When I was hosting open mic poetry night here in Sumter, my husband, a math professor wouldn't attend. Then one day he said if I could write a poem using math terms that wasn't about math he would come to my open mic. I did it. And yes he did attend. My challenge to you is to take a topic, any topic, and write a poem using terms about that subject but not write about that subject. I will post my Calculate That as an example. Some choices would be knitting, martial arts, biology, candy bar names, cereals, airplanes, anything you choose. Have fun!
If X equals me
and Y equals you
then X plus Y
equals me plus you
But if Y is
dividing itself by 2
then X isn't getting
100% of you.
You say at 59
you're in your prime
well honey listen to me
things aren't what they used to be.
Did you ask what's my cosine
what's my angle?
Don't get your undies
all in a tangle,
you aren't the only one
with a young one on the side
and mine takes me
on an all night ride.
And remember this old axioms true
18 goes into 59 more often
than 59 goes into 18
absolute values rule!
Piecewise the variables work for me,
by your expression I calculate
you're finally seeing the formula
seeing how I evaluate
that if X equals me
and Y equals you
then X-Y equals
me minus you.
Calculate That!
Since you posted your poem in the main post, there's not way to comment on it other than starting a new comment. I love this poem, although I do think it's about math. LOL.
ReplyDeletethat wasn't my poem... i posted it as an example and it is not about math it's about a relationship using math terms.
Deletethose variables will get you every time bonita - love - paul.
DeleteBut you wrote this one, right? I swear I remember reading it before.
DeleteThat has been one of my all time favorite poems that you have written! Very tricky.
DeleteClever poem for sure.
ReplyDeleteThis is my poem... On The Edge
ReplyDeleteVictoria once said I needed
to live life on the edge
I would twizzle and swizzle
until everything would
spin out of control
I guess she was right
because life has gone
into a spiral...
I've been freewheeling
freestyling until fear
cut like a sharp blade
sliced me to my soul
the edges have crumbled
can no longer hold me
too many crossovers
and now I take my final bow
as flowers fall around me
the death spiral takes me down.
WOW!!! what a great take on the prompt! I am assuming this is about ice skating. But the underlying current is astounding...you have done a great job!!!
Deletewe are gonna have to go ice skating one day bonita, but you'll have to hold me up ha ha. the edge can be a nice place to live.....until you fall - love and peace - paul.
Deleteno Linda it is not ABOUT ice skating. it is about my life using ice skating terminology. glad you liked the poem.
Deleteyes Paul the edge is exciting until as you said you fall. and I think my ice skating days are over and I would now need someone to hold me up. one day Linda will have to write a poem about how she forgot how to stop spinning!!! lmbo!
Wow. Awesome poem. And I think that was what Linda meant, not that it was ABOUT ice skating but that you'd used ice skating terms. Just post winter Olympics, it's even more appropriate.
DeleteYes Bonnie, I goofed! I knew it wasn't ABOUT ice skating. I just said it wrong. You did a good job NOT writing about ice skating. LOL
DeleteThe charming old King
ReplyDeletefound a beautiful Queen
and brought her home
to his castle
They lived in bliss
for many a day til'
one of his Knights
returned from battle
The handsome young knight
was seen by a bishop
with his hands
on the beautiful Queen
The knight gave him
a check for $5000 to keep
his nosy
mouth shut
But! somehow the King got
wind of the liaison
and called his
pawns all around him
Their decision was
to slay the knight
but, he and the queen
took off in the night
It blew all the King's plans
so, it only goes to show
that if you want things to work
in your marriage you have to
Check your Mate
wrote a couple of chess poems wolfie, i always get checkmated by the black queen, while my white queen is flirting with dark knights at the other end of the board - like it - love and peace - paul.
DeleteGOOD ONE!!! Kudos.
DeleteCheck your mate. LMAO... Good one overall but that line literally made me LOL.
Deletelmbo! love it!!!!
ReplyDeleteok. i'm writing most of this straight up on the screen with no notes and no copies. i love writing like that.
ReplyDeleteA POEM NOT ABOUT WATER
she drowns me in her love
her tears like an ocean from above
the tide of love goes in and out
if i wasn't drowning, i'd scream and shout
dark.....down....deep
where the fishes sleep
while falling, i lost myself
a shark of a woman
and yes, she did bite
we were like a sperm whale v a giant squid fight
a stingray, with a tan
but was like a tiny aquatic elf.
best i could do, straight up on the screen. managed not to mention water once bonita - paul.
love it!! great job and a good poem for right off the top of your head and no editing
DeleteVery imaginative, vivid too.
DeleteEven though I think your poetry generally needs a bit of editing, you really do awesome in free write mode. I edit and obsess before I consider showing it to anyone.
Deletethanks bonita. the top of my head can be a dangerous place. " not waving, but drowning " - love and peace - paul.
Deletethanks tash. a bit wet, but not watery - love and peace - paul.
Deleteusually i'd rather burn it and start again, than edit it. but the library frowns on you burning their computers and you get told to sssshhhhhhh ha ha.
DeleteHey!!! Excellent and exactly what she wanted. I can't do it straight up on the screen. I need a pencil and paper first. Good job!
ReplyDeletethanks wolfie. i love my multi coloured pencil, that writes in psychodelic colours. but sometimes you just gotta write it, with no corrections and multi coloured scribbling. at least it didn't get burned ha ha - love and water - paul.
Deleteone more ladies and gentlemen. a poem about insomnia, without actually mentioning it.
DeleteSLEEPY PUPPY DOG
nothing is real. everything is soft and far away
can't remember what people say
did he say yay? or nay?
did she say she was gay, or that her name was rae?
is it night, or day?
is it time to go, or stay?
is it november, or may?
aaaahhhh the sun's in the east. that's ok
but is it monday, or tuesday?
just trying to keep tomorrow's yesterdays at bay.
you got it! been there done that too many times.
DeleteLove that last line, one of your best.
DeleteThis read real well out loud! and like Tasha said that last line is terrific!!!
Deleteinsomnia makes your brain soft bonita and you get ripped off by idiots. around here anyway. good for getting on the wrong train too - love and peace - paul.
Deletethanks tash. tomorrows yesterdays, are of course today - take care now - paul.
Deletei have read it out loud. in pizza shops and on the train. i am a performance poet, just with nowhere to perform. did a street gig, with me singing poetry and my ex girl playing the harmonica. eeerrrr yes, we had, had a bit to drink ha ha - love and peace - paul.
DeleteI am a brand new convertible
ReplyDeleteBut I could be your SUV
I am a brand new convertible,
But I could be your SUV
Sometimes I'm built for comfort
Sometimes I'm built for speed
I am the Michelin man
I don't skid when the going gets wet
I am the Michelin man baby
I don't skid when the going gets wet
When the rubber meets the road baby
That's a ride you won't forget
I've got fuel injection
I'll put you in to overdrive
I've got fuel injection
I'll put you into overdrive
When you take me up to 90
That's when I come alive
Well, there's no down payment
50,000 mile guarantee
Well, there's no down payment
50,000 mile guarantee
My motor purrs like a kitten
And it howls like a banshee
You'll wanna try my shock absorbers
If the road is getting rough
You'll wanna try my shock absorbers
If the road is getting rough
And if you have to use my airbag
Then you'll know you've had enough
love it! love it! love it! found myself singing this one to a blues beat.
DeleteReally neat poem, great use of terms.
DeleteYup, love it. The repetition does feel like the blues as Bonnie said.
DeleteIt was deliberately written as a blues.
Deletei'm more of a broken down old sixties car myself.got a tune for this on the harmonica - love and peace - paul.
DeleteSo much of the blues is just this.. .An extended double engender. And anything can be a metaphor for sex.
ReplyDeleteDishing
ReplyDeleteWhen you are empty
You long to be filled
Right to the brim
You can spoon up
Or pass by
the sweets of life.
What fate hands you
You can put on your plate
Or ignore, your choice.
I am going backwards, so yours is the first one I am reading. I think it's good, but think you coul have gotten a whole lot more out it.
DeleteI am also going backwards tonight, so yours is the second one I am reading. LOL! You did dishes quite well. I enjoyed reading your poem, Tasha.
Deletewould like to taste your cooking tash. all my recipes have gone wrong in recent years....yes. i am being symbolic ha ha - paul.
DeleteHi all, I think you are right, Victoria, and I was feeling uninspired and lazy. Thanks, and if I hve time I have another shot one I will get out of my head and onto paper, lol, and post. Meanwhile, kudos to all.
Deleteyou have the right idea and did what you did well but like vic i see a lot more that could have been done and have more fun with this one.
DeleteEveryone has done such fine poems. Mine is humble but ernest. Congrats to all!
ReplyDeleteYour butterfly kisses
ReplyDeletestroke my side
as I sleep dreaming
roll to my back
arch my bare breasts toward you
eyelashes
in freestyle rhythms
skitter over
nipples that awaken
as we dive
into lovemaking
my vision swims
surrealistic scenes
your body
pikes, slips into me.
made me blush victoria. i try to be a little more eeerrr symbolic and suggestive in my love poetry.......however eyelashes on nipples is always nice ha ha - love and peace - paul.
DeleteYou are so good! Beautiful symbolism and nicely done, YAY!
Deletebeautiful! that's all I have to say... simply beautiful!
Deleteooooooooo, Nice! Well done, very softly erotic without being pornographic and you got all the words of a good swim in there.
ReplyDelete