The EU Referendum

As you may or may not know. I'm English. And 17, so just too young to vote. The EU referendum is a big topic right now, so I figured I might as well throw my opinion out there with all of the others. I'm sorry I didn't post much lately, but exams have been taking all of my time.

What annoys me the most about this Referendum, is that I and many of my friends didn't even get to vote in it.

If you look at the polls, the 16-18 group were strongly for remaining in the EU. At school, we had a vote in the 6th form (16-18 year olds) to see what we would vote. It was a 97% majority to remain.

So all these people, who wanted to remain in the EU, the ones who are going to be more directly affected by it than most of the voters. They didn't even get a voice. Meanwhile, the people who voted to leave? The majority were the elderly. The people who are retired, and won't have to deal with the impact on the future that Brexit will have.

We are the ones doing university in this. We are the ones who'll have to get jobs in a shaky financial market because of this. We are, if I'm bluntly honest, the people who will be affected by this. And if we got a voice, the slim difference means that the result would most likely be different. But we didn't get a voice.

That's not fair.

That's not right.

Yet we're the ones who have to live with it anyway.

Honestly, I didn't really bother to go into much detail in my research on the Referendum, because, really, there was no point. It wasn't like I was going to have a chance to cast my vote on voting day. But it is the principle of it, that there are thousands of people who wanted a vote, and weren't allowed to get one.

If there's any argument for lowering the voting age to 16, this is it. Why should we be forced to live in a world that is messed up by the previous generation?

So, that's my view. Maybe I'm just being a whiny Millennial. But if wanting to have a voice about my future is whiny, call me whiny. Because I'm not going to shut up anytime soon.

NaPoWriMo! - Days 28-30

So, this is the final day for NaPoWriMo, and I've got three poems to write. On Thursday, I just didn't feel inspired, yesterday I was busy, and I'm writing them today. So I hope you enjoy these poems.

By the way, I'm not planning on abandoning this blog once NaPoWriMo is over, but I'm probably going to write more prose, just because that's what I find more interesting to write. It may be short stories, but I've also got a longer story I've been planning for a while.

NaPoWriMo! - Day 27

Hi again! I don't think I really followed the theme with this poem, but I like it anyway, so I hope you do too! Kind of cheesy, I know, but I'm tired from school, so yeah, I hope you enjoy it.

NaPoWriMo! - Day 26

Hi there! I didn't really like the prompt, so I ended up putting my own spin on it, and writing about a call and response where there isn't a response. I tried to turn it into a self-parody at the end, since I just suddenly thought of how crazy it would look if you were just calling into an empty room and expecting a response.

NaPoWriMo! - Day 25

Five days left on my poetry writing adventure (don't worry, I've got stuff lined up for afterwards - it's more prose those, since I prefer that), and today the prompt is to start with the opening line of a different poem, and split off from there. For this, I chose one of my favourite poems, The Road Not Taken, by Robert Frost.

NaPoWriMo! - Days 23-24

I have to admit that the two themes for these two days didn't really inspire me that much. I gave up sonnets back in high school, and I couldn't really be bothered to faff around with my vocabulary to hope to make something decent. So instead I'm going to use a couple of prompts from the 2015 NaPoWriMo. The first one will be about bridges. I don't know why. I just feel that'd be cool.

Rope Bridge Between Us

There's not so far, between him and me.
And I could easily get there if I wanted to.
After all, the bridge will let me pass.
If I wasn't so scared to.

The bridge is far too scary though.
Made of rope, with minimal support.
The ropes are starting to wear thin.
Too thin for my liking.

I know that people use it everyday.
People, much taller and larger than I.
And they're not scared of the rope bridge.
But I guess I'm not that courageous.

I promise, that some day,
When years go by,
I'll gather my strength, to cross the rope bridge.
And then... I'll be with you again.

The second prompt that I'm borrowing is the idea of having poem that only contains dialogue. I kind of cheated at the end, but I think it's for the best.

Goodbye

"It's over."
"No, it can't be."
"You've done this for too long."
"That doesn't mean you have to leave me."

"Yes it does. I can't take this any more."
"But we'll still see each other... around?"
"I really don't want to. I don't want to see you again."
"But... please..."

"No. I'm not discussing it."
"You're not even giving me a chance."
"You've had more than enough chances."
"Please, just one more, I can change!"

"Goodbye."
"I'll never say goodbye."

Too bad, because I will.

NaPoWriMo! - Day 22

Okay, so I guess it's technically day 23 for me now, since I've stayed up far too late, but I'm just calling this day 22 anyway.

I wasn't really inspired for this Earth Day prompt. Is it more of a big thing in America? Because I didn't do Earth Day and I only knew about it because it was the Google image for today. It's that thing where you turn your lights off for an hour, and basically just use torches instead right? I think you'd get a larger audience if you framed it as a medieval reenaction instead.

Anyway, poem!

NaPoWriMo! - Day 21

I've always liked the number 21. I'm not sure why. Anyway, that's besides the point. Hi again, and welcome back for another daily poem! Today's theme are fairy tales and myths, but you have to tell them from the POV of a minor character. So I looked up some Greek myths (being a fan of Greek mythology. Not being a fan of Jason.) and decided to choose the story of the minotaur, which I thought could make a great horror movie premise, but then, I'm not good at horror movies (I went to see the Boy once, and scared people with my giggles. In case you're wondering how that's possible, I happen to have a giggle that sounds like children in horror movies.) But that's beside the point, so I'm going to start the poem so that this long opening part doesn't go on even more tangents!

NaPoWriMo! - Day 20

Hi there! It's the twentieth day and it's still rolling. I saw a cat on the day home today (cats do stare a lot, don't they?) and so I'm going to base my poem on that today.

NaPoWriMo! - Day 19

We're back again for day 19, with some didactic poetry. I think today's idea for a poem is quite apt for many people my age in England, with GCSEs and A-Levels fast approaching (far too fast... Any way to get time manipulation powers? Quickly? I'll settle for a time turner...).

NaPoWriMo - Days 17-18

Hi again! I missed yesterday, partly because of homework, partly because of procrastination, but I'm back now, and ready to write!

Day 17's prompt was to use a specialised dictionary. It's one of the more involved prompts, which is why I didn't get around to it. But I'm going to be using a dictionary of computer terms, specifically software terminology.

The Program's World

The algorithm no-one sees
The encoding most don't even realise
Is there, on the inside.

It may look bright on the outside
The application's GUI hiding
The inner workings, the code.

You never saw the programming language
Used to make even the installer
Let alone the actual program.

Each icon clicked
Runs hundreds of lines of code.
But it's all invisible.

That's why I like programming.
Sure, there's syntax errors,
Logic errors abound.

But you get to see the world
That's always there
But no-one ever sees.

The next poem, and the one for today is 'the sounds of home'. The problem with this is, I'm not actually an adult yet! I can't even make a good impression of it. So instead I'm going to write a poem about young childhood.

Silence in the Playground

Silence in the playground, silence in the streets
Though that's never true is it?
You swear you won't talk, when the teacher's out
But somehow when they leave, the chatting starts.

Playground, playground, playing in the playground
Jumping between tires, a rubber band across your back.
Skipping ropes, hula hoops, the french skipping rope
That no-one understands, so is turned into a train.

Sitting under the veranda, on a rainbow bright bench
Trading brighter stickers, with the exchange system
That seemed complex at the time, but less so now.
And, no I'm not trading that half unstuck one for a puffy!

Speed stacks, fastest on the playground,
When they weren't just collected up
To make the tallest tower, there ever could be
One cracked, but it was still worth it.

Silence in the playground, silence in the streets,
But that's never true is it?
Too much to do, too many games to play,
My only regret was leaving it behind.

NaPoWriMo - Day 16!

Hi again guys! (I need to find another way to start these blog posts, don't I?) It's day 16, if only technically for me (teenagers stay up late, what can I say?)

Now, the prompt today (the almanac) didn't particularly interest me, because I hate filling out forms, but I did notice one part that interested me, and that was the idea of the alleyway, which I'm going to focus my poem on today.

City Alleyways

Don't go down the dark alleyways
That's what everyone knows.
There's bad people down the alleyway.

Everyone knows a friend of a friend
Who, at night, walked the wrong way
And ended up robbed, or worse.

So I keep to the main streets,
And keep away,
Because I'm sensible.

But then there's others
Who I know,
Who were perfectly fine.

I wonder what makes them so bad.
Sure there's graffiti, and it's dark.
But that's the same as everywhere.

Maybe it's just people
Not wanting to admit
They're being paranoid.

But I still want to be safe.
And I'm still much too scared.
To walk down the dark alleyway.

NaPoWriMo! - Day 15

Hi again! I'm halfway there (exams are next month, ouch) and I'm still chugging along! Today's theme is one of doubles. I don't really have much else to say, but enjoy the poem!

Day 14 - NaPoWriMo!

Hi again guys! Two weeks into April, and I haven't given up yet! I found this theme really hard though. I've never been much of a rhyming person. Thankfully I had http://rhymezone.com/ and that really helped me make this poem, as I had to do a san san, which has quite an interesting rhyming pattern, as well as include the themes. Hopefully I did okay!

Calculating Music

Everything's calculated, a ritual,
Though the music seems free,
Everything is planned, every note, everything.
A ritual of notes that may seem individual
But every note's in time to make a symphony.
The melody that I can never forget.
It makes me dance, leap and spring,
Music that seems free but the notes are set.

Day 13 - NaPoWriMo

Hi again guys! It's day 13 and I'm still doing this! Today's theme is based on fortune cookies... so I guess I've got a confession to make.

I've never had a fortune cookie.

So this is going to be interesting, since the only way I've encountered these are in the Sims 3 World Adventures and the Smosh video where they actually happen. So, let's write a poem!

Fortune Cookie Love

You will meet a handsome stranger.
Well, that's likely.
I've never believed these sweet treats anyway.

The cracking shards that seem to say
Trust me anyway.
Despite the way I never come true.

And yet I still hope,
Still look through the window
As if it'll magically appear.

But the cookie may as well say
You'll see a unicorn today
For how likely it will be.

But then, I see him.
Walking through the door
Trying to be ignored.

The tall and handsome stranger
With brown eyes sweet as chocolate.
Maybe I'll try more of these.

NaPoWriMo - Days 11-12

Hi guys! Sorry I didn't do the poem for yesterday. I'd say it's because I had a lot of homework, which I do, but it's mainly because I am highly skilled in the art of procrastinating. Anyway, let's get to the poems.

NaPoWriMo - Day 10!

Hi again guys! Today I'm going to be doing day 10 of NaPoWriMo, and today's going to be fun, since the theme is book titles! The challenge is to make a poem including titles of books on your bookshelf, which should be fun! Anyone who can guess the authors of the title in the poem wins an internet cookie! It's kind of a short poem, but each line contains a book title.

Dancing Dreams

When we meet at midnight,
Two girls out late,
We look at the bittersweet sky,
And wish upon a lucky star.

And under the light of stars,
We have a summer's dream,
Of wearing ballet shoes,
A double act of dance.

NaPoWriMo - Day 9

Hi guys! Today I'm going to be doing the theme for day 9 of NaPoWriMo, and it's going to be interesting! I have to write something which includes a line that makes me feel uncomfortable, so this is a challenge, but that's what the prompts are for, right?

Immortality

Everyone's dead.
They lie around me
Like leaves of a fallen tree

I never meant to be the last survivor
The only survivor
It was never worth it.

For now, the world is silence
I am alone.
Forever alone.

In the cold, dead world
That's going to end, like the candle that burnt out.
And I'm going to be stuck here.

Was it worth it, to be immortal?

NaPoWriMo - Day 8

Looks like it's another flower theme today! Today, instead of focussing on a garden, I'm going to do a poem about an individual flower.

My Spring Child

My spring child,
You are as bright as the sun in the sky,
Warming the world around you,
And never letting darkness overtake you.

My spring child,
You may be identical,
To the hundreds around you,
But to me, you are special.

My spring child,
Each year you grow but taller,
Brighter, and simply better,
Though you grow older by the year.

My spring child,
My daffodil,
May you never leave me,
As long as spring days come.

Always be my spring child.

NaPoWriMo! Days 1-7

As I said, I'm doing NaPoWriMo, and I only found out today, so I've got seven poems to post today.

I'll try to do as many prompts as I can, but I won't do all of them, simply because some just don't inspire me. I'll make sure to definitely do the structure prompts though.

That said, here are the poems!

Hi There!

Hi, I'm GeekKat, and this is my blog (I'm not just randomly writing on someone else's blog, trust me!).

This blog's going to be where I post pieces of writing that I do. It can be anything from poems to fanfic, but will probably be prose, since I enjoy writing that the most.

At the moment, I'm doing NaPoWriMo, where you write 30 poems in 30 days. I just found out about it today, but I'm already caught up, so I'll post those once I'm done with this.

I hope you enjoy them, and feel free to leave constructive criticism!