Day #88 in Orvieto

May 21, 2013 – Tuesday

We had our second poetry class today. Last night our homework assignment was to write a paragraph about what the horse might be feeling in this certain painting. From that paragraph, we then had to count every seventh word and take those words (word 7, 14, 21, etc) and put them at the beginning and end of each line in a new poem. So pretty much we had to write a poem where the first and last word of each line are permanent and we can’t move them around. So it was a challenge to write them poem so that it makes sense (but it doesn’t really have to make too much sense – note all my CandyLand references), and make the poem from the horse’s point of view. I’m not sure if I want to share all of my poems on here… but I thought this was a fun exercise so here’s what I came up with for the assignment along with the painting that it comes from. It's pretty wacky.

“Forward,” he urges, while I retreat

and think, “why

certainly, I would like a snack!” For

an illogical lollipop makes me itch.

Forests have candy canes, or so they tell.

Going on a maiden-rescue mission – what?

Up, up, and away with

pair teams and being together –

women love giant lizards and

go silly for dinosaurs. And

once Princess Lolly leaves her castle (although,

big, it’s not the typical lean-to

or shack, as an unconventional princess might hope),

she’s here for good, I’d say, and her hat (why so golden?)

stays too. She,

if I’m correct, might want

barriers from you, Lord Licorice, that

fall after we leave. Oh, a treat? Don’t mind if I do.