Hi everyone! We have a guest bartender here today – Sarah Russell.
Thanks for letting me take a turn at bartending for the Pub’s Poetics night. I’ve noticed that most of our prompts say to use the prompt word in our poem. Not so this week. In keeping with William Carlos William’s line from “A Sort of a Song” where he reminds the poet about using metaphor and says “No ideas but in things,” your challenge is to take a concept or feeling — hope, joy, despair, longing, patriotism, anger, grief, etc. — and write a poem that captures the concept without ever telling us what the concept is. It will be up to the readers of the poem to name the concept or feeling in their comments. And don’t be dismayed if different readers find different words to “label” your poem. After all, poetry is all in the interpretation of the reader. Here are some quotes about using Things to illustrate Concepts:
“The words printed here are concepts. You must go through the experiences.” Saint Augustine
“Don’t Tell Me the Moon Is Shining; Show Me the Glint of Light on Broken Glass.” – Anton Chekhov
“The poet is the priest of the invisible.” — Wallace Stevens
And here are some examples. Again, we may not all choose the same word to define the concepts for these poems, but we’ll all come close.
What a strange thing!
to be alive
beneath cherry blossoms.”
― Kobayashi Issa, Poems
Stephen kissed me in the spring,
Robin in the fall,
But Colin only looked at me
And never kissed at all.
Stephen’s kiss was lost in jest,
Robin’s lost in play,
But the kiss in Colin’s eyes
Haunts me night and day.”
― Sara Teasdale, The Collected Poems
My candle burns at both ends;
It will not last the night;
But ah, my foes, and oh, my friends—
It gives a lovely light!”
― Edna St. Vincent Millay, A Few Figs from Thistles
The stars are not wanted now: put out every one;
Pack up the moon and dismantle the sun;
Pour away the ocean and sweep up the wood.
For nothing now can ever come to any good.”
― W.H. Auden, Selected Poems
Did you find something close to joy, unrequited love, recklessness, and despair from the 4 poems?
Now it’s your turn. Take what you’re feeling, and make it so real through “things” that we’ll be able to name it. Can’t wait to read (and interpret) your results.
Here’s how to link up your work:
• Write a poem based on the prompt.
• Click on Mr. Linky. Enter your name and the direct URL to your poem.
• Provide a link to dVerse on your blog so that your readers can find us and participate.
• Leave a comment here.
• Read and comment on other poets’ work. Be sure to check back later for more poems to comment on.
About our guest today:
Sarah Russell has returned to poetry after a career teaching, writing and editing academic prose. Her work has been published in Kentucky Review, Red River Review, Misfit Magazine, and Psaltery and Lyre, among other print and online journals and anthologies. She has won awards from Goodreads, Poetry Nook, and is a 2017 Pushcart Prize nominee. She blogs at https://SarahRussellPoetry.net.
Grace said:
Welcome to Poetics everyone! Sarah will be dropping by in a bit. Hope you are having a good day or night!
Blue M. said:
I am. 🙂
Grace said:
Good! We are having a bit of spring weather (false actually) !
Blue M. said:
Oh, it’s big-time spring down here — but it’s real. In fact, there are parts of some days that end up being pretty summery. I bought two pairs of flip-flops yesterday. 🙂
Sarah Russell said:
I envy your real spring. Lots of starts and stops both in PA and in Colorado where I’m visiting. I want Spring to come and stay awhile. Tired of the gray.
Sarah Russell said:
Here for a moment or two in the Washington, DC airport on my way to Denver. Thanks, Grace, for putting up my prompt and poem. I’ll get back to as many of you as I can today and this evening, but you have to know that you’re competing with my grandchildren…
kim881 said:
Hi everyone! and greetings from snowy North Norfolk. I’ve linked up my poem but have something to do for a bit. I’ll return later to read and comment.
Grace said:
Thanks for dropping by Kim! I will hit the poetry trail in a bit myself.
kim881 said:
I did pop back for a bit but I was so tired I took myself off to bed. It’s 7 am and its snowing steadily. I’m not sure if I’ll make it to the library this morning but if I don’t go out today, I’ll have plenty of time for reading and writing, as well as copious hot drinks!
Sarah Russell said:
Oooo, snow again for you. At least here it’s bright, but brisk. I envy your morning of reading and writing.
annell4 said:
Thank you for the prompt, Sarah.
Grace said:
Good to see you Annell!
Sarah Russell said:
Thanks so much, Annell. Loved your poem!
Björn Rudberg (brudberg) said:
Love the prompt Sarah… writing about emotions quite a lot it was a good reminder not to always mention it by name. I will go to bed early tonight.. have to be at work at 6:30
Grace said:
A good technique to remember Bjorn! Good night and see you tomorrow!
Sarah Russell said:
Your poem was stellar, Bjorn. Hope you slept well.
Björn Rudberg (brudberg) said:
I slept well enough.. but a bit short. Soon it’s bedtime again.
Frank Hubeny said:
Thanks for hosting, Sarah! I added something I hope works for the prompt.
Grace said:
See you at the poetry trail Frank!
Sarah Russell said:
Indeed, your poem did work. Thanks so much for your support.
ZurkPoetry said:
Such a great prompt! Thanks so much 😀
Grace said:
Thanks for joining in 🙂
ZurkPoetry said:
Always great to do a dVerse prompt! 😊
Sarah Russell said:
Thank you, Zoe. Loved your poem!
paul scribbles said:
Hello Grace and welcome Sarah. A beautiful prompt. I have dropped in a ghazal. Off to read now.
Grace said:
Hi Paul! I am off to read the entries now. See you!
Sarah Russell said:
Paul, you’re so much better at form poetry than I am. Loved your ghazal!
Gospel Isosceles said:
Thank you for being here, Sarah. Your prompt sounded so simple but proved to be a difficult challenge to not give too much away.
Grace said:
I know about not giving away too much. Thanks for joining in Amaya!
Sarah Russell said:
Ah good, Amaya. Those tricky emotions tied up in the things of life. Yours had such a redemptive quality. A blessing, Amaya.
erbiage said:
Hi Sarah, what a great prompt! I especially like the Sara Teasdale poem.
Sent from my iPad
Grace said:
Thanks for joining us!
Sarah Russell said:
That poem is one of my favorites. Such a light way to tag unrequited love.
lynn__ said:
Excellent prompt Sarah…I need practice with metaphor so I attempted this!
Hello Grace and everyone in the pub tonight! If you don’t recognize me, I updated my gravatar 🙂
Grace said:
Hi Lynn! Good to see you & nice looking gravatar !
lynn__ said:
Thank you…thought I should update after 5 years. How long have you been at the bar?
Grace said:
Since the bar opened in July 2011. A long time, I know 🙂
lynn__ said:
…and still going strong! Thanks for keeping the place lively!
Sarah Russell said:
Thanks, Lynn. I so enjoyed your metaphoric ride through a hectic day!
Beverly Crawford said:
I am at a loss to correctly define prose, but today’s prompt conjured memories of my mother and I felt a need to write of her penchant for “making do”. Somehow I couldn’t get it into poem form! Mea culpa!
Sarah Russell said:
Oh, I think it was a poem, Bev. Odes to our mothers, who lived in an era of constant want and “made do” with the little they had.
Grace said:
Thanks for joining us Bev!
Vaccinius said:
Funny prompt. 💛 I consider this to be called writing “lyrical” as different from writing plainly, and to write lyrical has always been challenging for me. Well. God gives.
Sarah Russell said:
Anders, your sonnets are always lyrical, especially so since they are done in what you call “plain” language. I guess I don’t agree that metaphors must be lyrical. What of your child and Christ’s tear. Metaphor at its best!
Just Barry said:
Dang it! Always with these enticing prompts when I’m supposed to be doing other stuff! Love this one.
Sarah Russell said:
Oh oh. Hope you didn’t get in trouble, Barry. Thanks for the compliment on the prompt.
Frank J. Tassone said:
Evening, Poets! Thanks, Sarah, for guest hosting and going all WCW on us! 🙂 Thanks, Grace, for inviting Sarah to guest host! Break out a bottle of Burgundy for me, please! 🙂
Grace said:
Sure Frank! Cheers to you and all of our poems!
Sarah Russell said:
OK, Frank. Translation for this social media retard. What’s WCW?
Frank J. Tassone said:
William Carlos Williams 🙂
Sarah Russell said:
Aha! That makes a lot more sense than what the Urban Dictionary offered. 🙂
Victoria C. Slotto said:
Such a wonderful prompt, Sarah. I’ve been busy reading Quadrilles but hope I can make it back in time with an idea I have germinating.
Grace said:
Your quadrille response is terrific Victoria. I am still catching up on the entries too.
Sarah Russell said:
Thanks so much, Victoria.
Margaret Elizabeth Bednar said:
I wrote a poem – I have just organized my bookcases and this book I sat and read for an hour… brought back a lot of comforting memories… so this is a perfect prompt today.
Grace said:
Looking forward to reading it Margaret!
Sarah Russell said:
Your line about the “magical land of counterpane” will stick with me a long time.
Margaret Elizabeth Bednar said:
The whole book has stuck with me – I have my childhood version in my bookcase still
sarahsouthwest said:
What a great prompt. I guess that poetry is (always???) “emotion remembered in tranquility” – or something like that – but it’s interesting to make that explicit. I’m looking forward to being moved and stirred in my reading.
Grace said:
Thanks Sarah! Glad you liked the prompt.
Sarah Russell said:
Thanks so much, Sarah.
sanaarizvi said:
Heyy everyone
I had a bit of an issue yesterday.. my blog was suspended a day after Quadrille night. Its reactivated now .. just made wordpress payment. I m sorry for the inconveinence and hopé you guys will visit my poem.. 💖
Grace said:
Sure I will. Did check that you blog was down yesterday. Thanks for joining in.
Sarah Russell said:
Glad you’re back, Sanaa!
Sanaa Rizvi (@rizvi_sanaa) said:
💖💖
equipoise17 said:
just about keeping up..thanks for a inspiring prompt…cheers…
Grace said:
Cheers to you too!
Sarah Russell said:
And cheers from me as well.