MADNESS IN SEARCH OF

[42BelowsBack]

Great.

Marcel proust in his Remembrance of Things Past talks about this moment, when he sleeps at night, and the table, the chair, the room stills, sits, waits, watches, and he slips in and out of alternate consciousnesses, these breathing bodies we construct to serve us, and yet they keep their shapes, and we - dissolve, contort, disappear. I'm often aware of such things. They, these things, these still objects, remind me of the house in Bradbury's story, "there will come soft rains."

Grrreat! Marcel Proust, a moment in Seven volumes haha I’m still trying to scythe through a poem! Which word by the way has terribly limited synonyms. Grrr must engage imagination.

 

[42BelowsBack]

I went through a period trying to write poems with multiple voices. Of course people didn’t get it. Then I came across John Giorno and his poem Everyone Is a Complete Disappointment. And suddenly I was home among my poetic people. Linked podcast and part of this poem in the LINKED READINGS ONLY THREAD.

The podcast discussion is fascinating: I just feel Giorno is, and wanting to, rip his Superman shirt off.

There is some other fascinating historical stuff including dial a poems i.e you could ring a number and listen to a poem.

 

[SapioSexual9]

Hey @Sapiosexual, on Aspirin, Vodka and Head aches.

What makes a poem a poem? And when is a rant a poem? A rant a rant? And an opportunity a poem?

Blah blah blah review my latest poem. If I didn’t trust your innate inability to mind your fat assed honest onion, I’d tell you to go sauté your ass

 

[SapioSexual9]

Great.

Grrreat! Marcel Proust, a moment in Seven volumes haha I’m still trying to scythe through a poem! Which word by the way has terribly limited synonyms. Grrr must engage imagination.

You are so ignant it’s magical. Keep posting 42. We love that you do.

 

[Angeline]

@42Below re: John Giorno. I posted one of his readings in your Link thread. I saw him perform this piece at St Marks Church in the Bowery in NYC. St Mark's is home to The Poetry Project and Giorno was very active in it...may have been one of its founders (I'm not sure). He was a very interesting artist, sort of on the line between poet and performance artist.

 

[42BelowsBack]

@Angeline

I knew the odds were good, I KNEW IT, well more wondered if you had seen Giorno live. Every time I check out NY poets I mutter amazed Fucken New Yorkers.

I was tempted to post that absolute sound weirdo W. Bliem Kern aka legendary sound poet. But didn’t want to spoil it.

In many respects they bend the poetical line too far. As though there is such a thing. I enjoy the energy in Giorno’s creative madness. And love that he isn’t afraid of surfing with his creative alien. Every time I see, read, a poet that puts the all on the line, I am inspired to be all the weirdo that I am. In a welling up of words.

There is no such thing as avant-gard. Many would say is an idiotic statement. Okay let me state it: When I listen to poets like Giorno I think of ancient Greece and Homer’s Odyssey being recited for entertainment. Of course there are differences. Now direct me to a Doctoral Thesis telling me what is and isn’t poetry? Just JOKING.

The experience of Star Trekking. I have always felt. It doesn’t matter someone else has been / seen / done it before me. I can be the first to explore and discover something that countless unknown else’s have done for countless centenaries. Call me a cave man looking at his hand, putting it against the cave wall and saying “this is rad.”

 

[Angeline]

@Angeline

I knew the odds were good, I KNEW IT, well more wondered if you had seen Giorno live. Every time I check out NY poets I mutter amazed Fucken New Yorkers.

I was tempted to post that absolute sound weirdo W. Bliem Kern aka legendary sound poet. But didn’t want to spoil it.

In many respects they bend the poetical line too far. As though there is such a thing. I enjoy the energy in Giorno’s creative madness. And love that he isn’t afraid of surfing with his creative alien. Every time I see, read, a poet that puts the all on the line, I am inspired to be all the weirdo that I am. In a welling up of words.

There is no such thing as avant-gard. Many would say is an idiotic statement. Okay let me state it: When I listen to poets like Giorno I think of ancient Greece and Homer’s Odyssey being recited for entertainment. Of course there are differences. Now direct me to a Doctoral Thesis telling me what is and isn’t poetry? Just JOKING.

The experience of Star Trekking. I have always felt. It doesn’t matter someone else has been / seen / done it before me. I can be the first to explore and discover something that countless unknown else’s have done for countless centenaries. Call me a cave man looking at his hand, putting it against the cave wall and saying “this is rad.”

We're all having that experience right? There really is nothing new under the Sun. And great art is happening in so many places. My beloved eagleyez grew up in San Francisco and got to see Bukowski, Gary Snyder, and many great West Coast poets read, plus of course all the music.

 

[42BelowsBack]

I just read Ever So Gently by eagleyez, suddenly I feel as though calmed. The spirit communes.

 

[42BelowsBack]

In waves My spirit communes
with the Living ocean

Rumbling big Sea Stomachs.
my Ankles Hand Gripped.
Acrobats They Tumble me under,
Flying Air Born Again
In the keening of gulls
My arms outstretched.
I am Divested of Their
Salt Smoking Spumes.

 

[42BelowsBack]

…or a poem a scythe, or a scythe poetic.

So, I’m thinking….

A poem is a field. First, mow down the wheat, shift out the chaff. Find the scythe.

 

[NivKay]

So, I’m thinking….

A poem is a field. First, mow down the wheat, shift out the chaff. Find the scythe.

Indeed... the scythe is usually found in the most unexpected places...

 

[SmilingLez]

Indeed... the scythe is usually found in the most unexpected places...

Like Amazon

 

[42BelowsBack]

Not to over simplify, I think there are two types of poems: Good / Bad. The good we reread over and again. And discover minute details that matter.

 

[42BelowsBack]

@SpermFactory, my Homework.

Notes on technique. @NivKay poem, Au de la

42 Take note. What do you see?

On reading complex poems. If confused follow the clues.

When a thousand things are happening, pick one. Like a ball of string that needs unraveling, find the end. I asked my eye; what do you see?

How does it look?

Au de la begins with three distinct phases represented through view and language. Then, in the fourth verse the poem releases, the fourth wall falls, the language is flowing. Now the color of the title emerges as important.

You could say, something that appeared to be something / was something / that became beyond something.

Ironically the line black gold on sodden ground should be read literally. Think Entomology. How did I arrive at the study of insects? Reread the poems first three verses. Follow the poem’s metamorphosis. Follow the clues: The eye fixes, put a pin in it.

There are many clues. Like the line I am blossoming hag-seed, explodes onto search page from a Canadian novel de-re-volving in a Shakespearian examination of motivations, mental states, and emotions. And that’s just the basic permissible mental lateral links in the first three verses of Au de la.

The poem provides handholds / clues. Simple. Effective.

Sticking with a theme of metamorphosis of sexual actualization, say hello to the fourth verse in the life cycle of this poem. And my changing thoughts on the use of color in its name.

As for this poem's language: Linguistically beyond the deep end of a higher language register including being sonically off the hezzy.

In meditating on this poem I discovered a favorite new word. Umber. Ummm I feel dumb(er).

The end.

 

[NivKay]

@SpermFactory, my Homework.

Notes on technique. @NivKay poem, Au de la

42 Take note. What do you see?

On reading complex poems. If confused follow the clues.

When a thousand things are happening, pick one. Like a ball of string that needs unraveling, find the end. I asked my eye; what do you see?

How does it look?

Au de la begins with three distinct phases represented through view and language. Then, in the fourth verse the poem releases, the fourth wall falls, the language is flowing. Now the color of the title emerges as important.

You could say, something that appeared to be something / was something / that became beyond something.

Ironically the line black gold on sodden ground should be read literally. Think Entomology. How did I arrive at the study of insects? Reread the poems first three verses. Follow the poem’s metamorphosis. Follow the clues: The eye fixes, put a pin in it.

There are many clues. Like the line I am blossoming hag-seed, explodes onto search page from a Canadian novel de-re-volving in a Shakespearian examination of motivations, mental states, and emotions. And that’s just the basic permissible mental lateral links in the first three verses of Au de la.

The poem provides handholds / clues. Simple. Effective.

Sticking with a theme of metamorphosis of sexual actualization, say hello to the fourth verse in the life cycle of this poem. And my changing thoughts on the use of color in its name.

As for this poem's language: Linguistically beyond the deep end of a higher language register including being sonically off the hezzy.

In meditating on this poem I discovered a favorite new word. Umber. Ummm I feel dumb(er).

The end.

Erm.. what just happened here? I wake up and this…42, this was quite an unpacking!
But, 42, what brought this on?

It’s a little.. embarrassing, really. I mean, I feel like I’ve been asked by the teacher to come to the front of the class..

Isn’t umber such a lovely word!

42 .. you’re a legend!

 

[woodsman44]

On 42, never take his statements literally.

Wouldn't dare. I find 42 delightfully unserious, and all of us better off for it.

Not sure what you meant by this, but if I've read 42 correctly, the man was being ironic..

Then we've both read 42 the same, and I was supporting that sentiment with an earnest example.

 

[NivKay]

Yes we love 42, and the ever gentleman, @NivKay and You @woodsman44

Now Playboy a smut poem when you please.

come to me, for me, whichever you please,
But not on me, I am no such sleaze,

And when you’re drained , strained
How sweet the light you’ve gained.

 

[42BelowsBack]

 

[Angeline]

27 Poems and related things to read and I see @SpermFactory inciting love splat splatting in my thread

Speaking of splat splatting NOW NOW NOW. I would remove it NOW. Because Sperm you are cheat writing a repetitious poem with epizeuxis .

Although if sperm could speak all it would ever say is NOW NOW NOW! And in hard centric hilarity though of ovulating eggs responding
YES Yes Ya ya ya yesss.”



On posting writing exercises, take them down? Leave them up?

I think, in communal spaces if we can’t hear another’s voice all we hear is our own. To paraphrase a @SapioSexual9 line,

“…men see their lips moving and think of Lesbians.” The “their” being other men.

It’s probably why humanity isn’t speaking any more. We can’t hear another’s creative voice without being Judge Dread and Judy.

Well, how do we know what’s good or bad if both good and bad don’t exist? In argument with myself, who needs to eat dog shit to know it tastes like dog shit? So I left my drek sketch an idea poem Punched Time posted. It along with other thought experimentsI have left posted. They are all examples of the value of fearless creative stupidity.

“Thoughtless, I am stupid therefore I am thoughtful.” Plato-rized.

I don't think you boys should be so sure about the eggs' acquiesce.

I've been thinking that it might be good to have an exercises subforum. Maybe instead of a Hangout, which aside from a few threads is rarely used. Is that a crazy idea? What would it look like? What would be helpful? I don't have any concrete plans, just thinking out loud.

 

[NivKay]

I don't think you boys should be so sure about the eggs' acquiesce.

I've been thinking that it might be good to have an exercises subforum. Maybe instead of a Hangout, which aside from a few threads is rarely used. Is that a crazy idea? What would it look like? What would be helpful? I don't have any concrete plans, just thinking out loud.

Point taken, thank you @Angeline

I don’t think it’s a crazy idea at all.. I’m sore it could be helpful. Although I haven’t a clue what shape that would take? Perhaps, a set of exercises, or even, a close study of a particular poem, or going through form and structure of the direct subgenre of poems - villanelle, sonnet, etc etc.. don’t know..

 

[Angeline]

Point taken, thank you @Angeline

I don’t think it’s a crazy idea at all.. I’m sore it could be helpful. Although I haven’t a clue what shape that would take? Perhaps, a set of exercises, or even, a close study of a particular poem, or going through form and structure of the direct subgenre of poems - villanelle, sonnet, etc etc.. don’t know..

We've done form "teach-in" threads in the past. A few of the usual suspects participate and everyone else heads for the hills lol.

The Revise-a-Poem thread is showing that people are willing to workshop and give feedback. I think that thread or maybe something like a poem of the week, where one brave individual offers up a poem for a week's worth of critique and revision could work well. I'm also thinking of exercises/games where you have to name a metaphor for whatever the person above you says (like you say "cloud" and I say "cotton fluff" and the next person says a metaphor for "cotton fluff" and so on). Or maybe we do similar exercises/games with alliteration or assonance or rhyme, just fun silliness that gives opportunities to practice poetry essentials. I'd love exercises to practice writing a line in a specific meter: that's something I'd like to try.

I'm sure if we researched online we'd find lots of prompts or games that afford opportunities to practice the tools of poetry.

Again, I'm just thinking out loud. I'd love to hear everyone's ideas.

 

[SapioSexual9]

I don't think you boys should be so sure about the eggs' acquiesce.

in their luscious silence I can hear them both thinking… um, er, whir, um

 

[Angeline]

in their luscious silence I can hear them both thinking… um, er, whir, um

High five sister poet!

 

[SapioSexual9]

prompts or games that afford opportunities to practice the tools of poetry.

Sexy essentials, how to show not tell exercises.

I also enjoyed 2025’s poem a week thread’s impromptu in thread prompts.

I'm also thinking of exercises/games where you have to name a metaphor for whatever the person above you says (like you say "cloud" and I say "cotton fluff" and the next person says a metaphor for "cotton fluff" and so on).

Winner winner chicken dinner. Creative nourishment in a minute.

I'd love exercises to practice writing a line in a specific meter:

This could be fun.

Sister poet, you are luteinizing lightening.

 

[42BelowsBack]