Diary of a Basket Case + The Poetry Friday Roundup

Shawn

It was only after catching my first glimpse of last week's Poetry Friday roundup that I realized I picked out a potentially difficult date to host—the Friday after Election Day.

Will I be hopeful? Despondent? Determined? Crushed? Under the best of circumstances, I am not a last minute blogger. How can I possibly wait until after the election to piece together words and thoughts when I'm not even sure I'll have fully processed what those thoughts are?

The best I could come up with for today is a muddled mess of emotion, anxiety, and borrowed poetry collected over the course of the week—my personal "Diary of a Basket Case." I've included four short poems by Jane Kenyon, Tom Hennen, Robert Lax, and John Martin, all of which were previously featured on The (now defunct) Writer's Almanac. [UPDATE: Did you know The Writer's Almanac is back as a podcast? Subscribe to the daily newsletter at GarrisonKeillor.com.] Three of the four also appear in GOOD POEMS, selected and introduced by Garrison Keillor (Penguin Books, 2003)—a new-to-me anthology purchased recently at my local Friends of the Library book sale.

Philippa Willitts

MONDAY

I got my hair cut today—short-short-short. Shorter than last time, which was shorter than the time before that. Freshly-mowed short. I've decided that the length of my hair inversely correlates to the amount of stress in my life and I'm trying to slough off anxiety with each snip. After tomorrow, I may have to shave my hair off altogether.

Otherwise
     by Jane Kenyon

I got out of bed
on two strong legs.
It might have been
otherwise. I ate
cereal, sweet
milk, ripe, flawless
peach. It might
have been otherwise.

          Read the rest HERE.


TUESDAY

After waking up with bedhead the likes I've never see before, I went about my routine as if today was like any other day. Since I voted a few weeks ago, there is nothing to do but wait... and hope... and eat leftover Halloween candy.

The Life of a Day
          by Tom Hennen

Like people or dogs, each day is unique and has
its own personality quirks which can easily be seen
if you look closely. But there are so few days as
compared to people, not to mention dogs, that it
would be surprising if a day were not a hundred
times more interesting than most people.

          Read the rest HERE.


WEDNESDAY

Oh Florida, what have you done???

Alley Violinist
          by Robert Lax

if you were an alley violinist

and they threw you money
from three windows . . .

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=elABFAJOcL0

THURSDAY

And here we go. Let's start off the day with another mass shooting, shall we?

Bear in Mind
          by John Martin

A bear is chasing me through a meadow
and I’m running as fast as I can but
he’s gaining on me—it seems
he’s always gaining on me.
I’m running and running but also
thinking I should just
turn around and say,
“Stop it! Stop chasing me. We both
know you aren’t going to catch me.
All you can ever do is chase me. So,
think about it—why bother?”

          Read the rest HERE.


I guess it's time to get over the election results and move on. Accept the wins and losses for what they are—the chase is not going to end any time soon and there are other things vying for the nightly news hour. Welcome to the new normal, as exhausting as it may be.

More than the election and more than the news of the day, this poem is, for me, about life in all of its ursine glory—its hunger, its growl, and its roar.

Joe Giordano

Lately I've been feeling life's hot breath on my neck more than usual, which means it's time to get off the treadmill and go into hibernation for a while—to take a break from blogging. (I know, it seems like I just got back from my last hiatus, but tell that to my burly friend!)

I may pop in from time to time, but when I come back in earnest, Today's Little Ditty is likely going to be a little less structured. After 41 interviews with authors and editors, it's time to have some fun and turn the spotlight on YOU! I won't be dropping author/editor interviews altogether, but they will be less frequent since my time has become more in demand at home. With interviews that will be less research-intensive and more free-form, I look forward to finding out more about your favorite things, the writing habits you keep, and what role poetry plays in your lives. Plus, after being so well-practiced in ditty challenges (find them all here), I have no doubt that you have some great new ones to suggest!

If you're interested, please fill out this short Google form. Bear in mind, it won't commit you to anything, it will just give me a better idea of who might like more information.




Now I know you're all keen to get to the Poetry Friday roundup, but I have one more announcement to make—the winner of last month's DMC giveaway!

Thanks once again to everyone who contributed to such a fun collection of anthropomorphic poems! Random.org has determined that a signed copy of The Ghostly Carousel: Delightfully Frightful Poems by Calef Brown will be winging its way to . . .

LINDA BAIE

Congratulations, Linda!

Add your link below for this week's Poetry Friday roundup.

Two Line Tuesday: Elizabeth Cady Stanton

"Hope is a belief in a positive outcome..." by Vince Alongi

The right is ours. Have it, we must.

Use it, we will.

– Elizabeth Cady Stanton

from her Seneca Falls keynote address, 1848

October DMC Wrap-Up Celebration + Giveaway

elston

Hurry, hurry—don't be late!

The celebration is about to begin!

Last month Calef Brown challenged us to write a poem that tells the story of two anthropomorphized objects:

They can be an odd couple, close friends, mortal enemies, or meet each other for the first time. The poem can be about an adventure they have together, a conflict, a game they play, anything.

So how did we do?

You betcha! In fact, with so many zany pairings and clever stories, who's up for a well-deserved nap?

"Sleeping" by Umberto Savagnin

(Thought so.)

* Wakey! Wakey! *

"...what?" by Umberto Salvagnin

It's time to take a look at the results. 

"Sofia" by Umberto Salvagnin

 (Never mind Sofia—she's just cranky.)

As usual, I sincerely wish I had been able to feature more of your excellent poems. The variety was crazy-awesome!


From poems about FOOD . . .

“Relishing Life and Death” by Terry Border.
View more of Terry Border's Bent Objects in this terrific video
from the 2008 Gel Conference.

to poems about HOUSEHOLD OBJECTS . . .

The Brave Little Toaster

  
from poems about NATURE, and the SEASON of TREATS and TRICKERY . . .

Chris J

to poems about ABSTRACT IDEAS . . .








and THE MANY DEVICES WE USE TO CAPTURE OUR THOUGHTS

"Untitled" by Jonathan Wolstenholme.
View more illustrations from his Books on Books series HERE.

it's been AN IMAGINATION FREE-FOR-ALL at Today's Little Ditty!

I'm so grateful to everyone who submitted poems 

and especially to Calef Brown for inspiring them all! 

"Let's all go to the lobby!"

Grab your refreshment of choice, 

sit back and enjoy the show. 

Scroll through the poems below, or for best viewing, CLICK HERE.

Participants in this month's challenge will automatically be entered to win a signed copy of The Ghostly Carousel: Delightfully Frightful Poems by Calef Brown (Carolrhoda Books, 2018). One entry per participant, not per poem.





Alternatively, you may enter the giveaway by commenting below. Comments must be received by Tuesday, November 6th. (That's Election Day, folks—don't forget to vote!) If you contribute a poem and comment below, you will receive two entries in total.

The winner will be chosen by Random.org and announced next Friday, November 9th, when yours truly will be hosting the Poetry Friday roundup!


Now, about that nap . . .

"Sofia - Tired" by Umberto Salvagnin

You won't find Jama Rattigan sleeping on the job. She has this week's Poetry Friday roundup at Jama's Alphabet Soup. Thanks, Jama!

DMC: "Office Horror Story" by Suzy Levinson

OFFICE HORROR STORY

"Come closer," it said,
"for I must be fed.
All documents welcome, 'cause I want to SHRED."

"No, thank you," I said,
creasing with dread.
"A contract like me would prefer to stay read."

"Closer," it pled.
"N-O," I said.
"Why don't you eat that old phone book instead?"

"Tasty," it said.
"SHREDDY-SHRED-SHRED!"
That's when I slipped off the table and fled.

© 2018 Suzy Levinson. All rights reserved.


Calef Brown has challenged us to write a poem that tells the story of two anthropomorphized objects. They can be an odd couple, close friends, mortal enemies, or meet each other for the first time. The poem can be about an adventure they have together, a conflict, a game they play, anything. Click HERE for more details and to read this month's Spotlight ON interview.

Post your poem on our October 2018 padlet by October 31st. While some contributions will be featured as daily ditties, all contributions will be included in a wrap-up presentation this Friday, November 2nd, and one lucky participant will win a signed copy of Calef Brown's latest collection of ghoulish poetry from Carolrhoda Books:

DMC: "The Binder and the Piece of Paper: A Dialogue" by Elizabeth Steinglass

The Binder and the Piece of Paper: A Dialogue

I am a binder—
loyal and true.
I keep loose leaf papers
looking like new.

               I won’t go in there.
               Rings aren’t for me.
               I want to be seen.
               I want to be free.

Free papers fly,
then they get tossed.
The depths of a bag
is where you’ll get lost.

               I want to be useful.
               My words should be read,
               but the snap of your teeth
               fills me with dread.

I swear it won’t hurt.
Quick! The day’s over soon!
With me you’ll be safe
(at least until June).

© 2018 Elizabeth Steinglass. All rights reserved.


Calef Brown has challenged us to write a poem that tells the story of two anthropomorphized objects. They can be an odd couple, close friends, mortal enemies, or meet each other for the first time. The poem can be about an adventure they have together, a conflict, a game they play, anything. Click HERE for more details and to read this month's Spotlight ON interview.

Post your poem on our October 2018 padlet by October 31st. While some contributions will be featured as daily ditties, all contributions will be included in a wrap-up presentation this Friday, November 2nd, and one lucky participant will win a signed copy of Calef Brown's latest collection of ghoulish poetry from Carolrhoda Books:

DMC: "Standoff: The Hand and the Pen" by Matt Forrest Esenwine

Standoff:  The Hand and the Pen

(Hand)                                                                  (Pen)
Ok, I’m going to write a book!                 Ummm…better take another look.

I want a novel! Let’s get started.             I’d rather tell of trails uncharted.

Oh, bother. (sigh) Novella, then.            I make the rules. I am the Pen.

You can’t do this! It’s not fair!                 Let’s speak of love. Desire. Despair.

A STORY. One page. Satisfied??             Not yet. Just let me be your guide.

Fine. A poem. Just help me do it!!         Ha, ha – looks like I beat you to it.

     © 2018 Matt Forrest Esenwine. All rights reserved.

Calef Brown has challenged us to write a poem that tells the story of two anthropomorphized objects. They can be an odd couple, close friends, mortal enemies, or meet each other for the first time. The poem can be about an adventure they have together, a conflict, a game they play, anything. Click HERE for more details and to read this month's Spotlight ON interview.

Post your poem on our October 2018 padlet by October 31st. While some contributions will be featured as daily ditties, all contributions will be included in a wrap-up presentation this Friday, November 2nd, and one lucky participant will win a signed copy of Calef Brown's latest collection of ghoulish poetry from Carolrhoda Books:

DMC: "Passing Time with Tick and Tock" by Michelle Heidenrich Barnes

"Tick Tock" by Peter Nijenhuis

Passing Time with Tick and Tock

Each time I tick, my heart grows sick
to see time pass so quick-quick-quick!
Is it a joke? Some kind of trick?
This life is not the one I'd pick.

          With every tock, I find the clock
          has barely budged. Like solid rock,
          it sits there taunting, taking stock.
          I wish the future would unlock!

One fateful day, the story goes,
the two were caught up in the throes
of what could never be undone—
a time warp merged them into one!

          Tock would always follow Tick. 
          Tick would not abandon Tock.
          You'd think the two would really click,
          but now they bicker round the clock.

© 2018 Michelle Heidenrich Barnes. All rights reserved.


Through the wonders of modern technology, enter the YouTube portal to experience the time warp for yourself!

Under normal circumstances, today (the last Friday of the month) would be our wrap-up celebration for Calef Brown's DMC challenge to write a poem about two anthropomorphized objects. (Click HERE for more details.) Because we got a late start, however, I am postponing the celebration until next Friday, November 2nd, and look forward to sharing a few more daily ditties next week!

Featured poems this week were by Molly Hogan, Tabatha Yeatts, Renée LaTulippe, and Buffy Silverman. If you haven't already done so, you have until Wednesday, October 31st, to post your poem on the October 2018 padlet and be included in next week's wrap-up presentation.


Don't let time run away from you!

Stuart Rankin

Join Kay Jernigan McGriff at A Journey Through the Pages for this week's Poetry Friday roundup and her poem inspired by Calef Brown's challenge—"Sunrise Conversation." Thanks, Kay!

DMC: "Conversation on a Darkening Day" by Buffy Silverman

CONVERSATION ON A DARKENING DAY

I dress up blue skies
with castles and dragons,
rabbits and spaceships,
pirates and swans,

until I grow heavy,
turn weepy and gray.
My tears rattle rooftops
and wash over lawns.

               Don’t hold back your tears,
               your gray weepy ways.
               Let your castles collapse
               and fall to my crown.

               Your dragons tame fires
               and quench thirsty roots.
               Keep wailing and weeping,
               keep soaking my ground.

© 2018 Buffy Silverman. All rights reserved.


Calef Brown has challenged us to write a poem that tells the story of two anthropomorphized objects. They can be an odd couple, close friends, mortal enemies, or meet each other for the first time. The poem can be about an adventure they have together, a conflict, a game they play, anything. Click HERE for more details and to read this month's Spotlight ON interview.

Post your poem on our October 2018 padlet by October 31st. While some contributions will be featured as daily ditties, all contributions will be included in a wrap-up presentation on Friday, November 2nd, and one lucky participant will win a signed copy of Calef Brown's latest collection of ghoulish poetry from Carolrhoda Books:

DMC: "Pencil and Pen: A Composed Love Story" by Renée M. LaTulippe

Calef Brown has challenged us to write a poem that tells the story of two anthropomorphized objects. They can be an odd couple, close friends, mortal enemies, or meet each other for the first time. The poem can be about an adventure they have together, a conflict, a game they play, anything. Click HERE for more details and to read this month's Spotlight ON interview.

Post your poem on our October 2018 padlet by October 31st. While some contributions will be featured as daily ditties, all contributions will be included in a wrap-up presentation on Friday, November 2nd, and one lucky participant will win a signed copy of Calef Brown's latest collection of ghoulish poetry from Carolrhoda Books:

DMC: "Advice from a Mature Nail Polish" by Tabatha Yeatts

ADVICE FROM A MATURE NAIL POLISH

You're fresh out of the bag, still got the price tag on ya,
so I thought you could use a few tips from a lady
who's been around the block since before
you were a funny name in search of a color.

First of all, you are gonna LOVE your chance to shine.
(I like the part where they blow on you while you're drying.)
You get to stretch out a little bit, show 'em how tough you can be,
go see the world. You never know what's gonna happen next.

You could end up at a wedding, clapping after a first kiss—
call me a romantic, but I love that stuff—or you could wind up
throwing his clothes on the lawn. (I kind of love that stuff, too.
When you've been in a bottle a while, high drama hits the spot.)

Sometimes she pulls you out, and you gotta bring your best gloss,
leave it all on the nail, you know? Because times are rough. Not
the fun drama, but the walking-through-doctor's-offices kind. The
on-hold-on-the-phone kind. If she looks down, you gotta give her a little sparkle.

Time can be hard on a polish. When you've been sitting in the cabinet
too long, you can forget why you're staying smooth.
It's easy to wrap around that brush and gob up.
Why not just let yourself go stiff? I'll tell you why not.

When that hand arrives for you,
you don't want to miss it. 

© 2018 Tabatha Yeatts. All rights reserved.


Calef Brown has challenged us to write a poem that tells the story of two anthropomorphized objects. They can be an odd couple, close friends, mortal enemies, or meet each other for the first time. The poem can be about an adventure they have together, a conflict, a game they play, anything. Click HERE for more details and to read this month's Spotlight ON interview.

Post your poem on our October 2018 padlet by October 31st. While some contributions will be featured as daily ditties, all contributions will be included in a wrap-up presentation on Friday, November 2nd, and one lucky participant will win a signed copy of Calef Brown's latest collection of ghoulish poetry from Carolrhoda Books:

DMC: "Kitchen Games" by Molly Hogan

KITCHEN GAMES

“Hey! Try to catch us if you can!”
they squeal, then run away
Broom dashes after valiantly
with sweeping, swashing sway

Broom’s mission is to seek Crumbs out
Their mission is to hide
beneath the fridge, behind the chair
and then to multiply

“Come on out, you scurvy creatures!
Get off our pristine floors!
We’ll sweep you to oblivion!”
her swishing bristles chorus

As they scurry ‘neath the counter
Crumbs tumble, bumble, jump
Broom pokes them out of corners, then
she piles them in a clump

She entreats her ally, Dustbin
to help her end the chase
together they corral the Crumbs
and put them in their place

A quick trip to waiting Trashcan
winds up the evening fun
Now at rest in closet corner
Broom smiles, her job is done

But later, Trashcan sneaks a glance
at dozing Bin and Broom
then slyly hiccups giggling Crumbs
and strews them cross the room

© 2018 Molly Hogan. All rights reserved.


Calef Brown has challenged us to write a poem that tells the story of two anthropomorphized objects. They can be an odd couple, close friends, mortal enemies, or meet each other for the first time. The poem can be about an adventure they have together, a conflict, a game they play, anything. Click HERE for more details and to read this month's Spotlight ON interview.

Post your poem on our October 2018 padlet by October 31st. While some contributions will be featured as daily ditties, all contributions will be included in a wrap-up presentation on Friday, November 2nd, and one lucky participant will win a signed copy of Calef Brown's latest collection of ghoulish poetry from Carolrhoda Books:

B.J. Lee: The Ballad

Tim

Grab a pint and lend an ear . . . 

I'm delighted to welcome TLD contributor B.J. Lee back to the poetry tent. (As you can see, the party's already begun!) 

I'm especially excited because the poetry form B.J. will be talking about today is the ballad. The ballad is an ideal storytelling form, and since Calef Brown's challenge this month is to write a poem that tells the story of two anthropomorphic objects, the timing is perfect to give this form a try!

The content of today's post was first published on B.J.'s blog Blue Window, which hasn't been very active as of late, but is still a wonderful resource.

I also recommend clicking HERE to read B.J.'s first TLD contributor post about the roundel (which, incidentally, might also be an interesting choice for this month's challenge).

Take it away, B.J.!

*  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *

I enjoy writing in forms and learning about forms and have written several ballads. The ballad is defined as:

"a form that comes in four-line verses, usually alternating between four and three beats to [the] line. The word comes from ballare, the Italian for “to dance’ (same root as ballet, ballerina and ball)." 

                     ~ Stephen Fry, "The Ode Less Travelled"

Another important aspect of the ballad is that it tells a story.

This one is about my naughty toy poodle, Lulu, may she rest in peace.
Here's a photo of the little stinker:

She looks all innocent, but she is definitely thinking

her Machiavellian thoughts and plotting her next dastardly scheme!

The Ballad of the Naughty Poodle

I’ll tell you a story of a dog in her glory—
the naughty toy poodle named Lulu.
But first let me say, do not get in her way
or she may put one over on you too.

Although she’s petite and may strike you as sweet,
believe me, her mind’s always cooking
up schemes to sneak by and eat my potpie
the minute she sees I’m not looking.

I tell her to stay but she does not obey
and makes her way down floor by floor.
She shreds paper towels with claws like an owl’s.
When spotted, she speeds out the door.

She’ll stretch and she’ll yawn but then once I am gone,
Lulu tips over the trash.
On the floor I find mustard mixed in with the custard.
It’s clear she’s been having a bash!

She lands with a leap in the composting heap
no matter how loudly I yell.
I shout, “You're in trouble, come here on the double.”
I hold my nose—wow—does she smell!

I give her a scrub in the claw-footed tub.
She splashes the suds in my face.
When I grab for a towel, she lets out a howl
and runs away like it’s a race.

Yes, this small, dirty dog redefines the word ‘hog.’
She’s always escaping my clutches.
And as hard as I try, the house is a sty—
just some of the little swine’s touches.

© 2010 B.J. Lee. All Rights Reserved.
First published in “Umbrella Journal’s Bumbershoot Annual” August, 2010


The ballad comes to us from song and folk traditions and many, many popular songs are ballads. Here is the first stanza from “The Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald” by Gordon Lightfoot, ©1976:

Image by R. LeLievre (S. S. Edmund Fitzgerald Online)

The legend lives on from the Chippewa on down
Of the big lake they called “Gitche Gumme.”
The lake, it is said, never gives up her dead
When the skies of November turn gloomy.

Read the rest of the poem HERE or listen to the musical version HERE.

Typically a ballad will rhyme either abab or abcb if it is in quatrains.  Gordon has chosen the latter and so have I.

Some books and websites define ballads as being typically written in iambic meter

daDUMdaDUMdaDUMdaDUM
daDUMdaDUMdaDUM

but Gordon broke that rule, giving us anapestic meter:

dadaDUMdadaDUMdadaDUMdaDUMda  (with an extra syllable at the end—a feminine ending).

My poem, above, is also written in anapestic meter (with some feminine endings as well as internal rhyme).

From Through the Looking Glass (1902)

I have also seen ballads arranged in sestets (6 lines to a stanza). A good example is "The Walrus and the Carpenter" by Lewis Carroll (this one is iambic).

The Walrus and the Carpenter
were walking close at hand.
They wept like anything to see
such quantities of sand:
“If this were only cleared away,”
they said, “it would be grand.”

Read the rest of the poem HERE.



And, I have seen ballads written with seven beats to the line, although arguably, each line could be broken down into two lines of four and then three beats.  Here is a stanza from Robert Service’s “The Shooting of Dan McGrew” (anapestic):

A bunch of the boys were whooping it up in the Malamute saloon;
The kid that handles the music-box was hitting a jag-time tune;
Back of the bar, in a solo game, sat Dangerous Dan McGrew,
And watching his luck was his light-o'-love, the lady that's known as Lou.

Read the rest of the poem HERE or listen to the poem being read by Ed Begley below.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hqdL6bTiMhE&t=9s

No matter what decision you make regarding format and meter, ballads are a fun choice if you wish to tell a story in your poem.

Thanks so much, B.J.! 

I hope we'll see at least a couple of ballads for this month's challenge, but feel free to share your non-DMC ballads in the comments if you'd like.

(B.J. also asked me to let you know that she'll be away at a conference this weekend but looks forward to reading and responding to your comments on Monday.)

B.J. Lee’s debut picture book, There Was an Old Gator Who Swallowed a Moth, is forthcoming from Pelican Publishing (Spring, 2019). She has written poems for many anthologies, including Construction People (ed. Lee Bennett Hopkins), The National Geographic Book of Nature Poetry, National Geographic’s Poetry of US (ed. J. Patrick Lewis), One Minute Till Bedtime (ed. Kenn Nesbitt), as well as popular children’s magazines. Visit B.J. at her website.

Calef Brown's DMC challenge is to write a poem that tells the story of two anthropomorphized objects. Despite a late start, the October 2018 padlet is already quite active! Make sure to add your poem by October 31st. Our featured daily ditties this week were by Tabatha Yeatts, Dianne Moritz, Angelique Pacheco, and David McMullin. The wrap-up celebration will be on Friday, November 2nd, so that I can accommodate as many daily ditties this month as possible.

Brenda Davis Harsham is hosting this week's Poetry Friday roundup at Friendly Fairy Tales. It's the bee's knees—you won't want to miss it!

DMC: "Cough & Sneeze" by David McMullin

COUGH & SNEEZE

Cough and Sneeze are a terrible two,
Wanted on charges of cold, strep, and flu.

Cough is the brawn, so victims take note,
He'll vandal your lungs and plunder your throat.

Sneeze is impulsive, the sneak of the pair,
With rash wild sprays he graffitis the air.

Their victims can often take weeks to recoup,
So lock up your doors and make lots of hot soup.

© 2018 David McMullin. All rights reserved.


Calef Brown has challenged us to write a poem that tells the story of two anthropomorphized objects. They can be an odd couple, close friends, mortal enemies, or meet each other for the first time. The poem can be about an adventure they have together, a conflict, a game they play, anything. Click HERE for more details and to read this month's Spotlight ON interview.

Post your poem on our October 2018 padlet by October 31st. While some contributions will be featured as daily ditties, all contributions will be included in a wrap-up presentation on Friday, November 2nd, and one lucky participant will win a signed copy of Calef Brown's latest collection of ghoulish poetry from Carolrhoda Books: