Day 12: Replacement Poem(s)

Today’s prompt is to write a 'replacement' poem:
Pick a common noun for a physical thing, for example, “desk” or “hat” or “bear,” and then pick one for something intangible, like “love” or “memories” or “aspiration.” Then Google your tangible noun, and find some sentences using it. Now, replace that tangible noun in those sentences with your intangible noun, and use those sentences to create (or inspire) a poem. 

I enjoyed this prompt! I deliberated on a few different options but then went with 'coffee' and 'inspiration.' Then, when I was finished that, another popped into my head - 'joy' and 'lion' from a song title I saw named 'Joy is a Lion' - so had to include it too (What is it with these prompts always resulting in 2 poems??!)




Inspiration

Inspiration is a brewed beverage 
prepared from the seeds of an evergreen shrub.
Best planted with 20 seeds to every empty hole 
at the beginning of the rainy season  
to ensure the harvest of a 'robust' crop. 

Once brewed, inspiration may be served in a variety of ways:
shot, cup, steamed, sipped, or gulped straight.  
Good quality inspiration has a full-bodied taste,
topped with a foamy crema, the bubbled trait 
of thoughts percolating to the surface. 

Inspiration has a stimulating effect on humans,
even known by some as a drug. Enjoy a cup at breakfast 
to kickstart the day; or multiple hits to keep you up all night, 
all jittery hands and chomping teeth. And for this reason, 
a much mentioned prop that accompanies art.

Nowadays, in going back to its Mecca roots, inspiration
is doled out daily, in rituals and routines, restaurants 
and rest times, its aroma an invitation too intense to ignore. 
And in today's world, metric million tonnes of it 
produced, and consumed.



Joy

Joy is a wild animal
that roams the plains
of our ordinary lives, always 
at the top of the food chain.
An icon for humanity
for thousands of years,
painted on caves, and hearts.
It has a reputation
for being elusive and lazy 
so often to be found basking, 
in late-afternoon sun.  

Joy has no natural predator -
except humans - who hunt it
for its golden stature,
shoot and kill and trade it in
for a cheap buck.
Despite that, joy always
trumps fear
and has the loudest roar
of all the big emotions.