Not With a Bang, But With a Selfie

Roma Aeterna glows tonight from the light 

belched by hand held toys.   

The wisdom of the empire,

the artists’ strivings, the philosophers’ warnings,

are at the fingertips of both plebeians and patricians.

Though admittedly when the circus comes to the senate

it becomes difficult to distinguish sages from buffoons,

and harder still for stalwart stewards to make anyone care 

to take the time to note the differences.

Some are beginning to tremble, realizing no wall will help them,

because gilded Attila is already inside 

using an ochreous fist to become ringmaster.

Others ignore the smoke before the burning,

to snap a picture of themselves beside a dead gladiator,

#CarpeYolo.

Song Choice: Brian Williams rapping Baby Got Back

This poem was created from a prompt given at Imaginary Gardens With Real Toads: From the Blender to the Page (World Blending)

By Rommy Cortez-Driks

In Darkness, Found

I remember how it was before,

being terrified of my dark.

I was sure hairy, multi-legged horrors lived there,

skittering and chittering mad thoughts

into my mind, already dizzy

with thoughts of my inadequacy.

I remember finding you,

doubting miracles such as you could be real.

I remember you going deep inside

where my dark lives,

kissing me,

naming each part you kissed

beautiful.

Your lips blessed

the most secret and darkest parts of me.

You did not force them into the light

but loved how they thrived where they were.

I remember beginning to heal,

not by disavowing or banishing the dark,

but embracing it as you embraced me.

I remember finding my faith,

in the darkness,

trading fear for pleasure,

forgetting what there was to be frightened of in the first place.

By Rommy Cortez-Driks

Song Choice: Everything by Alanis Morissette

This poem marks a first for me as I combined 2 prompts to make this one Imaginary Gardens With Real Toads: The Paramour and A Dash of Sunny: Faith and Healing

Song of a Space Cadet

I take joy seriously.

A friend observed

my aspect is prone to comicalness.

Someone with less kind intent,

compared me to snow,

knowing full well I dislike cold.

I think I surprised her

with how quickly I am able

 to go to frostiness.

Laughter nourishes me.

Do you think I’d deny myself

when I am hungry,

just to suit another’s expectations?

Please.

Sometimes it takes work to find

a bit of laughter

that will keep me feeling well fed,

but any carnivore worth its teeth

understands that’s just part of the hunt.

So no, I’m not interested in being tethered down

by someone else’s idea of proper gravity.

I’m happy flying in my own orbit,

touching the rings of distant worlds,

and curling up in a star’s embrace. 

By Rommy Cortez-Driks

Song Choice: Ziggy Stardust by David Bowie

This poem was inspired by the prompt given at Imaginary Gardens With Real Toads, Equinox Edition, where we had to work in three of the following words: 

gravity, friend, able, serious, hungry, touch, work, aspect, nourish (I got them all! Woot!)