take_it_easy
17 months ago
Read and appreciate poems as much as possible before I start to compose my own poems.
How to learn to appreciate poetry
It made me
spark 
"Joan Jobe Smith."
How I did it: I was recommended "Pow Wow Cafe" by a friend, and once I fell into it, I just couldn't put it down. It's hard to find anything else from her, but I did find one other book of poems titled "Jehovah Jukebox", which I just finished as well.
Lessons & tips: Find something that speaks to you. Flip through a volume of an author you think you may like and see if it clicks. Also, ask for recommendations.
Resources: Amazon.com and my friend Laszlo.
People doing this:
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Heinola
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Sydney
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Grand Rapids
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Palmerston
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Amazingkae is quite busy reading, writing, and...
Poetic Limericks
3 years ago
Rhyme Scheme and understanding the mechanics of poetic rules has been interesting. I think the older I get the more I appreciate poetry—or all fluid forms of expression. Below is an example of a more modern style of limerick twist. It’s not really prose or sonnet but it’s clever and it works.
THE TIME MACHINE
There’s a time machine inside your mind,
To this time and space not confined;
Return to the past,
Destinations are vast,
Or fast forward to see what you find.
Re-experience moments you prized,
The delights of your life scrutinized;
Scenic beauty recaptured,
Again you’re enraptured,
In your time machine all this reprised.
Full control of your life with your brain,
See things that no longer remain;
Events can be changed,
Some results rearranged,
You can be a young child once again.
Plan a trip to before you were born,
See the Earth on the very first morn;
No borders for nations,
No thought limitations,
Imagine the perfect sojourn.
Why not create a past life or two?
There is nothing your mind cannot do;
Dream up some dreams,
Go to any extremes,
Climb a mountain peak near Kathmandu.
On the trips to the future take care,
You may not like what you see there;
Be aware if you venture,
I don’t want your censure,
The world will be different – - beware!
Copyright 1997 by Joel D. Ash – - All Rights Reserved
Last night and today I spent a few hours reading American Poetry Review. Last night I fell asleep with Ralph Angel’s translated verse of Garcia Lorca on my mind. Before and after my afternoon nap, I tackled a critical essay on Olena Kalytiak Davis’ poetry. As the sun sets, I am reading five poems by Luciai Perillo.
I’m learning so very much, and conscious more than before of the many good poets who are out there in print. Or is there really such a thing as a “bad poet” and “good poet?” Oh, I think there is. What if this nation took a tenth of what we spend on defense, and put that money and time training soldiers and marines instead to training poets. What could we do then, maybe send these poets out as ambassadors of culture, sort of intermediaries between our decadent Western culture and the questionably decadent or rising Islamic culture.
Might we come to the peace talks table sooner? Might we give aspiring belt bombers viable alternatives. Imagine poetry slams where competing teams of poets vie, instead of battlefields where men try to slay one another and destroy. Imagine.
