Poetry exercise #2

[unapologetic]

I am currently reading The Complete Idiot's Guide to Writing Poetry by Nikki Moustaki, because reading books about how to do things is how I best relate to the universe. At the ends of chapters, she lists skill-building exercises. And, in the spirit of share-and-share-alike that we've got going here, I thought I'd share them periodically along with my noob-ish responses. Feel free to join in, to critique my responses, to hijack my threads, or to ignore me. I'll start new threads for each exercise, and include this explanation for each of them.

(Note: I wont be able to post them too regularly, but I'll try not to let too much time pass between.)

Exercise #2

"Write a poem using irony: Say the opposite of what you mean. For example, write a poem about a fisherman who is happy that he hasn't caught any fish."

 

[unapologetic]

My effort

I'm not too happy with what I wrote. I don't think I quite got it right, but here it is (without a title, because I haven't thought of one yet):

A paper-cut, please,
or a stubbed toe, or even
a humerus bump? What
I wouldn’t give for a migraine,
or a root canal, or appendicitis!
Any of this would be easier to bear,
(and preferable) to missing you.


(By the way, I'm glad people responded to the first exercise.)

 

[UnderYourSpell]

Isn't this rain beautiful?
Turning the paths to rivers
Washing out the gutters.
Even the flowers look
Fresher if a tad
Bowed down
From a drenching
On my wedding day.

 

[annaswirls]

I do think I might try this challenge. Thanks for putting them up!

Irony is a tricky device. I blame Alanis Morrisette, at least in part, for popularizing on the confusion of "what a bummer" or pure sarcasm as irony. I have to confess, I still have a difficult time with the fine lines.

Check out this article that starts with:

The final irony


'Isn't it ironic?' You hear it all the time - and, most of the time, actually no, it isn't. Hypocritical, cynical, lazy, coincidental, more likely. But what is irony and why did pundits think it would die two years ago, after September 11? Zoe Williams meticulously, sincerely, unironically, hunts it down...................

http://www.guardian.co.uk/weekend/story/0,3605,985375,00.html

After the intro it gets very political, and it is too late for me to get any kind of political but the beginning is very interesting, as was the info on Irony .

Isn't it Ironic that most of what Alanis has to say is not really irony at all? Is any of it really irony?

ALANIS MORISSETTE LYRICS

"Ironic"

An old man turned ninety-eight
He won the lottery and died the next day
It's a black fly in your Chardonnay
It's a death row pardon two minutes too late
And isn't it ironic... don't you think

It's like rain on your wedding day
It's a free ride when you've already paid
It's the good advice that you just didn't take
Who would've thought... it figures

Mr. Play It Safe was afraid to fly
He packed his suitcase and kissed his kids goodbye
He waited his whole damn life to take that flight
And as the plane crashed down he thought
"Well isn't this nice..."
And isn't it ironic... don't you think

It's like rain on your wedding day
It's a free ride when you've already paid
It's the good advice that you just didn't take
Who would've thought... it figures

Well life has a funny way of sneaking up on you
When you think everything's okay and everything's going right
And life has a funny way of helping you out when
You think everything's gone wrong and everything blows up
In your face

A traffic jam when you're already late
A no-smoking sign on your cigarette break
It's like ten thousand spoons when all you need is a knife
It's meeting the man of my dreams
And then meeting his beautiful wife
And isn't it ironic...don't you think
A little too ironic...and, yeah, I really do think...

It's like rain on your wedding day
It's a free ride when you've already paid
It's the good advice that you just didn't take
Who would've thought... it figures

Life has a funny way of sneaking up on you
Life has a funny, funny way of helping you out
Helping you out

 

[FifthFlower]

Prayer for Enemies

Oh, Lord, please bless my enemies
As flame burns off their souls today
To force their bodies to their knees.
Be gentle on them all, I pray.