The Day 5 prompt from Napowrimo.net is not one I’ve ever liked. I did start with a photograph, but the use of a poem written in another language required so much attention that I paid almost no attention to the picture.

The poem I used for ‘translation’ purposes was Wislawa Szymborska’s ‘Przyklad’. I chose my words partly for their similarity to the Polish words in terms of appearance, and partly for their similarity in terms of sound. I then used a similar approach to those parts of my poem that were nonsensical, until I had the results you see here.

The photograph I used is this one, which I took not long ago:

[Note: I deleted this photo for now, as it will be appearing in the final issue of Raven Chronicles. Once the issue has been published (July 2018), I will put the photo back.]

Wichita

Darlin’ I can’t wrestle liquor and drama
Unlatch the cage and I’ll go

Post the bail—I want to go

These bare walls, all one—
a jail, a garage

No time acquired

She mocked this monster
all the time—
with poster art of watches
beaches and ennui

(4 April 2018—posted April 5th)