The exercise:
Write a four line poem about: smoke.
We're in Kamloops for the weekend, as Kat's family on her mom's side is gathering to remember her grandfather who recently passed away. She wasn't especially close to him, so it's mostly a chance to visit with family.
The boys, in particular, enjoyed playing with their cousins today, though Natalie and her sisters stayed home with their mom. So it was mostly boy cousins, for a change.
Mine:
The Master was sleeping fitfully that night,
Haunted by vivid nightmares.
So when he woke to the smell of smoke he was
Not sure it was really there
3 comments:
I can still see the smoke escape from her barely parted lips.
The smell lingers in my nostrils even today.
I hated it then and now for what it took.
The smoke will always be the reaper.
-Jerri Howard
@Kim: The contrast between the first image and the final line is quite stark and works really well in a poem this short. I have a vision of a black-and-white scene, like an old film, and a sense of sadness tempered by anger. Very nice!
@Marc: well, the master is going to be barbecued then! I've read the continuing verse now, but I remember when I first read this wondering if Buddy had any means of putting fires out, or if he was just built to destroy things, so I went and checked, and it seems he was a servant too, so probably could. Of course, now I know that he's set the fire....
Part IV begins this week as the sailor and the robot reach the Unreal City and we find out what Madame Sosotris cannot foresee :)
Part IV
Smoke
The sea leads to the river mouth, where stands
The Unreal City in her grandeur. Plumes
Of smoke bestride the gates and blacken the
Horizon. Gold is bright in sunlight though
Kim - this is brilliant. That last line packs a helluva wallop.
Greg - great opening image for Part IV. Looking forward to seeing how you manage to wrap things up in the coming weeks :)
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