Tuesday Poem: No Tomorrow

You all knew where you were
when you heard the news-
shambling
down the motorway
to the apocalypse

So forget yesterday
and tomorrow
the worst of plans
is letting the sun
shine
on the path
when there's no
best foot
to put forward -
not between the lot of us -

since the rot set in and
gangrene
on broken bone
became the height of summer fashion




Cant remember when
we weren't all holding on -
broken fingernails
sliding
on tarmac

wont wait 'til tomorrow
when the sun'll come out

and we'll fry
on the tarmac
raising a stink
like green eggs
and ham-

today


A.J.


So that's the poem this week, it's a bit of a tricky one, so won't be surprised if it changes a little. Suggestions, as always, very welcome. Have even toyed with making it a couple of poems - after all - there can never be enough zombie apocalypse poems in the world - not when metaphorical disaster is more fun than the real thing.

If poems are your thing, why not check out the Tuesday Poem hub, full of poemy goodness.

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And tell me what poems you'd like to see in my upcoming poetry book—2024 I'd love to have the time to write more, and get this poetry blog running again.

 

 

 

Tuesday Poem: Zombie Apocalypse Now

Sorry, running a bit late, was half way through a post yesterday and got distracted by bright shiny thing...that's what happens when you're doing trying to put together a mash up poem, but as I always say, it must be Tuesday somewhere... 

Zombie Apocalypse Now

It's a battle for hearts and brains
sure, there's a giant zombie blowout, with entrails flying
hands bursting through spines
and rotting flesh
but playing with dead things just doesn't seem as fun
in post-zombie America.

And it's a metaphor
you can poke a gun at
a world overrun by infected zombies

defending human freedom against the Musically Undead
(or any other undead for that matter)

Time to employ the double tap
a useful weapon against the zombie horde
or will they rise again?
maybe it would be more ethical
to train a zombie and keep it as a pet?

poem by various people with zombie blurbs 
compiled by A.J Ponder


This all came from a stray, I hesitate to say brainless thought that crossed my mind as a marketing strategy.  Convoluted, and probably insensible reasoning is below, but for the more sane members of my audience now's a good time to discover all the fantastic poems on the Tuesday Poem blog
Enjoy!

A.J. :)



"Why Book Publishers Need to Think Like Amazon" talked about branding, but what it didn't talk about the downside of Amazon's shady employment practices, and cutthroat business model.  But it did get me to wondering that if branding was going to be the number 1 focus of publishers, and that maybe small brands focussing on one type of novel might actually find their own little niches in the market.  And given the Zombie craze doens't seem to be collapsing any time soon: Zombie Apocalypse Now, seemed a great imprint for the proposed model.

Lullaby for Zombies I

Lullaby for Zombies I
Rock ye

Sleep thee

Lay ye down

And close thine heart

Close thy mind 
so torn apart

Rock ye

Sleep thee

Dreams of death

Bring softest sighs

Rock ye

Sleep thee

Lullabyes

Rock ye

Sleep thee

The earth

will never keep ye
The sky will 

never slake thee

Rock ye

Sleep thee

Lullabye

A.J. Ponder

Yet another Zombie lullaby -
As if we can ever have enough lullabies for Zombies?  I know I certainly can't.  This one riffs on - but doesn't really follow Mary Poppin's "Stay Awake," and is actually the first one I wrote.  The others came later, fed by Brahms and the idea that every mythical creature should have its own lullabye.  Fairies I guess should be next!

(The picture is from the book "Pride Prejudice and Zombies" by Jane Austin and Seth Graeme-Smith. And in the interests of copyright fairness I should say it was alot of fun - mostly because I hated the characters and the idea that they might be turned into zombies or killed at any moment made them almost sufferable :)

A.J. Ponder's work is available through Rona Gallery, Amazon, and good Wellington bookstores...

For more Zombies, I have also written Lullaby Little Zombie, to Brahms and the short and sweet, Zombie's Lament. 

Lullaby little Zombie (Lullaby for Zombies 2 - to Brahms)

Lullaby, little Zombie

Don't cry out for brains

Never sigh, when they die

For all humans are the same

They will weep as they say

It was all for the money

They will sigh as they say

It was your fault anyway

Lullaby, little zombies

Don't you go and wake now

Or stop those who will take you

And bury you alive

Now there's something, little zombie

That you ought to know now

There's one thing, little Zombie,

If you wish to grow

You should run, little Zombie,

Run from the reaper

You should fear, little zombie,

Fear, fear itself.

Wont' you cry, little zombie,

And suffer forever

Touch the fire, little zombie

Let your skin burn and peel

Lullaby, little Zombie

Believe all the lies

Wrapped up tight in the night

And sung lullabies

Soft and warm in your bed

Don't cry out for brains

Never sigh, now you're dead

All humans are the same

A..J. Ponder 

This is remarkably tasteless lullaby can be sung to Brahms - it was written on the 1st of August last year, and the points it makes are just as relevant as ever - and even more tasteless.  An apparently simple zombie lullaby - kept on twisting itself a new purpose - highlighting the extent to which organisations are prepared to risk other people's well-being for their own gain, including their peace of mind.