From Tad:
2020 saw many fine poets go gentle or ungentle into that good night. The Poetry Foundation ran a valedictory for them, with memorable lines for each poet. Here are a few of them.
- The dark tastes of salt and oranges. -- Ralph Angel
- Unclasp your hands and surrender flight -- William Bearheart
- But what else can a mother give her daughter but such beautiful rifts in time? - Eavan Boland
- So much hope now around the heart of lightning -- Kamau Braith
- What is unfathomable in all of us? - Michael Friedman
- The hidden source is the watchful heart -- Derek Mahon
Write a poem using one of these as inspiration. You can either use the line, or vary it. The dark can taste of something else - or it can trigger a different sense. The gift from a mother to daughter may be inspired by Eavan Boland, but you may have your own ideas of how rifts in time can be a gift. Or you may have a totally different gift in mind. By the time you're done, it should be your poem.
Goodbye 45
ReplyDeleteThe lives ruined,
the experts & careers crushed,
the half a million dead,
the mothers and daughters,
the wives and bystanders
grabbed or mocked, fired, abandoned.
Suddenly they arrive all at once
for an audience with you to address their grievances.
In this dream they offer your past
on a golden platter
you favorite greasey burger
Grilled with The bitter taste
Of oranges and arsenic
Almonds and cyanide.
Unclasp your hands and surrender
your unfathomable arrogance, if only you could.
You lack some essential organ,
know nothing of guilt,
will find no redemption.
Wow. Powerful. And welcome back. I hope you'll join us more often.
DeleteI am assuming this is about Trump, or am I just obsessed myself and see him everywhere. Love the idea of everyone at once addressing their grievances to him.
DeleteCheck the title -- definitely about Trump.
DeleteDoes this come with cool-aid?
DeleteOh, I like this. Spooky and arresting when they all arrive at once.
ReplyDeleteWow!! This is sooo great! i loved it !’
ReplyDeleteFeast
ReplyDeleteI plan to eat the night, starting
with the moon, nibbling it
to the last sliver, leaving
only a crust on my plate. Then
Venus, that milky murky
mound, concupiscence
in close orbit, but just
an appetizer. The main course
is the darkness,
the sharp tang of void,
the fondue of eternity.
Don’t wait up for me.
I didn't use the html code to space it, but the second and third lines of each stanza should be indented, third line farther in than the second.
DeleteAwesome. I'm glad I didn't read this before I wrote mine. This is so good I would have had to choose a different line.
DeleteDelicious!
DeleteHighly original, and interesting metaphors too!
DeleteThe taste of dark
ReplyDeletesettles in my mind,
long, heavy ropes
of black licorice.
The taste of dark
appears to my eyes
like Dipping Dots
of nighttime starlight.
The taste of dark
sounds like oil. Drip, drip,
slowly puddles
underneath my car.
I close my eyes
allow saliva
to gather on
my tongue, swallow.
Salt. Not surprised.
Is that orange? Yes,
but do I taste
fruit or the color?
The theme of darkness and the senses was my inspiration too! I didn’t come around to salt though. I love Dipping Dots and Saliva
DeleteI wonder what would happen if you left out the repetition of “the taste of dark” — if it would maybe insinuate itself even more strongly.
DeleteVery interesting poem, good thoughts around senses, and clever!
DeleteThe dark tastes of salt and oranges - Ralph Angel
ReplyDeletewas my inspiration. Ended up dark senses.
The Dark Senses
The dark can TASTE like
the surprise of a mouthful
of hot food.
and LOOK like
where you go in your mind
to focus on cooling the sting.
The dark can FEEL like
helpless fear when you yell at the screen
“DON’T GO OUT THERE!”
and SOUND like
the suspense of waiting for thunder
after a flash of lightening.
The dark can SMELL like
the stink of someones words
that linger in your mind.
The dark is
the absence of the positive
stimulus needed to thrive.
Come to your senses
and turn on the light.
You have the power.
Sue Manocha
Saugerties
1/9/2021
Perfect analogies. Love it. And LOVE the last stanza.
DeleteAnd awesome that you're back. I hope you'll continue with us.
DeleteGood one! well said.
DeleteWonderful to see you back, and I really like this. I like all the sensory details that finally come around to turning on the light.
ReplyDeleteThe Hidden Source is the Watchful Heart
ReplyDeleteWhen I feel the creep of gloom
or taste the nasty edge of bitter,
when I see a darkened room
or trip upon a pile of litter
when anger rushes to the fore
my watchful heart cries "Wait, there's more!"
"You need to look more closely now.
"Don't take for granted how it seems
"but see more clearly when and how
"and what has twisted up the seams
"take time to look again to see
"if this is true reality."
The way to know can be made clear
By watchful heart and listening ear
Glad I read your email. I didn't realize you'd posted one for this prompt. I like this a lot other than the preponderance of quotation marks. I don't think you need one at the beginning of each line, but only at the beginning and and of the stanza.
DeleteThis poem is about seeing the truth, and perhaps that need not be said, however, it is for me the themeof 2020.
ReplyDeleteA good message. I really like the second stanza.
ReplyDeleteThank you for the kind words. I appreciate you.
ReplyDelete