SWF is seeking...
Did that catch your attention?
Sorry for the deception. No, the Word Nerd isn't looking for a date. She's looking for a poem. Maybe one of the brilliant, erudite, illustrious readers of this blog (hey, flattery never hurts, right?) can help her find it.
In 1991, I took a creative writing class. The instructor introduced us to a wide variety of reading materials. All in all, it was a life-altering experience; I'll probably post about it at some point. At any rate, one of the reading assignments was a poem about dandelions. If I remember correctly, no one knew who had written it. The basic "schtick" of the poem was that it sounded like it was about war; you didn't realize that it was really talking about dandelions until the end. It compared the onslaught of dandelions to invading batallions and described the seed puffs as smoke and parachutes. Stylistically, it reminded me of e.e. cummings; the line breaks were attention-grabbing and the poet used a lot of onomatopoeia.
Does this sound familiar to anyone? Seriously, I'm dying over here...
Sorry for the deception. No, the Word Nerd isn't looking for a date. She's looking for a poem. Maybe one of the brilliant, erudite, illustrious readers of this blog (hey, flattery never hurts, right?) can help her find it.
In 1991, I took a creative writing class. The instructor introduced us to a wide variety of reading materials. All in all, it was a life-altering experience; I'll probably post about it at some point. At any rate, one of the reading assignments was a poem about dandelions. If I remember correctly, no one knew who had written it. The basic "schtick" of the poem was that it sounded like it was about war; you didn't realize that it was really talking about dandelions until the end. It compared the onslaught of dandelions to invading batallions and described the seed puffs as smoke and parachutes. Stylistically, it reminded me of e.e. cummings; the line breaks were attention-grabbing and the poet used a lot of onomatopoeia.
Does this sound familiar to anyone? Seriously, I'm dying over here...
brought to you by Memphis Word Nerd at 3:31 pm
10 Comments:
Yes, but I don't know why it sounds familiar. Just bloghopping on blog explosion for other word lovers. Me: I cruise the thesaurus to pick up words for an intercourse of language."
Your poem may be Dandelions by Deborah Austin.
This is not the same poem, I'm sure. But Writer's Almanac has a poem called "Dandelions" featured today. Coincidence?
According to what I found, the loft lady has it--Deorah Austin.
It sounds good - if you do find it, be sure to share!
Emily Dickenson? its one of my favs, yet Im a dude, go figure...
enjoy
Your Riches - taught me - Poverty.
Myself - a Millionaire
In little Wealths, as Girls could boast
Till broad as Buenos Ayre -
You drifted your Dominions -
A Different Peru -
And I esteemed All Poverty
For Life's Estate with you -
Of Mines, I little know - myself -
But the names, of Gems -
The Colors of the Commonest -
And scarce of Diadems -
So much, that did I meet the Queen -
Her Glory I should know -
But this, must be a different Wealth -
To miss it - beggars so -
I'm sure 'tis India - all Day -
To those who look on You -
Without a stint - without a blame,
Might I - but be the Jew -
I'm sure it is Golconda -
Beyond my power to deem -
To have a smile for Mine - each Day,
How better, than a Gem!
At least, it solaces to know
That there exists - a Gold -
Altho' I prove it, just in time
Its distance - to behold -
Its far - far Treasure to surmise -
And estimate the Pearl -
That slipped my simple fingers through -
While just a Girl at School.
I just had to do a timed writing on that poem. By Deborah Austin right? Well anyways I thought I was insane when I was the only one in class who thought it was actually about Dandelions. I didn't notice the parachute thing though. Thank you for proving my sanity!
Dandelions - Deborah Austin
under cover of night and rain
the troops took over.
waking to total war in beleaguered houses
over breakfast we faced the batteries
marshaled by wall and stone, deployed
with a master strategy no one had suspected
and now all
firing
pow
all day, all yesterday
and all today
the barrage continued
deafening sight.
reeling now, eyes ringing from noise, from walking
gingerly over the mined lawns
exploded at every second
rocked back by the starshellfire
concussion of gold on green
brining battle-fatigue
pow by lionface firefur pow by
goldburst shellshock pow by
whoosh splat splinteryellow pow by
pow by pow
tomorrow smoke drifts up
from the wrecked battalions,
all the ammunition, firegold fury, gone.
smoke
drifts
thistle-blown
over the war-zone, only
here and there, in the shade by the
peartree
pow in the crack by the
curbstone pow and back of the
ashcan, lonely
guerrilla snipers, hoarding
their fire shrewdly
never
pow
surrender
thanks for asking the question. I read that poem back in the late nineties and just loved it. actually tore it out f the book i had bought from the thrift store and kept it to share with others. then a few years ago i went in to find it, probably had some girl over and wanted to share, but alas it was gone. oh how i searched and searched, really tore everying apart. nothing. and so life went on, got distracted with life and work and my seaside cabin life no power no water no phone. well things change you grow up and well, now i at least have a laptop and a phone line, so when last week i got together with a friend with whom i have been starting to gather weekly to work on our writing, sharing poetry and our own self appointed assignments, i decided to google 'dadelions poem' and came across your blog. with the poem. ahhhh, how refreshing to read that again posted by one of the atendees if you can call them that(i am so not familiar with this internet thing-is there a name for it?). anyway, i am glad it touched you too. thanks again, randy
Hey, the poem you're talking about has been said like, twice, but i'm just reassuring them. its Dandelions by Deborah Austin. we're having to annotate and interp. it in my English class. i like this one, 'tis good, but Deborah Austin is your lady. -Kimberly
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