So this slice is found poetry. “Found” in the sense that I’m completely swiping Ruth Metcalfe’s idea because she “found” a poem in her iPod today. Then she told me about it and sent me a text and it sounded so fun I decided to try it too. Since her excitement was inspiration, I thought I should follow her rules too:
- Look through your collection of song titles in your iPod.
- Using complete titles “find” a poem.
I have an eclectic collection of songs and love that I “found” a poem including titles from Pearl Jam, Carmen, Cracker, Emilie Mover, Pink Floyd, Jerry Lee Lewis, Mercy Me, Nickelback and more.
Slice of Life Story Challenge
The Trial.
The Mission.
I put a spell on you;
I started a joke.
Still, come as you are
Step of faith
Why go?
Nostalgia
Little things
Photograph
Ordinary day
My story
Time and time again,
I can only imagine.
Great balls of fire —
We are the champions!
When I told Andy what I was doing, he said, “I can do that!” and pulled out his iPod. I’m shocked that my husband is writing poetry. His high school English teacher would keel over if she knew. We often tease that Andy marrying an English Teacher (even worse, one who became a writing coach) is the joke of the century. Here is his. My apologies, in advance.
“Do I have to have a title,” he says.
“I guess not, but I’m adding my commentary. This is an awful, sad poem.”
He looks indignant. “It’s poetry, isn’t that what it’s supposed to be?”
Alive
The happiest days of our lives
Celebration
Laughing out loud
At the heart of it all
Nothing else matters.
Awww, he’s so sweet. “Okay, hand it over so I can add it to my post.”
“Just wait, there’s more.”
Wow, he even wrote more than one stanza.
Let’s go for a ride
Couldn’t know
The bridge
From out of nowhere
The river
Reach down
Something in the way
No such luck
Don’t leave me now
Slipping away
Surprise you’re dead.
“Na-uh, you didn’t just write that.”
Evil laugh, “I had to have ‘Surprise you’re dead’ in it. Where else could I go?”
“Not there, people are going to think you are disturbed,” I said.
“Just wait, there’s more.”
The morning after
Don’t believe
Empty spaces
I can’t stand it
Hurt
Missing you
Everything’s ruined
Nobody home
My empty room
Self-destruction
Crushing me
Falling to pieces
Through the fire and flames
“I can’t post this on my blog.”
“Why not?”
“It’s sad and horrible and people are going to think you are a sad and horrible guy.”
“No they’re not. I’m helping them be better teachers. They have to know what guys would do with this kind of thing. Plus it’s poetry, Ruth, what did you expect? Hearts and flowers?”
Maybe. I look at him with what I thought was a disgusted look. He smiled. “Come on,” he said, “They’ll know I’m just trying to rattle your cage. Besides you have to hear the ending. It’s hopeful.”
Times of trouble
Still waters run deep
Release
Breaking the silence
The show must go on
Back on the road again
Is there anybody out there?
Hopeful? I stare at him.
“I think it’s good to end with a question, don’t you?”
I stare some more.
“I think you should teach that. End with a question. It’s good.”
“It’s not good, it’s awful and sad and I can’t post it.”
He laughs, knowing he’s pushed my buttons, “Of course it’s sad, I told you it’s poetry. Poetry is supposed to evoke emotions and sadness is a very strong one. I wish I would have thought to do this in high school. You don’t have to think of the words, you just put them together like a puzzle. I wonder if I would get in trouble for plagiarism.”
I stare. He smiles.
Surely he’s not proud of himself. I attempt to look disgusted.
He laughs. “Come on, I’m funny. What did you expect if I wrote poetry.”
“I don’t know, maybe something sweet, happy, loving. You know, warm and fuzzy.”
He laughs more. Pats my leg. Clearly pleased with himself. “Then it wouldn’t be funny,” he says.
“What’s funny about that poem?”
“The look on your face,” he says, kisses me on the forehead, and laughs some more.
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Great idea. I’m going to have to try this but first I’ll need to download some songs to my ITunes. Seriously, though, I’ve done something similar when I’ve asked kids to grab a line from a previous piece of writing and to continue writing from there. I think this idea is more appealing. Have to figure out how to do this with grade 2’s.
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Love the dialogue. How funny. I’m going to read this to Wes when he gets home. He’ll like it.
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What a moment…my husband would have done something similar. I love how you broke his poem apart and added commentary…a perfect touch. Will there be more poetry to come from your husband? You may have just inspired him. 😉
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Excellent dialogue! I enjoyed both found poems, but the dialogue was priceless.
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AWESOME! I will have to try this! Glad your husband is getting into this too!
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Loved the post. Especially the dialogue made me LOL. I think it is a great hook. My collection of music is still on the CDs, but I could do book titles. Hmm
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This dialogue was great! Just like being there in your living room. I can just see you two. Thank you for the picture and I absolutely loved both of your poems. How very clever and ingenius. March has been a great month–each slice was so delicious. It whet my appetite. Thank you, Ruth (and family).
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I love this! Your son sounds much like mine full of orneriness and love for his momma! I’m going to post this as a challenge on facebook. It’ll fun to see what my kids and friends come up with.
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For Ruth–love the dialog punctuating your reading of the poem. Genius! Wish I had written it.
For Andy–actually, I do like your poem. Now, I’m not a middle/high school English teacher, but ending with a question seems ok to me. I also have to say that poetry that goes too far into heart and flowers isn’t my thing, but with your poetry, I guess we don’t have to worry about that. 🙂 Kudos on taking an idea and running with it. Awesome!
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I enjoyed “hearing” the banter between you two over the subject of poetry, happy, sad, the curveballs that is the poet’s turn at the end of poem.
Great dialogue–fun found poems.
Great month–thanks for another one!
E.
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Ruth, What a great post. Love the dialogue throughout and the description of Andy. I will definitely try this out with titles from my list. ~Theresa
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Maybe it will lead to Poetry from two voices. Love the idea. Surprised you had Pink Floyd on her Ipod. 🙂
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You even got Andy involved!! All I hear Steve say, “It’s not my thing.” Try!!!!!!!!!!!!! Good job, Andy!!! Who knows where this will lead!!
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I am totally laughing out loud, but I have to admit it is not without a pang of guilt because I know I am laughing at your pain. However, in my defense, I think I am really laughing because I can identify with your position. The way you described every look you gave your husband and the way you revealed his poem in chunks was perrrfect! The Other Ruth had a great idea and you two took it and ran with it. Sadly, right off of a bridge in one case, but ran with it nonetheless. End with a question? Is he serious?
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I like Andy’s poem 🙂 But I like even more the dialoge between you as he writes it. It is great to see the fun and gentle teasing as you go back and forth. You can tell Andy that my husband thought his poem was clever.
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I just read Ruth’s too. What a terrific idea. And your husband made it work very well, to his advantage really. I loved the way you wrote your post through the lens of the conversation. Fun to read & imagine the laughter!
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What a great idea! I’ve seen it done with book titles, but not song titles! This is so cool! I’ll have to try it one of my poems! Thanks for the idea! Happy Slicing! :o) I’m going to miss this!
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I love this idea! Thank you for sharing with us. I will definitely tell my students about it.
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Love it! And I love that Andy is doing one–can’t wait to read it. 🙂
I’m thinking this would be an awesome way to hook middle and high school kids at the start of poetry month, so I emailed an 8th grade English teacher friend.
The cool thing for me is looking across the titles and seeing ones that just seemed to belong together. My next question is what sort of crazy playlist it would be to create playlists by poem….cause even though certain titles work together for a poem, I’m wondering if somehow, someway the songs might. Or not. Hmmm… great writing analysis project, right?
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This is a great idea!! Mine would be very short since I don’t have many songs on my iPod, but perhaps my students would jump at an invitation like this! 🙂
Thanks for sharing!
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