A poet's list "to do"

[Angeline]

Bumping a really good thread. Check out the list in the first post.

It's a great list, except for travel. It's a good suggestion, but I think it should say "win the lottery and travel" because otherwise I'm traveling to the grocery store and that's about it. I know Senna would say that you can notice poetry in the grocery store, too, but really how much poetry can you get out of the old woman who pushes her cart really slow in front of you and when turkey breast was on sale?

 

[WickedEve]

It's a great list, except for travel. It's a good suggestion, but I think it should say "win the lottery and travel" because otherwise I'm traveling to the grocery store and that's about it. I know Senna would say that you can notice poetry in the grocery store, too, but really how much poetry can you get out of the old woman who pushes her cart really slow in front of you and when turkey breast was on sale?

Oh, please! The grocery store is lousy with poetry! Well, the one where Hugo lives is. Nowhere town with hillbillies and hunters. The only grocery store is full of varmints, stuffed, and sitting on top of the frozen food cases and there are deer heads mounted to the walls and you can buy rifles there and bows and arrows. Let's see, what else? Those big chairs, you know. When you're hunting and... what are they? Anyway, it's totally freaky. I took pics inside the store and accidentally broke some bottles. They look at me funny now when I come in.

 

[Angeline]

Oh, please! The grocery store is lousy with poetry! Well, the one where Hugo lives is. Nowhere town with hillbillies and hunters. The only grocery store is full of varmints, stuffed, and sitting on top of the frozen food cases and there are deer heads mounted to the walls and you can buy rifles there and bows and arrows. Let's see, what else? Those big chairs, you know. When you're hunting and... what are they? Anyway, it's totally freaky. I took pics inside the store and accidentally broke some bottles. They look at me funny now when I come in.

I hate it when you're right! The grocery stores here are sort of like that, too, a few of them. Hunting is very big up here too, lots of moose heads in improbable places. There's even a Moosehead Lake not too far from here, but I don't want to write about moose heads. They disturb me, especially when they're not attached to moose bodies. I could have nightmares.

Before I moved here, ee would imitate the Mainer accent and things some of the old timers here say. He's a really good (and funny) mimic. And I thought he was exaggerating. Then I came here and realized he wasn't.

 

[WickedEve]

but I don't want to write about moose heads. They disturb me, especially when they're not attached to moose bodies. I could have nightmares.

That's too damn funny.

 

[Angeline]

That's too damn funny.

Not if you saw them! Moose heads are enormous!

 

[WickedEve]

Not if you saw them! Moose heads are enormous!

I saw an old school friend the other night. Well, she's not that old, since I'm not that old. Anyway, her head freaked me out! It was huge! Like a moose!

 

[Angeline]

I saw an old school friend the other night. Well, she's not that old, since I'm not that old. Anyway, her head freaked me out! It was huge! Like a moose!

Run! Fast as you can!

Maybe she could be on tv. I heard Anthony Bourdain (whose show, No Reservations, I really like) say on that the Food Network likes to hire people with big heads. And you know it's true! Rachel Ray? Big head. Guy Fieri? Huge head!

 

[WickedEve]

QUOTE=Senna Jawa

• Travel. I've been doing more of that lately, and it is indeed inspiring.
• Always have a small notebook and a pen or pencil with you. Never leave home without pen and paper.
• Jot down and collect isolated phrases that come to your mind. But wait for the time to be ripe. Don't force a poem around a single good phrase. I keep a list of those.
• Forget about yourself (especially about your stupid inner self). This makes me want to go back and check my poems for stupid inner self. Really, those poems can be a drag.
• Treat yourself in poems just like another sidewalk, swimming pool, tree, another person, stone, .... Okay, this is inspiring a poem right now.
• Read dictionaries. I visit online dictionaries almost every day. Read poetry a bit (in more than one language). Read classical critical works.
• Each time someone points out a cliche in your poem don't justify your cliche, don't protest, say nothing, blush, feel deeply embarrassed, frustrated, sick, hide in a hole, and don't come back until you write a poem free of cliches. Yes! I bet many things we write are cliche to someone. I try to avoid the obvious ones.

 

[WickedEve]

Run! Fast as you can!

Maybe she could be on tv. I heard Anthony Bourdain (whose show, No Reservations, I really like) say on that the Food Network likes to hire people with big heads. And you know it's true! Rachel Ray? Big head. Guy Fieri? Huge head!

People with big heads have two brains. Usually, one of the brains doesn't work, though. Kind of like having a flat tire for a spare. But at least they get to brag about all the brains they have.

 

[The_Frank_Black]

Both writer and reader carry their own 'baggage', the whole package of emotions, values, beliefs that make up their unique personality. A comment or critique from a reader should be viewed in that way; appreciate that new perspective, learn from it and grow. That feedback also tells the writer how well he got his point or vision across.

The writer should also critique his older poems. That too helps in growth by seeing how, over time, his own values or perspective have changed. If you refuse to learn and grow, go out and pick out your coffin.

.
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Mr. LeBroz, That sounds a bit like poetry to me. Who wrote about the "long, narrow house"? It is a poetic image that has stuck in my mind for over 40 years. A thing I am grateful for, it was my first lesson....in poetry, as visualization.

regards,

Frank