Lost in Translation

 

Ninja Foodi XL Pro,

the monster in her kitchen 

Came all the way from China,

Jinan, Shandong

to be exact,

then to San Diago, California,

then by FedEx into Canada

Her point being that

somewhere along the way

there is a loss in

translation.

It/he burns everything

She reads the instructions,

written in English

but he/it still burns everything 

There are instructions in

five languages 

Perhaps one of those is

the right one

If she knew some one who

spoke Spanish or German

maybe they could help

Her friends love their

Ninjas

Their chicken wings are crispy

their roasts just the right 

medium well done,

pizzas to die for,,,

Wait a minute!

She stops to ponder

Why IS that?

You don’t 

 suppose it’s HER mind

lost in translation

Ellecee

Inspiration from

Good Universe Next Door

23. The sum of its parts
Consider the objects in your home. 

How did they get there? What resources 

were required to produce them?

 Write a poem about the origin of one or 

more of your possessions. / 

Party

Ghosts in the boudoir

having a party tonight

Interlude only

Ellecee

Inspiration from

Good Universe Next Door

20. Don’t be alarmed
Write a poem where you are 

unbothered by something scary 

or dangerous.

Jake

 

She calls her Chrones disease

Jake

Jake is a mean guy

the meanest

He sneaks up on her

and rips her open with pain

He doesn’t discriminate

She could be in bed

dreaming,

She could be at the beach

baking in the sun

She could be out on a

first date

smooching

She’s tried going to the

rest room and

saying

“Bugger off Jake”

But 

He doesn’t 

So

she drowns him

in Tramodol

Ellecee

Inspiration from

Good Universe Next Door

16. Hold it up to the light
Write a poem that reframes 

something that plagues you. 

In the draft, offer yourself some 

grace and hope.

Holiday Spirits

 

She sometimes thinks

(after each holiday)

that signs of them should 

remain all year through

Christmas lights hanging

on curtains,

A green hat on a peg

Easter eggs on the bookshelves

and odes to Mother

and little Canadian flags,

and imitation turkeys

and, and,

Thus to keep the holiday spirits

 living throughout the entire year

Except

it doesn’t

Ellecee

Inspiration from

Good Universe Next Door

15. Please take down your holiday 

decorations in a timely fashion
“today we’re going to write a poem 

about cleaning up holiday or season 

decorations. (You’re allowed to take it in 

any direction you like)”

Stuff

 

Just moved in

a month ago

and already

this

A junk drawer,

She already moved   

in two storage stacks

full, of what?

STUFF

Here,  now,

contents of

new drawer,

Masking tape,

two

Blue one, green one

Pencil,

Box cutter

With tail

attached,

Mini

tape recorder,

Screw driver,

Tape measure

yellow,

USB / electric plug/

charger

white,

Large paper clip,

Sewing thread

grey,

AAA battery,

Receipts,

Plastic bags

with bolts and

screws,

Plastic bags

empty,

Picture hangers

unopened,

Zip bag with

more screws

and tiny tools?

Hammer

huge,

Air freshener,

Stud finder

Also yellow,

Cross to hang

Mexican design,

blue,

Paint can opener,

Drawer pulls,

Glasses

reading,

Baggie with

springs and

brackets,

Tape measure

chrome,

Packing tape

translucent,

And buried

an already

tattered and fading

post-it 

note

to herself,

“Clean this

Drawer” 

Ellecee

Inspiration from

Good Universe Next Door

9. Contents may settle during flight
Choose something from your purse or 

wallet, a desk drawer, a coat pocket, 

a coffee table, medicine cabinet, or 

something similar, then write a poem 

about what it holds.