There will be two extra posts this week, dear readers. This one in response to Brenda’s latest wordle at The Sunday Whirl and one later in the week in response to We Write Poems.
Pulled for revision.
I read an article recently on the installation in New York’s Morgan Library and Museum and knew I wanted to write about it. Then the wordle came out. I had to change the forms of a few words and almost had to go with eleven words, but as I typed the poem floss fell into place. I’m not sure about the first two lines or, indeed, a couple of others, so comments appreciated if you are struck with something, even: This doesn’t work here. I don’t know why, but it doesn’t.
Whether or not you write, be sure to visit The Sunday Whirl to see what others have written. It’s fun to see the synchronicity, or diversity, of poems.
Also, if you haven’t been by, Elizabeth has the first discussion topic up at Writers Speak. Have you ever received glazed eyes from someone you are talking to about your writing? Stop by and tell your story, read others or respond to a comment.
See you tomorrow for an open prompt [if you are worrying, I will get back to form next week:)]; Thursday for bookmarkable sites; and Friday for the roundup.
wordsandthoughtspjs
04/07/2011 at 1:24 pm
Margo, nice piece. I especially like how you used, fleck and floss.
Pamela
margo roby
04/07/2011 at 1:50 pm
Thanks, Pamela.
margo
Tilly Bud
04/07/2011 at 2:31 pm
They fly floss-hung from floor – what a cracker of a line!
margo roby
04/07/2011 at 3:18 pm
Thank you, Tilly B. It was the very last to come.
vivinfrance
04/07/2011 at 2:58 pm
Margo, being a wordaholic, I fully entered into this exposition of the wonder of words, The only thing I would change would be “evolving” instead of “devolving” for reasons of difficulty of reading the two d words aloud. Is this valid reasoning?
ViV
margo roby
04/07/2011 at 3:19 pm
Makes perfect sense, Viv. I will make the change, thank you.
margo
brenda w
04/07/2011 at 4:56 pm
Birdwords. I love it the way it is, Margo. You’ve piqued my interest in the art installation, it sounds stunning.
Mama Zen
04/07/2011 at 5:29 pm
“They fly floss-hung from floor
to ceiling”
That is just outstanding.
margo roby
04/07/2011 at 5:33 pm
Thank you so much, Mama Z [or, as I will think of you: Keeper of the Geckos].
margo roby
04/07/2011 at 5:30 pm
You can find it online, Brenda. Google Xu Bing The Living Word Morgan Library. And, thank you!
margo
1sojournal
04/07/2011 at 6:19 pm
Love this dance with words as birds flying through the air. Wonderful image. As a word person buried in paper, the image was more than realistic. I really must get all of these pages into folders soon, or one day someone will open the door and start a paper tornado, oh my. Like what you have accomplished and thanks again for mentioning the discussion.
Elizabeth
http://soulsmusic.wordpress.com/
Traci B
04/07/2011 at 6:39 pm
Beautiful poem! A picture of the installation would have completed the artistry, but that’s okay; I’ll Google it for the full effect.
margo roby
04/07/2011 at 6:43 pm
Thanks, Traci. And I didn’t think of adding a picture. I must really be on vacation.
margo roby
04/07/2011 at 6:41 pm
I think all of us who are paper people have a similar image, Elizabeth, one which we shove into a corner, lol.
I’m going to keep mentioning the discussion. You are a nice lady to keep thanking me. I promise I’ll take it as read.
margo
Mary
04/07/2011 at 9:49 pm
A wonderfully crafted wordle, Margo. I salute you!
margo roby
04/07/2011 at 10:39 pm
Thank you, Mary!
Daydreamertoo
05/07/2011 at 6:35 pm
Very clever how you weaved the ancient pictographs into the story using all the wrodle words too. Vivid imagery and it flows so well too! Thansk for visiting me and the lovely comment.
Daydreamertoo
05/07/2011 at 6:36 pm
LOL That sould read *Thanks! Got wordle round the wrong way too. (How can you tell I’m tired) *Rolls eyes.
margo roby
05/07/2011 at 6:45 pm
Thank you! You gave me a laugh when I needed one, daydreamer. I have my mother’s once a month housecleaner vacuuming beside me and some guy out on the deck powerwashing. Him we weren’t expecting. My mother is hiding. Aieee! Besides, I rather like wrodle
I enjoyed the visit. Keep wordling with us and I’ll be back.
margo
nan
06/07/2011 at 9:30 pm
Would never know this was crafted from a Wordle. This poem created the installment – and the image of the birds taking flight – in my mind.
margo roby
06/07/2011 at 10:11 pm
Serendipity is a wonderful thing, Nan. I read the article on the installation Saturday night and knew I wanted to write a poem and then there appeared the wordle. Thank you for the compliment.
margo
Mike Patrick
09/07/2011 at 12:37 am
You turned this into a woncerful piece. While I expect to learn something about poetry from your posts, I wasn’t expecting to learn about bird hieroglyphs.
I usually try to use all the wordle words in their given forms just to add to the degree of difficuly; however, sometimes they won’t fit. The different verb tenses and the word ‘floss’ caused me three total rewrites . . . and I still had to change a couple of the verb tenses.
margo roby
09/07/2011 at 12:48 am
Thank you, Mike. I almost, left floss out. I was getting so frustrated. I threw myself under the bus early as far as being pure with word forms. I have been so drilled in the poem is the most important thing. On the other hand, was that a gauntlet I heard drop? I believe it was. Three rewrites, huh? Okay.
margo
anjum wasim dar
09/07/2011 at 3:53 pm
shrill siren sounds
creating panic, hurtling pedestrians
aside, birds frightened burst out
of trees, hordes flying reaching
out in emptiness,
whose limbs were crushed
whose breath was weak
whose life was fading
whose heart was failing
another death in the van
another body in the sand
all cleared soon, the mortal
coil flecked and flossed
The race lost, blood stained
sheets rolled up and tossed
clearing the space ,for freshly pained
shrill siren sounds
margo roby
09/07/2011 at 7:26 pm
I like this one very much, Anjum.
anjum wasim dar
10/07/2011 at 9:26 am
Im happy that my teacher an excellent writer of poetry’ has liked what I managed to trace on paper.Its all your guidance motivation and appreciation-Thank you so much and also for the ‘Altering Perspective prompt-I see that it is a great Writers Block breaker.
jhon baker
17/07/2011 at 3:34 pm
I really like this poem, how it reaches out and pulls in for a unifying experience.
margo roby
17/07/2011 at 3:54 pm
Thanks so much, Jhon.