National Poetry Writing Month 2020, Day 12

The napowrimo.net prompt for day 12 is to write a triolet. I adapted the titles of chapters from my mom’s junior-high math book for the A lines.

Covid triolet triptych

1
Expressing ideas with lines and angles
contemplating a variety of curves—
all those lines in brambles and tangles

Expressing ideas with lines and angles
every possibility we can wrangle
and wrestle and add to our reserves

Expressing ideas with lines and angles
contemplating a variety of curves

2
The mathematics of buying and selling
leave shelves empty and tempers short

There’s not much sense in dwelling
upon the mathematics of buying and selling

Nobody’s asking, nobody’s telling
nobody’s emerging from their fort

Because the mathematics of buying and selling
leaves shelves empty and tempers short

3
We could use a diagnostic and remedial program
but no one seems to be in charge
so there’s not even a microgram

We could use a diagnostic and remedial program
or somebody up there who gives a damn
or perhaps sees knowledge as something to enlarge

We could use a diagnostic and remedial program
but no one competent’s in charge

(12 April 2020)

Wishes sometimes have consequences—available to order from your favorite local bookstore!

Information about my other books can be found here.