← BACK TO BLOG

napowrimo poem 12: transcendence/bird

prompt is a “replacement” poem. Pick a common noun for a physical thing, for example, “desk” or “hat” or “bear,” and then pick one for something intangible, like “love” or “memories” or “aspiration.” Then Google your tangible noun, and find some sentences using it. Now, replace that tangible noun in those sentences with your intangible noun, and use those sentences to create (or inspire) a poem.

tangible noun: bird
intangible noun: transcendence

fright, passivity,
mourning, and beauty
are interwoven
with transcendence

transcendence has many vocalizations
it is the rarest warbler
oft perceived as a monster
recovered from near-extinction

considered sacred
thought of as thief
symbol of virtue
harbinger of war

female transcendence is muted
tho we migrate great distances,
defend our territory a whole season
camouflage provided by our plumage

we scavenge or mate…
among many socially monogamous species,
extra-pair copulation (infidelity) is common
…we are anomalous

this relationship is mutualistic,
cooperative honey-gathering
and we are the honeyguides
we are transcendence, deified