Some nights are ordinary. Others–well, they quietly hold secrets, seemingly unforgettable, yet unremembered, for they unfold in the un-night!
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UnNight
Today’s NaPoWriMo prompt is inspired by Mandakranta Sen’s poem, “The Flying Nightdress,” which describes something fantastical and strange that occurs while the rest of the world is asleep. Our challenge for the prompt: write a own poem that takes place at night, and describes something magical or strange that happens but that no one is awake (or around) to notice.
The House Keeps an Un-Night
The house keeps an un-night
after we’ve gone to sleep.
In it, the kitchen loosens first
tiles breathing, countertops shifting
an inch closer to where I should be.
Dust motes play in the moonlight,
waltzing with sugar-spun flour.
Hummingbirds sip the orchid on the sill,
while stars settle quietly beside it,
and the un-faeries bake as if they must
mixing in roses and pine,
stirring in a pinch of night.
The sink remembers what I forgot,
scrubbing clean the blackened pan,
while the un-faeries, intent on their quest,
tend to their small, savory work.
And as the darkest night deepens,
laughter settles softly to the floor,
heavier and heavier, slowly…
no one there to hear it settle.
Morning restored the usual chaos,
as if nothing had been arranged at all—
but pine and roses lingered in the air,
and on the sill, beside the orchids,
a small feather waited,
exactly where my hand might have been.
~ Vidya Tiru @ LadyInReadWrites
Unforgettable U-Words
- Ultracrepidarian – a person who gives opinions about things they don’t really know much about
- Uvula – the small, dangly bit at the back of your throat
- Umpty-ump – a humorous way to say “a whole lot” or “too many to count”
- Unperson – someone treated as if they don’t exist or are ignored (often used in stories or history contexts)
- Umbriferous – giving shade; something that provides shadow or shelter from the sun
- Umlaut – the two dots (¨) placed over a vowel (like in “naïve” or German words such as “über”)
Up-lifting Books, Kind of…
A Universe of Rainbows by Matt Forrest Esenwine, illustrated by Jesse Watson (ages 4–8).
This is stunning – in its collection of poems with scientific asides that explore the multifaceted iridescent rainbow; and in the illustrations that accompany it.
Up, Up High: The Secret Poetry of Earth’s Atmosphere by Lydia Lukidis, illustrated by Katie Rewse (ages 6–9).
Through this book, one can take a poetic journey through the layers of Earth’s atmosphere, blending science and verse to reveal the hidden wonders above us. And I seem to finding space-themed books – timely?
And Now, the End of This Post
Dear reader, which of these u-words did u know? Any interesting ones that I can add to my list? Do check out these books and also share other interesting u-titles. What do you think happens when everyone is asleep?
