Day 3. Day 3. Day 3. ヅ
Maureen Thorson's NaPoWriMo prompt: "Today, let’s turn our vision outward, and write fan letters. I challenge you to write a poem in the form of a fan letter to a celebrity. Now, this could be a celebrity from long ago, and needn’t be an actor or singer (though it could be). You could write to George Washington or Dorothy Dandridge, Marie Curie or The Weeknd. Happy writing!"
Robert Lee Brewer's PAD prompt: "Take the phrase 'Three (blank),' replace the blank with a word or phrase, make the new phrase the title of your poem, and then, write your poem. Possible titles include: 'Three Blind Hippos,' 'Three Muskrats,' 'Three’s Company,' 'Three Movies Is Too Many for The Hobbit, Peter Jackson (just saying),' and so on."
Let's start with Alan today: "Thorson wants fan letters today, and Brewer wants a poem that has to do with three something, so I am going autobiographical and thinking about three songs that I wish lasted longer because while I think they are perfect, they leave me wanting more. Honestly, I could play all three of these for hours on a continuous loop and love them all. (Had it been four, by the way, I would have included Ringo Starr's 'It Don't Come Easy.')"
Three Songs I Wish Were Longer
Alex Chilton wrote a song that makes no sense
to my kids, the idea of heading home
because his girl sends a letter instead
of making a call or sending a text.
Joe Cocker knew that we needed more
than to hear a plane take off while music fades,
and Alex, damn it, left me wanting more;
I called those Box Tops back again and again.
Neil Young wrote a song to a cinnamon girl
but I heard him sing about some other song
that had saxes and a bow-drawn bass
while he played the damnedest solo I’d
ever heard, a high D, thirty-two beats
in all, split by a ragged arpeggio
that I wanted to run through the night
while I cooed in Crazy Horse harmony.
Neko Case wrote a passionate song
in an amplified minor key meant for night
as I drive the old country in East Tennessee
while I hear her confess being mean,
to feel the tear of the terminal solo rip
through the air’s fabric and my choke
as my lips move hopeless to the lie
repeating just to “hold on, hold on,” cold.
—Draft by Thomas Alan Holmes [Do not copy or quote . . . thanks.]
Alan, loved that first song when I played in rock bands in high school. I recall wondering why The Box Tops sang "aer-O-plane" rather than "airplane"; I assumed they were a British band because of that lyric. And I totally agree about the damnedest-ness of Neil Young's solo in the second song: he often played lead ax repeating the same note, for example, in much of the guitar solo in "Down by the River," among other songs.
Sarah also merged both prompts today, while simultaneously using the appropriate inherited form, a sonnet.
Three Years Clean: Confessions of a fangirl
Three silver screen shows in particular;
plus one interview where you were the real
Captain America, dripping in blue
and red, your words rolling like pure white stars
into my heart’s void; these made me slaver
for your attentions and daydream of full
reciprocation: your own soul in thrall.
Help me — addicted to an Avenger.
But I have left off searching blogs at night
for the latest leaks of buff images
from your set crew. Your Wikipedia
page can rest at ease from the stalking blight
of a former hormone-driven teenage
girl. Break-ups are hard but it’s me, not you.
—Draft by Sarah Smith [Do not copy or quote . . . thanks.]
I love the "-ia" (sounds like "ya") rhyme with "you," Sarah. So cool!
Jed's poem today also does cool stuff with rhyme.
Unity
How lovely it would be
If you all thought like me.
We’d all be right.
(Because we’d all agree.)
You’d all do what I say,
Because I know the way.
(’Cause if you thought like me,
You’d know I know.)
But wait.
If you all thought like me,
Would you expect to be
The one to lecture
On the way to go?
Say it ain’t so.
Let’s just agree
That I think better;
That I should lecture.
That I’m the one who knows
The way to go.
I’m glad we had this talk.
Now all of you get back
To work.
—Draft by Jedediah Kurth [Do not copy or quote . . . thanks.]
Jed, I like how the closing stanza is essentially a triplet in slant rhyme.
Ven's mix of "Three (blank)" and "fan letter" is equally entertaining.
Three Muskehounds.
Dear creators of Dogtanian and the Three Muskehounds:
In 1985 my world was small. I wasn’t aware that:
Live Aid was a thing.
Or that Gorbachev came to power.
Or that Route 66 ceased to be.
Or that Windows 1.0 was released.
Or that 9000 people died in an Earthquake in Mexico city.
Or that Palestinian terrorists hijacked an Italian cruise ship.
Or that the Hezbollah hijacked TWA Flight 847.
Or that the wreck of the Titanic was found.
Or that the Unibomber killed his first victim.
Or that South Africa invaded Angola.
Or that Coca-Cola released New Coke.
Or even that Michael Jordan was named NBA rookie of the year.
All I knew was that sword-fighting cartoon dogs dressed as musketeers was the coolest shit ever.
It’s been thirty years, please revive your show because my list of things to ignore is even longer now.
Thanks.
—Draft by Ven Batista [Do not copy or quote . . . thanks.]
And thanks to you, Ven. Love it.
Here's my little mashup of "fan letter" and "Three (blank)." In normative rhyme.
Three For Rock of Ages
Dear Jimi. How’s it going up there in paradise? They give you
a Strat? Or better yet, an SG? A wall-to-wall Marshall stack?
Man, you should put together a new power trio. With wings.
Buddy Miles could be the drummer, right? Yeah, I know you
and he were already in Band of Gypsys. Cut you some slack:
if it works, it works. ’Cause you playing for the King of Kings.
Get Jack Bruce on an SG bass. Two SG’s! That would be a true
irony: devil horns on each cherry—no, candy-apple-red—ax.
Rocking and knocking on heaven’s door! Yours truly, Vince.
—Draft by Vince Gotera [Do not copy or quote . . . thanks.]
And here's photographic proof that Jimi Hendrix did play a Gibson SG. Not red, but we'll see that in heaven!
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Ingat, everyone. ヅ |
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2 comments:
I'm glad you appreciated that rhyme, Vince! I had a hunch you'd like that one.
Sarah, you know me and my poetic quirks! ヅ
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