly on Wednesday night from “causes unknown.” In Oxford, they mourn with a funeral mass, send flowers to the family that survives…
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National Poetry Month Day 19: “Astronomy of Fishes & Emily Dickinson (1986)” by Adrian Matejka
Astronomy of Fishes & Emily Dickinson (1986) One eye squeezed like a bag phone between shoulder & ear. Another eye stuck in a paper towel tube like it’s a telescope & the whole country sky is as recyclable & sparse…
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National Poetry Month Day 18: “My Brother” by Carmen Gimenez Smith
My Brother My brother _is__ a savior who can torpedo through privilege with an artistic stun gun he’s a tempest saturating the city He makes a scar in the earth_ draws out an admixture of folklore and animus_ plus a…
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National Poetry Month Day 17: “The Mother In This Poem Is Me or You or Your Mother” by Wendy Chin-Tanner
The Mother In This Poem Is Me or You or Your Mother mother is a falling star a bead of sweat of blood of bread our daily bread on which we fed the thread of life the trouble and strife…
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National Poetry Month Day 16: “The electric body” by Matthew Siegel
The electric body changes like a sky bleeding peach, gray feathers and smoke – – a body…
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National Poetry Month Day 15: “Exercises in Breathing” by Kimberly Southwick
exercises in breathing I. knowing the rules is not enough. when it snows, it doesn’t always mean it. when it snows, sometimes it snows for the museums and sometimes it snows for the papers and sometimes it snows for only…
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National Poetry Month Day 14: “The Vindication of Judas” by Daniel W.K. Lee
The Vindication of Judas Forgive me at last, Brother, for the death sentence: a kiss that revealed me, an act of obedience which began your martyrdom. Who else but you—who loves me still—could I ask to bear blame for my…
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National Poetry Month Day 13: “Today” by Gina Myers
Today Each year I know less about myself but the insurance company knows how much my life is worth. This is for those who suffer & endure & laugh about it later. Someone asked, “where do you get your news…
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National Poetry Month Day 12: “My First Male-to-Male Kiss” by Rigoberto González
My First Male-to-Male Kiss ______was on Mexican TV. In the 80s. Believe me. Like my cousin Mari, I too wished I could be Érika Buenfil, her blonde locks so close to René of the dark pompadour that looked like a…
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National Poetry Month Day 6: “The Early Minutes of Without” by Michael Klein
The Early Minutes of Without You thought you were spared falling in love with another drunk now that you were sober and could feel the ordinary grain that ran through everything. You were awake in the great city and moved…