From: donz@ui.org (Posthumous O'Toole)
Newsgroups: rec.arts.poems
Subject: Re: (happy thoughts) & inspiration ideas
Date: 14 Sep 92 19:01:39 GMT
Organization: UNIX International, Parsippany, NJ

In article <1992Sep13.163001.16953@leland.Stanford.EDU> jchien@leland.Stanford.EDU (Jennifer Crystal Fang-Chien) writes:
>
>	1. Pick something that's important to you, that you care 
>about -- (your children, some problem at work, a question that's
>been bothering you, a TV show, anything...), and use that as the 
>subject of a poem.  Either write what it means something to you 
>through descriptions and images, or use it as the basis of some 
>fictional writing/plot.

To a Friend I've Never Had (So To Speak)


Your face is like
this black and white photograph of your face
and the daring scatter of your hair,
its sharp contrast with your skin.
You are lovible, edible, fuckible.
If we were to kiss in the rain
and the cold water shocked my eyelids
into flutter, wild black hair
against my wild red--if water washed
our flesh together then surely
certain parts of my brain would erode
and all I forgot would simply allow
the sun to she brighter.  And that is why
seeing you I blink--


>
>	2. Pick something that is relatively common and has no 
>particular significance (a toothpick, a brass lamp, plastic potted
>plants, a bureau, etc), and try to find a new way of describing it, 
>a new way of seeing it.  Or relate it (using it as a metaphor), to 
>something you want to say or describe.  (For example, a plastic potted 
>plant could be used to describe how industrialized society is slowly 
>replacing natural objects with manufactured objects.)
>

Today


Today you are not a potted plant.
Today you are not plastic.
Have I given you life therefore?
Yes.  Yes I have.
Today you are industrialized society
slowly replacing natural objects
with manufactured objects.
You're lucky I don't rip you to shreds
like some mad Baron Frankenstein,
you evil evil not-a-plant symbol thingie!


>	3.  Write down snippets of dialog/conversation you've heard
>today, from anyone.  Mix and match the lines to see if you can form 
>a different story.

Get your shoe out of there--
       --Toiletries have never been so exciting--
--Why don't you eat that?

              --Where is Cincinatti?  No, I mean Where Is Cincinatti?
God, I almost choked on that transistor--
       --Fucking 40 weight bullshit motor oil!

>
>	4.  Read some poetry by other people.  This often sparks
>a line of thought related to or taking off of their poem.

Gently Go, Night


Gently go, Night, in there,
do not rage or wiggle your stars!

Be gentle.  Give me time to relax.
After all, Dad just died and I'm a little tense.


>
>	5.  Write a poem describing someone you know.  This needn't
>be a lover or a friend, perhaps just an acquaintance at work... and
>put in a few colorful details (ie, this doesn't need to be entirely
>factual -- use your imagination).


Someone I Know


I wish that Jen Chien
would be my friend.
I love that little thing her hair does--
and the gentle curve of her so-and-so.
And then there's that red thing she wears!
Ah, me!  How lovely!
Oh, well.  I suppose all she'll ever be
is just words to me...


All poems by Posthumous O'Toole
-- 
nobody/not even the rain/              	/	   /      /  /    
 /   /   /     /   /   / /     /       /    /    // /    /  /         /    
/     / / /   /   /     /   / /    / /   / / /  /  /   /      /      /
   / /   /   /	/	 / /      //    /   / /     / /      / / /