The Versesmith

Poets and Storytellers United Friday Writings #188  Rather than the optional prompt, I've gone with a triolet .   The summer days are long this year. Our garden planted dry as bone. With scorching sun, the skies are clear. The summer days are long, this year I miss you more than last, my dear. I tend our garden all alone. The summer days are long, this year our garden planted dry as bone. ©2025 Lisa Smith Nelson. All Rights Reserved  

  dVerse #228   Write a quadrille and post it on your blog or website. Our inspirational word this week is " fish ."  She is fishing for complements once again. She baits her hook with clever words designed to flatter me. Once upon a time she reeled me in, a trophy catch. Now I gasp for freedom’s breath. If ever did you love me, throw me back! ©2025 Lisa Smith Nelson. All Rights Reserved  

  Poets and Storytellers United Friday Writings #187  "...write a poem of celebration, whether of a person, a thing, an event… Optional extra: do it in the form of a Sapphic ode." I got the syllables right, as for the meter?  I have no idea!  If not, it's a syllabic poem celebrating cooler days! ©2024 Lisa Smith Nelson I rejoice in the cooler days of autumn,  when faces lift to October's soothing breath. With dying light, the season's hush appease a summer weary soul. ©2025 Lisa Smith Nelson. All Rights Reserved   #syllabicpoetry #poetsandstorytellersunitied #sapphicode 

  Ronovan Writes Cinquain Poetry Prompt 10: TREASURE is your inspiration.   after too many days of scorching sun garden  withered wilted harvests wanting sweet rain  ©2025 Lisa Smith Nelson. All Rights Reserved   #ronovanwrites #cinquain #poetryprompt #syllabicpoetry  

dVerse's #227 The word we are writing to today is turn or a word that has turn in it. Pen us a poem of precisely 44 words (not counting the title), including some form of the word turn. image public domain 44 Words I imagine whispered voices down nameless alleys hurried steps on the cobblestones a shadowy figure seen over my shoulder billowing black cape rancid breath warm on my neck his mouth agape teeth wet with blood paralyzed I cannot turn is this terror or pleasure? ©2025 Lisa Smith Nelson. All Rights Reserved  

  Poets and Storytellers United Friday Writings #185 " ...find inspiration in the following quote: “Don’t be afraid to start over. This time you’re not starting from scratch, you’re starting from experience. ” You always make the same mistakes time and time again. Hoping your results will change,  they only bring you pain. You never learn your lesson or try a different route. Never do you pick the nice, you always choose the lout. You say you want to change your ways, you’ve learned from your mistakes. Then you see a handsome guy and fail to use your brakes. I can’t keep listening to you bemoan your dismal luck. While I see red flags flying high, you claim to be love-struck. I don't believe you ever tried to start again from scratch. I see a lazy user, you see quite the catch.  Experience is not your friend, although it is for most. You proudly introduce your beau, as though he’s worth the boast.  Please think it through the next time, before you jump in deep. That w...

  Friday Fictioneers   "The Challenge: Write a complete story in one hundred words of less." Mine worked itself into a story-poem. photo prompt © Roger Bultot 100 words Please don’t. I said, don’t ! Turn off the TV! You know the dog is afraid of boom-booms, why would you add more when there are enough outside right now! Look at him! It’s not funny. He’s shaking and drooling and won’t go outside to pee before bed. No, I won’t drag him out! I’ll clean up his accidents. You’re cruel. I wouldn’t force you to face your fears, and you understand what’s happening, he doesn’t. You are a jerk. I hate you. I really do. Yes, I love the dog more. Go, or I will. And, I’ll take the dog. ©2025 Lisa Smith Nelson. All Rights Reserved Only two things in this are true.  My dog, Mickey, is very afraid of fireworks, which are, unfortunately, legal (with exceptions, but people ignore that and bring the banned ones from out of state) in Oregon from June 23 through July 6.  He also will ...

Ronovan Writes  Cinquain Poetry Prompt 8: RELEASED is your inspiration. image " Slack bitch ." He's drunk again. Too long I've held my breath,  feigned sleep. This night I gain release,  break free. ©2025 Lisa Smith Nelson. All Rights Reserved   #cinquain #ronovanwrites #syllabicpoetry 

  Poets and Storytellers United Friday Writings #184: Let's Go Formal  "Your (optional) prompt this week is to write a limerick, a ballad, or a sonnet – or to write on the subject of formality without necessarily doing so in formal verse (or even any kind of verse). If you choose to write a sonnet, the particular kind is up to you (Shakespearian, Petrarchian, Clarian, Curtal, American ...) but please do let us know ." I have attempted to write a Shakespearean Sonnet.  This is actually my first sonnet attempt, so be gentle with the comments please!  Harvey , in author's collection  I'm surrounded by faces on the walls. They watch me go about my daily chores in the dining room, parlor, and the halls, reflected in glass above the drawers. The darkness of night obscures them from view, mere reprieve from their contemptuous glance. Safe again 'til daybreak's pale light breaks through to catch the last of midnight's eerie dance. By radiant ...

  Poets and Storytellers United Friday Writings #183 "...I'd like you to  write about a perfect afternoon, either one you've had or would like to have." Fort Bragg, CA hair windtangled salty and damp another day of fog cold wet sand between my toes clam shows at surf’s edge precarious steps over seaweeded rocks pools left behind by the tide sea anemones swaying hermit crabs scrabbling sea stars clinging jacket pockets full olive shells and sea glass to fill a jar on the window sill ©2025 Lisa Smith Nelson. All Rights Reserved  

Poets and Storytellers United Friday Writings: 182: Anger As (Healthy) Fuel  LA Burning 3 - edition 2/40 by Linda Lyke, in author's collection   My fury burns hot, leaving nothing but ash blown off by my searing breath. That is you, the ash, whisked away from my life, I’m all the better for it. ©2025 Lisa Smith Nelson. All Rights Reserved  

Poets and Storytellers United " ...as your prompt this week, I invite you to think of a piece of music which affects you emotionally  whenever you happen to hear it played – whether it warms your heart or brings back different reactions – and tell us what this particular piece has meant to you in your life." While the poem is pure fiction, I often think of old friends preserved in faded photos.  What became of them?  Do they wonder about me too?  The inspiring song lyrics are below.  (The term abstraction came from an unused NaPoWriMo prompt to use an art term in a poem.) ©Win Smith 1962, in author's collection She said she lived her life in abstraction, drew pleasure in exaggeration, in the distorted way she viewed us, squinting her eyes in appraisal. She thought herself another Miro, speaking Catalan to her friends. Once at a party she tossed me out, I'd told her Joan was a man. That was so long ago. A faded photo is all that's left to remind me of her. So wa...

dVerse - Prosery Monday  - June 9, 2025 Greetings to All Poet Pubsters on this beautiful June day. Lisa here, serving up a Prosery prompt, goodies, and liquid refreshments. Prosery is where you write a prose story instead of a poem, using a given line of poetry (or song lyric) to inspire you. Word limit is 144 words, not including title, and the given line must be used without adding or taking away any words in between. Punctuation may be changed. To Hurt is to Steal - Bono and U2, from "Mysterious Ways" on Achtung Baby 144 words      You’ve hurt me once again.   This time will be the first I don’t forgive.        It’s nothing new, your hurting me, yet each pain is like a new stab to my heart.   That’s my fault.  I forget each time what you are capable of.  The cruelty, the lies, the laughter at my confusion.  Yet, why should I be confused?       I learned early on what you were like, wh...

  A Bañarse A Bañarse,   by   Juan Santiago Corbacho in author's collection I sit at the kitchen table, my computer sits with me. I raise my head and there you are, hanging out in the living room. Although surrounded by other places, other faces, you are my favorite. Who brought you here, so far from your native Argentina, to end up on a wall in Oregon? ©2025 Lisa Smith Nelson. All Rights Reserved  

  Ronovan Writes   Ovi Poetry Challenge #86: ENERGY is your inspiration  With energy to burn, no more, this growing old is quite a chore. When waking up my back is sore. Still, it's better than not waking!  How quickly years went slipping by, those limber years when I was spry.   To reverse the clock… would I try? I really do not think so.    I wouldn't want to live the pain, along with pleasure, ere again. The sunshine seasons, dismal rain, recollections best forgotten.  ©2025 Lisa Smith Nelson. All Rights Reserved  #poetryprompt #syllabicpoetry #ovi #ovipoetry #ovipoem #ronovanwrites

 I wrote a poem inspired by this Oaxaca postcard before deciding not to participate in a postcard poetry exchange.  Not to waste it, I've posted it here and on my other blog.  Two demons shooting the breeze, their work-week done. Sipping their lager carefree as you please, it’s their time for fun. ©2024 Lisa Smith Nelson. All Rights Reserved 

 Mindlovemisery's Menagerie   Sunday Confessionals: Dictionary print by © Jen Galaxy - in author's collection words on paper obsolete not to the artist inspiration flows divines limitless galaxies  ©2025 Lisa Smith Nelson. All Rights Reserved

Ronovan Writes Ovi Poetry Challenge 84: OPEN is your inspiration Open your heart, open your mind.  It costs you nothing to be kind.  Make an effort to not be blind  to those who need some assistance.  They may be down, need of a hand, open your eyes and take a stand. In days of woe, when much is banned, we all may need reassurance.   Open your wallet, if you're can, we're all worthy, no one less than.  "... evil men plot, good men must plan ," as proclaimed a man of wisdom.   ©2025 Lisa Smith Nelson. All Rights Reserved  The quote is a line from speeches by Martin Luther King Jr.  He may have been paraphrasing, or influenced by, an older quote by Edmund Burke, " The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing ."  #poetryprompt #syllabicpoetry #ovi #ovipoetry #ovipoem #ronovanwrites

Poets and Storytellers United  Friday Writings #160: Low Battery " So this week's optional prompt is "low battery". Interpret that phrase however you wish in either poetry or prose, fiction or non-fiction. " What a perfect prompt after yesterday's ordeal with a literal battery issue, leading into figurative low batteries in relation to life in general. I've written prose segueing into a tanka.  If it were haiku following the prose it would be a haibun idyll, but I don't know if there's a name for using tanka.   It’s one thing after another.  No, it’s one thing at the same time as another, with money for one.  Make a choice.  Put off the other.  Is this what prioritize means?  Top of list demoted once again.  How long before it cycles back up?  I can write prose and poetry, making light, when it’s sink or swim, isn’t it?  Life’s expensive, but it’s better than the alternative.  Most days.   yep, the car won’t star...

 Poets and Storytellers United #159: Making it New  " So, for your optional prompt this week, I invite you to look through your writings and see if there is anything you might remix to make a new piece. " Years ago I started working on this little  senryū for a prompt I later found I couldn't post (it required WordPress pingbacks).  So, here it is. Or, as edited, I guess it's a photo  senryū.

I was going to participate in a postcard event where you write poetry on the back of postcards, but changed my mind.  I had written a few poem already, including this one for Medusa, as well as one for a postcard I'm using for Red week.  So they don't go waste I'm posting them here (and on my other blog for Thursday Postcard Hunt ). Detail of Caravaggio's Medusa, who was given a bad rap. MEDUSA I sitting here, looking at Medusa, thinking of victims. Hers is a story as old as time and as young as this morning. Who’s to blame her anger? There she was, sitting peacefully in the temple, when along comes Poseidon, (who really should have been cavorting with the mermaids, not ogling a maiden in Athena’s temple) who can’t resist her beauty. Talk about victim blaming! What kind of goddess was Athena anyway? Like mortal Medusa stood any chance against a god! It’s  her  fault her own temple was defiled! I’m sitting here, looking at Medusa. Assaulted. Punished. Decapitated. I’m...

Ronovan Writes Ovi Poetry Challenge 82: AWARE is your inspiration We must take a strong stand to stop books being banned, get heads out of the sand, or we all will lose out. We must all stay awake, there is too much at stake,  it should make your heart break, watching this happen.  It may begin with some books,  then they'll sink in their hooks, and because they're all crooks, we'll lose some of our freedoms. ©2025 Lisa Smith Nelson. All Rights Reserved  #ovi #ovipoetry #syllabicpoetry #ronovanwrites #poetrychallenge 

It's Haibun Monday at dVerse . "Hello dVersians! Welcome back after the holidays break. This is Li(sa) and it is my pleasure to host Haibun Monday today.   While looking for something different but still within the parameters of haibun, I came across a form called, burning haibun..." Now it has come to the place where I lay out your choices to inspire you today. Please choose one (or more) of these options: 1: Write a burning haibun based on an interior journey you’ve taken. 2: Write a burning haibun using the lyrics from a favorite song to inspire you. If you choose #1 or #2, please show all of the incarnations, from original prose, to first erasure (or bolding words, as done above) to the second erasure verse using the chosen bolded words, to the final haiku or senryu (aka personalized haiku) If you’re not feeling adventurous, please choose #3: 3: Write a haibun on any topic you choose. Burning haibun is a brand new form for me and in the world of poetry in general....