by the Read Write Poem Staff
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This was an interesting exercise for me. I was able to write a “positive memory” poem:
Mere Kids
Hello, I’ve been concentrating on children’s poetry this week, so I don’t have anything to share this time around. But I will be reading members’ contributions, and I am very interested in seeing what direction everyone takes.
Here’s mine- in two attempts, though. I hope that’s alright, Joseph. I ventured off into poetic zones instead of free-writing in my first attempt. Hence, the second attempt. And also, have incorporated other senses apart from just the olfactory in the first draft of the two… Sorry, hope I’m not way off the mark
Free-write link-
http://baathaan-vaathaan.blogspot.com/2009/09/going-back-in-haphazard-lines.html
Poetry links-
http://conversationsinmid-air.blogspot.com/2009/09/rain-rush.html
http://conversationsinmid-air.blogspot.com/2009/09/fine-night-for-dying.html
This morning I free wrote the two images, and they took me to this place,
dusting the dream
this is mine, sort of
we sat
Did no one else write two? It was, after all, a two-pronged prompt :p. Anyway, they’re both here – The sand squeaked and Sun-traced tangents
Dana Guthrie Martin replied:
September 10th, 2009 at 9:39 pm
I wrote zero, but I *did* write a song/poem for children. Do you want to hear it?
Why won’t my post get posted… keeps saying- ‘Your comment is awaiting moderation’?? Help…please??
Dana Guthrie Martin replied:
September 10th, 2009 at 1:06 am
If you post a comment with more than two links, you will get “spammed” and then we have to fish your comment out by hand when we are on the site and able to do so. If you get caught in moderation, the best thing to do is wait until we get you out.
This was hard
I only did one, because dredging up things I want to forget didn’t seem very appealing.
Just Remember Two Things
I wove my memories together.
Powerful, powerful, powerful prompt. I will use this model to create more prompts for myself.
Wow.
Here is the result. It is called BREATH WON
http://juliejordanscott.typepad.com/jjspoetry/2009/09/breath-won.html#more
Thank you, Dana. My first post has been successfully fished out
Sorry for all the trouble… will remember not to do this in the future.
Dana Guthrie Martin replied:
September 10th, 2009 at 9:38 pm
Oh, hi. I just saw this comment. OK, I am off to delete your duplicates.
An autobiographical memory
losman is an Indonesian guest house
Love in the time of Java
Sitting on the verandah step of her losman
long before the tourist invasion
watching the chickens scratch away
making little puffs of dust
wafts of ripe mangoustines,peanut oil and frangipani coming from the garden kitchen
permeates a soft peace like petals unfolding
Studying her brown feet and ants crawling across the path for no reason she remembers
it is Good Friday not that it mattered anymore
to a fallen young angel intent on consuming life in giant gulps to overflowing
The freedom child, a parents crown of thorns decides to play the St. Matthew Passion to atone
for breaking the ancient chains of family tradition and belief causing rift
Listening and watching the torn lace curtain fluttering in the late afternoon breeze
to magnificent counterpoint she feels elated
and blessed
Dusk-time to light the kerosene lamps and mosquito coils and behold three javanese peasants in thin faded sarongs cross- legged listening silently, visibly affected by’Ebarme
dich’respectful dignified destined for back breaking life under the yoke
Hidden in the bamboo shadow she witnesses the humbling moving tableau lowers her lids in shame and for the first time feels the stirrings of a loathing for her own tribe and the first blossoming of humanity
Derrick replied:
September 10th, 2009 at 4:24 am
My, Rallentanda, how you have created a world here! Wonderful images, sounds and fragrance. If you had let me read this last week, I might have had a better idea!
Cynthia Short replied:
September 10th, 2009 at 7:48 am
I really love this, you can tell your heart is truly present here.
Barbara replied:
September 10th, 2009 at 9:31 am
I love the first stanza, and the ants
Nathan replied:
September 10th, 2009 at 3:07 pm
You do a wonderful job of using specific detailed images to build to that realization in the last stanza.
David Moolten replied:
September 10th, 2009 at 4:11 pm
I like the tragic dualities of this, how it captures the double-edge of enlightentment, the nourishment of ideas and the theft of origin, of native self. I also like the ambivalent religious allusions the resignation and sacrifice in someone so young.
Linda Fraser replied:
September 10th, 2009 at 4:47 pm
Rallentanda,
I love the images you present through your piece. It is so romantic, exotic and softly sweeping. Thank you for sharing this piece of your heart.
Therese Broderick replied:
September 10th, 2009 at 5:48 pm
Rallentanda — This whole poem is a very “humbling moving tableau” : a striking scene, somewhat posed. I love that you pair the scene with one particular piece of music. I hadn’t thought of doing that with the prompt: associate the photos with a particular song.
Amulya Rajan replied:
September 11th, 2009 at 2:03 am
Really love the picture of the ants and the girl staring down at her feet. Also the first stanza.
You’ll find mine in this post:
http://beyondtheblog.wordpress.com/2009/09/07/hypocrisy
Mine is here. Hope it fits!
http://firmlyrooted.blogspot.com/2009/09/misty-dusty.html
My attempt is here.
I’m not sure this is what the prompt was supposed to produce but here it is!
http://melrosemusings.blogspot.com/2009/09/joseph-o.html
Rallentanda replied:
September 10th, 2009 at 11:15 am
I like your map…your poem reminds me of a
Grimms fairy tale.
http://poemsotherwise.blogspot.com/2009/09/this-day.html
I had major prompt fail, but I did come up with this:
http://therer2doors.wordpress.com/2009/09/05/ancient-wing/
Well, the poetry writing just wasn’t happening for me this week. I look forward to reading what everyone else came up with, though.
My try takes shape with four tanka:
http://coldspringstudio.com/blog/?p=435
I’ve only posted one of them, so fad. The ‘bad memory’ needs a lot more revision.
http://whenthedogsbite.blogspot.com/2009/09/beltane-wedding.html
“Former Site Of”
http://theresebroderick.wordpress.com
I struggled with this prompt, floundering outside my comfort zone. Feel free to comment on the flaws in this poem.
a narrative of self, no matter how pathetic and despicable. who brought this guy to the party?
http://beatnikprose.blogspot.com/2009/09/wise-guy.html
-lawrence
Here are my 2 poems for the week..I still feel like they are works in progress..
http://cynthiashort.blogspot.com
Thanks for reading!
Cynthia
Y’all get up EARLY!
Here is my first poem:
http://ravenswingpoetry.com/2009/09/09/bonfire-atlantis-15000-b-c/
And here’s my second:
http://ravenswingpoetry.com/2009/09/09/dream-ohio-2009-a-d/
After much wrangling with the prompt, I ended up with this one… hope it suffices!
Fallow Places
This was difficult, and I’m not at all satisfied. The one called Candyland comes closest to following the prompt
I wrote two, as the prompt suggested, but only one gets published. And even the published one is a far cry from a poem at this stage! I think this prompt has had one of the biggest responses, especially seeing how many responses there are and it’s only 10 AM for most of you! Way to go, Joseph. (-: Here’s mine: How to Play Piano
Looking forward to reading this week – such a rich and evocative prompt. Thanks for everyone who wrote.
-Dave
Here are my two drafts with a few process notes. I would love comments! Thanks.
http://djvorreyer.wordpress.com/2009/09/09/readwritepoem-91-transforming-memory/
Note: If you will be visiting this entry after Monday the 14th, use the password readwritepoem to enter.
Joseph’s prompt was fantastic, but I wasn’t able to make it work together with my continuing project of writing a Torah poem each week — alas! So instead, I’ve got a sestina to share:
Milk
http://velveteenrabbi.blogs.com/blog/2009/09/this-weeks-portion-milk.html
Here’s mine, hopefully not too rambling.
It’s called Durian.
Anaïs: …about memories for Reardwritepoem#91
my contribution here.
Nathan replied:
September 11th, 2009 at 1:44 pm
Annamari, I’m having trouble figuring out how to leave a comment on your blog.
I really like the way the detail of the book in your poem opens out into larger memories.
I didn’t have time to reply to Prompt #91, I do however have this little ditty to share…PS-Don’t be confused by the metaphors.
The whimsy of Spindrift
Living In The Eastern Woodlands
My poem myth about me is Dear Niabi
rallentanda replied:
September 11th, 2009 at 12:53 am
Sorry Linda can’t access your blog
I think my OCD and AADD conspired against me. In trying to read through and comprehend the multiple instructions for this prompt — I shut down mentally… so nothing new this week.
Here is a bit of ‘light rhyme’ I’ve dug up from my archives. It’s about a mythical pop legend who became a hero. The Legend
Mine is Rite of Recall, though I must admit deviating from the process described in the prompt.
i almost abandoned this one because i had much troubles in writing it. but i managed to write something:
http://projectartpoetica.com/blog/?p=42
Only have one poem so far
http://paperdreams-jgc.blogspot.com/2009/09/what-i-want-to-remember.html
Wonderful prompt! But with my first week of a new semester and my partner just home from a total knee replacement surgery, I had several false starts before setting it aside for later.
All I have to offer is a bit of prose rumination re memories, written in response to some people who had asked what the significance was of the banner photo on my blog. The post is titled :”Icon, Lamp and Shrine – My Banner.”
So i found the imagery from the pictures a great jumping off point…
Clearing
Here is mine using both photos and combing into one poem
MEMORIES OF AN OLD POET
http://waynepitchko.blogspot.com
Lest we ever forget: Images
Whew! So busy teaching this week I didn’t think I would get to this one. Glad I made myself make the time.
http://freckledwriter.blogspot.com/2009/09/photo-light-and-trees-by-grieg-fraser.html
Poem #1
Poem #2
many thanks, Nathan. You just need to hit the small bubble at the bottom for comments. I’ll try to change the outlook though..
I finally finished my second poem of the exercise … the memory to forget:
A Toady Haunt