National Poetry Month '24: On Deception

Here we are! Today is the last day of National Poetry Month. In this week's reading of The Practicing Poet, Adele Kenny shared poems written in sections. I will occasionally use this organization strategy in an essay. I thought I'd try it in this final poem of the month.

On Deception

i.

who can explain magic?

charms, spells, 

a powerful force

unexplained:

an illusion,

a lie believed.

ii. 

as a child

I remember sitting in magic shows,

believing everything was real.

my grandfather would take all of us.

we'd watch people disappear

and return smiling. 

iii.

poetry: the wave of the wand

cannot solve the problems

on the page,

staring at a blank space,

waiting for the magic,

searching for a lucky charm.

© Cathy L. Mere, 2024 

For April, I will be taking a deep dive into The Practicing Poet: Writing Beyond the Basics, edited by Diane Lockward. This book is full of 30 craft tips, so it is the perfect way to shape this month's challenge and dig into the craft of poetry. Stop by my Substack page, Merely in Progress, to follow this month's writing journey, where you will also find reflections, links, and inspiration across the challenge. Of course, this month is all about writing poetry, so I will have a new poem posted here each day utilizing a craft tip from the book. Here we go.