2013 Poem a week comment thread

[Angeline]

Bizarre but wonderfully surreal, the mind boggles! What will you Americans come up with next?

"Look love, take a good look, do I need the treatment?"

"They've worked fine for years as they are, why bother?"

"Well maybe I should let nurse Jamie take a look at them, she is a looker after all!"

"???"

Tighten the Tackle*

Nurse Jamie has your back
and your front for only five
hundred seventy-five dollars

the blonde beautician will
erase wrinkles, hair, discoloration
from your scrotum. She'll restore

that smooth youthful sheen
which overuse, mistreatment
or even simple neglect may have

stolen thereby reducing manly
pride to a sad and begrizzled
state of shame. Fear not!

She'll laser you to perfection.
"Men like their gardens well-kept.
They want to be ready for the Emmys."

Nurse Jamie and her laser compel
me to consider that most uncomfortable
of all Red Carpet Questions:

Who are your balls wearing tonight?

Made me laugh. With a tear or two thinking about it. Lazer fried balls.

Thanks bogus. My mind kind of boggled too when I read the article, especially the part about wanting to look good for the Emmys. I mean if you're a guy going to the Emmy your balls will be going with you, but...but....maybe those after-parties are as wild as they say.

I guess truth is often stranger than fiction.

 

[HarryHill]

Headline Hollywood

Ironed balls a magnet for plastic smiles

 

[Angeline]

Ironed balls a magnet for plastic smiles

Indeed.

 

[GuiltyPleasure]

I know Tighten the Tackle has been praised already but what a perfect example of "found poetry" and so well done with exactly the right ironic tone. You never cease to impress and awe me Ange.

 

[Angeline]

I know Tighten the Tackle has been praised already but what a perfect example of "found poetry" and so well done with exactly the right ironic tone. You never cease to impress and awe me Ange.

As you know, it's a mutual admiration society we have. That's quite the little bedtime story you've got in there today. Bad dog!

 

[GuiltyPleasure]

As you know, it's a mutual admiration society we have. That's quite the little bedtime story you've got in there today. Bad dog!

I sincerely hope it was a case of willing suspension of belief.

 

[HarryHill]

I sincerely hope it was a case of willing suspension of belief.

.....

 

[GuiltyPleasure]

.....

Wipe that grin off your face!

 

[HarryHill]

Wipe that grin off your face!

Yes Ma'am

 

[GuiltyPleasure]

Yes Ma'am

You know I love you, really.

 

[HarryHill]

You know I love you, really.

I know I'm having a small problem posting to the 2013'; got 6 or 7 partial poems working, but there's no structure joining the separate stanza. Going to the Challenge and post something quick, hard, and dirty.

 

[bogusagain]

Going to the Challenge and post something quick, hard, and dirty.

I've been looking for a woman like that for years. If anyone can give me a lead, I'll be grateful.

I'm struggling myself at the moment because of commitments. I've got plenty of ideas but can't get to the bar to muse on the terrace and work things through.

 

[greenmountaineer]

the snitch

Powerful, bogus. It made me think of a lot of different things, all of which seemed plausible, mostly Carl Jung stuff (that's probably just me). I liked the tension implicit throughout the poem. The language was crisp as were the images. The 4th stanza was particularly remarkable.

 

[Angeline]

Powerful, bogus. It made me think of a lot of different things, all of which seemed plausible, mostly Carl Jung stuff (that's probably just me). I liked the tension implicit throughout the poem. The language was crisp as were the images. The 4th stanza was particularly remarkable.

I'll second your appraisal. To me, Bogus' poem seems at turns Kafkaesque, angelic, and just human, all supported by this existential free-floating anxiety: the meta cognition of the narrative voice. There is a lot of power in that.

 

[bogusagain]

Thanks greenmountainer and Ange. High praise indeed, I hope I'm deserving. I felt the poem was going to be good while I was writing it. You know how these things happen. I've spent the last two weeks working hard to write a decent poem and I could only produce rubbish. I eventually gave up trying in frustration and went to the bar to stop the walls of my apartment closing in on me. I then wrote this poem in five minutes without any effort at all! What is it with the creative process?

 

[Angeline]

Mr. Mountaineer, I very much enjoyed Martha's Tour of Indelible Beaches. The title is wonderful and really underscores the theme of what we remember and how it stays real to us. Very economical but precise writing, too.

 

[greenmountaineer]

Mr. Mountaineer, I very much enjoyed Martha's Tour of Indelible Beaches. The title is wonderful and really underscores the theme of what we remember and how it stays real to us. Very economical but precise writing, too.

Thanks. A vain attempt to imitate Philip Larkin's style in "Talking in Bed."

 

[Angeline]

Tess, beautiful writing on Coded Appeal. It has a lovely hypnotic quality. My disbelief was suspended.

 

[GuiltyPleasure]

Tess, beautiful writing on Coded Appeal. It has a lovely hypnotic quality. My disbelief was suspended.

Thank you, I'm immersing myself in all things Sri Lankan inspired by Anil's Dream by Ondaatje.

You're lovely when your disbelief is suspended.

gm's title for his last poem is so good, the poem ain't bad either.

 

[butters]

so much beautiful stuff in the poem a week thread; it leaves me quiet. thinking.

just beautiful.

 

[HarryHill]

Restart, week 1: Talk about it

This is the title of Desejo's newest
She used to be such a constant voice here; then she went away to return much quieter... and to me sadder.
..ie.

worries stoked on a sweat lodge fire
doubts poured over patient sauna coals
.
.
droning refrains in malaria dreams
giving them form and voice
brings no solace
..
Cheer up, you are with friends.. liked the poem... more please..

 

[HarryHill]

when two moments meet

The first line, Bogus, wonderful, set the stage for all that followed

 

[HarryHill]

Wine on an Empty Stomach

like the edited version much better, Desejo

 

[Desejo]

Thanks Harry. I pretty much wrote it in one go, so it needed work. Still does, but at least I wrote something!

 

[butters]

hi, desejo! so good to see you back and writing the latest of yours have been visceral - so you're making an impact with your words. looking forward to reading more from you.

also - isn't it time you (or someone) stepped up to the plate for an interview? i have questions. lots of questions!