#9

While reading through Howe's poetry this week, I found several things I liked, and several that I didn't. I figured a critical post was more than appropriate for examining these aspects of her writing.

One thing I enjoyed throughout her work was, as we talked about in class, she has an ability to say shocking things without shocking the reader. She uses such strong language and imagery that there's no way around what she's saying to you. Sometimes she uses words that would get me a slap across the mouth. But she does it in such a way that you can't be upset because it fits so perfectly.

I must admit that, while I understand having a central theme to your poetry, the repetition throughout her poems was driving me nuts. If I read about a lamb or a bird one more time I was going to shut the book and give up. I feel like a great writer would be able to express their ideas with a multitude of words rather than the same ones over and over.

Another thing I liked about Howe's writing was that some of her work was religious. I've never read religious poetry before so I really enjoyed that new facet. Although her religious poems used the lamb metaphor constantly, I feel like here it was almost okay because the lamb is a religious idea anyway.

Did any of you feel like this about her writing? Or am I completely crazy?

#8

For this week's free entry I decided to post an updated version of my Billiards poem from class. Here it is!

Billiards

The white ball sits atop the green felt
facing the colorful triangle.
Waiting for its cue,
the ball almost vibrates with anticipation.

A sudden crack,
a sharp pain,
the
cue
ball
rolls
at
an
alarming
rate.

The colors
cry out for mercy.
Another moment,
and all Hell breaks loose.
Hectic collisions,
suffering screams...
Over and over the colors crash.
One by one they disappear into the darkness.
Shivering with fear, they await their turn to fall,
Newton freezing them in place with the curse of inertia.

As the white ball chooses its victim,
each color envisions themselves
rolling
spinning
bouncing
out of control,
first off the others,
then off the walls.
The upside of darkness is that
there is no more pain.

The lone ball sits atop the green felt
and thinks
This is what I live for.

#6

My favorite poem in the packet is Read This Poem from the Bottom Up by Ruth Porritt.
Oddly enough, the stanza structure didn't change my opinion. If something is to be in rhythm, four is the usual choice. This poem doesn't have a set meter (especially when you read from the top), but the four lines per stanza did make it pleasing to the eye.

This poem is my favorite because I actually attempted to write a piece like this in high school. I thought it was pretty original back then, but I guess it's all been done before.

Anyway, here's my poem. Instead of reading line by line backwards, you read all the way through, then read backwards by the stanza. Keep in mind this was many years ago and it has not been revised. Suggestions would always be welcome though!

Reverse

I am numb,
Floating through an endless darkness,
Unable to move or think or speak.

Suddenly, my entire body is burning.
I feel the pain of thousands within me.

I cannot move.
These straps bind me,
They tie me down.

The men lead me in.
It is a tiny room
With a single chair.

I've been waiting for seven years now. Waiting for this day
When I can once again see your face
And tell you I'm sorry
For what you did.

The gavel sounds, and I am led out,
Bound for a seven-year wait.

I admit, it's true.
I did indeed commit this terrible act
Of revenge
I am still amazed at my act of vengeance.

In a fit of rage,
I stab with the pencil
Again and again

You try to apologize,
But I am overcome
With anger,
Fear,
Hate,
And envy.

I begin to write a poem
I am numb,
Floating through an endless darkness...

I know exactly where you were.



I know it was terrible, but like I said, I did it many years ago. Seeing someone else that attempted and succeeded with the same idea made me really excited, so I pulled this one out of the vault for your enjoyment.

~LaRue

#5

What if you had to move to a new state each year?

It would be wonderfully exciting
Wouldn't it?
You'd be provided with
New Year's resolutions for certain.
Find a new state.
Find a new home.
Find a new job,
New friends,
New life.
It would be terribly lonely though
Wouldn't it?
There would be so much
You could never do.
Never live in your childhood home.
Never remember your first state.
Never say "born and raised,"
Be considered a local
Or even feel settled.
If your spouse had already lived in a state you hadn't,
You would be apart for at least a year.
And after all that stress,
No one would live past fifty anyway.

#4

My favorite poem, which I also used in my introduction blog, is Invictus by William Ernest Henley:

Invictus

Out of the night that covers me
Black as the Pit from pole to pole
I thank whatever gods may be
For my unconquerable soul.

In the fell clutch of circumstance
I have not winced nor cried aloud.
Under the bludgeonings of chance
My head is bloody but unbowed.

Beyond this place of wrath and tears
Looms but the Horror of the shade
And yet the menace of the years
Finds and shall find me unafraid.

It matters not how strait the gate
How charged with punishments the scroll
I am the master of my fate.
I am the captain of my soul.

I love this poem because it inspires me to take charge and persevere through anything that comes my way. One thing I can learn from this poem is how to use rhyme effectively. I'm not so good at rhyming in my pieces. I usually end up writing to the rhyme, just like the poem BFF?? did. I think Henley managed to use rhymes to aid his piece rather than make it or hinder it.

#3

What is poetry?



Inspiration or disaster,
The pen is the master.
Faster and faster
The hand works till it fails.

Hastily scrawling
The images sprawling
The mind's voice drawling
Telling every detail.

Laughter and tears,
Courage and fear,
Some will adhere
And others will sail.

Pages print
The draft is sent
So much feeling went
Into telling this tale.





Poetry is written emotion.
~LaRue

#2

I decided to combine several of the free entry ideas since I didn't have enough of a single subject to write an entire blog. Here goes nothing.

Puns:
Edgar Allan Poe always used his manners when writing. He called it "Poetiquette."
I decided last week to write a book. My friends called it a novel idea.
Everyone I'm related to writes poems. Instead of a family tree we have a poetry.

They were supposed to be terrible, right?

Words that do not belong in poetry:
Personally-if you write about something, it's either your view or a character's view. There's no need to write "personally."
Sweater-this word is so overused. We get it. Nerdy is the new cool--glasses and sweaters and all that. Don't talk about a sweater in your poems unless you want to be written off completely in my book. It sounds harsh I know, but it's the truth.

Words I like:
Incognito-probably one of my favorite words because no one says it seriously.
Antidisestablishmentarianism-takes me back to the middle school days when you were cool if you knew this word. And really cool if you knew how to spell it. And even cooler if you knew what it meant.
Spontaneous-it represents such freedom in your actions. I think everyone should be a little more spontaneous.

~LaRue