This is the first poem I am posting to the forum.
Any comments you wish to make will be much appreciated.
The Child
The child sat still
by the wayside
hugging his knees
in the hot sun
his clothing torn
his eyes forlorn
waiting
waiting
no sound pierced
the cloudless sky
no one approached
as passerby
he hugged his knees
more tightly now
a tear escaped
a silent cry
waiting
waiting
his ears still rang
from the night before
the screams, the shouts
as bullets tore
apart the lives
of those he loved
the father, the mother
he’d see no more
waiting
waiting
Sherry
The Child
Dear Sherry ~
Your poem has a singular power that instantly put me in the streets of Iraq or any other war-torn area. Succinct and true. Even its physical structure replicates aloneness, as it stands solitary and narrow on the page, like a child's body. Simple words, none wasted, strong images... the repetition of the word "waiting" at the end signals the feelings of desolation that both he and this reader feel. Did a news report prompt its writing? I appreciate your double entendre of "as bullets tore / apart the lives" in every conceivable way.
Thank you so much for posting your tragically timely poem.
Love,
Lizzy
< Thanks! Okay. Now, your turn to bring your response to me over here
. >
Your poem has a singular power that instantly put me in the streets of Iraq or any other war-torn area. Succinct and true. Even its physical structure replicates aloneness, as it stands solitary and narrow on the page, like a child's body. Simple words, none wasted, strong images... the repetition of the word "waiting" at the end signals the feelings of desolation that both he and this reader feel. Did a news report prompt its writing? I appreciate your double entendre of "as bullets tore / apart the lives" in every conceivable way.
Thank you so much for posting your tragically timely poem.
Love,
Lizzy
< Thanks! Okay. Now, your turn to bring your response to me over here
. >Lizzy, we have to stop meeting like this! 
Much better that we meet in Hydra!
I sent another e-mail to "you-know-who" about "you-know-what"
and he jokingly referred to it as spam!
I'm getting closer and closer to buying my ticket.
I just realized you want me to post my other reply. I'll go
and fetch it.
Sherry
Much better that we meet in Hydra!
I sent another e-mail to "you-know-who" about "you-know-what"
and he jokingly referred to it as spam!
I'm getting closer and closer to buying my ticket.
I just realized you want me to post my other reply. I'll go
and fetch it.
Sherry
Hi Lizzy,
Thanks for your comments. I think you summed up perfectly
exactly what I was trying to capture. I can't say it was inspired
by any specific news report, simply the multitude of news reports that
appear quite frequently with the images of children left orphaned
and homeless in many war torn areas of the middle east and
Africa. It was just a random thought that stayed with me while I
was walking to work.
What I find interesting is that now that I have written it down, it is
an image that will remain in my mind like a memory, whereas the things
we see on television often tend to fade away moments later.
Do you find the same with your writing?
Sherry
Thanks for your comments. I think you summed up perfectly
exactly what I was trying to capture. I can't say it was inspired
by any specific news report, simply the multitude of news reports that
appear quite frequently with the images of children left orphaned
and homeless in many war torn areas of the middle east and
Africa. It was just a random thought that stayed with me while I
was walking to work.
What I find interesting is that now that I have written it down, it is
an image that will remain in my mind like a memory, whereas the things
we see on television often tend to fade away moments later.
Do you find the same with your writing?
Sherry
Do you find the same with your writing?What I find interesting is that now that I have written it down, it is
an image that will remain in my mind like a memory, whereas the things
we see on television often tend to fade away moments later.
That's a very interesting thought, Sherry. As I listen to the radio, my imagination does whatever it does with the word I hear. I guess what you did with yours fit mine, as well... as I now have a vivid picture in my mind, too, of that orphaned child. You're right how the images come and the images go, yet when you congeal it as you have, I now see a single child, one sitting alone by the side of the road... and it will last for me, too.
Thinking about how you 'physically' constructed your poem, another thing occurs to me and that's the way you used fairly simple words, in fairly brief phrases, quite similar to a child's less complex way of thinking and processing the world. Yet, within your words themselves, you convey the extreme complexities of what brought that child into this situation and how it has infinitely affected everything in what was, prior to today, his fairly simple life, and has now become a totally confusing and mired, new world for him... and he hasn't yet even realized that they're really gone or what he's waiting for... I like the juxtaposition.
Now... what I'd love it if you did is simply copy-and-paste your poem to a new thread, as it's deserving of its own. Your choice, of course, but I sure would be a happyone if you did.
I really find it difficult to answer your question regarding my own writing because I don't write poetry. On a generous level, I may have written a max of 10 poems in my life! Then, who's to say if any of them actually qualify as a poem
~ I guess it's why I love so much reading others' poetry. Love,
Lizzy
< I promise you we can stop for a glass of water or tea when we're finished, but we've really gotta get that car unloaded. It's already dark... and I can't be here all night
~ your turn 
. >Lizzy,
Your wish is my command. I shall post it to its own thread.
You are much better at analyzing poetry (even my own) than
I am. I merely write what I see (internally or externally) and feel.
I think my style is very much influenced by much of LC's poetry. And
Robert Frost. And many other excellent poets (of which I don't
consider myself to be one).
I try to follow the maxim when writing that less is more.
Besides, I don't know any big words!
The only really conscious editorial choice I made in this poem was to not
change "by the wayside" to "by the roadside" which I had briefly
considered doing. But then I looked up "wayside" in the dictionary
and found that "by the wayside" has connotations of being thrown
away or discarded, so I decided to keep it in.
You write so eloquently that I'm sure your poetry would be
very lyrical if you choose to let it flow.
Sherry
Phew! The car was stalling. That was pretty heavy lifting, but I
think we're all in now!
Your wish is my command. I shall post it to its own thread.
You are much better at analyzing poetry (even my own) than
I am. I merely write what I see (internally or externally) and feel.
I think my style is very much influenced by much of LC's poetry. And
Robert Frost. And many other excellent poets (of which I don't
consider myself to be one).
I try to follow the maxim when writing that less is more.
Besides, I don't know any big words!
The only really conscious editorial choice I made in this poem was to not
change "by the wayside" to "by the roadside" which I had briefly
considered doing. But then I looked up "wayside" in the dictionary
and found that "by the wayside" has connotations of being thrown
away or discarded, so I decided to keep it in.
You write so eloquently that I'm sure your poetry would be
very lyrical if you choose to let it flow.
Sherry
Phew! The car was stalling. That was pretty heavy lifting, but I
think we're all in now!
Dear Sherry ~
I'll wait til you do that before I comment then ~ and thanks
!!
~ Lizzy
Sherrrrryyyyyy ~ Your turn... if you'll bring your response to my response over to your new apartment, I'll continue bringing in the other suitcases .
*****************************************************
OKAY! Here we are... yeah, my arms are killing me. Feels good to sit down, dzn't it? Be back in a sec. I'll get a glass for you, too... but I gotta have a drink of water .
I'll wait til you do that before I comment then ~ and thanks
!! ~ Lizzy
Sherrrrryyyyyy ~ Your turn... if you'll bring your response to my response over to your new apartment, I'll continue bringing in the other suitcases
.*****************************************************
OKAY! Here we are... yeah, my arms are killing me. Feels good to sit down, dzn't it? Be back in a sec. I'll get a glass for you, too... but I gotta have a drink of water
.AH! The couch, the sofa, the divine divan 
~ Mmmmm... feels good. Shame I have to leave so soon, but I wanted to comment on what you were saying out there at the car.
When it comes to poetry, similar to what Geoffrey said, anyway, over there in '64' ~ I know what I like and I can tell you pretty much why I like it... but what that has or hasn't to do with poetry, I couldn't begin to tell you that!
Well, for mentors, Sherry, your choices are great!
... that knocks me out of the running. Unless, I vary the line a bit... "She went right on writing... and I went on a wordfast." [You have to be sure to say "wordfast" fast, though, or it doesn't work at all... faster even than it would be, spoken or sung as a normal comboword. Or, you could put the heaviest emphasis on the word "I" and that helps get it all in there... these dern tight suitcases, anyway ~ a new person here used the word "dern" ~ love that word. I'd forgotten all about its even existing til I saw it here .] Well, back to this brief writing, less is more, business. Leonard would agree with you. I would, too, for that matter... it just wouldn't do me any good.
Oh, Yes, YES, Sherry... very much so on using "wayside" instead of roadside... that double entendre works exactly the way you want it, reenforcing his lack of belonging now. Interesting, too, as you never did use the word "roadside," at all, and that's how I pictured it. It could also be amidst a pile of rubble and torn bodies. Your poem touches me even more every time I read it... about five times now.
I'm sorry, but this is going to be anything but eloquent... but I can't help the images that come to me, right? There not there one second and the next, they're all I can 'see' ~ when I read that about "eloquently" and "flow," the aural image I got was from a childhood song and the in my mind, I started singing, "The words come in, the words come out... the words get stuck in their mother's snout... " ~ don't ask me, Sherry... I can't help it.
Now, as far as presumed abilities go, I think of sports and how two people will be in skates on ice. One will be a figure skater and the other a hockey player. Being decent at one sure doesn't ensure a thing with the other... though, there actually was a movie made about that very thing that I saw recently... one of those 'chick flicks,' so maybe I'd better adjust my analogy. Let's do sports dealing with a ball... a round one ~ basketball... and a [well, whatever-shape-that's-called ] ~ a football. Being able to play football doesn't transpose into being able to shoot baskets. There... I think that one works. When I sit down and think, "Okay, poem." NOthing comes, mind goes blank. Nothing. Nothing resonates as to what NOW am I supposed to do with words!?! It completely throws me 
. So, don't expect anything any time soon, but thank you for the compliment, regardless. I appreciate your belief.
Okay... TWO hours past quitting time... been a VERY long day... but it's been worth it sticking around to talk with you, Sherry. Looking forward to Hydra.
Love,
Lizzy
~ Mmmmm... feels good. Shame I have to leave so soon, but I wanted to comment on what you were saying out there at the car.When it comes to poetry, similar to what Geoffrey said, anyway, over there in '64' ~ I know what I like and I can tell you pretty much why I like it... but what that has or hasn't to do with poetry, I couldn't begin to tell you that!
Well, for mentors, Sherry, your choices are great!
I try to follow the maxim when writing that less is more.
... that knocks me out of the running. Unless, I vary the line a bit... "She went right on writing... and I went on a wordfast." [You have to be sure to say "wordfast" fast, though, or it doesn't work at all... faster even than it would be, spoken or sung as a normal comboword. Or, you could put the heaviest emphasis on the word "I" and that helps get it all in there... these dern tight suitcases, anyway ~ a new person here used the word "dern" ~ love that word. I'd forgotten all about its even existing til I saw it here
.] Well, back to this brief writing, less is more, business. Leonard would agree with you. I would, too, for that matter... it just wouldn't do me any good.Oh, Yes, YES, Sherry... very much so on using "wayside" instead of roadside... that double entendre works exactly the way you want it, reenforcing his lack of belonging now. Interesting, too, as you never did use the word "roadside," at all, and that's how I pictured it. It could also be amidst a pile of rubble and torn bodies. Your poem touches me even more every time I read it... about five times now.
I'm sorry, but this is going to be anything but eloquent... but I can't help the images that come to me, right? There not there one second and the next, they're all I can 'see' ~ when I read that about "eloquently" and "flow," the aural image I got was from a childhood song and the in my mind, I started singing, "The words come in, the words come out... the words get stuck in their mother's snout... " ~ don't ask me, Sherry... I can't help it.
Now, as far as presumed abilities go, I think of sports and how two people will be in skates on ice. One will be a figure skater and the other a hockey player. Being decent at one sure doesn't ensure a thing with the other... though, there actually was a movie made about that very thing that I saw recently... one of those 'chick flicks,' so maybe I'd better adjust my analogy. Let's do sports dealing with a ball... a round one ~ basketball... and a [well, whatever-shape-that's-called
] ~ a football. Being able to play football doesn't transpose into being able to shoot baskets. There... I think that one works. When I sit down and think, "Okay, poem." NOthing comes, mind goes blank. Nothing. Nothing resonates as to what NOW am I supposed to do with words!?! It completely throws me . So, don't expect anything any time soon, but thank you for the compliment, regardless. I appreciate your belief.Okay... TWO hours past quitting time... been a VERY long day... but it's been worth it sticking around to talk with you, Sherry. Looking forward to Hydra.
Love,
Lizzy
-
BoHo
Sherry, FWIW, I, too, found this lovely gut-wracking poem very moving; its starkness, its lack of guile, its utter resolution and resignation that no rose-coloured glasses will allow one to see the child (within us all) as anything but abandoned. Your short lines (in keeping with the controlled chaos of a child's terrified thought processes), telling strokes, and austere cadences work on both intrinsic and extrinsic levels. Makes me think it's the kind of poem The Boss would like. (Where is Adam, anyway? I feel abandoned.)
You've aced it. I wouldn't change a word. Power, they say, corrupts; but, in poetry, it's its own energy, and in yours, it's a-ka-thwack with thrust and quiet confidence. Take a bow; not often one sees a draft that's so fine, so forceful, so perfectly finished. Good on you; makes me want to see more of what you and your imagistic slant of light can and will do. Thanks for sharing this one. We're enriched, a little, in a world where enpoorment seems to be the operative descriptor.
BoHo
--
THE ITEM THAT HE SENT HER:
http://www.judithfitzgerald.ca/leonardcohen.html
ADAGIOS III — ELECTRA'S BENISON, BOUND!
http://www.oberonpress.ca/titles.pl?v=new
JUDITH FITZGERALD'S EVER-EVOLVING WRITESITE:
http://www.judithfitzgerald.ca/
CANADIAN JOURNAL OF COMMUNICATION:
http://tinyurl.com/25eae3
LC'S OPEN BOOK OF LONGING:
http://tinyurl.com/yno7z7
POET PARLIAMENTAEIRIAL J.F.:
http://tinyurl.com/38ssjq
WISE GUY'S WISE SON:
http://www.marshallmcluhan.com/pub.html
VERMONT'S BUCKEYE ON OLSON & FITZGERALD:
http://www.judithfitzgerald.ca/bobbuckeye.html
A CELEBRATION OF WOMEN WRITERS:
http://digital.library.upenn.edu/women/writers.html
JOANNA M. WESTON ON ORESTES' LAMENT:
http://tinyurl.com/ysrx3l
J.F. / C.C. CO-WRITE — "IS IT RAINING TODAY?"
http://tinyurl.com/2rbq68
CANADIAN STUDIES CENTRE:
http://www.hum.au.dk/canstud/
M.P. ANTHONY ROTA ON J.F. IN HANSARD:
http://tinyurl.com/3cam8p
ROB MCLENNAN ON J.F.'S OTTAWA:
http://tinyurl.com/24kr5m
CANADA'S THREE MUTE TECHNOLOGICAL CRITICS:
http://tinyurl.com/33rol2
J.F. @ THE WRITERS' UNION OF CANADA:
http://www.writersunion.ca/f/fitzgrld.htm
J.F. ON AL PURDY & ELI MANDEL @ CBC:
http://tinyurl.com/2vdrdq
T.F. RIGELHOF ON CANADA'S LOSS:
http://tinyurl.com/2cfk2t
IRVING LAYTON DEATHWATCH:
http://tinyurl.com/yuc24v
AMERICAN BOOK REVIEW:
http://tinyurl.com/2h6op6
RUSSELL BROWN ON THEMATICS:
http://tinyurl.com/2crmhw
SUNITI NAMJOSHI'S BRIGHTSITE:
http://tinyurl.com/37jjvy
ROB MCLENNAN ON BEING THE BEST:
http://tinyurl.com/34s9co
FAVOURITE AUTHORS OF GEORGE WOOD:
http://tinyurl.com/39yt24
ROB MCLENNAN'S OPINION OF J.F.:
http://tinyurl.com/28scjb
The Wonderful Mz Wanda:
http://misswanda.blogspot.com/
You've aced it. I wouldn't change a word. Power, they say, corrupts; but, in poetry, it's its own energy, and in yours, it's a-ka-thwack with thrust and quiet confidence. Take a bow; not often one sees a draft that's so fine, so forceful, so perfectly finished. Good on you; makes me want to see more of what you and your imagistic slant of light can and will do. Thanks for sharing this one. We're enriched, a little, in a world where enpoorment seems to be the operative descriptor.
BoHo
--
THE ITEM THAT HE SENT HER:
http://www.judithfitzgerald.ca/leonardcohen.html
ADAGIOS III — ELECTRA'S BENISON, BOUND!
http://www.oberonpress.ca/titles.pl?v=new
JUDITH FITZGERALD'S EVER-EVOLVING WRITESITE:
http://www.judithfitzgerald.ca/
CANADIAN JOURNAL OF COMMUNICATION:
http://tinyurl.com/25eae3
LC'S OPEN BOOK OF LONGING:
http://tinyurl.com/yno7z7
POET PARLIAMENTAEIRIAL J.F.:
http://tinyurl.com/38ssjq
WISE GUY'S WISE SON:
http://www.marshallmcluhan.com/pub.html
VERMONT'S BUCKEYE ON OLSON & FITZGERALD:
http://www.judithfitzgerald.ca/bobbuckeye.html
A CELEBRATION OF WOMEN WRITERS:
http://digital.library.upenn.edu/women/writers.html
JOANNA M. WESTON ON ORESTES' LAMENT:
http://tinyurl.com/ysrx3l
J.F. / C.C. CO-WRITE — "IS IT RAINING TODAY?"
http://tinyurl.com/2rbq68
CANADIAN STUDIES CENTRE:
http://www.hum.au.dk/canstud/
M.P. ANTHONY ROTA ON J.F. IN HANSARD:
http://tinyurl.com/3cam8p
ROB MCLENNAN ON J.F.'S OTTAWA:
http://tinyurl.com/24kr5m
CANADA'S THREE MUTE TECHNOLOGICAL CRITICS:
http://tinyurl.com/33rol2
J.F. @ THE WRITERS' UNION OF CANADA:
http://www.writersunion.ca/f/fitzgrld.htm
J.F. ON AL PURDY & ELI MANDEL @ CBC:
http://tinyurl.com/2vdrdq
T.F. RIGELHOF ON CANADA'S LOSS:
http://tinyurl.com/2cfk2t
IRVING LAYTON DEATHWATCH:
http://tinyurl.com/yuc24v
AMERICAN BOOK REVIEW:
http://tinyurl.com/2h6op6
RUSSELL BROWN ON THEMATICS:
http://tinyurl.com/2crmhw
SUNITI NAMJOSHI'S BRIGHTSITE:
http://tinyurl.com/37jjvy
ROB MCLENNAN ON BEING THE BEST:
http://tinyurl.com/34s9co
FAVOURITE AUTHORS OF GEORGE WOOD:
http://tinyurl.com/39yt24
ROB MCLENNAN'S OPINION OF J.F.:
http://tinyurl.com/28scjb
The Wonderful Mz Wanda:
http://misswanda.blogspot.com/
I'm not sure all the reasons why, Judith, but I cried reading your response to Sherry. You've put into concrete terms some things I see, too, but didn't realize it or know how to explain, as well as added to what I've seen... the chaos in the child's mind, for instance. Yes... of course... the utter chaos. And, your comment regarding the child within us all, abandoned.
Thank you for your own beautiful words, here, Judith. I know Sherry's going to appreciate them as much as I do... more, of course, since she wrote the poem ~ and only after a morning's thoughts.
Love to you both,
Lizzy
The first half of this comment is something so true, the controlled chaos of child's terrified thought processes ~ yes, of course. The second half makes me wish for a poetry class; though I do basically understand what you've said, I just wish I could have said it myself.Your short lines (in keeping with the controlled chaos of a child's terrified thought processes), telling strokes, and austere cadences work on both intrinsic and extrinsic levels.
Thank you for your own beautiful words, here, Judith. I know Sherry's going to appreciate them as much as I do... more, of course, since she wrote the poem ~ and only after a morning's thoughts.
Love to you both,
Lizzy
Lizzy and Judith,
I am truly grateful for the kind words and encouragement you
have both given me. Of course, if one gets too much praise then
it tends to go to one's head and it becomes hard to meet one's
own expectations. However, your appreciation is more than enough
to keep me writing. And I will be happy to post more.
Lizzy, I love your line ""The words come in, the words come out... the words get stuck in their mother's snout... " It really made me laugh!
Judith, I really enjoy the way that you play with words. I don't seem
to be able to let my imagination take such free reign.
Lizzy, I think you're writing style is very suited to prose poetry. When I said you should just let it flow, I meant that you must not consciously think of it as writing a poem because the concept of 'writing a poem' seems to be setting up a roadblock for you. I think you should just put down the ideas and images as they come to you. You can always edit later. If it helps, give it another name. Sorry, but I can't resist....a poem by any other name is still a poem.
Now I must drag myself back to my books and spend the whole weekend writing a paper that should have been done yesterday, but which I haven't started yet.
Take care,
Sherry
I am truly grateful for the kind words and encouragement you
have both given me. Of course, if one gets too much praise then
it tends to go to one's head and it becomes hard to meet one's
own expectations. However, your appreciation is more than enough
to keep me writing. And I will be happy to post more.
Lizzy, I love your line ""The words come in, the words come out... the words get stuck in their mother's snout... " It really made me laugh!
Judith, I really enjoy the way that you play with words. I don't seem
to be able to let my imagination take such free reign.
Lizzy, I think you're writing style is very suited to prose poetry. When I said you should just let it flow, I meant that you must not consciously think of it as writing a poem because the concept of 'writing a poem' seems to be setting up a roadblock for you. I think you should just put down the ideas and images as they come to you. You can always edit later. If it helps, give it another name. Sorry, but I can't resist....a poem by any other name is still a poem.
Now I must drag myself back to my books and spend the whole weekend writing a paper that should have been done yesterday, but which I haven't started yet.
Take care,
Sherry
Hi Sherry ~
What is a prose poem ? Unfortunately, that's a serious question...
I think you're right about the roadblock, but it's boulder size and I can't see either lane. I think this may call for some heavy road equipment. Got a cell phone?
Meanwhile, while we're waiting, thank you for your lovely encouragement and advice .
When I was back writing papers, I used to work best under pressure... not exactly that much pressure, though... it was more the "due tomorrow " kind. Once the day had passed, something started to happen in the reverse. However, I can see that you'll come through with shining colours.
Regarding Judith's being inspirational with words, you're SOOOO right... . It's a paradigm shift kind of thing, really, and once you've made it, it is SOOOOO much fun and it just keeps happening one word, one phrase, after another. You should see some of our emails... and wot happens to letter-and-word arrangements there . It's so liberating... and feels SO good, but she's the only True Master of Fitzisms and that's a fact to be enjoyed and delighted in... so I just be me here and have fun playing dress-up there .
Thanks for liking my ditty... it was at once both visual and verbal... and I kinda like it, too .
Will be interested to hear how your paper production goes today, Sherry. I'll be intereted to see how my own goes, though it won't be with writing. I'm going to be outta here for the majority of the day... cleaning . Check back with both of you later .
~ Lizzy
What is a prose poem
? Unfortunately, that's a serious question... I think you're right about the roadblock, but it's boulder size and I can't see either lane. I think this may call for some heavy road equipment. Got a cell phone?
Meanwhile, while we're waiting, thank you for your lovely encouragement and advice
.When I was back writing papers, I used to work best under pressure... not exactly that much pressure, though... it was more the "due tomorrow
" kind. Once the day had passed, something started to happen in the reverse. However, I can see that you'll come through with shining colours.Regarding Judith's being inspirational with words, you're SOOOO right...
. It's a paradigm shift kind of thing, really, and once you've made it, it is SOOOOO much fun and it just keeps happening one word, one phrase, after another. You should see some of our emails... and wot happens to letter-and-word arrangements there . It's so liberating... and feels SO good, but she's the only True Master of Fitzisms and that's a fact to be enjoyed and delighted in... so I just be me here and have fun playing dress-up there .Thanks for liking my ditty... it was at once both visual and verbal... and I kinda like it, too
.Will be interested to hear how your paper production goes today, Sherry. I'll be intereted to see how my own goes, though it won't be with writing. I'm going to be outta here for the majority of the day... cleaning
. Check back with both of you later .~ Lizzy
Hi Lizzy,
There are many good sites that can explain about prose poetry. Here is one of them. I have copy-pasted the first paragraph to give you an idea, but the whole page is well worth reading as it gives some good examples.
http://www.poets.org/viewmedia.php/prmMID/5787
"Though the name of the form may appear to be a contradiction, the prose poem essentially appears as prose, but reads like poetry. In the first issue of The Prose Poem: An International Journal, editor Peter Johnson explained, "Just as black humor straddles the fine line between comedy and tragedy, so the prose poem plants one foot in prose, the other in poetry, both heels resting precariously on banana peels."
Although I don't see LCs name mentioned in any of the sites I have just visited as an example of a writer of prose poetry, I feel that his book Beautiful Losers is a long series of prose poems.
As for my paper, it shall be interesting to see how it goes. I made a good stab at it yesterday, but ended up with more notes than text. Meanwhile, the tickle in my throat seems to have turned into a full-blown throat infection. If I can suspend reality for the rest of the day, I might be able to actually get the paper written. I hate missing deadlines!
I'd best let you go now because it is too tempting for me to spend the next two hours reading other peoples' poetry and not doing what I have to do.
Talk to you soon.
Love,
Sherry
There are many good sites that can explain about prose poetry. Here is one of them. I have copy-pasted the first paragraph to give you an idea, but the whole page is well worth reading as it gives some good examples.
http://www.poets.org/viewmedia.php/prmMID/5787
"Though the name of the form may appear to be a contradiction, the prose poem essentially appears as prose, but reads like poetry. In the first issue of The Prose Poem: An International Journal, editor Peter Johnson explained, "Just as black humor straddles the fine line between comedy and tragedy, so the prose poem plants one foot in prose, the other in poetry, both heels resting precariously on banana peels."
Although I don't see LCs name mentioned in any of the sites I have just visited as an example of a writer of prose poetry, I feel that his book Beautiful Losers is a long series of prose poems.
As for my paper, it shall be interesting to see how it goes. I made a good stab at it yesterday, but ended up with more notes than text. Meanwhile, the tickle in my throat seems to have turned into a full-blown throat infection. If I can suspend reality for the rest of the day, I might be able to actually get the paper written. I hate missing deadlines!
I'd best let you go now because it is too tempting for me to spend the next two hours reading other peoples' poetry and not doing what I have to do.
Talk to you soon.
Love,
Sherry
-
BoHo
And, we (although I shouldn't speak for Lizzy, she's yappy enough as it is <*sniggle*>) will be thrilled to have further look-sees at any and all you're creating plus willing to share. Truly. Your way with words is succinctly divinely fine.Sherry wrote:And I will be happy to post more.
Funny, innit? I'd say to you exactly what you say to Lizzy concerning letting it flow, letting it go, giving oneself over to the way in which language is the greatest gift given us (next to the sacral, that is). As you so eloquently said, "you must not consciously [be] thinking of it as" letting your fingers take you where they're going, I s'pose. Just a suggestion, tiny-puny, but maybe you might wish to deconstruct (ack!) a roadblock or two, et so forthia. Just my deux, always, always. WTF do I know <*G*>? Free reign, free association, free country, free Willies everywhere, L!Sherry wrote:Judith, I really enjoy the way that you play with words. I don't seem to be able to let my imagination take such free reign.
Luck on finishing your paper. I *know* how you're feeling, having had migraine for three days and my own dreadline tomorrow morning (which is why I am so very interested in what's happening in the world I love more than love itself).
Say a prayer for Sylvia, won't you? Today is the anniversary of her death in 1963; her work is one of the beautifullest mine eyes have had the privilege to see. In fact, her poem, "Electra on Azalea Path," is part of the scaffolding for my own current, Electra's Benison. Wouldn't have it any other way. She and Em. D. keep me on the straight and arrow.
Hug-e-hugs, Bo
--
THE ITEM THAT HE SENT HER:
http://www.judithfitzgerald.ca/leonardcohen.html
ADAGIOS III — ELECTRA'S BENISON, BOUND!
http://www.oberonpress.ca/titles.pl?v=new
JUDITH FITZGERALD'S EVER-EVOLVING WRITESITE:
http://www.judithfitzgerald.ca/
CANADIAN JOURNAL OF COMMUNICATION:
http://tinyurl.com/25eae3
LC'S OPEN BOOK OF LONGING:
http://tinyurl.com/yno7z7
POET PARLIAMENTAEIRIAL J.F.:
http://tinyurl.com/38ssjq
WISE GUY'S WISE SON:
http://www.marshallmcluhan.com/pub.html
VERMONT'S BUCKEYE ON OLSON & FITZGERALD:
http://www.judithfitzgerald.ca/bobbuckeye.html
A CELEBRATION OF WOMEN WRITERS:
http://digital.library.upenn.edu/women/writers.html
JOANNA M. WESTON ON ORESTES' LAMENT:
http://tinyurl.com/ysrx3l
J.F. / C.C. CO-WRITE — "IS IT RAINING TODAY?"
http://tinyurl.com/2rbq68
CANADIAN STUDIES CENTRE:
http://www.hum.au.dk/canstud/
M.P. ANTHONY ROTA ON J.F. IN HANSARD:
http://tinyurl.com/3cam8p
ROB MCLENNAN ON J.F.'S OTTAWA:
http://tinyurl.com/24kr5m
CANADA'S THREE MUTE TECHNOLOGICAL CRITICS:
http://tinyurl.com/33rol2
J.F. @ THE WRITERS' UNION OF CANADA:
http://www.writersunion.ca/f/fitzgrld.htm
J.F. ON AL PURDY & ELI MANDEL @ CBC:
http://tinyurl.com/2vdrdq
T.F. RIGELHOF ON CANADA'S LOSS:
http://tinyurl.com/2cfk2t
IRVING LAYTON DEATHWATCH:
http://tinyurl.com/yuc24v
AMERICAN BOOK REVIEW:
http://tinyurl.com/2h6op6
RUSSELL BROWN ON THEMATICS:
http://tinyurl.com/2crmhw
SUNITI NAMJOSHI'S BRIGHTSITE:
http://tinyurl.com/37jjvy
ROB MCLENNAN ON BEING THE BEST:
http://tinyurl.com/34s9co
FAVOURITE AUTHORS OF GEORGE WOOD:
http://tinyurl.com/39yt24
ROB MCLENNAN'S OPINION OF J.F.:
http://tinyurl.com/28scjb
THE WONDERFUL MZ WANDA:
http://misswanda.blogspot.com/