Brett Foster’s poem ’70s Rock Show as Parable creates its own lyric, using rock song titles. Try it?
Choose a Rock song title from our playlist. Or choose your own favorite rock title or lyric, and put it in a poem here in the comment box.
Thanks to last week’s poetry prompt participants! Here’s a sample we enjoyed, from Richard Maxon:
SRV in the Parking Lot At the Quick Stop
No traffic,
light coming up
with the radio—
Lenny’s here, really here.
Do you cry
when you play her,
where the fret moves into the music box
I dance inside,
sometimes I risk it driving—
bow my head and shake
where the clear notes sound tenor up the neck,
bass in a tin can like a kick
oh my!
Margarine for my sweetheart, butter me—
whiskey’s too early, but those cigarettes
sleep in my heart like a snare vibrating
in the red rising sky like it’s all I’ve got left.
Here now, people come and go,
Lenny loud low, lingering me in the parking lot—
I can’t leave you like this radio,
staring into the space behind the world,
fingers walking like these vagabond birds—
not for sweet love or even neat coffee.
—Richard Maxson
Photo by Fernando Garcio Redondo. Creative Commons, via Flickr.
Sometimes we feature your poems in Every Day Poems, with your permission of course. Thanks for writing with us!
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Maureen Doallas says
The Day the World Went Away
he fell Into the Void
with 1,000,000 other Dead Souls.
Running from Sin in the Echoplex
was no longer The Perfect Drug.
All The Good Soldier could show
for his efforts were Hesitation Marks
and that personal All Time Low
in Discipline and Survivalism.
The Eater of Dreams Came Back Haunted
by the Black Noise of Nine Inch Nails
in his Head Like a Hole. His could have been
the Hand That Feeds each Wish
but when Every Day Is Exactly the Same,
you Burn, he said, and it is the Hurt
that splits your heart In Two, denies each
half its Various Methods of Escape.
_______________________
I used song titles from the group Nine Inch Nails. The group’s new album is out in September.
L. L. Barkat says
very cool, Maureen. Are you a fan? Or you just happen to know their new album is coming out 🙂
I especially liked…
“the black noise of nine inch nails”
and the end part about the hurt splitting the heart in two, denying each half its various methods of escape.
Maureen Doallas says
I saw an item about the new album and went to the group’s Sound Cloud page.
Re-reading, I see I could have ended with “that splits your heart In Two”.
L. L. Barkat says
Share their link? 🙂
You could have ended there, yes, though I liked the desperation of the “no escape” that came as a result of the isolation/split.
Richard Maxson says
Maureen, I’m not a NIN fan, but I like how your poem works. I like your idea of ending at “that splits your heart In Two.” Structurally, the poem of couplets would begin and end with a single line.
davis says
I’m not familiar with the songs. Though you made a very cool poem from them.
Donna says
Wow… I love this line in here Maureen… it’s haunting. “All The Good Soldier could show
for his efforts were Hesitation Marks”.
Richard Maxson says
Seth, thanks for the acknowledgement.
L. L. Barkat says
you’re welcome 🙂 (I’m the one who scooped it up, since Seth is on break.) Loved the poem!
davis says
Titles and lyrics…rock on.
I like Richards poetic lines today.
Marcy Terwilliger says
Maureen, I think we are seeing perhaps a darker side of you coming out in this poem. All of us have one you know? What got my attention was “The eater of dreams came back haunted.” It all seems so wicked but then I see your raven black hair and think, why not?
Plus, I’m happy today, trapped and relocated five raccoons. Fox hunt next, prizes everyone.
Maureen Doallas says
Marcy,
I wonder if L.L. is smiling at reading your comment. She once mentioned seeing that “dark side” in my poems.
I suppose I should update my image. I’ve gone a bit grey.
Donna says
Well, you see I have these fish who have been wanting to star in a poem for the longest time. Today they finally have gotten their lucky BREAK (inspired by “When the Levee Breaks”). Please visit my blog to catch their act. I can’t bring myself to just post the words here… it’s just not fun without the fish.
Don’t Fight the Flow: http://thebrightersideblog.blogspot.com/2013/07/dont-fight-flow.html
Donna says
(LOL I might have done it “wrong” because I only used one song title, but with rock and roll if it’s wrong it’s right … and besides. I’ve got fish for back up… 😉 )
davis says
i posted it… but, here is is, so you don’t need to go to my blog just to read it. revival, as in cc. ♡ nance
revival
let me remember things i love
walking along the river road at night
see how good the water tastes
when you can’t have any at all
it will rain a sunny day
then who will take
the salt from the earth
till forever on it goes
shinin’ down like water
shinin’ down like water
Marcy Terwilliger says
Maureen, I was so impressed by what you did with the song titles that I wanted to give it a go myself, nothing can compare to you though.
When we dance, it’s scared love.
Whenever I say your name, be still my beating heart.
All this time if I ever lose my faith in you, just send your love.
We’ll be together, just forget about the future. For Inside the book of my life, Fields of Gold.
If you love somebody, set them free but
They dance alone so Fragile.
It’s about a Stolen car, This War Inside of Me, Send Your Love.
I’m never coming home, Like a Dead Man’s Rope but while I’m in this Fortress Around Your Heart, Why should I Cry For You?
STING “Scared Love” and STING “Fields of Gold.”