By Daniel Paiz

To be honest, it doesn’t really feel like there’s that much of a difference between writing poems or haikus, and writing like rhymes or songs. Clearly there’s more of musical element to the latter, but the former can often have its own rhythm and syncopation as well. Plus, depending on how you read it and pace it, it can be a different piece of art for different people.

Now that’s mostly true for all poetry and music, but for some reason I often think most readers read my stuff at the same pace. Perhaps that’s not true, I may never find out. This one is meant to play around with that a little bit. Besides, that’s an important part of NaPoWriMo: trying out new stuff.

Stop, Pause

Stop, pause

reflect on all the madness

the wildness and the crying,

no wonder I’m never tuned in,

violence captured all around us,

STOP

just take a brief moment,

the adrenaline feels like an omen

and the hardest part of the situation,

is figuring out the process,

the costs, concerns, inequity,

in debt around here is deadly,

can’t stop the earworm distracting you,

it’s an awkwardly soothing melody,

…PAUSE

check back in just for an instant,

waking up to this seems so distant,

yet yesterday morning it was mundane thought,

like what groceries to buy

or how clapping trains pigeons,

the flight in one direction suppresses

the justified response of aggression,

no points to score for being the bigger person

only alternatives would be a lengthy sentence,

speaking of putting up words as fences

blocking out inspection,

supposedly this our property yet

doors broke down in an instant,

what fruitful way to manage is this,

no wonder kids feel so anxious,

sounds are not what they wanna be seeing,

but reality closing in with precision,

to bear certain birthmarks,

feels like a bygone era,

only destruction of their fragilities,

is how you and I persist in the present,

relentless survival is no military medal,

but still this life earns stripes of persistence,

one day it’ll all lead to just reverence,

STOP…

pause.