Companion to the Five in Five

[TheRainMan]

Oh geez God this was painful to read — painful and totally fucking beautiful!

thanks, A.

you're too kind.

 

[manipulatrix]

.....

 

[TheRainMan]

Loved this and how it captured so much, so many levels, of what loss is. And how loss is the having, the what we keep, as well as the losing. Simply loved this.

nice of you to say that.

i've been editing that piece hard -- i don't find it an easy topic to address without leaning too heavily toward melodrama, which is never good and which i have a tendency to do. and then i have to weed it out.

anyway, thanks.

 

[UnderYourSpell]

It was done exactly right .. I know .. made me do a sharp intake of breath

 

[Guest]

.....

 

[UnderYourSpell]

Oooooooops!

 

[wildsweetone]

rats neighbour, i don't think it's fair stringing out one poem over five days like this. i want to read the whole thing now. lol

 

[Eluard]

rats neighbour, i don't think it's fair stringing out one poem over five days like this. i want to read the whole thing now. lol

A trick I learned from The Rain Man!

Well, so far I'm only stringing it out over two days, with a likely third. We'll see!

This one btw was intended to be a response to bijou's second to last on the 30/30 (her 3/8). But circumstances have taken her away temporarily, so that point has been lost.

It was also intended to annoy Tzara — I just know it would be the kind of thing he'd hate!

 

[unpredictablebijou]

This one btw was intended to be a response to bijou's second to last on the 30/30 (her 3/8). But circumstances have taken her away temporarily, so that point has been lost.

Not lost, darlin'. Just delayed. Don't stop now.

bijou

 

[Tzara]

It was also intended to annoy Tzara — I just know it would be the kind of thing he'd hate!

I have just returned today from the Northern Land of Tolerant and Most Sweetly Conveyed Politeness. Despite the lengthy border crossing (bang on one hour, sitting with the window open and ingesting the fresh or at least distinctive smell of cow feces), I am relaxed, respectful, and well disposed to fellow poets.

I am not in mood to be annoyed. Annoyment, I say, is for other, crankier poets, who have not recently shopped where colour reigns supreme.

Though now I am returned to these United States, the color may return to my cheeks and I might turn argumentative. We Southerners can be disputational.

For now, Eluard, rest happy in your poem. I will not bait you, however one you've drawn, be it into five, or two, or love.

Your poem is prime at five. Or two, or three. At four, though, square. Don't let us factor more, else cubes are fair.

 

[Tathagata]

I have just returned today from the Northern Land of Tolerant and Most Sweetly Conveyed Politeness. Despite the lengthy border crossing (bang on one hour, sitting with the window open and ingesting the fresh or at least distinctive smell of cow feces), I am relaxed, respectful, and well disposed to fellow poets.

From the land of cow shit to the board of bullshit


Cow manure and sweet grass
you combine those two smells and throw in some crickets and some peepers and I'll sleep like a babe in it's mothers arms.
No wonder you're full of equanimity and good will.

Ange knows that smell now

 

[Angeline]

From the land of cow shit to the board of bullshit


Cow manure and sweet grass
you combine those two smells and throw in some crickets and some peepers and I'll sleep like a babe in it's mothers arms.
No wonder you're full of equanimity and good will.

Ange knows that smell now

When I was in the hospital last time, they were fertilizing the grass right outside my window. There was an incentive to get well. So yes, I do. All this and a six-month winter, too.

 

[Sara Crewe]

Despite the lengthy border crossing (bang on one hour....

Border crossings for me there and back were both about five minutes. I think the depth of my innocence and naturally sweet nature must have shone through and you must have 'shady suspicious character' flagged on your file.

 

[Tzara]

Border crossings for me there and back were both about five minutes. I think the depth of my innocence and naturally sweet nature must have shone through and you must have 'shady suspicious character' flagged on your file.

Actually, once I got to the point someone could look me in the face (and scan my passport), it took about 30 seconds to get through. The problem was the leisurely way in which our car approached said checkpoint, which was S-L-O-W-L-Y. Like one car length every five minutes or so. But the Aldergrove area is pleasant countryside, with what appear to be berry farms off to the right, and some large greenhouses that I presume are growing tomatoes or something and not those freaky domes featured in the X-Files movie.

You guys aren't part of that Black Helicopter thing, are you?

Oh, I suppose you couldn't tell me if you were. And what would They use Poets for, anyway? Interference? White noise?

It was better, anyway, or at least more peaceful than the hour and a half up trip through the Peace Arch crossing. There, Jesus wanted to rock our world (channeled through some guy whose guitar was as out of tune as his voice), there are speed bumps (which seem silly when one is advancing at one meter an hour), and my engine was overheating.

I miss the old days. You'd flash your driver's license, say "Yep, 'Merican" and go buy stuff at major discount in CDN. Hell. With $CDN at .95 $USA and all those damn taxes, it's like cheaper to stay home and watch QVC.

The Renoirs at VAG were excellent, though.

 

[Eluard]

I have just returned today from the Northern Land of Tolerant and Most Sweetly Conveyed Politeness. Despite the lengthy border crossing (bang on one hour, sitting with the window open and ingesting the fresh or at least distinctive smell of cow feces), I am relaxed, respectful, and well disposed to fellow poets.

I am not in mood to be annoyed. Annoyment, I say, is for other, crankier poets, who have not recently shopped where colour reigns supreme.

Though now I am returned to these United States, the color may return to my cheeks and I might turn argumentative. We Southerners can be disputational.

For now, Eluard, rest happy in your poem. I will not bait you, however one you've drawn, be it into five, or two, or love.

Your poem is prime at five. Or two, or three. At four, though, square. Don't let us factor more, else cubes are fair.

Interesting isn't it that 'love' = nought.

Looks like it's going to be square after all.

 

[Eluard]

. . . .

 

[UnderYourSpell]

I really like the last two poems both in different ways very clever and making me think.
I am going to try and pinch the idea of a different verse of the same poem each day the trouble is I don't know how to end it so I hope you don't get left up in the air!

 

[UnderYourSpell]

Manipulatrix your poem 'Gibberish' was a great way for me to start my morning .. made me all tingly and yes that is a good thing!

 

[manipulatrix]

.......

 

[Eluard]

M — liked your Half Awake Intensity very much. IMO erotic poetry has to have an erotic rhythm or it doesn't work — and you've achieved that.

And bring back the breasts!

 

[manipulatrix]

......

 

[UnderYourSpell]

Think I will give up this poetry lark your wonderful and sooo clever poetry flows and hangs in the air like clouds .. mine sits there like a lump of lead

 

[manipulatrix]

......

 

[Eluard]

Maybe it's time to issue the reminder that the 5/5 poems should be at least 10 lines and 50 words long.

 

[Eluard]

Ex king Porthram, head held low
through exhaustion and shame,
lay on a meagre bed deep below
in the dank dungeons of the castle,
not knowing if his beloved Sturena
was alive or dead or had fallen
victim to the pillaging army.
Silently he prayed to the gods that
she has slipped away to safety
but in his heart knew it could not be.

I like this one — it's a nice dramatic fragment of something that would work well in the large.