It's the 2025 Poem-A-Week Challenge! (This is a *poems only* thread.)

[_Land]

Codependency in Lingerie

She doesn’t speak at dinner.
Vacancy wears her name.
He forgets to pour her water
though she sets the table
with her whole body.

The lights flicker.
He notices the bulb.
Never her.

Her voice lives
in the closet,
hanging off wire,
strapped in secrets
and satin.
He only hears her
when she zippers herself
into hunger.

By night,
she wears red
a flare for the lost,
hoping to be found
in the wilderness of his gaze.

He says 'god, you look good like that".
She wonders which part
he’s worshipping.
The lace?
The curve?
The silence?
Never the ache.

She dissolves
with the daylight
a robe on a hook,
a breath that doesn’t echo.
Breakfast arrives.
He eats.
She watches his mouth
move around everything
she’s given.

As he leaves for work,
she hums tunes
in the tone of anxiety,
plotting her next moment
in the light of his gaze,
her moment of spotlight
in lingerie.

 

[_Land]

I Am Just a Wallet

She doesn’t ask if I’m happy.
Only if the cable’s paid.
If the flight’s booked.
If her skincare auto-shipped on time.

I hand her my card
like a love letter
signed in silence.
Every swipe
a hope she’ll come home
for more than the package.

She kisses me
when the refund clears.
Calls me “babe”
when her car needs tires.
Touches my neck
like a lucky charm
not a man.

But I smile
because the math adds up.
Her needs
give me purpose.
If I stop providing,
what am I for?

I scroll through watches
I’ll never buy.
Shoes I won’t own.
Trips I can’t take.

But her face lights up
when the cart says “confirmed.”
And I want to keep
that light.

At dinner,
she talks about my slip-ups
the missed oil change,
the credit score,

the way I still haven’t
handled that thing
she asked about last week.

She doesn’t raise her voice.
She raises expectations.
And I try harder.

Not because I fear her leaving
but because I fear
disappearing
when I stop being useful.

 

[Angeline]

Blue Ridge Terzanelle

The mountains seem to blur into the sky
As morning weaves together grays and blues
But Sun awakes the greening by and by

Till daytime's bright kaleidoscope of hues
Will pour on me like honey for my tea
As morning weaves together grays and blues

A quiet sweetness that will nourish me
In warmth and flowers on this breaking day
That pours on me like honey for my tea

And Mac the cat may visit though not stay
He'll watch for prey then vanish through the grass
In warmth and flowers on this breaking day

I scratch his ears and rock then let him pass
Across the porch then lightly past the lawn
He'll watch for prey then vanish in the grass

One moment here another and he's gone
Across the porch then lightly past the lawn
The mountains seem to blur into the sky
The mountains seem to blur into the sky



Week 31, Poem 4, Total 34

 

[goddessofglee]

Week 31...

Japanese Symbol Haiku

New Beginning
ココ (koko) – "Here" we are
禁 (kin) – "Prohibited / Forbidden" paths call,
夢 (yume) – "Dream / Vision" still move forward.

Market Breeze
割 (wari) – "Discount / Divide" winds blow
得 (toku) – "Bargains / Gain" bloom in bright markets,
愛 (ai) – "Love / Affection" buys what we need.

Space & Silence
空 (kū) – "Empty / Vacant" seats await
指 (yubi) – "Reserved / Pointed" places for the few,
合 (gō) – "Success / Fit" seals the deal.

Secrets & Joy
祝 (shuku) – "Celebrate / Congratulations" today
秘 (hi) – "Secrets / Confidential" whispered keep us warm,
龍 (ryū) – "Dragons / Mythic power" guard our hearts.

Flow of Time
月 (tsuki) – "Moon" guides "monthly" steps
有 (yū) – "Having / Existing" what we have, life goes on,
申 (mōshi) – "Applications / Requests" made.

Spirit & Open Doors
営 (ei) – "Open for business / Manage"
無 (mu) – "Free spirit / Nothingness," unbound and true,
心 (kokoro) – "Heart / Mind" welcomes it all.

Peaceful Ending
幸 (sachi) – "Happiness / Good fortune" flows
和 (wa) – "Harmony / Peace" binds every soul,
安 (an) – "Peace / Safety" gently remains.


*Note: Some symbols have multiple meanings depending on context; both are included where poetic.*
*Disclaimer: This poem is for fun and creative expression, not an educational or linguistic guide.*


№31 of 52.

 

[Remec]

Summer Rain

Rain falls. drip drip Warm rain. Sumer rain. Falls soft. Falls hard.
Soaks clothes. White t-shirt. Extra clingy. Buds grow. Straining material.
Glasses fog. Rain falls. drip drip Puddles form. Boots appear. Jumping boots.
Laughing jumpers. splish splish Sweltering heat. Hot rain. Warm rain.
Summer rain. drip drip

Week: 31 Poem: 1 Total: 6

 

[42BelowsBack]

Innocence lost

My ice cream fell, well
it floated down stream
cream slipping away,
day flattened in smooth
satin silk evanescence.


NO 20

 

[Angeline]

Reader's Dilemma

She loves a fictional man. He's close as the page, remote as the stars.



Week 32, Poem 1, Total 35

 

[_Land]

Peace

ain’t quiet.

It’s the absence

of bullshit.

It’s walking into a room

and knowing

you don’t owe anyone

a softer version of your truth.

It’s eating alone

without swallowing your worth.

It’s saying,

“No,”

and not following it

with a damn explanation.

 

[DeMont]

Welcome to 2025, Poets, and Happy New Year. This year your challenge is to write a poem each week of the year. Let me cover the details in a brief Q&A!

Can I write a sonnet? A villanelle? Free verse? An erotic prose poem? Etc, etc, etc.
Write anything in any style that *you* define as poetry. The only rules you must follow are the same as for every thread on this forum and the Poet's Hangout, the official forum guidelines.

What if I want to write 52 haiku or American Sentences or (heaven help you) sestinas?
Write what works for you. One of the benefits of this sort of challenge is that you end up with 52 (or more, but more on that in a bit) poems, enough for a poetry chapbook. So if, for example, you'd been considering writing a chapbook of sonnets, this challenge could provide a way to do that. And if you don't have a plan and just want to write some poetry each week well that's fine, too.

What if I miss a week or two? What if I'll be busy in March and can't write poems then? Do I have to drop out?
Just do your best. If you miss a week or more no one is going to judge you. In fact no one but you will be keeping count of when and how often you write. Obviously the more poetry you write, the better for you. But you're in charge of that and we all recognize that life gets in the way of our best laid plans at times.

Is it ok to write more than one poem per week?
Of course! Write as many poems as you want.

I have comments, questions, observations. I'd like to say I like a specific poem or make a suggestion. Can I do that in this thread?
This will be a poems only thread. Please put your comments, etc in the discussion thread here. If you forget and drop a comment in this thread it'll be moved to the discussion thread.

I have a good idea for a challenge. Can I still post it this year?
Absolutely! Everyone is always welcome to post prompts on this forum or post on any of the ongoing challenge threads. Even time-sensitive threads (like last year's challenges, for example) are open to anyone who wants to write in them. If you're inspired, write!

"This year your challenge is to write a poem each week of the year." **Sob** I failed you mistress Angeline, this one took me three weeks to get to the point where I am 97% happy with it... try as I might I couldn't hit that 100...

Her first time

The neon lights of uptown towers,
Those red, blue, green, white fires,
Darted between the half shut blinds
Splash tiger stripes across the room
Skin hot, quivering with desires.

A rivulet of sweat ran between
Breasts tanned golden-brown,
While fingers dragged satin slip down
Fingernails scraped swollen nipples
Her thoughts threatened to drown.

Down her trembling long, lean legs
Her lover’s hands laid her bare,
While with touch both sure and deft
Slid slowly back up, gentle to where
Hot breath moved in down there.

Forcing her nipples to her own lips
Tongue dancing around and across,
How could her body invoke such fires?
A fleeting touch of lover’s tongue
Made her head her ebony locks toss.

Arms now outflung against the wall
Hands becoming each a palm inward claw,
Hips pushing forward, eager, begging
Seeking, hunting the pleasure wet
Tongue diving into her sex, she crying “more!”

Her hips began to grind, arms overhead
Head back, her back arched to the wall,
Tongue slithered and stabbed between thighs
And thrust deep inside, she writhing hard,
“Oh God I’m coming..!” Was this her downfall?

Her lover slithered up her slick body
Their hot wet lips and tongues clashed.
She tasted the sweet flavor of herself
From where that mouth had drank
While fingers slithered, thrust and thrashed.

Hands gently pushing, stroking and coaxing
The heat of their kisses going to her head.
She lets her lover guide them across
In a swirling dance of touch and pure lust
And lay her down upon the large bed.

On her back she lay, hands braced overhead
Hips rolled to one side, one leg raised upright.
Gently last ripples and quivers post-orgasm
Shuddered through her tall beautiful form
Her lover straddles her lower leg holding the other tight.

Upon an elbow she reaches out for bare flesh
In her mind there is no more reason nor rhyme.
Clutching at her lover’s thigh she tips her head back
“YES.. YES.. Fuck me, fuck me as you will..!”
Now there is no turning back, this will be her first time.

Their bodies slide together, hard and complete now
Hips grinding, hands, fingers, drumming a sensual beat.
She looks wide eyed at her blond blue eyed girl
Mounds driving together, gasps at clits electric touch
From within her very core rises an unbearable heat.

She braces herself at the headboard, pushing back hard
The trembles becoming a tidal wave shuddering rhyme.
Her leggy blond lover, frantic hips grinding explodes
She knows this is but the first of so many ways to come
And she knows she will never forget, her first time.