Endpoint
Approximately nowhere
No Earthly Estate
November
nearing the end point
of the year, pointless really
feeling approximately nowhere now
your cold body knows no earthly
estate and dust is blown to oblivion
this November
South from Granada
Two women dancing
I can’t stay long
Heat and dust blow South.
From Granada, the fiestas
are on fire and two women
dancing together mesmerise.
I can’t stay – though your guitar
touches such longings
Endpoint ~ John Updike
Approximately Nowhere ~ Michael Hofmann
No Earthly Estate ~ Tom Stack
November ~ Sean O’Brien
South from Granada ~ Gerald Brenan
Two Women Dancing ~ Elizabeth Bartlett
I can’t Stay Long ~ Laurie Lee
Björn ask us to search amongst our book spine titles for some Found Poetry - with and without elaboration. I chose two as the prompt was so enjoyable.
I like how you worked with those titles … it really works once you add the words in between. I think I like the first poem the most.
the titles make good prompts especially when the Muse is in isolation
I like the way you laid out your poems, Laura, and added to the titles to make them flow so well, with meaning. I like the play on ‘’endpoint’ and ‘pointless’, and the lines:
‘your cold body knows no earthly
estate and dust is blown to oblivion
this November’
made me shiver.
Then you blasted me with heat from Granada and the lines:
‘I can’t stay though your guitar
touches such longings’.
thanks for all your feedback Kim – funny how these two came together as opposites- they evolved that way and that gave them some unison
I like the description of the fiestas being on fire. And dust blown to oblivion.
many thanks Frank
You really rocked the prompt, by letting the titles unleash wonderful wordplay. I may have to try it that way the next time we do found poetry.
Thanks for your appreciation – unleash is a good word for what ‘found poetry’ does
Two atmospheric renderings, one chilled and one toasty. Excellent!
Two sides of the same! Thank you
🙂
2 great poems from the titles. Loved the take on November. (Though it’s looking good now, isn’t it?)
thank you – and yes it is looking brighter weather wise at least though not as hot as Granada!
They are both brilliant. You really have a wonderful way with words.
what a lovely thing to say Jude – thank you
This is a beautiful and amazing tapestry of book titles. The second one is my favorite.
Tapestry of titles – nice line – thanks Grace
kaykuala
dust is blown to oblivion
this November
Beautifully created Laura! The above may be prophetic of the November US Presidential Elections!
Hank
Thanks Hank – I had in mind a very personal event but poems are for the reader’s interpretation!
and this April too…(K)
ah. both poems are magical.
Many thanks ❤
I like the layout. You’ve cleverly chosen titles that have a haiku feel to them, and the fleshed out poem is tremendous, tinged with longing.
Thanks for some great feedback Sarah and for noticing the haikuesness!
You ran with this. I can hardly see you from the dust you kicked up! Loved the short versions and the reworkings equally.
Ha ha – very witty and most fitting – thank you
I love your original take on this, and the double bonanza your wordplay reveals!
Thank you Victoria – the title combos took the most time though shorter – much easier to elaborate
Great poetry based on the titles!!
I appreciate your appreciation!
Oh, Laura, how creatively you’ve weaved those titles into beautiful poems! xoxo
Thank you for your encouragement Marina x
Oh… just saying in my simple way that what you do, always blooms in the heart, my heart and I’m grateful for that! xoxo
wow – I’m uplifted!
“blooms in/for the heart,” – I think something along these lines for the title of my next poetry collection – thank you for the inspiration too then
Oh… I can’t wait!!!! 🙂 xo
I really like the way you laid out the titles to the left and the poems to the right. That is something I want to try. Beautifully done.
The whole first poem really resonated with me, especially this line, “feeling approximately nowhere now.”
thanks Ali – I thought it best to do the initial ‘found poetry’ so that I would not stray too far with the elaborations
I am a person who loves to see the process of things. Therefore, I appreciated your presentation.
Well….I loved them both but especially the second, “I can’t stay- though your guitar touches such longings” touched me!
I was surprised at how well they reflected each other though there was mo intention – thank you for choosing
I like how you used the titles as a base for your own words/thoughts. I particularly love this phrase: “though your guitar
touches such longings”
the basis is strictly the ‘found poetry’ which gives the springboard for some elaboration – thank you Robin for being touched!
Very nicely done!
❤
Not being a poet, the only thing I can say is WOW, I really love this!
thank you – you have so many other talents
What an interesting challenge.
indeed – at first it seemed too difficult as my library is so small – I tend now to borrow rather than buy books other than non-fiction and poetry of course!