Totally uninspired, I goggled at the six lists each containing five words, which the Imaginary Garden paraded for our delectation., to turn any or all into a poem. If you want to see the 30 words – worse than any wordle I’ve ever attempted, you must go here.
Oh well, if Lewis Carroll and Hilaire Belloc can write nonsense poems, who am I to decline to try. So here is some utter nonsense, which I’m ashamed to put before you.
Two clowns are chatting nervously on the sidewalk.
Psst! It’s a secret. Ask no questions.
In her innocent desire for knowledge
the simple girl prayed for enlightenment;
otherwise, she said, how will I know what not to say?
You’ve missed the point, he shot back.
The merciless opossums and scorpions
will not give you permission to tell.
They will assault you and clamp you
to the punishment projector with woven rope.
Stand on your dignity in this sweltering heat,
heat so hot it is tangible.
O please, please tell – I can keep a secret.
Oh very well then. I’ll whisper it.
When exploring the stuff
packed in the cab of the bulldozer,
I found the exact answer
to everything I ever wanted to know
Isn’t that enticing?
But what was the answer?
I’ve forgotten, he said.
And with that she started to chant
the bizarre hit from 1966:
“They’re coming to take you away Ha Ha
Ho Ho Hee Hee. They’re coming to take you away.”
Also linked at The Imaginary Garden with Real Toads
A definite Alice in Wonderland feel to this conversation. AI loved the abstactness and the quality of light in this one. Made me smile thinking about you wrestling with this one. Loved it.
Thank you, and it surely was a wrestle!
Viv, I love when you get the sillies! Hope I’m the same in coming years (I doubt it will be anything less than my present synapse strobe lights). The clown picture freaked me out (my “anti-Valentine” for Poetic Bloomings was about clowns). Random, fun, and refreshing. Love, Amy
http://sharplittlepencil.com/2013/02/12/lion-hearted-man-rip-marques-bovre/
Funny, crazy, and sad, too,just as clowns usually are.
It is your release of this poem that I enjoy the most, though I also like eaves-dropping on clowns and our imaginary clowns. Bravo!
I loved the way you included 1966′s men in little white coats! I loved that song. Hehehe! And the thought of making lists send me doolally every time!
Ok I am laughing like a loon, my dad used to chant that.. they’re’ coming to take me away ha ha hee hee, ha ha they’re coming to take me away! and he would caper about miming being put into a straight jacket and led out.. I believe we drove him to it! we were pretty awful as kids..
But that ditty sits in the back of my head always and is the most invigorating freeing thing in there.. because nothing matters anymore if they are already on their way to ‘come and take you away ha ha hee hee ha ha ‘ .. how are you viv, is your cold better? c
Laughing is good.
I haven’t had a cold – but a debilitating cough since the beginning of December as a side effect of a drug. I’m still coughing day and night, despite changing the medicine last Monday.
how miserable, well i suppose it will take a while to flush that drug right out.
Yes, Alice in Wonderland-like. I found this to be perfect
“I found the exact answer
to everything I ever wanted to know
Isn’t that enticing?
But what was the answer?
I’ve forgotten, he said.”
As far as prompts go, I think we make each our own. I rarely find any two alike – take this prompt for proof! I find they help me NOT get stuck doing the same old thing.
Well, quite funny! And very ambitious. I only used the words I felt like using! I really don’t like list poems, but you’ve been more than true to the prompt and managed to make a sort of DaDaesque poem!
I like this, Viv… mind you, I like nonsense (which I don’t actually think this IS, if that makes sense…)
Viv, I enjoyed this SO MUCH!!!!!! It is hilarious! One of my faves of yours. Seriously. And a great response to Being Overwhelmed By the Sheer Number of Prompts:)
It’s nice, I really like it Viv. I’ve been known to write about walking over the white pebbles of the sky so I would call it surrealistic! That’s what I call mine.
I like it, it was dark but not too dark, offbeat with a catchy ending.
I love you in snarky mode.
There is something existential about this poem. But for the life of me, I couldn’t tell you what it is.
Here’s some advice: stop being a slave to the prompts!
But it was fun.
I was a willing slave – having no ideas of my own!