#NaPoWriMo 2022 Day Twenty-one

Milady in Puerto Rico Summer 1993

Animalia Journal

Surprise to see college roommate
Last minute switch, I did not know
She found herself in a single
I only dormed one semester

Spring of ninety-three I commute
And visit her on occasion
Then sophomore year we lose touch
A small blip by graduation

The Albright Knox art gallery
Sits across the street from Buff State
A frequent distraction from school
Why can’t I recall any art?

NaPoWriMo Prompt – Today’s (optional) prompt is one I got from the poet Betsy Sholl. This prompt asks you to write a poem in which you first recall someone you used to know closely but are no longer in touch with, then a job you used to have but no longer do, and then a piece of art that you saw once and that has stuck with you over time. Finally, close the poem with an unanswerable question.

Good afternoon and welcome to day twenty-one of napowrimo where I’ll admit to cheating. Once upon a time – Fall of 1992, I started college at Buffalo State where according to my Animalia Journal my roommate was supposed to be one Heather Hofsdal. Hence my surprise on move in day and I find someone else in the room. Milady and I became friends and in the same journal was the photo of her on summer break 1993. However, I did not really like dorming and moved back home after only one semester.

Since the Albright Knox art gallery is across the street from Buffalo State and I have been there quite a few times, one would think I’d be able to write about one piece that stuck with me, but I drew a blank. And if something hasn’t struck me after seeing it more than once, I don’t think I have found that one piece. Something that has stuck with me is Animalia and I found it ironic that the spark for today’s prompt was on the pages of a journal I kept 30 years ago.

Look through old journal
Travel back for a glimpse at
Someone I once knew

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#NaPoWriMo 2022 Day Twenty

#HaikuChallenge #CoffeeTime

NaPoWriMo Prompt – And now for today’s (optional) prompt. Today, I’d like to challenge you to write a poem that anthropomorphizes a kind of food. It could be a favorite food of yours, or maybe one you feel conflicted about. I feel conflicted about Black Forest Cake, for example. It always looks so pretty in a bakery window, and I want to like the combination of cherries and chocolate . . . but I don’t. But how does the cake feel about it?

Good morning and welcome to day twenty of NaPoWriMo where I write in the POV of coffee. The #haikuchallenge word today is lose and my earlier version was –

Every morning
She trusts me to work magic
Lose her displeasure

I’m ambivalent over which version I like better. It’s funny because Gretchen wanted me to proofread one of her papers before she left for school yesterday, but she said I was sleeping. I told her she could have woken me up. She said I’d be grumpy (before coffee). Instead she just sent me an invite to google docs to proofread it while she was at school. Then the evil twin sent me her essay to proofread. Hey Kati, personal pronouns should not appear in formal essays! The evil twin has been long out of essay writing practice. There is no amount of coffee available for me to lose my displeasure at reading I, we, us in an essay. Coffee already has a big job in this house. 😉

Happy 45

Happy 45! Shawn and me at PF Chang’s Goodyear AZ

 

Black and white photo
celebrates another year
keep on loving life

On Saturday Feb. 25th, we went out to PF Chang’s to celebrate Shawn’s 45th birthday. The restaurant was overflowing, so we decided to dine out in the front, bar patio. No crowd, a lot quieter, and the weather was perfect for outdoor dining. Rachael took this picture of Shawn and me after dinner. The first few shots, the lighting created some strange effects and everyone was laughing. One reason why I like this photo; it isn’t an exact smile but Shawn does look happy. He so rarely smiles in photos. Then photobucket had canvas prints on sale. I was able to get a 10×10 print for $20 (including shipping and handling). The print arrived today. It turned out really nice.

Then On Sunday Feb. 26th, Shawn and I went to the Sabres/Coyotes game with other Buffalo State alumni. We also invited a neighbor from my old street in Hamburg, NY. I was wearing my Hamburg, NY sweatshirt. And when someone walked past me, to get to his seat he said, 1 4 7, no 1 4 0 7 5. At first I was a little confused as to why he was giving me numbers. Then he said, Hamburg’s zip code, right? Lol! Yes, I am wearing a sweatshirt that read, Hamburg, NY the town that friendship built. I kinda forgot – When I was 5.

Speaking of time flying, I can’t believe two months of 2017 have gone by. Right now Rachael is on spring break and next week will be Gretchen’s turn. And before we know it napowrimo 2017 will be here. Hopefully I will be able to write a poem a day this year. I have signed up over at napowrimo.net again.