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everything that lingers is bilingual

Progress: Wrote a kind of weird little poem riffing off the Denise Levertov poem here.

Prompt for today: Find a poem in another language, a language you can pronounce but don’t know, or don’t know well. “Translate” it very loosely, based on the sounds of the words when you don’t know their meaning. For instance, the first line of Charles Baudelaire’s “Le Soleil,” “Le long du vieux faubourg, où pendent aux masures” might become “the long and old fake bird, or pendant of measures.” Do this as fast as you can without worrying about making sense. Then select any phrases you like and write a poem with them. (This prompt is one I remember from Steve Kowit’s excellent In the Palm of Your Hand: The Poet’s Portable Workshop.)

Mirrored at joannemerriam.com.

Seriously, I’m about to die.

Progress: This is today’s poem, another pantoum (a bit broken, and without the changing meanings for the repeated lines that make me so love pantoums), written last night. I figure since it’s too slight to be published, I’d post it here where some people might get a kick out of it. The entire poem consists exclusively of things I overheard him saying.

 

My Husband Plays World of Warcraft

 
There’s me, dying.
I’m going to need some heals here.
Seriously, I’m about to die.
Shit, I got hit.

I’m going to need some heals here —
not to tell you how to do your job or anything.
Shit, I got hit again.
Yeah, 300% damage.

Not to tell you how to do your job or anything,
but I’m getting my shit knocked here:
300% damage,
alright? I understand how this works now.

I’m getting my shit knocked here —
seriously, I’m about to die.
Alright, I understand how this works now.
And, I’m dead.

 

Prompt for today: from the P&W Speakeasy, “the scent of ______.”

Mirrored at joannemerriam.com.

that goddamn suicidal squirrel

Progress: I’m caught up! I wrote a decent poem about marriage with a few brilliant lines, including one about the squirrel I killed on the way in to work this morning, and a very short, slight rhyming thing which is a bit of a squib.

Prompt for today: Writer’s Digest does regret.

In other news, Amaze: The Cinquain Journal has just published one of my sonnets. No, I’m just kidding, it’s a cinquain. Also in this issue are two by Peg Duthie.

Mirrored at joannemerriam.com.

Take a bow

After a lot of thought, I’ve decided to take an extended break from the Internet in most areas of my personal life.  Unfortunately, this extends to VTL, and since poetry month’s been interrupted already for me by some
time-sensitive non-poetry writing that I’ve had to do, I’m going to gracefully bown out at this point.  I’m sure the other contributors here will keep Vary the Line alive and flourishing.  Best wishes to all!

you’re not the moon

Progress: Wrote a deliberately shitty poem on Monday just to get it done, and yesterday wrote a mediocre pantoum which might be salvageable. Tonight, instead of writing a poem, I worked on website design and went out to dinner with Alan. I’ll try to catch up (yet again) tomorrow. I could write another deliberately shitty poem, but am going to try not to just phone it in twice in a row.

Prompt for today: Read Write Poem is doing lists.

Mirrored at joannemerriam.com.

For Marathon Day

Via Mike, Robert Graves’ “The Persian Version”:

Truth-loving Persians do not dwell upon
The trivial skirmish fought near Marathon.
As for the Greek theatrical tradition
Which represents that summer’s expedition
Not as a mere reconnaisance in force
By three brigades of foot and one of horse
(Their left flank covered by some obsolete
Light craft detached from the main Persian fleet)
But as a grandiose, ill-starred attempt
To conquer Greece – they treat it with contempt;
And only incidentally refute
Major Greek claims, by stressing what repute
The Persian monarch and the Persian nation
Won by this salutary demonstration:
Despite a strong defence and adverse weather
All arms combined magnificently together.