Sorry for the late prompt. But I'm on vacation. And the good kind. Where I'm not on the computer the whole time. And one where I can spend time with all four of my boys (and even one of their cousins). And one where I can read literary journals. And collections of poetry. And even IKEA catalogs (actually haven't read that yet, but found it in the mail moments ago).

So anyway, I've been on vacation and soaking it up.

*****

For today's prompt, I want you to write a poem about something you've been through. For instance, you may have been through a divorce, a car wreck, bankruptcy, detention, or the flu. Please make the something you've been through the title of your poem and go from there.

Here's my attempt for the day:

"Hydroplaning"

Rolling Stones play "Ruby Tuesday"
on New Year's Day through southern Kentucky
Ben and Jonah asleep in the backseat
as their mother falls in and out up front
rain beats on the windshield and blacktop
water pushes through the rocks
puddles along the edge of the Interstate
even at 50 miles-per-hour this car
moves faster than most and then I feel
the wheels turn in a direction I did not intend
and before I can stop myself I try to correct
our trajectory which only spins us faster
one.....two.....three times into the guard rail
their mother screaming "omygodomygodomygod"
as I hold the wheel steady and wait
for everything to stop and hope we aren't
blindsided by a truck that can't stop behind us
and then the car stops and we're facing
the railing and blocking the first lane
and Ben and Jonah and their mother are all
screaming and I'm thinking "is everyone okay?"

Wednesday, August 05, 2009 10:26:19 PM (GMT Daylight Time, UTC+01:00)    Comments [264]