I hope that everyone is enjoying a wonderful weekend.As for me, I’m taking it easy, sipping a home-made Starbucks French Roast coffee, and talking with Jack.
← Listening to the brand new double-disc Eagles CD. Thing’s got 22 songs on it! It’s called Long Road Out of Eden, and it is EXCELLENT.
Trust me on that. [Did you know that today is the 31st Anniversary of the release of Hotel California?]
The other day I wrote a poem.
I was shuffling through Vienna, via Merisi’s great virtual-tour photoblog. By the way, if you ever want to go to Vienna [and who doesn’t?] but you a) don’t have enough gas in the tank, b) are afraid you will eat too much once you get there, or, c) cannot afford the plane fare in the first place, [← my excuse] well, clicking on Merisi’s Vienna For Beginners is the next best thing to being there. The combination of eclectically chosen subject matter and crisp, clean resolution make for a photo-journey that one either wants to jump into, or downright EAT. I think I have gained at least 15 pounds just from “devouring” the decadent restaurant photos.
But enough about her.
When I saw Merisi’s photograph of the two bridled horses, I instantly clicked on the comment section of her blog and wrote out verbatim what the one horse [the nearest one] was saying as they both strode away, hauling a new tourist-load over the cobblestones.
Only later did I realize, “Hmmm, that might be a poem.”
If I were to teach a course on poem-writing [Poemetry 101] I would say to my class [of students that all look like Nicole Kidman for some reason]… I would say, “Girls… write what you are thinking. Worry about whether it is a poem or not, LATER. You will throw away more than you keep, but just keep doing that until you begin to answer yourself favorably. Be honest. Seek the opinion of others, but do not rely on it. Meanwhile, read the great poets, and hone thyself, thereby.”
And then, if they seemed perplexed, [perhaps they don’t quite know what “hone” means…] I would encourage them with something like, “I know you can do it.”
Then, I might flick on the overhead projector [or cue the Powerpoint] and show them the following poem, saying, “Think about it, girls. A HORSE wrote this one!”
Two White Horses
You think we are the same.
Perhaps [clippety clop] from where you sit
We are. But I assure you...
This one? Yeah, Buddy here?
Doesn't like oats!
Hates apples.
Allergic to sugar.
Me? I like all three. Can't get
Enough sugar. [Clippety-clop, swish...]
Me? I hate only one thing.
Reins.
Buddy? Loves 'em.
Can't get enough reins.
The only thing about us the same?
Color.
Color.
The least definitive thing, if you
[clippety-clop] wanna know...
Yet, what does everyone say?
"Look.
Look at the two white horses."
© Ciprianowords Inc. 2007
Made me smile. Again.
ReplyDeleteCheers, Beth!
ReplyDeleteTalking with jack doesn't seem like a bad thing. I would talk with George at home too. :)
ReplyDeleteStarbucks has completely taken over the coffee scene here in Malaysia--with more stores than 7-Elevens. I've been there a couple times for iced latte, which is not bad for RM9, about USD3.
You are too sweet, Cip,
ReplyDeletemerci from the bottom of my heart. :-)
Here is a poem by Billy Collins about the other end of the horse, er, poetry: How to not treat a poem:
Introduction To Poetry
I ask them to take a poem
and hold it up to the light
like a color slide
or press an ear against its hive.
I say drop a mouse into a poem
and watch him probe his way out,
or walk inside the poem's room
and feel the walls for a light switch.
I want them to waterski
across the surface of a poem
waving at the author's name on the shore.
But all they want to do
is tie the poem to a chair with rope
and torture a confession out of it.
They begin beating it with a hose
to find out what it really means.
That was [clippety-clop] fun! :)
ReplyDeleteThank you for reading, Matt, Merisi, and Stefanie.
ReplyDeleteIt is such a nice feeling to know that you have tuned in to the Puddle and have read my latest splashings!