Crepuscular dawn of teenage-hood,
tainted with tang of menses moon,
invokes a howl of sprouting hair
in places unexplored as yet.
Nobody told us about freefall
or the strange sweetness
of explosions in the darkness,
lit only by the wolfish teeth
of a youthful smile.
Kim M. Russell, 19th April 2018

sponse to The Poetry School NaPoWriMo prompt for Day 19: Coming of Age Poem
Ali asks us to cast our minds back to that strange period at the end of childhood and the beginning of adulthood. Perhaps this transition happened in a single epiphanic moment or maybe it happened imperceptibly over time. This coming of age may be marked formally in a traditional or non-traditional ceremony, it might be private or public, it could be mortifying or liberating, or both, or neither, but it should ideally be formative.Oour example Bildungsgedichte today are Kayo Chingonyi’s ‘Kumukanda’ and Dom Bury’s recent National Poetry Competition winner ‘The Opened Field’.
“tainted with tang of menses moon” … Now that is awesome. Seriously imaginative stuff, girl.
Gorgeous:
“Nobody told us about freefall
or the strange sweetness
of explosions in the darkness”
Man, I love that.
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Thank you!
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Rare to see this topic discussed – it’s a beauty.
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Thank you!
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So much no one told us. And yet, do you remember how smart you were, or you thought you were?
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😊
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Whistles!!💜 This is deliciously dark and enticing, Kim! Love; “tainted with tang of menses moon.” 😊
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Thank you kindly, Sanaa 😊
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Coming of age. Thoughtfully written!
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Thanks Bev!
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It sounds like teenage hormones a raging, life on a Saturday night
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I like that youthful smile with wolfish teeth.
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Admiring the opening verses Kim which gives us a hint of the mystic and allure of that youthful smile ~
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This is great… a topic that should be written more about, ties to the moon is perfect.
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That was tasty stuff, Kim!
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Wow, this ecapsultes so much in so few words! Lovely.
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Thank you, Angela!
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My pleasure, Kim.
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