Thursday January 15th, 2009

The exercise:

Alright, you can blame Greg for this one: write a pantoum. Feel free to use any topic of your choosing, if you're silly enough to do this one.

Oh, the interview seemed to go really well. I'm supposed to hear back this afternoon.

Update: they didn't get back to me, so I have to wait until tomorrow. I hate waiting. I would make a terrible waiter.

Mine:

Leave behind the stress of reality,
Escape into the world of fantasy,
Where dragons and orcs are nothing to fear,
The hero makes right and wrong seem so clear.

Escape into the world of fantasy,
Reach the highest levels of ecstasy;
The hero makes right and wrong seem so clear,
The villain kills without shedding a tear.

Reach the highest levels of ecstasy -
Nod along, there’s no need to disagree.
The villain kills without shedding a tear,
Using a dagger or poisonous beer.

Nod along, there’s no need to disagree,
You’re in Middle Earth now, not Tennessee!
Using a dagger, or poisonous beer?
On these pages the answer will appear.

You’re in Middle Earth now, not Tennessee,
Grab an Ent-draught, put down your Hennessy!
On these pages the answer will appear,
So come along, explore this new frontier!

5 comments:

Greg said...

Congratulations on the interview so far, and I hope it's good news when you hear back!

I like the pantoum, it's inspiring (and I really like the poisonous beer line). I hope you had fun writing it :)

I'm off to bed now, but I may add a pantoum in the morning if I'm feeling creative.

Scriptor Senex said...

Wow, that was brave, even attempting a pantoum horrifed me when I read the rules. Well done!

Marc said...

Greg - glad you like it. I've decided that what I like most about that style is the unity it brings to the poem. The repetition really holds the theme together.

Scriptor Senex - you and me both! What's that saying? Do one thing each day that scares you? I think I'm covered for a week after that.

Anonymous said...

Thought I'd try my hand at it.

Here goes:

It’s winter fool: just open up the door,
A choice that nobody will argue for,
You think life cares just because it is cold,
All of your precious time is being sold.

A choice that nobody will argue for,
Making some hold back and others adore,
All of your precious time is being sold,
To those who will worship your being bold.

Making some hold back and others adore,
Self-satisfaction right down to the core,
To those who will worship your being bold,
They can still keep you back; make you feel old.

Self-satisfaction right down to the core,
Break out, don’t listen, just try to ignore,
They can still keep you back, make you feel old,
It’s strange, only you can put life on hold.

Break out, don’t listen, just try to ignore,
You are the one, who will choose what’s in store,
It’s strange, only you can put life on hold,
Often the wrong choice is what you’ve been told.

Marc said...

Bryan - thank you for stopping by, that's a wonderful attempt - it doesn't come across as a first one at all. That was a great line to finish with.

It's an interesting style of writing poetry, I'll have to give it another go sometime.