The Swampland Poets
For Thursday Think Tank prompt: Weird
http://poetryblogroll.blogspot.com/2010/12/thursday-think-tank-25-wierd.html#more
These are our instructions:
Have you ever read a poem that was just weird, something that may only make sense to the poet themselves, something so strange you just have to read it a couple times over? Have you ever looked at a painting and thought what on earth is that? We are looking for the abstract and odd today. Let loose your pen and follow no rules. Poetry and prose already violate the supposed rules of writing now we want you to take it even further.
Write what weirdness comes to mind first. Take your everyday life and what sits right in front of you and turn it inside out. Play with words and things that do not belong together. Place alligators at tea parties and make oranges green. Make books edible after you have finished reading them and let fish talk.
Unleash your inner Picasso, Andy Warhol, Tim Burton or Salvador Dali and give us your strange. This is an exercise in creativity and should be fairly simple. The beauty of this idea is as writers we know it won’t make sense and really don’t care.
This should be a fun adventure and we can’t wait to have you share with us your penned oddities.
The Swampland Poets
Well, the alligators came,
but were really lame musicians,
preferring verse created from
purses and shoes of different
dyed hues and sizes. Refused
band stand, wanting only sand,
tall weeds from which to feed their
burgeoning need for weird poetry.
And weird it was. One old grump
just sat and harrumphed his way
through spotty mess of vegetable
soup, while building a coop to contain
his elderly bride who demanded she
be able to ride side-saddle.
Five or seven addled mice could not
find right place to sit because all chairs
were uncomfortable fit, airy affairs
meant to suit gators in rough hewn
waders, held up by suspension bridges
with striped ridges in purple and brown.
Yet, they still crowned a gazelle for her
pink lace tutu, and shy pretty turtle
for her spandex girdle, who thought
to spout wordles of rhyme that chimed
in her teeth, as she stood beneath a big
black umbrella. While I, alas, was awarded
first last place (of which there were
actually eleven).
Elizabeth Crawford 12/2/10
Note: Nonsense fun is still more fun, than any other.
- Posted in: The Swampland Poets
- Tagged: alligators, fun, gazelle, mice, Poem, poetry prompt, Poets United, Thursday Think Tank, turtle, weird
Ladies In Waiting 
Sounds like a lost chapter from “Alice in Wonderland” – nicely done!
Thanks Eric, it’s what happens when I follow the sound and just forget sense and meaning. It’s just plain fun to do that on occasion.
Elizabeth
Please tell us what you wore! I’m sure you should have got first prize! Though your companions certainly excelled in weirdness!
Actually I was wearing my usual jeans and over large t-shirt. I wasn’t weird enough for this group and they even told me that if I’d have worn something more ‘fetching, or eye-catching’ they might have listened more closely, lol. And they say that appearance is not important? Ahh but I really thought the turtle should have taken it, just watching her try to simper across the floor, batting her eyelashes was an hour of wonderful entertainment.
Elizabeth
What and excellent word flow…and a little weird too.
Only a little weird? Does that mean I have to try harder next time? I suppose I could put on my reindeer antlers and smoke that weird curved pipe someone gave me a few years back. But then I’d probably collapse from the weight of the antlers, and with this crowd I’d get applause for doing a live skit while performing. Thanks for your generous words,
Elizabeth
I could not help but hear Bob Dylan’s Desolation Row when reading your poem. The fact that it caused music to stir in my head is reason enough to know I enjoyed reading this poem. I loved the odd imagery. Thank you for sharing.
Bob Dylan is a long time favortie of mine, so I must take that as a compliment and put it in my kudo box. I loved the prompt and thoroughly enjoyed responding to it. It made me smile and then laugh out loud as I heard the poem start whispering in my head. Thanks for visiting and for your kind and generous words,
Elizabeth
Interesting. I did not yet know your name from the blog’s title, but I was almost through stanza 1 when I said: Oh, Elizabeth, and scrolled to the end where sure enough…you have a distinctive voice. I have only read two of your poems but I’m setting out to read more.
m
Music to a poet’s ears. Thank you much for telling me that. I hope you enjoy and would point you to my other, but older poetry blog, Soul’s Music listed above on the side bar. Thank you much for visiting and for hearing the me that exists within these pages,
Elizabeth
Nonsense is best!
Thanks much, Jinksy, and I certainly couldn’t agree more. Needed that release after the PAD. And it worked wonders,
Elizabeth
I loved your weird and wonderful party, and read your words aloud to enjoy the flow and surge of them! A wonderful and whimsical piece that made my morning brighter…:)
Hello Lynette, I am so glad to hear it brightened your day. It did the same for me and I am thinking that perhaps I should make a point to do this type of thing on a more regular basis. Although it runs through my head often, I usually enjoy it by myself and then move on to other things. Might be good to just start writing it down and keeping a file of it, for those really bad days that periodically descend on all of us. Thanks for letting me know,
Elizabeth
Elizabeth,
What a delightful poem full of nonsense.
Seems you had fun with this.
Pamela
Pamela, I had more than fun, I found a great deal of release after being tied up in knots by sense and deeper meaning. This was one of the most delightful experiences and will have to remember to do it more often, the feelings were delicious and I made myself laugh out loud. My daughter frowned and that made me laugh all the harder. Thanks for being here,
Elizabeth
I was thinking the same thing as Eric when I read this, Elzabeth. Very funny and creative; true nonsense verse, cool!
Thank you Paul, nonsense makes sense when you need a release from the daily routine, especially if it’s getting you down. And there is no better way to make yourself grin and laugh than to write only for the nonsense value. I do it quite often, but this is the first time I’ve ever let others see it, and the first time anyone has actually asked that of me. Laughter is the best medicine.
Elizabeth
What a delightful and light-hearted poem to follow the much heavier writings of Poetic Asides. I love the gazelle in the pink lace tutu. In fact, Eliabeth, I think I will be her. I have an affinity for gazelles. LOL.
Oh yes you do, Mary, and they are all about swiftness and grace, if I remember correctly. I know where the pink lace tutu came from. I bought one for my new granddaughter for the shower and when her Mom pulled it from the wrappings, every woman there sighed with satisfaction. Couldn’t resist and neither should you. Thanks Mary for being here, always encouraging and supporting. You, my friend, are an excellent friend,
Elizabeth
How delightful to read that you gave your granddaughter a pink lace tutu! (And thank YOU for being an excellent friend as well!)
Didn’t know how my daughter would react. She’s like me, no frills and fancy stuff. But, she loved it and mentioned it again in her thank you card. It’s actually a swim suit with the tutu attached. We are both waiting for spring,
Elizabeth
This poem was so much fun to read. An impressive and fun work of the imagination. Must have been fun to write! I love the coop for the elderly bride:)
Hi Sherry, and yes it was delightful to write and I had to make a choice, knew I could end it or go on forever, lol. That was the hardest part. Thanks for reading and commenting,
Elizabeth
Yes, it did seems like a story for children! Delightful!
And children’s stories have a definite two fold purpose. To entertain and educate those bright, curious, and exploring minds. This one did that for me, just hope it does that for others. Thanks for being a steady influence,
Elizabeth
Elizabeth,
An excellent poem, just brimming with weirdness from beginning to end. I was laughing out loud, as I read it!
It more than fulfills the prompt about weird….
Best wishes, Eileen
Thank you Eileen, I’m pleased to know that your enjoyed it and that it made you laugh. Although I was actually laughing myself as I wrote it, I was also shaking my head as I did so. Then I remembered that this was a prompt. Someone actually asked us to write nonsense, and just had to continue. So glad that I did.
Elizabeth
The oddity is astounding. But very funny, yes! Excellent piece.
Excellent for the prompt, not sure it would have much value elsewhere. But, really good fun to do and to read. Thanks for your comments, Kayuala,
Elizabeth
Fun to read! Nonsense is one of my favorite kinds of poetry. I like your scattered rhyming words too–perhaps this is a form I am not familiar with. This would make a good children’s story.
Hi Peggy. Actually it’s a mixture of internal rhyme, slant rhyme, and half rhyme. I’ve never been real keen on end rhyme, mine turns out being sing-songy, so started using other devices to gain the rhythm and musicality I wanted. Thanks for reading and for your very generous comments,
Elizabeth
Very well crafted..!!
keep Writing My Dear.. 🙂
Thank you Olivia, I will do that,
Elizabeth