It’s the last day of NaPoWriMo or National Poetry and Writing Month if you’re not one for abbreviations.

Thanks to Ashley Catharine for sharing this via Facebook. Here’s a poem that gets you thinking about how ridiculous some laws were and still are which is entitled, “California Law.” Written and performed by Sam Sax, he is a recent contest finalist of Write Bloody.

- Eddy M. Gana Jr.

April: Upcoming forWord Features

It’s National Poetry and Writing Month so you know we gotta celebrate. Come with us!

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04.06.12
FEATURE
Full Moon Open Mic
310 W. 5th Street
Santa Ana, CA
*Come at 8:30pm for the open mic
*Show begins at 9:00pm
*Free admission

04.11.12
FEATURE
Between the Bars Open Mic
256 S. Main St.
Pomona, CA
*Come at 8:30pm for limited open mic
*Free admission
*21+

04.17.12
FEATURE
Tuesday Night Cafe
Little Tokyo, Downtown LA
*Limited open mic spots available, come early!
*Free admission

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We may also be frequenting some open mic venues here and there. So keep your eyes open. Maybe we’ll run into each other?

National Poetry Month: Day 30

This is the last day of National Poetry Month - WE DID IT! 30 poems in 30 days. It’s been a great month, and much thanks to those who have dropped by our page along the way.

In other news, be sure to look out for some NEW CONTENT from forWord in the upcoming weeks!

With this last poem, I started with a free write, but kept in mind an intention of going back to my fiction roots, writing with more of a story in mind. Here it is in all of its semi-edited glory.

-Steph

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“To Be Heroes”
By Stephanie Sajor

The explosion rocked the building
Sending stacks of books crashing to the floor,
He looked out the window.
In that instant, it turned from whole into glass fractions.
His older sister, only a few hundred feet away.
He didn’t know it yet, but she was running towards him.
And it wasn’t long before the shrapnel pierced her side.
She felt warm liquid streaming down her leg.
She found her sibling huddled in the corner of his room.
Traces of shallow cuts on the arms and hands that protected his face.
She managed to pull him to his feet.
The two hobbled out of their tiny home.
She covered his eyes to shield him from the charred bodies laying on the road.
Mother. Father.
It was hopeless.
Everything.

They didn’t know it yet,
But they would be heroes.
It takes madness to create suffering
Because only those driven crazy
would take pride in taking lives.
It takes resilience to have weakness
and mold it into courage.
Because the will to thrive
is what separates the surviving from the dying.
They didn’t know it yet,
But older sister would become the greatest warrior this side of the Pacific.
Slashing away rank by rank the hellions that took their parents.
The ferocity in her blade and bullets almost a myth,
With a stab and twist,
She would show them what hell really was.
Younger brother was always one step ahead of them.
Strategies played out like labyrinths,
They were his little ants and he found joy in breaking their lines,
He laughed as they frantically scattered blind
before searing them to ashes with the sun.
Vengeance would be theirs.

They didn’t know it yet,
Not while blood was still fresh.
The fear so blatantly displayed on their faces,
The agony – it hurt so bad – taking the form of tears,
One day, it would all be cloaked in bravery,
They would be the ones to be feared.
They’re not heroes yet,
But they will be.

Day 29

sorry for the lateness, i had a long day yesterday.  anyway, this is a short free write inspired by a line in a temper trap song called sweet disposition.  here’s my piece for day 29.

a moment of love, a dream, a laugh, a kiss, a cry, our rights, our wrongs

and these moments become like snapshots

cuddled in a memory

we are looking towards tomorrow

dreaming about yesterday.

…wont stop till it’s over, wont stop to surrender…

-susan