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Not Even the Poem

By L.L. Barkat 6 Comments

This week was terrific fun playing with words. On Facebook, a few of us managed to speak in R’s until we were quite tickled (and at least I was laughing; if not everyone else :)). We started out with rogue, and it snowballed (degenerated? generated?) from there. Here’s a little barely-a-poem to commemorate the festivities…

Rogue.

Renaissance Rogue?
No, my friend,
more like Restoration Rogue,
a scandal if there ever was one.
That’s what happens when
you mix your R’s, go renegade.

Rogue. Resistance. Restoration. Renaissance. Rebel. Rascal. Racketeer. Rabble-rouser. Rowdy ruffian.

Why not relish the words,
like a recluse, eating riffraff
on a Monday afternoon
(and most likely up to no good)

Viva la revolucion
I say, wishing I could wag my tail
like someone’s pet Rottweiler

Ah, but the tail’s gone,
I notice. Crazy world of
R’s.

Roger that. Even if
it isn’t vogue.

— taken from the fun words of Karen Swallow Prior, Kathleen Overby, Jessica Kistler McGuire and Deborah Henry. Goodness, not even the poem is immune to rebel activity.


Now. Back to the serious matter of today’s feature. I loved this simple poem from Maureen based on Marcus’s Barbies Wordle…

Black eyes like stone
cool everything,

make night burn empty
even around poetry.



That’s it. Poetry is a fine receptacle, for everything from the fun-loving to the contemplative. Thanks to all our Random Acts of Poetry participants…

Violet’s Mourning Music
Sandra’s Poems in Waiting and More Poems in Waiting
Maureen’s Black Eyes Like Stone
Karin’s Poems Hiding in Plain Sight and More Poems Hiding
Karen’s There Isn’t a Story

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L.L. Barkat
L.L. Barkat
L.L. Barkat is the Managing Editor of Tweetspeak Poetry and the author of six books for grown-ups and four for children, including the popular Rumors of Water: Thoughts on Creativity & Writing. She has also served as a writer for The Huffington Post blog and is a freelance writer for Edutopia. Her poetry has appeared on NPR and at VQR and The Best American Poetry. Connect with her on LinkedIn.
L.L. Barkat
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Filed Under: random acts of poetry

About L.L. Barkat

L.L. Barkat is the Managing Editor of Tweetspeak Poetry and the author of six books for grown-ups and four for children, including the popular Rumors of Water: Thoughts on Creativity & Writing. She has also served as a writer for The Huffington Post blog and is a freelance writer for Edutopia. Her poetry has appeared on NPR and at VQR and The Best American Poetry. Connect with her on LinkedIn.

Comments

  1. HisFireFly says

    May 27, 2011 at 2:23 pm

    Late afternoon Wednesday I added more poems here at http://hisfirefly.blogspot.com/2011/05/more-poems-hiding.html

    Reply
  2. Maureen Doallas says

    May 27, 2011 at 2:59 pm

    Thank you for highlighting my tiny offering. A lovely surprise.

    Reply
  3. L. L. Barkat says

    May 27, 2011 at 4:32 pm

    Maureen, I am particularly a sucker for good poems about poetry 🙂

    Reply
  4. Karenee says

    May 27, 2011 at 5:45 pm

    I always enjoy RAP. This is a fascinating approach to words, which I think would be helpful with writer’s block, too. Thanks!

    Reply
  5. Maureen Doallas says

    May 27, 2011 at 5:57 pm

    I got inspired by those rolling Rs; to wit:

    Remiss

    1

    What rogue is he
    that could resist

    his restoration
    by such lips as rouse

    a rascal from too restless sleep?
    What raw-boned rebel

    would renounce
    such ravishing

    by light of rueful moon
    that roves the midnight sky,

    the stars a rave in progress?

    2

    You, recanting renegade,
    do you recall

    your rant so rash,
    the risk you ran,

    red-necked and redolent
    of her sweet breath

    upon your ruddy brow?

    3

    Remiss you were, sir;
    and she, denying you

    redress, remarks again
    upon your reckless rippling

    roundabout the roadhouse.
    And so reduced are you

    through such rebuke
    as reasonable wife

    might render rubbish
    and a rube.

    Reply
  6. L. L. Barkat says

    May 27, 2011 at 6:33 pm

    Karen, yes! Here’s to more unblocked writers 🙂

    Maureen, these are delightful. What a marvelous treat for a Friday afternoon.

    Reply

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