Friday, March 7, 2008

A new poetry form to play with

I took note of an announcement at McSweeney's:

McSweeney's Quarterly Concern is seeking poetry submissions of two very specific kinds: senryu and pantoums. For details, click here.
The senryu are a kind of poem (it seems to me) that may arrive fully formed in the mind, and require open-ness to the possibility of having one eventually. So, not something to dash off in a haze of hunger and fatigue. I still haven't written any, and might not ever.

The pantoum is a very delicious form. It appeals - rhythmic, repetitious, reminds me of the old IVOST series. It is like candy. This candy, particularly. I wrote two and submitted them to McS, but their particular use of the word "unpublished" suggests I not post them. I will say that one of them was slightly passive aggressive. Here is an inferior one I wrote in a spasm of anxiety about which pills I had taken in what order. What order? Doctor's order.

Everything turned out ok, no vomit, but there was a thunderstorm at 3 am and Bettie came and jumped on my bed trembling and panting and wouldn't lie down. I was a little shorter with her than I would have liked. The cat couldn't have cared less; he is such a steadying influence.

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