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Saturday, January 22, 2011

The Poetry Bus stops here!

The theme at hand is something you like that other people don’t like. Or you’re afraid they don’t like it. Or you think they think you’re strange for liking it. Mine is below. Leave me a comment letting me know you're on board, and I'll put a list on the sidebar.
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Working late.
4:30
the workday is petering out
the 8 to 4 crowd has gone home, a second wave putting on their coats
the lingering 9 to 5's are wrapping up early, eager to be out the door on a Friday and on with their lives
But am I hurrying home to family?
I'm waiting for 5 too
for those golden hours of early evening
when the phones and the arguments and the questions
have fallen silent
and I can get something done at last.
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When I write a poem, it’s always all at once. I might think about it for a few days, just a ghost of an idea kicking around in the back of my mind, and I often take a note of the next P-bus assignment. Get it into the notebook. Get it into the brain differently, because writing uses a different bit than reading, because of the mechanical, drive-the-hand stage. Get those motor neurons involved. But when it comes to getting the poem onto paper or a screen, it’s always a one-shot thing. Perhaps minimal editing later, but I’m not a person to write a poem and then go back and work on it and change it around and delete half and add another chapter later. Not like an article or an essay at all.
There’s something about the mood of a poem. I can never get back to just that state of mind. If I start changing things in a new state of brain, it’ll all get changed, and there’s no point in that; it’s another poem.
So I wanted to drive the bus twice in a row in order to do something different.
For next week it's me again, and I would like poems built up over time. A couplet a day or however you want to do it, but I want the different attitudes of different days and lights and temperatures to be in there. No one-shot wonders. A collection of shots, okay. It’s more of a structure than a subject. If you’d like a subject too, write about time, change, or evolution.
Off we go!
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21 comments:

Helen said...

During my working years I thoroughly enjoyed those hours after everyone had vacated the building ... I could finally think and actually accomplish something ~ what happens when you're the head honcho!

I enjoyed reading your ticket to ride!!

shabby girl said...

Can't wait to see it! A compilation of sorts!
Love the NANCY graffiti btw!

nuts4fruits said...

I need silence like the air I breathe. Here is my ticket: Silent duality. This is a very interesting poetry prompt.

Rachel Fox said...

I'm off the Bus for now... too much else afoot. I have got a poem up today though... not sure it can fit the prompt but you can take it anyway if you like. You're the driver!
xx

Kat Mortensen said...

I like the fact that you're driving twice and there are two different approaches. I write very much the same way as you and do feel the moment of the mood is critical.

I'll be back when I've done it.

Kat

Zed said...

Hallo, can I jump on?
Zed -'justnotliketheothers.blogspot.com

Niamh B said...

This is definitely one you need to sneakily ensure your bosses get to see. Good for you to be able to enjoy hard work, shows you're doing something right.

Titus said...

Great prompts! I work best alone too. And cannot do anything at all until the children are not only in bed, but asleep.

Really looking forward to the build-a-poem one. My first one is going to decimate my follower numbers.

Enchanted Oak said...

I wonder what it means that we shoud have the same work habits.

Thank you for driving the Bus got two weeks running!

My ticket is posted: I hope nobody saw me

Titus said...

I done one!
Here:
http://titusthedog.blogspot.com/2011/01/genetic-bus-will-travel.html

Rachel Fox said...

Thanks for letting me on despite the dodgy ticket. I seem to be stuck to Socks though!
x

NanU said...

thanks, Rachel, should be fixed now. Hate the way Blogger adds lines just for fun, and I go delete the extras and that messes everything up.

Totalfeckineejit said...

I like yuor prompts NanU and the thinking behind them. I'm with you on the glory of the (built up) moment and I like your poem, I'm jealous that you have such a job, and that you can get so 'into' it. To varying degrees I've hated every job I've ever had. But I can empathise as I seek and crave the quiet solace of the early hours to drink and to write.

I'm late but I won't miss this bus!

Kat Mortensen said...

I can relate to your poem, NanU - I used to love those times when nobody was around in the office. In face, I would say to my husband, if they could just stick me in a room with a hole in the door and feed me the work, I'd be happy.

Here's my contribution to your challenge: http://hyggedigter.blogspot.com/2011/01/poetry-bus-what-i-like-and-you-dont.html

Helen said...

I'm on board ...

link_words

Lydia said...

I've missed weeks and weeks of rides, but am on board this week. Your prompt jogged my memory; thank you for that.

NanU said...

There are moments when I hate the job too, TFE, but I can't imagine living if I didn't love it most of the time.
This ticket is definitely in the category of Things I like but other people think I'm strange for liking. The techs all tell me so on their way out the door. They're fine doing their time, but one minute more - no way.

JustJules said...

Hello NanU!
I love reading people's unusual or simple likes. It's fascinating!
I remember that feeling of looking forward to the peace of working late and waiting for others to leave. It used to feel like taking a heavy coat off....
I'm on board this week, at www.acircleiscast.blogspot.com :D

Totalfeckineejit said...

IM on! I'm late! I'm sorry!

annell4 said...

I came, I got the prompt, I'm on. We'll see what happens. If I capture something good I'll be back. Thanks.

Anonymous said...

I always take my poetry books to my travels.
Now I'm staying in a hotel in Palermo with my family and we all enjoy reading all types of books.