Day 11 of NaPoWriMo: Without a Compass

Day 11: Write a Bop Poem

A bop poem has the following stanza form, 6, 1, 8, 1, 6, 1. Each single line is a refrain, similar to a song and the long stanzas follow the rule of a sonnet. First stanza, introduce a problem, second stanza develops the problem or discusses, and the third stanza resolves the problem.

Without a Compass

Little boy will go right up to a car,

There his body will collide

Beg, bang the windshield, scream, cry;

he points at his mouth, only one direction;

he desires is food, food, food,

thin face, wide eyes, hungry dirty eyes.

His body is not a compass, point, and he has no direction.

He runs from feral dogs, barefoot

skinny legs pace the world tempo,

dodges bikes, cars, and everyone’s anger.

He makes his small body smaller,

hides under stoops and inside gutters;

he edges the town like a martyr.

Men and women shoo and hit

point at him, point him in another direction.

His body is not a compass, point, and he has no direction.

There is no direction where little boy

is welcome, north south east west;

welcome has no direction.

All the people smack and shake him

they run after him and chase him,

Throw rocks, point and laugh in his direction.

But his body is not a compass, point, and he has no direction.