Poetry is not necessarily Rhyme. Poetry has a Rhythm like a spoken song
The prompt for our writing was a fragment of a much larger poem by Philip Levine, an American poet who writes huge expansive poetry. I don’t know if I was keen. Needs more research.
It was six in the evening
I was tired and peed off
But glad I was out with Steve.
Coffee smells make me cough
Mouth dry & tongue tied even
The moment was now, I was ready enough
I had left him now and I would soon be leavin’
On my own travlin’ way down south
Alone and free from a dark misdemeanour
Guilty. But flying loosed I was off
We were reminded that Poetry is not only Written and Read but is spoken and heard. It would be the session norm to write something each and then two or three of the group to read their work out to the group for critique.
Exercise Two
Not and entirely free choice as in exercise one. Observe the following rules;
1. The Poem is about the first time you ever were in this place. The location is your choice.
2. What did you smell?
3. What did you taste?
4. What could you hear?
5. What happened next?
6. What conversations did you hear?
7. Outside A political event is happening, how does this make you feel?
8. Who are you with? Name these people.
The Door ornate, great in size, was a portal
Smart guards, traversed left then right, about turn regularto!
Brightest sunshine outside, dark entered tentatively into
A vast echo’ing, empty, marbled, tile space
The high domed ceiling towering above
Within which swirled the ghostly incense smoke
Holy perfume sweet enough to taste and eat
Guide voices speaking lordly info and advice so authentic
Choice in my head ‘is that really meant to be said?”
The queue for the huge deity ever bigger to the right
You can kiss these feet but you might have to fight
Unholy noise from the outside, voices chanting in rigid rhyme
Denigh the soft orderly space of Peter, Paul& Pat inside
The rock upon which this place is built ….
Exercise three
Less criteria to meet and free’er
This Poem is called Marks & Scars
Please include:
1. One character with a distinctive appearance
2. The name of a singer and some Lyrics from one of their popular songs
3. A souvenir
4. A map
5. Name of a place
6. Repetition
7. 7 verse 3 line format
The invisible scar was delivered from Floridah
They were in light, I was in darkness
Only two witnesses were there, were invited
I got two chocolate foil covered Champagnes and flutes
There weren’t no need for no Italian suit
Only two witnesses were there, were invited
Paul in my head sombrely singing in a sadder key
Hello darkness my old friend, come to talk to you again
Only two witnesses were there, were invited
Somewhere in my head lay a faded old map
A tiny school boy in a navy blue hat
Only two witnesses were there, were invited
When his intended was young with such angelic face
The scowl, a line and future blackness not yet in place
Only two witnesses were there, were invited
The scar never fades or recedes from my sight
I should have Floridahed, should have taken flight
Only two witnesses were there, were invited
The scar is a mental not physical burden
That the happy couple agreed and declared on
Only two witnesses were there, were invited
Exercise Four
5 Couplets about a tool that you find
1. Who did it belong to?
2. What was it used for?
A brand new tool lay within its packet
Way down low, in a ‘tall grass’ thicket
Eighteen inches long, a heavy weight carried
Lain down perhaps its buyer felt harried
Its purpose obvious for it socket at its head
Fit the nuts on a car wheel flat on its edge
But who had left it lying just so abandoned
A spare for a car spare not well attended
Picking it up I resented its weight
Gave it to son who couldn’t relate
Exercise five
Title: Shops of My [Choice] imagination
I chose ‘Great, Great, Great Grandfathers’s’
Compulsory first line [see below]
It is better to shop in the shops
Of My Great, great, great Grandfather’s imagination
Where, all by themselves, pork pies appeared
And marched themselves down to the station
Where rows and rows of very similar loaves
Just left his shop with hurried anticipation
Oh the work was good he loved his bakery to bits
But the people that came in got on his wits
He yearned for his shop to just open ten minutes
His customers coming in droves act like Gannets
NO ‘Good Morning Bill, How are you today?
Lovely weather we are having!
‘Oh dear, oh please don’t stay!’
We were all quite tired by this time and glad to call it a day – there were 10 in this session.
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