Hello Friends,
Today I thought we would go a little bit more into Songwriting for the Prosery today. I think his lyrics ha a lot of good lyrics, but maybe no more ambitious work than “Desolation Row” from his 1965 record “Highway 61 Revisited”, the song ties so well back to the Beat Poetry prompt last week with its vignettes of entropy and urban chaos.
When asked once if he was ever inspired by Ginsberg Bob Dylan brought up this song.
The song is also noted for its length and often comes up on the top of his best songs (if not his most well-known).
Personally, I love the first line: “They sold postcards of the hanging”, which is said to be reflecting back on the lynching of three African-American Circus workers in Duluth, Minnesota on June 15, 1920. An 8-year-old Abraham Zimmerman lived in Duluth. Abe grew up to have a son named Robert who (as I am sure you all know) later took the stage name Bob Dylan.
The Grateful Dead has used this first line to name n a record of Bob Dylan covers.
I have tried to pick something flexible and easy from the lyrics and this is the line I choose:
To her, death is quite romantic
As usual, the challenge is to write a piece of prose of maximum 144 words, including the given line as it is. You may not change the order of the words, but you are allowed to include line breaks and change punctuation.
When you have written your piece of prose, post it to your blog and link up to Mr. Linky below, then come around and visit, comment and let yourself be bamboozled by all the creative writings of the amazing dVerse crew.
Also, I want to remind you that this Thursday it is once again time for Open Link Live with Lillian hosting. If you haven’t joined yet we have a lot of fun in a cozy atmosphere
dVerse 
Welcome to Prosery Monday, everyone!
On the menu we have buffalo wings and dry riesling, tuna steaks and castello monaci kreos rose, or if you prefer we also have cranberry almond sweetheart scones with coffee/tea of your choice.
Let me know if there is anything else you’d like! Bjorn will join us shortly 🙂
See you on the trail! 💘💘
Hi Sanaa! That is a delicious menu. Buffalo wings make me hungy. It’s our thanksgiving today in Canada so I will be out in a bit. Bjorn that is a amazing line, from Bob Dylan.
Oh that’s lovely! Happy Thanksgiving, Grace 🥰🥰
Hello dVersers and thanks for opening the pub, Sanaa!
REMEMBER EVERYONE: OLN LIVE is this coming Thursday, October 12th. Hope everyone will join us….if even just to listen if you’d rather not read. Looking forward to seeing everyone LIVE on THURSDAY!
So nice to see you, Lillian 😀 Looking forward to OLN LIVE on Thursday! 💘💘
Hello Sanaa and Bjorn and All. Sanaa, will you please give me a tall mug of hot rooibos with oat milk creamer and a couple of your cranberry almond sweetheart scones? I enjoyed writing to Zimmy’s line very much.
A tall mug of rooibos with oat milk creamer and cranberry almond sweetheart scones coming right up! 😀 Happy Monday, Lisa 💘💘
Thank you so much, Sanaa. YUMMY. Cheers!
Cheers! 🥰🥰
Happy Thanksgiving to all our Canadian dVersers!
Yes! 🙂 Happy Thanksgiving to all who celebrate 🥂
Thank you!!!!!
One of my favorite songs ever. I always loved the guitar counterpoint as well, but don’t know who was playing it. Not Dylan. I always associate this song with a long train trip i took a number of years ago. I had my cd player with me and listened to this on the way. Thanks, Bjorn, for some fine inspiration.
–Shay
I have to admit it took me quite some time to find this song, but the first line hooked me totally and since then it is one of my favorites as well. Your experience reminds me of when I listened to Ginsberg reading Howl on a transatlantic flight going to San Fransisco…
Hello everyone, I was late to the party, and thank you Sanaa for opening the bar. I was at a reading of a play called “the Antelope Party”… really good experience to go to a reading. The experience is almost better than going to the full play.
Such an interesting experience Bjorn as I have not been to one.
My pleasure, Bjorn! 🙂 I am so pleased you had a good time at the play! I will be heading to bed shortly and will catch up on reading and commenting tomorrow 💘💘
PS: This is a fabulous prompt! 🥂
Thank you for hosting, Bjorn. It is an interesting prompt. I had not heard this Dylan song before.
Loved this 🙂
Thank you Sanaa for opening today, and thank you Bjorn for an excellent prompt. Have always love this song, its cryptic essence is fascinating. I have enjoyed the many recorded versions. I bring you three today. 🙂✌🏼❤️
It is a fascinating song…
I am a fan of Dylan’s music and your line choice had my muse running in a rather dark yet, interesting place.
Yes the line is quite versatile- but quite dark too.
It has been interesting reading all the great stories for this prompt.
Wow. Great prompt, Björn. That one line spins as many stories as Dylan in his song. Let’s see if it can spin one for me. 😉
Indeed, the song itself is a lot of stories
I was privileged to meet Dylan in 78, great writer and musician, we are in hallowed company – thank you Bjorn.
How great… I have always thought that he was a bit elusive.
He was certainly that, I can say I never met the real him, he was very friendly but clearly very self-protective and clever at deflecting questions. He did say that his lyrics were for the listener or reader and would mean whatever they meant for them.
Thank you for this enjoyable prosery prompt. I’ve just posted my response in participation 🌹