Happy Poetry Friday, and Happy Thanksgiving! Welcome, everyone! (Wondering what Poetry Friday is? Click here.)
Well, last weekend was NCTE! And I’m barely upright right now with mop-up and Thanksgiving, so I’ll share more about that next week. Meanwhile, this month our poetry group wrote eavesdropping/overheard poems a la Susan Thomsen’s Street Poems.
Mine is just a half-hearted attempt, I’m afraid. I didn’t even know this was this month’s challenge while I was in Denver. So these are recreations of lines, but not exact lines, probably. And I was not observing carefully like I should’ve been. So, I feel like there was a lot of cheating going on in my draft! But, some months, that’s how it is.
Even though this is rough and a cheat, it was fun to scrawl down snippets I remembered and just play with them, rearranging for rhythm and mood, but not really for any logic or sense. I can’t wait to see everyone else’s!
Sara
Tricia
Kelly
Click here to see all our previous Poetry Princesses collaborations.
Buffy Silverman’s got the Roundup — be there or be square! And happy Thanksgiving to all!
20 Responses
Te he, I love this, Laura, especially seeing that blue bear! I own a tiny one! And I love the repeating “Would you like to read this book?”, just perfect knowing you were at NCTE!
I was sad you couldn’t make it to the Thursday dinner–would’ve loved to have seen you, Linda!
Ha! Fabulous and so like a trip to Denver. I don’t care if you feel a bit of cheat going on here…“which way to the mountains” cracks me up. Well done! Happy Thanksgiving…fingers crossed that mop up is not too hard on you.
Big smiles…the blue bear was definitely eavesdropping! And yes, I would like to read this book. xo
Laura, This is a wonderful capture of the frantic feeling of NCTE and the questions that keep coming up: “Which way are the mountains?” Jeff and I used the Mountain View to navigate while we walked in Denver (20,000 steps on Monday!). It was great to see everyone and your session on mentor texts has inspired me.
I did not see mountains in the distance until I was in an Uber on the way back to the airport to fly home! I hated that. Love that you got to explore Denver, and, yes, wasn’t the mentor text session awesome. I loved hearing everyone’s uses/ideas…
I think your poem is fun and like the repeating lines too! It goes with the frenzy and craziness of all, thanks Laura! Love Colorado too, I lived out in the mountains for a year many 🌓 ago…
Yes, my answer to your poem is absolutely Yes! I would love to “read this book” about any and all things that were mentioned in your poem, especially “Why that bear is blue?” Thanks so much!!!
I love the mood, Laura — zip and overwhelm and excitement and exhaustion. It’s fun to know that we humans have all that in common!
Well now I’m wondering what dazbog is! But I feel the dazed swirling around the speaker.
It’s a coffee shop/cafe. A Russian name that means life-giver or god-giver. Pretty much the only place to grab a bite in the Convention Center, which is lame!
Yesss! Perfect. And not cheating, of course! My first poem like this was inspired by someone who hopped on a crosstown bus and asked, “How do I get downtown?” (She would have needed to be on a bus that ran downtown, not back and forth from east to west, but people told her where to transfer.)
I loved your repetition, Susan, and totally stole that from you :>) You’re such a wonderful provider of mentor texts!
HI Laura, Belated Happy Thanksgiving! “Which way are the mountains?” Love how you repeat this line. It gives the poem a forward energy of someone trying to get somewhere. Hope NCTE was fun. Cathy
For a half-hearted attempt, I was with you on each line. And the ending…great turn.
Hello Laura, Affirming that I would luv to read your overheard lines [even some fluffed — not cheating to fluff up- up in a book! I’ve driven into Colorado so I’ve never had the Denver airport “missing mtns.’ puzzlement, but I obviously missed that intriguing giant Ursus, out on my trail ride. The energy of the NCTE busy goodness shines here. Rest up, in December, please, if you can, take good care of Laura.
So many of your lines/questions made me smile with recognition — been there, heard that! I’m so sad I missed seeing you!
Sheesh, was security on the way to someone’s room!? Why do I miss all the exciting bits??? I think this is such a fun way to remember a trip — although, what WAS Dazbog? Was it the coffee, or the Slavic deity??
So many questions…
You created such a conference vibe here, Laura! I can feel the energy, the confusion, the book bonding… fun!
But, like Tanita, I’m worried for whoever needed security! 🙂
OMG, I so feel the face peeling off — and I was only there ever so briefly! (I can’t believe I didn’t get to see you!!) This reads really well out loud, Laura, which I think is a good sign, that it echos oral cadence and conversation. I love it!