Thursday, April 15, 2010

Poem Starting with a Line from Norman Dubie: a poem

As I did last Thursday, I am doing a small portion of the challenge at ReadWritePoem in celebration of National Poetry Month by selecting one of the poem prompts given there and linking the result of my effort to the challenge on Thursday.

Below is the prompt I chose this week. I selected the final one in the list of 11 as the jumpstart for my own poem. Although a three-liner, my poem is not intended as a haiku. However, I am currently reading a book that I think absolutely informed and inspired my poem this week. Here, then, is a bow to the book....... 
The Zen of Creativity: Cultivating Your Artistic Life, by John Daido Loori.


Selected prompt:
Sarah J. Sloat has a wonderful prompt for you; it’s bound to get you going! She says:

I’m partial to the tried-and-true prompt that calls for starting a poem with a line written by another poet. For this go-round, it would be interesting to see what poets can launch using a line from Norman Dubie.

In his poems, Norman Dubie tells stories, sets scenes and paints landscape, sometimes lush and sometimes wretched. His writing is sure and vivid, and his language is beautiful. As you’ll see below, his similes are incomparable. If forced to compare him with anyone, I’d be more likely to pick a painter than another writer.

For this prompt, take a Dubie line to jumpstart a poem of your own. Your poem should be titled “Poem Starting with a Line from Norman Dubie.”

I offer a menu of possible first lines below:  
[I am including only the one I selected. See full list here.]
  1. The pearl slapdash of the moon is on the water.
Be sure to use the title suggested and credit Norman Dubie in your post!




Virgin River Zion National Park by James Crotty



Poem Starting with a Line from Norman Dubie

The pearl slapdash of the moon is on the water.
The pearl flipflash of a trout's tail sends silvery echoes.
Pearl ripplemash of foam finds the river bank, waves to the moon.

~by MLM Lydia ©




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13 comments:

robkistner said...

This was brief, but carried a wonderful thread through the piece, and the image was quite well matched -- well done...
...rob
Image & Verse

Anonymous said...

Nice, nice.
You should jump in for the second half. You can write rough and polish in May.

Anonymous said...

Sometimes the best way to get into poetry is by full immersion (taking the poem-a-day challenge). Other times, it's by by dipping a toe in(once a week challenge). The way I see it, any way you come to poetry is good. :) Nice imagery in this poem!

Darlene said...

I am not a poet. I have never done more that rhyme silly verses. I think you have to have a mystical personality to write real poetry.

I do like your take on the fist line and it would have been one I would have chosen, too.

Wayne Pitchko said...

nicely done Lydia....thanks for sharing your words

Rhiannon said...

Lovely! I can "feel" the poem...

Well done..

Love,

Rhi

Lydia said...

robkistner~ I so appreciate you coming to read and comment about my poem. Visiting your blog in a bit...

briarcat~ O, thank you for thinking I should jump in for the remainder of the challenge. But you know that prompt you had a couple days ago, where you were to write a poem horizontally and vertically and all sorts of weird directions? Scared me to death! I'm going to look to see how you handled that one. :)

Cara~ Are you a counselor/teacher/life coach? You sure have a way of making a person feel good about where they are right at this moment!

Darlene~ If you'd have also chosen that line why don't you write a "rhyme silly verse" from it? I'd love to see what you come up with!

Wayne~ Thank you and thanks also for being by to comment.

Rhi~ Thanks much, and I wanted to say I am enjoying your recent poems too. :)

Batteson.Ind said...

this is just gorgeous.. love the sh sounds and texture they induce
:-D

Lydia said...

the watercats~ You are so kind to say that! Thanks, and have a great weekend.

Darlene said...

Okay, Lydia, here it is:

The pearl slapdash of the moon on the water
Sounds like someone really 'oughter'
Stop imbibing in the brew
And take a sober look or two.

Lydia said...

Darlene~
You are up bright and early.
I am up late, all brain-whirly
But your poem is so great
I'm glad I didn't have to wait
until later to read verse this pearly.

(obviously, you have had a good rest and are remarkably renewed and full of creativity. obviously, i need some sleep!)

Phivos Nicolaides said...

So nice and sweet words by you dear Lydia! Well done.

Lydia said...

Phivos~ Thank you for complimenting my little poem. I'm glad you liked it.

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