ok, who's up for another little experiment?

[vrosej10]

never apologise for length

great run-ons of sound in this, vrose

what's a morton bay chestnut?

A morton bay chestnut in this great big tree (up to 40m) that makes these huge seed pods with seeds that look like chestnuts but are deadly poison if not treated properly. The local indigenous folks had a way of preparing them that made em edible and delicious. The tree also has pretty red flowers. I've never seen a real chestnut tree so I thought I'd go for something I could relate to.

 

[Algonquin Twit]

Word Games

Word Games

Coaxing lime from a twist of light
this blight of blackened green leaning
on light post, her hem a balance
between intent and carelessness.

Disheveled chestnut hair destined
to cascade on fading newsprint
in some Singapore alleyway
the ping of her heels pierce crosswords --
legs spread in an hourly fag.

With a quick slip of drunken breath,
deadly cum and then the anguished
withdrawal all for a twenty
or a ten when the night is bad.

Errant word games in rotting mud
of distant lies forever pain
while pleasure’s touch is equity
in some Singapore alleyway.

 

[vrosej10]

Villanelle of the Cashiered Derivatives Trader

He swirls his tonic, gin, and lime,
Fits "Singapore" to crossword grid
In the folded Sunday Times.

The newsprint streaks his slacks with grime.
He's out of fags. A pack's six quid.
He swirls his tonic, gin, and lime,

Adds one more twist. This gin's sublime,
He slurs to self, intent amid
Enfolding Sunday's soggy time

When gentlemen, with coaxing, climb
Some random lamppost, which they've slid
Down swirled in tonic, gin, and lime.

His balance—hem!—is not quite prime,
His gait unsteady as a squid's.
Legs fold like Sunday's bloody Times!

He bleats, a blight, a Chestnut Mime
Who homeward now pings, pongs, and skids
With his folded Sunday Times,
Aswirl in tonic, gin, and lime.

Don't ask me why but this came over all erotic for me and I started to picture hot older guys in suits....Back to the poem, good use of a form poem. I am a verse libre girl myself but I admire those who can work the forms (I can't hear meter no matter how hard I try which handicaps me) though I do love Japanese forms and the odd pantoum (I love the obsessing quality of them and they have stuff in common with Japanese stuff). Really enjoyed the imagery in this.

 

[vrosej10]

Fame is a Fleeting Fantasy

Ping was a flamboyant Singapore fag,
forever intent on appearing in newsprint.
Lamp post thin and with hair dyed lime green,
he resembled a chestnut tree stricken with blight.
Coaxing reporters by hiking his skirt hem clear to his navel,
he finally made the papers one day. But here's the twist:
Although his picture appeared on Page 1,
the story balance was buried on Page 24, below the crossword.

i read this one whilst eating my breakfast peanut butter toast. It made me smile, not an easy thing today give how much I hate mornings...

 

[butters]

Word Games

Coaxing lime from a twist of light
this blight of blackened green leaning
on light post, her hem a balance
between intent and carelessness.

Disheveled chestnut hair destined
to cascade on fading newsprint
in some Singapore alleyway
the ping of her heels pierce crosswords --
legs spread in an hourly fag.

With a quick slip of drunken breath,
deadly cum and then the anguished
withdrawal all for a twenty
or a ten when the night is bad.

Errant word games in rotting mud
of distant lies forever pain
while pleasure’s touch is equity
in some Singapore alleyway.

damn, i'm glad you chose to play word games, AT. that opening verse is a scorcher - so good, imo, it outshines the rest, making them seem more pedestrian by comparison. you've incorporated some great originality of phrasing!

 

[butters]

Fame is a Fleeting Fantasy

Ping was a flamboyant Singapore fag,
forever intent on appearing in newsprint.
Lamp post thin and with hair dyed lime green,
he resembled a chestnut tree stricken with blight.
Coaxing reporters by hiking his skirt hem clear to his navel,
he finally made the papers one day. But here's the twist:
Although his picture appeared on Page 1,
the story balance was buried on Page 24, below the crossword.

i thought you were going to say he was dead/murdered whatever, his story being his obituary. really like the imagery you dish up here, mnib. thanks for playing!

 

[mynameisben]

i thought you were going to say he was dead/murdered whatever, his story being his obituary. really like the imagery you dish up here, mnib. thanks for playing!

That would have required me to be clever. I like your ending so much better!

 

[greenmountaineer]

Some pretty creative stuff in this thread. Thanks, chipbutty, for suggesting it. Your challenges are always thought provoking.

 

[butters]

That would have required me to be clever. I like your ending so much better!

you do? lol

Some pretty creative stuff in this thread. Thanks, chipbutty, for suggesting it. Your challenges are always thought provoking.

that's what i love about you writers... throw something out there and the minds take hold and make such wonderful fabrications with it. just a silly, boring list - and look what you people did with it! i love you guys