Monday, April 28, 2014

Monday Poetry Stretch - Ring/Drum/Blanket

In the book I Am Writing a Poem About . . . A Game of Poetry, written by Myra Cohn Livingston, Livingston wrote about three of the assignments she gave to students in her master class in poetry at UCLA. One of the assignments was to write a poem using the words ring, drum, and blanket. What's amazing about all the examples shared is how the poets veered off in so many different directions. For example, here's the poem Kristine O'Connell George wrote.
Did You See Them?

Did you see them
late last evening,
fairy lads and lasses
dancing among the grasses?

Here are
rings of trampled grass,
acorn drums,
milkweed lutes
and honeysuckle flutes.

Here is
where they slept,
drowsy from dance,
nestled and settled
in blankets of petals.

Did you see them
as the moon was rising?
Poem ©Kristine O'Connell George. All rights reserved.

Was that where you imagined these three words going? Where do you see them taking you? Your challenge for the week is to write a poem in any form that includes the words ring, drum, and blanket. Won't you join us? Please share a link to your poem or the poem itself in the comments.

6 comments:

  1. The three words made me think of marriage--and divorce--in an imaginary prehistoric tribe.

    Marriage

    Put on the ring,
    dance to the drum,
    here—spread the blanket,
    you’re getting married.

    Your father has brought you,
    a man has bought you,
    everyone sings.
    You’re getting married.

    There will be children
    and meat in the pot.
    It may not be a lot.
    You’re getting married.

    Say goodbye to your sister,
    stand here by this man,
    give him your hand,
    you’re getting married.

    But if, as the days pass,
    your eyes turn to the forest,
    to the tops of the hills—
    what is being married?

    If you wonder and fear,
    not liking the man,
    not his harshness, his clan—
    what is being married?

    Leave the ring.
    Leave the blanket.
    Leave the drum, it is silent.
    You are done being married.

    Walk toward the morning,
    toward the hills,
    toward the forest.
    You’ll no longer be married.

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    Replies
    1. This is lovely Kate. I like the circleness of it.

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    2. Lovely, beautiful, powerful. Gripping. My breathing paused as I read it.

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  2. I wrote one for this prompt at Wild Rose Reader in 2008: http://deowriter.wordpress.com/2008/08/29/one-single-impression-resolve/ But I just might try it in another form.

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    Replies
    1. I wrote one for that challenge too! It was so long ago that I decided now was a good time to bring this challenge back as a stretch.

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  3. DREAMTIME BOULEVARD
    Nestling under my ocean colored blanket
    I sing myself toward Dreamtime Boulevard
    As Rain drums its pitter pat melody
    And wind chimes ring their closing number –
    I arrive safely at my destination.

    (c) Charles Waters 2014 all rights reserved.

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