Day 21 2025 ~ Let’s write an “I Wish, but I Am” poem for #NationalPoetryMonth ~ "30 poems in 30 days"

I Wish, but I Am ~ so, tell us your deepest thoughts or just be silly if you please. It’s been a few years since we have done this format. See what you think. Just use the words highlighted in yellow for the exact beginning of that particular line, and then fill in the rest of the line with whatever you want. There is no need to rhyme (but you can if you wish). No one cares how many syllables you use. So, see what pops up as you start each sentence with those first few words.  

Here we go:

Line 1: I wish 
Line 2: Like 
Line 3: And I dream
Line 4: I am
Line 5: I used to
Line 6: But now I
Line 7: I seem to
Line 8: But I'm really

So here’s a silly one I wrote 10 years (I put the beginning phrases in blue in my examples so you can see how it flows):

Celery and Chocolate

I wish chocolate had zero calories
Like this celery stick in my hand
And I dream of mouthfuls of ice cream
I am deluding myself, it would seem
I used to eat whatever I wanted
But now I eat things that are green
I seem to be getting control of my food
But I'm really just full of whip cream

              © 2015 Stephanie Abney

Then, for this one, I was more serious-minded:

Wishful Thinking

I wish everyone would get along,            
Like the Lord has taught us to do.
And I dream of a world full of smiling faces,
I am an eternal optimist.
I used to think being happy was easy,
But now too many people act discouraged.
I seem to be seeking the impossible,
But I'm really just longing for home.

               © 2021 Stephanie Abney

 

And now, today, I’m back to being silly. Go figure.

If Only

I wish I weighed a lot less,            
Like I did so many years ago.
And I dream of endless energy like my grandchildren have.
I am missing the things I did easily when I was younger.
I used to swim, run, play and go all day,
But now get out of breath just walking around the block.
I seem to sit, lounge, plod, and daydream.
But I'm really not up for all the discipline required to get slim, so I think I’ll go watch a show on Netflix. 

               © 2025 Stephanie Abney

 

 

Image by PublicDomainPictures from Pixabay

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