It seems that the old leadership of the official OctPoWriMo challenge is no longer active, so Maria L. Berg of Experience Writing has stepped up to offer prompts. Today she suggests using a mind map to explore our fears (her theme for the month-long challenge) and suggested writing a pantoum based on the result.
I discovered that my biggest fear right now is the political condition of the United States. I know my poem is going to offend some of my friends, and if I get nasty responses, I may turn off comments for this post. (Yes, I will take away your freedom of speech if your opinion differs from mine. This is my blog, not a democracy.) I could not make my fear fit into the form of a pantoum, so free verse it is.
Trumpian Nightmare Not everything he did was bad. He greenlighted the Covid vaccine (but bad-mouthed it) and the stimulus checks and federal pandemic unemployment compensation (progressive measures) helped save homes and lives. But he tried to undo the Affordable Care Act. He defied NATO and the United Nations. He withdrew US from the Paris Accords and held private conferences with dictators. And when he wasn't reelected he said the presidency was stolen from him and sent his followers to the Capitol to pressure Congress not to certify the election. His Supreme Court nominees took away access to abortion without providing a safety net of added support for education or parental leave or childcare resources or financial assistance. They overruled Affirmative Action which was at least a small way of leveling the playing fields of college admissions and human resources. What if he becomes president again or what if he doesn't? Will lack of civility leads to civil war, loss of freedom, loss of life? That's what I'm afraid of.
No comments:
Post a Comment