Challenge: Superstition Poem

[PandoraGlitters]

Did you avoid stepping on cracks? Do you leave the kitchen when someone turns on a microwave? Wear a lucky hat on game day? Whatever it is, write a poem about a superstition of your choice.

 

[PandoraGlitters]

For your reading pleasure, here's a Black Cat poem by Rilke.

Black Cat

A ghost, though invisible, still is like a place
your sight can knock on, echoing; but here
within this thick black pelt, your strongest gaze
will be absorbed and utterly disappear:

just as a raving madman, when nothing else
can ease him, charges into his dark night
howling, pounds on the padded wall, and feels
the rage being taken in and pacified.

She seems to hide all looks that have ever fallen
into her, so that, like an audience,
she can look them over, menacing and sullen,
and curl to sleep with them. But all at once

as if awakened, she turns her face to yours;
and with a shock, you see yourself, tiny,
inside the golden amber of her eyeballs
suspended, like a prehistoric fly.


Rainer Maria Rilke

 

[PandoraGlitters]

And another by Maggie Pogue Johnson

Superstitions

I ain't superstitious,
But dis I sho' do know,
Dat ef a rooster walks his se'f up
En crows right in y'o do',
Dar's sho' someone a comin'
Say jis what you might,
Dar'll be a stranger at yo' hous'
Fo' de cumin' ob de night.
I ain't superstitious,
But dis I know is tru',
Say what you will, en do what you'll do;
Ef yo' lef' han' itches,
You may t'nk it funny,
But you sho' soon gwine er git
A little sum ob money.
I ain't superstitious,
'Tis ignance I'll vow,
But sho's you're born,
Dis is tru' some how,
Dat ef you starts a place,
En has to turn back,
En fo'gits to make a cross,
En spit right in yo' track,
Some bad luck sho' will follow,
Dis t'ing sho' is tru',
Ef you don't believe me,
I tell you what to do:
Jis go some whar fo' fun,
En den turn back to see,
Some bad luck sho' will follow,
'Tis tru' as it kin be.
I ain't superstitious,
But I tell you what I've seen,
Ef you eats at a table
What dar's jis thirteen,
You min' what I say,
As sho's dar's a sky
One ob dat thirteen
Will be sho to die.
I ain't superstitious
But here's annoder fact,
En dis t'ing sho is tru'
No matter whar you's at,
Dat if you starts a place
En a black cat crosses you
'Tis sho en sartin bad luck
No matter what you do.
I can't be superstitious
En sho I ain't to blame
But if you cum in one do' ob de hous'
En don't go out de same
Your min', it sho is bad luck,
You kin turn dis way en dat
But bad luck sho will follow
No matter whar you's at.
I ain't superstitious
But some t'ings I do know,
Ef you sweeps yo' hous' out arter dark
'Tis bad luck fo' you sho,
En please don't spill no salt,
It jis as sho is tru'
Dat sumpin's gwine to happen,
Min' what I say, too.
I ain't superstitious
But I tell you fus en las'
It sho is awful luck
To break a lookin' glass;
Bad luck fo' seven years
Is de title read;
Dat sho is one t'ing dat I fears—
One t'ing dat I dread.
I ain't superstitious
But dis ain't no lie,
Ef a bird flies in de hous'
Dars some one gwine to die;
'Tis jis as true as it kin be
En when you see de bird
Some one's gwine to leabe dat hous',
Case die am de word.
I ain't superstitious
But let yo' lef' eye quiver,
Trouble sho will follow,
You jis well 'gin to shiver;
En let yo' lef' foot itch
'Tis jis as tru' fo' sho,
You jis well pack yo' satchel,
Case on strange lan' you mus' go.
I ain't superstitious,
But dis I sho do know,
In de ebening arter dark
Ef you hears a rooster crow
Hasty news am cumin,
'Tis tru' as it kin be,
En you jis well wa'r a long face
En set en wait to see.
I ain't supersitious,
It's ign'ance, 'tis a fact;
It jis sho's, too,
Dat fo' 'telligence you lack,
But when settin at de table,
La sakes! don't sneeze,
It's a sho sign ob death,
Say what you please.
I ain't superstitious
En eberybody knows
Dat I ain't superstitious
Eny whar I goes,
But y'all sho kin tell
En read between de lines,
I ain't superstitious
But I do beliebe in signs.


Maggie Pogue Johnson

 

[PandoraGlitters]

Lucky

Eight silver buttons
reeled you back
to me on a string
of light in a yellow
taxicab as I wound
fingertip around

12345678

silver buttons down
my chest wink
returning headlamps
as you step out
and pull me in

 

[bronzeage]

Just my luck to call today,
to call you just to say
hello and let our talk follow,
but the words drip so hollow.
Just my luck to call you when
you've taken a vow and sworn off men.

 

[PandoraGlitters]

That does sound unlucky, Bronzeage. Thanks for your contribution.

 

[PandoraGlitters]

Born on a seventh
day unbroken
by unexpected snow
and me too

unexpected
as a Jehovah's Witness
on Thursday
as the two sizes
increase mother made
the extra panel
in white satin

maiden aunts counted
the weeks but there
I was small
enough to counter
accusal

Lucky 7
rabbit foot
squeeze
in our tiny
red hands

 

[GuiltyPleasure]

I'm trying for triscadecaphobia as my theme - rhyming is difficult.

 

[PandoraGlitters]

I'm trying for triscadecaphobia as my theme - rhyming is difficult.

Hah!

 

[Angeline]

I haven't thought of a poem yet, but your thread did remind me of this wonderful Joan Armatrading song, so here it is for inspiration or just enjoying:



I'm Lucky

I'm lucky, I'm lucky
I can walk under ladders
Yes, I'm so lucky that
I'm as lucky as me

Struck it rich, dirty rich
No work and get richer
And the world loves a winner
Yes, I'm so happy that you're happy with me

Hey numero uno
Living for right now
And it's L- I- V- I- N- G
When I'm here with you

I'm lucky, I'm lucky
I can walk under ladders
I don't need a bracelet
No salt for my shoulder
I don't own a rabbit
No clover, no heather
No cross, no wonder
I'm lucky, I'm lucky, I'm lucky
I can walk under ladders

I'm lucky, I'm lucky
I'm lucky, I'm lucky
I can walk under ladders
I don't own a bracelet
No clover, no heather
No cross, no wonder
I'm lucky, I'm lucky
I'm lucky, I'm lucky
I can walk under ladders
I can walk under ladders

I'm not quite that lucky. I'll work on a poem.

 

[champagne1982]

If faith can be counted as a superstition then today I heard a noise that was unsettling as hell. Perhaps you have heard of the "trumpet" sounds ringing through the Ukraine, the British Isles, South America... well, now, right here in my town.

I swear it to be true... It sounded like the wind until you stepped out and listened. There was no wind and besides, it sounded more like the stuck brakes on a train... except there are no trains here, our government stopped the trains and the counties have torn the rails and ties up to turn it all into a cross-Canada trail. So, was there an enormous brass band of thousands of instruments warming up? I don't think so.

There was a monstrous solar flare and storm on the sun and well, yes, the radiation struck the Earth's atmosphere around the same time as the sound started...

I don't know, I didn't like it nor did anyone in my family find it anything but disturbing. Very strange thing to experience.

 

[PandoraGlitters]

It is impressive the various ways that nature fucks with us, Champagne. And wonderful song and contribution, Angeline. Thank you! Good to see two of my favorite poets on the thread.

 

[BohRhap]

Hello everyone. I am newbie, saw this thread and BOOM a short but goofy poem popped in my head. So here goes nothing.

One number to go
Tap Tap Tap
Circle Circle
Pat Pat
Blow a kiss
To the lucky troll
with green fur hat
BINGO!


(FYI my mom use to take me to the bingo parlor with her.)

 

[PandoraGlitters]

Love that one, BohRhap! Thanks for joining the thread and welcome to the PF&D!

 

[BohRhap]

Thanks PandoraGlitters. I have been enjoying myself that last few days trolling around here. I have not written a poem in about two years and was looking for some inspiration. I have posted a few of my old poems and one NEW one. YAY! Plus the one on this thread.

 

[Fractured_Soul]

The Full moon is out.
Can you hear them raving?
Laughter, howls, cackling.
You know what they are craving.
Lunatics take to this night.
Know anyone worth saving?
Werewolves, vampires, even worse.
Can you feel your resolve caving?
Shrieks of terror, a crunching sound.
Slowly this night you're braving.
Morning comes to reveal their works.
It was just the road they were paving.

 

[PandoraGlitters]

Love that last line, Fractured.

 

[Fractured_Soul]

Love that last line, Fractured.

Thanks, it was just a take on how our imaginations can run away on us.