by Nathan Moore
Where did you go with this week’s image? Did you leave the crowd in awe? Did you play with fire? I can’t wait to read what everyone came up with!
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Nathan Moore is community director and a columnist for Read Write Poem. In his spare time, he plays with his children and with fire. Never at the same time. He blogs at Exhaust Fumes and French Fries.
here’s mine!
Here’s mine. I took the prompt in a strange direction.
This is my song to fire…
I nearly didn’t make it this week, I find image prompts particularly challenging: The Conflagration of Lucio
Dana Guthrie Martin replied:
September 3rd, 2009 at 12:29 am
I usually love image prompts, but I didn’t manage to do this one. (Sorry, Nathan!)
Nathan replied:
September 3rd, 2009 at 6:28 am
That’s OK, Dana. You had a lot going on this week.
I found this challenging and I chose the image!
Here’s my poem-
http://conversationsinmid-air.blogspot.com/2009/08/blog-post.html
I didn’t write on prompt because … I didn’t.
But I *did* write, which is the most important thing, right?
http://mygorgeoussomewhere.org/2009/08/31/robot-passage/
Nathan replied:
September 3rd, 2009 at 6:30 am
That you wrote something is the most important thing. And look at what you wrote — it’s wonderful.
Life in the Rainbow Region revisited.
A Stranger in Paradise
Flash Back
Nimbin
Mardi Grass festival
patchouli psychedelic
swirling flames
fire drums dancing
dreadlocked stoned hippies
stare with paranoid gaze at
Danger Stranger-
local oddity doesn’t do dope
keeps clean house colour co-ordinated
Control Freak
carnivore cohabiting with two cats
(eco terrorists)
mows – not grows
grass
Mean Green
employed
(complicit capitalist)
loves carols
church candles
at christmas
Uncool
writes poetry
plays handel
reads tacitus
Elitist
speaks french
plays harpsichord
piano
Pretentious
drinks pimms
queer friends quaffs wines
Poseur
drives convertible
wears petticoats
pearls
Branleur
petite bourgeoise
go get with the vibe
bliss out chill out
get stoned and get high
if you’re goin’to live here
don’t be a fool
conformity conformity
conformity’s COOL
Nathan replied:
September 3rd, 2009 at 6:32 am
I love the economy of language here — you really capture these characters in a few words and phrases.
rallentanda replied:
September 3rd, 2009 at 9:09 am
uh-oh!I’ve failed to communicate what I meant.
There is only one character(stranger) who is a misfit amongst the hippies and whose attributes
are offensive to the status quo.The poem is about pressure to conform amongst the ‘free
thinkers’
Dave replied:
September 3rd, 2009 at 11:18 am
Well done, I love your ability to see from the perspective of the nonconformist amidst a subculture where everyone w/in the subculture considers themselves a nonconformist, not realizing that they’ve in fact conformed to the norms of their subculture.
Purely from a language standpoint, I wish this poem kept going, and could imagine you performing it as spoken word.
Derrick replied:
September 3rd, 2009 at 9:16 am
Hello Rallentanda,
I’d much prefer to be the ‘misfit’ amid this bunch!
Barbara replied:
September 3rd, 2009 at 9:38 am
I like the idea of a collage of misconceptions to give a sketch of the person inside. Another poem might have the patchouli psychedelic and friends the same treatment.
rallentanda replied:
September 3rd, 2009 at 11:31 am
In reality David never beats Goliath
gautami tripathy replied:
September 3rd, 2009 at 12:08 pm
Liked the alliteration in here!
geometry of fireworks cuts into me
Therese Broderick replied:
September 3rd, 2009 at 3:42 pm
“Uncool / writes poetry” is a nice touch! As poets, do we conform or not?
Cynthia Short replied:
September 3rd, 2009 at 4:53 pm
Terrific job as usual! It is like someone from Edwardian England was dropped right into the middle of “Burning Man”!
David Moolten replied:
September 3rd, 2009 at 9:20 pm
I like the quick tempo and riff like back and forth in this; it has a nice beat and highlights every word, and the words feature nice use of alliteration, slant and full rhyme.
David
Hey guys – my poem this week was I am a ring of fire . It too went off in an odd and unexpected direction, but one I really enjoyed.
Lovely photo
http://poemsotherwise.blogspot.com/2009/08/burn.html
I thought over, then came up with,
mandala of fire
You’ll find mine here.
I loved writing this:
http://firmlyrooted.blogspot.com/2009/09/geometry-of-fireworks-cuts-into-me.html
Rallentanda replied:
September 4th, 2009 at 10:18 am
I like your hob nailed boots GT
A short one this week, which you’ll find at:
http://melrosemusings.blogspot.com/2009/09/seeing-light.html
Rallentanda replied:
September 4th, 2009 at 9:59 am
Hello Derrick
Cynthia asked me if the fire eater was a Scot
because he wore a skirt.I said I thought so but I would check with you as well.
Working title is DownTime
and I’m listening for some suggestions for a better one. Please and thanks.
great prompt, Nathan!
‘eight carbon atoms’ is mine–
http://therer2doors.wordpress.com/2009/08/29/eight-carbon-atoms/
Here’s mine: http://disorder1313.wordpress.com/2009/09/03/as-i-toss-chainsaws-into-the-sky-even-the-quiet-ones-cheer/
I put the poem up last night and this connection reply, but it’s missing so I will post this again. The poem title is Firing Up Buskerfest.
Firing Up Buskerfest
Here’s my effort, entitled Street Performer, Mexico City
Well now Nathan, you certainly smoked a big one this time. I’ve had mental constipation for a week. But this AM I woke up, ate my poetic prunes, looked at the picture again, and, walla, walla, bing, bang:
Your Melba toast gets soggy
Here is my weekly offering. The minute I saw the photo I got this idea, but executing the thought was a bit difficult! I hope you will enjoy it…
http://cynthiashort.blogspot.com
Hi All,
My wife and I are on a short vacation, so I’ll get around to as many as possible and the rest on Monday.
I tried something new this week. I started on the prompt over last weekend rather than wait until the night before! While I still consider this a draft, and is untitled at this point, I think I turned out better than more recent attempts. Then again, maybe not.
http://radio-nowhere.org/nb/?p=197
Thanks for reading!
An attempt!
The Magician, Reversed
(hopefully that HTML worked…)
I was not able to write my own poem on the image, but, among the translations I attempted lately, I found one about a mirage, twilight atmosphere and a touch of magic:
Anaïs: a translation for readwriteprompt #90
“But For” developed indirectly from the prompt.
http://theresebroerick.wordpress.com
I’m so sorry everyone, for misspelling my own name. Here’s correct link–
http://theresebroderick.wordpress.com
The image brought up the words “laser light show” and I followed that phrase. The end result is a longer than what I usually write as poetry.
Laser Light
hello!
http://alphabeticaprime.wordpress.com/2009/08/31/the-human-fur-is-burnt/
Mandala
How cool to see Tiel titled her poem “Mandala” since that same image makes its way into my poem, which I call
“Ohhh, the skirt…”
http://juliejordanscott.typepad.com/jjspoetry/2009/09/oh-the-skirt.html
rallentanda replied:
September 3rd, 2009 at 11:42 am
Do I detect some Bakersfield bourgeoiserie here?
Amusing take on the subject…can relate..it’s exactly what I would do.
Here’s my attempt for this week:
“At the Party, A Teacher Commiserates with a Fireman”
http://djvorreyer.wordpress.com/2009/09/03/readwritepoem-90-fire-image
Donna Vorreyer replied:
September 6th, 2009 at 1:59 pm
This post is now tagged as private – please use the password
readwritepoem
to access the page.
Thanks!
Donna
http://djvorreyer.wordpress.com/2009/09/03/readwritepoem-90-fire-image
Here is mine…The Rings Of Fire
http://www.waynepitchko.blogspot.com
Rallentanda replied:
September 4th, 2009 at 8:44 am
I love that Johnny Cash song.You’ve created a hot mood Wayne.
I am sorry that the other connection I put up did not work. This one will and I hope a few of you will come by to share my poem. Thank you.
Living In The Eastern Woodlands
My poem is called FIRING UP BUSKERFEST.
Mine is Some Nights, which loosely responds to the fabulous prompt. (Thanks, Nathan.)
(I’m not able to be online much with family still visiting, but I will eventually be by to read you all.)
The Fire Spinner
Otherworldly… Conjured
Integrating this week’s prompt with this week’s Torah portion was a real challenge! So I’m chiming in belatedly with:
Inscription
http://velveteenrabbi.blogs.com/blog/2009/09/this-weeks-portion-inscription.html
We were Tourists once…and young
We’ve found a carnival! The street blossoms with colored lights!
And filled with people – Is this street always filled with people?
A few moments ago we ran into a shop to escape the rain
The raindrops were so heavy it was like standing beneath a
Waterfall
Now everyone is outside again – we splash through puddles
Of green, red, amber,
See, the sky is clearing. The clouds gather to say good-by behind
The volcano See, in the east a few stars are shining dimly
Through the haze of the city.
Three musicians stand on the roof of a car. There is a horn
A guitar and an accordian
As they play, the colors rise and fall to the beats of the music
Now there is a great cheering! We try to see what is going on
But all we see are cascades of dancing colors
Quick! Look! We clap our hands
It is the magnificent fire eater,
rising over the heads of the people
Savoring his marvelous flame!
How he dances with the brightness
Flaring out just ahead of him
Will he really swallow it? He opens his mouth and
Tongues of fire dance away. The music plays louder
But not as loud as the cheers of the people
Does he dance across an invisible wire
Strung from building to building?
Does he ride a unicycle or a dragon?
Are we the victims of a grand illusion –
Or have we had too much to drink?
All night long, we see the air dancing with magic colors.
In the morning we awaken to the sound of the
Street-sweepers singing mournful love songs
To the sun.
Barbara replied:
September 5th, 2009 at 9:07 am
I like that there’s a sort of breathless immediacy that goes with the festival atmosphere. Bursts of impression and speculation. Then the final stanza’s slower paced and thoughtful. Nice.
Nathan replied:
September 5th, 2009 at 9:37 am
I also like the rhythm of this piece. Your images are varied and nicely detailed — and I really love “mournful love songs to the sun.”
Therese Broderick replied:
September 6th, 2009 at 6:35 pm
Marian, I love the poignancy of the title “We were Tourists once…and young.” As a traveler, I, too, was once an innocent tourist, filled with almost childlike wonder at scenes like the one you describe here so very well. Looking back now (as the title of this poem suggests), I am less innocent about the underbelly of the tourism industry. The songs of innocence become the songs of experience (your street sweeper so like the chimney sweeper of William Blake). Well-done.
A little late, but here’s mine, titled FOUNDATIONAL MYTHS.
Last but not least? I’ve been on vay-cay, but managed to finally write to last week’s prompt:
http://freckledwriter.blogspot.com/2009/09/flame-throwing.html