NaPoWriMo (National Poetry Writing Month) has begun! Each day for the next thirty days I will be posting a poem written that day based on a special poem writing prompt.

The first prompt was to write a poem of negation. This challenge was to write a poem that involved describing something in terms of what it is not, or not like.

Here is my version as I begin to warm up to this 30 day writing challenge. These are my muscles beginning to stretch.

negation before arbitration

while it is not a pursuit
of self or self-serving interest,
it also cannot be a place
where self is put on hold
and it is not a life
of subservience and servitude.
it is not solitude–
although lovers of solitude
may find themselves
quite content in it.
it is not an entrepreneurial sport
as competition
and too much business sense will suffocate it.
against all folk lore and tradition,
it is not always about love.
the bite of the viper
and the sting of the scorpion
are not welcome in it.
it is not resentment.
its bones
are not made of bitterness
nor is the strength of its skeleton
derived from self knowledge.
don’t tell the florist,
but it is not three dozen
romantic red roses
in lieu of the pride swallowing
work of apology;
don’t tell the bartender
but it is not a bottle
of sparkling champagne on ice
with two perfect glasses
waiting to be filled.
it is not a solo run.
it is not an indelible
spot of ink on one’s future.
it is not something
to be entered into lightly,
on a spur of the moment impulse,
or because of a the fear of loneliness.
very importantly,
it is not love
without boundary
or expectation.
it is not always full of laughter
and lighthearted living.
and it definitely is not
molding oneself
into a societal or even
a gender stereotype.
no matter what the gurus say,
it is not one size fits all.
with a strong framework,
it is not irreparable
nor is it outdated.
it is not always orthodox.
it is not caring
for home and children
or gerber baby food
and midnight feedings, even when
they are all part of the picture.
and needing attention.
it is not simply
a thrifty way to cohabitate.
it is not without
tears and fears
and plain old
roll up your sleeves hard work.
it is not easy–
it is not a stock market
where buying in and selling out
can be done
with the click of a button.
it is not golden even when
the brilliance of diamonds
sometimes shines through it all.
it is not superior to other
monumental life choices.
it doesn’t always last forever.
even when it dies young,
it is does not mean
its life was a crash collision–
a wreck of shattered lives.
it is not a perfect quiet couple
coming together once and for all,
and it is not silent
in a world of crashing cymbals.