Tag: Poetry

Posted in Tabletop Poetry (and Other Artforms), Visual Art

Pride Month and Playing with Color

Posted on by Tabletop Teacher

There is a sport around here which involves riding a raft behind a speeding boat. Generally speaking, the goal of the person driving the boat is to throw the person on the raft into the water, and the goal of the person on the raft is to hang on for dear life. When you do fall off, you hurl into the water at such speeds that it feels like hitting concrete and for a moment, before your life jacket pulls you to the surface, you have no idea which way is up. Getting back from the road trip felt a little like that.

I had two poetry shows that I’m supposed to be getting off the ground, and people from every corner asking about these things. One show is just beginning, with people who were part of it threatening to drop out, and the other show needs a rebranding, including a new name, and did I mention it’s taking place at a venue where the owner just died?

Unfortunately, the cool colors did not show up well on camera.

Needless to say, the last few weeks have been very stressful. But the first show got off the ground (and is getting a new name!) and being in June, we celebrated Pride month, and I tried my hand at some rainbow eyeshadow.

And I had so much fun with that, I decided to do some Slytherin eyeshadow and support my house.

And then I made a new shirt.

Yes, it is an owl print shirt with owl buttons. Dan Dreiberg would be proud.

The artistic endeavors have been helping me get out of my panic. The next show is tomorrow, so here’s to hope.

Posted in Poetry, Tabletop Poetry (and Other Artforms)

30 in 30: DAY 30!

Posted on by Tabletop Teacher

And the monkeys don’t like us.
They sit on the ladders to their windows
and yell that we’re taking their land.
They look down on us
like we don’t have enough fur for them,
but I don’t see how something so furry
could survive in all this heat.
We hear them in the night,
complaining about what the world is coming to,
with the likes of us moving in,
as if there isn’t enough room
in the rain forest for everyone,
as if there aren’t tree houses aplenty.
Mom says they just don’t like different.
And sure, there’s a human neighborhood
across the canopy,
but the schools here are better,
and we’ve got the right
to send our kids anywhere we choose. 

Posted in Poetry, Tabletop Poetry (and Other Artforms)

30 in 30: Day 29

Posted on by Tabletop Teacher

Hi there.
It’s me,
your author.
Remember all those times
you said you just wanted to be something–
to do something with your life.
You just wanted your life to have meaning?
Well congratulations!
You finally get your wish.
No, you’re not going to be a big hero.
You’re not going to get superpowers
or invent some fancy new technology,
but you are going to save the world.
How? Well, by dying of course.
It’s a lot like religion see–
every story needs a sacrifice.
Because stories are about learning lessons,
and it’s through losing things that we learn.
Think about Romeo and Juliet.
Those families never would have learned
to love each other if their children hadn’t died.
So it’s an honor, really.
I picked you,
out of everybody in the whole book,
to die.
So that way, the people reading could learn the lesson.
And everyone around you
will change for the better.
Don’t you see,
you are going to fix everything!
Aren’t you happy?
This is what you always wanted.

Posted in Poetry, Tabletop Poetry (and Other Artforms)

30 in 30: Day 27

Posted on by Tabletop Teacher

Posting later than usual because I have been busy worldbuilding! I’m creating a SFF world of multiple interconnected planets for a classroom RPG which you will hear more about in the upcoming months. But with some help from Artefexian, I decided to give playing around with different plant colors a try. And with it, I chose to imagine a poem that someone on this planet might write.

The first thing you notice
when arriving on the planet of Isinnai
are the vast, sweeping valleys
of lavender.
Here, all the plants are purple.
And you wonder
what the first colonists thought
to see an entire planet
drowning in vegetation.
Perhaps it is what people think
when they look at us.
They see us wrapped
in nothing but discolored vines
pale green and blue flowers
bloom across our cheeks
And they do not understand

It is said the first colonists,
upon seeing these colors
worried the planet had been cursed
by the gods.
And built altars
and sent up prayers
that they might
restore blessings to the land.
They brought in their own
green plants
as a means of purification.
But like those purple leaves
we will pay no heed to their words.
We will merely bask in the sunlight
that causes them to crisp.