W3 Prompt #36; Poverty

Wea’ve Written Weekly

The W³ prompt this week, brought to us by the current Poet of the Week, Murisopsis, is to write about poverty in any poetic form, in exactly 14 lines. Go to The Skeptic’s Kaddish to link up and to read the other poets’ work. You might or might not notice I’m a syllable counter in the first poem, alternating 12-12-9/9-9-12. The second poem I experimented with septolet but had to double down to meet the requirements of this prompt. I’m not sure if septolet is meant to rhyme, but this double one does.

1) The Treasury and the Temple by D. Avery

He’d never wished because he had never wanted
about his enormous wealth he’d always vaunted
But now his house he felt was haunted.

He became aware of creaks and groans
increasingly scared to be alone
Felt he was losing command of his lifelong home

At first he suppressed any suspicion or fear
resisted imagining ghosts lingering here
until the truth emerged, oh so clear.

He discovered what money can’t buy
no payments got his house exorcised
and he’d have to remain in it until he died.

Too late did he realize the source of true wealth
and in vain did he wish for real love and good health.


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2) Say by D. Avery

Poor me
Woe 
is me—
words of poverty

Only gratitude 
will bring you 
treasure.

Say 
beautiful day—
and it’s 
that way.

Sunny attitude
brings wealth 
of great measure.