Join at any time Rod. You can go back even and fill the rest. I've opened the paywall so all the May challenge song titles are free and available. You've been busy so no worries! Feel free to join at any point.
Write in the language you feel comfortable then. Would love to see another language. Besides, poetry sometimes is fairly cryptic and some of titles allow for many interpretations.
I agree with @Writer Pilgrim and Chris. Voices and words are beautiful in other languages. I'd love to read your native language verse/prose here. Have read a couple of your posts and I think they are stunning. My Portuguese isn't great, but I speak Spanish, so I can quite easily grasp the ideas, and I was immediately captured.
I'm just saying George Michael did a few songs in Portuguese and they were sounding great to me. You don't always need to get everything, we're not signing a contract! :)
I like how you captured the importance and the feeling of smoking for smokers. I could relate even if I don't smoke. Very vivid poetry, rich in imagery Gloria! Thank you!
So today I did Velvet Underground - but then got carried away and did ones for Lou Reed, John Cale, and Nico as well. So this is like a Velvet Underground deluxe package!!!! :-)
Aw thanks so much Fotini - means a whole bunch! And in all seriousness, I do have some vague plans for these poems - but first, four letters to go! :-)
That's definitely a good idea to do something with them. We should probably all do that. Some of the work here is so fantastic, it deserves to be seen more widely... 😎
An experience weekend, taking place at a grand mansion overlooking THE OCEAN. Not one of those NEW AGE Escape Rooms, but a proper 'whodunit', where you had to solve THE MURDER MYSTERY.
We were going to be like 'Charlie's Angels'. CAROLINE, LOUISE and I.
"WE'RE GONNA HAVE A REAL GOOD TIME TOGETHER", we said, as we set off, determined to use it as a chance to rebuild the closeness we'd had in college, before life got in the way.
When we arrived, the little gardener was already laying on the lawn, by a rose bush, in a pool of blood that matched the flowers. It all looked very realistic, and we started imagining he had been killed by some FEMME FATALE, as we went off eagerly looking for clues.
But suddenly, we heard sirens, and people were running from the house waving their arms and screaming.
This wasn't part of the game.
They said it was probably a large COYOTE that did it.
Also, if you enjoy short Fiction like this, I've just put a new one up on my page. It's a fun little gangster story called 'The Informant'. I'd really appreciate a few extra reads... 😎
Thanks! This was a really fun one to work on. Because I just took the song 'The Murder Mystery', and went with it as a Prompt. Glad you enjoyed it... 😎
Story Police! Haha. To be fair, there have been some documented fatalities involving children, and very occasional attacks on adults. In the same way there's been attacks by dogs, which are a simliar size, that have also caused fatalities. Animals can be unpredictable, and you do get the odd one or two that go rogue. But yes, I guess they did say it was 'probably' a coyote, so maybe it wasn't. Maybe something else more sinister occurred... 😎
Haha! I may have to revisit this one more and expand it. It does seem to be an ideal set up for something longer and there's definitely some interesting possibilties there I hadn't thought of... 😎
Yes, that part is a bit problematic, but the song title they had was 'Coyote' so I had to go with it! Haha. There have been a few documented fatalities involving coyotes, but they were children. So that's why I made the gardener small and the coyote large, so it at least 'could' potentially happen. But yes, a bit of poetic license there, for sure. Glad you enjoyed it, though... 😎
I think you’ve given yourself a way to continue the story. I don’t see a problem with this. The investigator caught them out red handed, lying! Whodunnit then? Or poetic license. See what takes your fancy. I had no idea about the Coyote specifics.
Yes! It was story they tried to concoct, as a sort of spur of the moment thing to cover up what really happened. Now you're talking. That's very exciting and a lovely interpretation... 😎
Nice - I had completely forgotten about Vic Chestnut! Great work with the titles here. Love this phrase: When the bottom fell out / We hovered with short wings! Stunning. :-)
May 22·edited May 22Liked by Writer Pilgrim by So Elite
For V day went off on a language wander this morning after the chat here.
There's a translation in the comments, but I think it's lovely to see/read/hear other words, even in languages we don't fully understand, and just let them wash over us.
So Duane Toops mentioned Van Morrison on a comment thread and I couldn't help myself, so ended up writing a second set for "V" around Van's tunes. Cheeky I know! Haha.
Dammm - this is exquisite! Not sure if it was written in the field of tanka - but it would go down a treat in any of the English-language tanka journals!
I'm gonna steal your line! Seen them live, interviewed them and got their CD! Hahahahaha I was thinking of doing them but thought I'd better do another band. Wasn't expecting anyone to bring them up and so glad you did!
They were young, intelligent and it was a small gig. I haven't heard of them after the first 2 albums. They were cool kids really! I didn't get to know them that well.
Yes, it's a style choice really. And it's correct with or without. It can just make things look nicer or create a beat, if you feel one is needed. That's how I use commas. Oxford or otherwise. But then, I break the rules all the time! Haha... 😎
Verve
Catching the butterfly
The rolling people
Slide away
Blue
All in the mind
Beautiful mind
Already there
One day
Gravity grave
Rather be
On your own
So it goes
The sun, the sea
Life’s an ocean
Bittersweet symphony
"Don't sound like no sonnet" but I love it!!!
It’s great when a song’s line gives you the answer too! Thank you Fotini!
:)
Love the way it wraps up - stellar final lines!
Thank you!
Always a pleasure. :-)
That last verse sits beautifully just by itself.
Thank you! I had them in stanzas but as you see lines are lumped together!
That is a great ending, for sure... 😎
Aw thank you Chris. It was between that or So it goes. But I chose Bittersweet symphony.
This is excellent! I’v missed reading and writing these!
Join at any time Rod. You can go back even and fill the rest. I've opened the paywall so all the May challenge song titles are free and available. You've been busy so no worries! Feel free to join at any point.
Great!
Hum
Just saw it now
You can join in the remaining letters, and you can also go back and do the previous ones. Up to you! Look forward to reading your piece.
I’m a quite shy person 😇
I’ll go back and check it
Thank you
Made to be a poet then!
😊🫡
Interesting
Plus hard to focus in English
I’ll do my best to make some
That's okay. This is a really friendly and supportive group. You're very welcome to put something here if you'd like to. We'd love to read it... 😎
Write in the language you feel comfortable then. Would love to see another language. Besides, poetry sometimes is fairly cryptic and some of titles allow for many interpretations.
I agree with @Writer Pilgrim and Chris. Voices and words are beautiful in other languages. I'd love to read your native language verse/prose here. Have read a couple of your posts and I think they are stunning. My Portuguese isn't great, but I speak Spanish, so I can quite easily grasp the ideas, and I was immediately captured.
I'm just saying George Michael did a few songs in Portuguese and they were sounding great to me. You don't always need to get everything, we're not signing a contract! :)
Inspired by Van Halen's "Runnin' with the Devil"
_______
In the twilight's glimmer, she danced with grace,
"Runnin' with the Devil" in her husky embrace.
Smoke spiraled from her lips, a captivating sight,
Tendrils curling, fingers stretching through the night.
•
Her ember eyes held stories of whiskey dreams,
Wild youth untamed, forever on sin's seams.
Age wore like a badge, a testament to time,
Each line a tribute to the years she made prime.
•
In the smoky haze, her gravel voice enticed,
Leading to forbidden fruit, a path so spiced.
Time lost its edge, only the night's song remained,
Her laughter, a flame under my skin, unrestrained.
•
A storm in silk, she kissed like revelation,
Each cigarette smoked, a last sermon's oration.
I, a mere shadow in her incandescent light,
Lingered on every word, as if it were divine rite.
•
Now, apart and years gone, her mischief echoes still,
A record stuck on the best part, a haunting thrill.
Did the Devil catch her, or is he, like me,
Still caught in the chase, forever wild and free?
Just wonderful. Really vivid descriptions and a great story... 😎
I like how you captured the importance and the feeling of smoking for smokers. I could relate even if I don't smoke. Very vivid poetry, rich in imagery Gloria! Thank you!
Thanks!
Always wild, Gloria!!!
Thank you.
So today I did Velvet Underground - but then got carried away and did ones for Lou Reed, John Cale, and Nico as well. So this is like a Velvet Underground deluxe package!!!! :-)
.
.
-: Sun Song: For the Velvet Underground :-
.
Ocean
Who loves the sun
.
Run run run—
Ride into the sun!
.
Wordless:
I'll be your mirror.
.
.
-: Songs Without Words I: For John Cale :-
.
Days of steam,
.
Face to the sky
The philosopher
Dying on the vine—
.
The academy in peril,
.
Big white cloud
You know more than I know.
.
.
-: Songs Without Words II: For John Cale :-
.
Song of the valley
Story of blood,
.
The endless plain of fortune
Sets me free—
.
Laughing in my sleep
There will be no river.
.
.
-: Sad Song: For Lou Reed :-
.
How do you think it feels?
Banging
On my drum,
.
All through the night—
.
High in the city,
The bells
Wait.
.
.
-: Winter Song: For Nico :-
.
Evening of light
My heart is empty—
.
Somewhere
There's
A feather
.
Facing the wind.
.
.
.
Proper pagination: https://substack.com/@publicdomainpoets/note/c-56977269 <3
Haha! I did them, too. Great choice... 😎
Great minds! Haha.
Where do I get the box set?
😂
Seriously now, every song "you composed" is great, Dick.
Aw thanks so much Fotini - means a whole bunch! And in all seriousness, I do have some vague plans for these poems - but first, four letters to go! :-)
That's definitely a good idea to do something with them. We should probably all do that. Some of the work here is so fantastic, it deserves to be seen more widely... 😎
Definitely, agree 100%! Hopefully once the month is over, we'll start seeing them resurface.
Agreed!
THE VELVET UNDERGROUND
It was meant to be a fun trip.
An experience weekend, taking place at a grand mansion overlooking THE OCEAN. Not one of those NEW AGE Escape Rooms, but a proper 'whodunit', where you had to solve THE MURDER MYSTERY.
We were going to be like 'Charlie's Angels'. CAROLINE, LOUISE and I.
"WE'RE GONNA HAVE A REAL GOOD TIME TOGETHER", we said, as we set off, determined to use it as a chance to rebuild the closeness we'd had in college, before life got in the way.
When we arrived, the little gardener was already laying on the lawn, by a rose bush, in a pool of blood that matched the flowers. It all looked very realistic, and we started imagining he had been killed by some FEMME FATALE, as we went off eagerly looking for clues.
But suddenly, we heard sirens, and people were running from the house waving their arms and screaming.
This wasn't part of the game.
They said it was probably a large COYOTE that did it.
And it was still on the loose... 😎
Also, if you enjoy short Fiction like this, I've just put a new one up on my page. It's a fun little gangster story called 'The Informant'. I'd really appreciate a few extra reads... 😎
I love the way you twist things at the end, Chris!
Thanks! I do love a twist, if I can squeeze one in somewhere. I'm glad you enjoyed it... 😎
Brilliant… scary and velvet underground in a new light! Thanks Chris!
Thanks! This was a really fun one to work on. Because I just took the song 'The Murder Mystery', and went with it as a Prompt. Glad you enjoyed it... 😎
The nerd in me wants to point out that coyotes don't attack people - please don't attack the nerd... she knows the meaning of "poetic licence" :)
This is great, Chris!!!
Hahahahahhahaha the story police! Good point. Chris you know what this means. Part two to rectify!
Story Police! Haha. To be fair, there have been some documented fatalities involving children, and very occasional attacks on adults. In the same way there's been attacks by dogs, which are a simliar size, that have also caused fatalities. Animals can be unpredictable, and you do get the odd one or two that go rogue. But yes, I guess they did say it was 'probably' a coyote, so maybe it wasn't. Maybe something else more sinister occurred... 😎
Will we find out?
Haha! I may have to revisit this one more and expand it. It does seem to be an ideal set up for something longer and there's definitely some interesting possibilties there I hadn't thought of... 😎
Yes, that part is a bit problematic, but the song title they had was 'Coyote' so I had to go with it! Haha. There have been a few documented fatalities involving coyotes, but they were children. So that's why I made the gardener small and the coyote large, so it at least 'could' potentially happen. But yes, a bit of poetic license there, for sure. Glad you enjoyed it, though... 😎
I think you’ve given yourself a way to continue the story. I don’t see a problem with this. The investigator caught them out red handed, lying! Whodunnit then? Or poetic license. See what takes your fancy. I had no idea about the Coyote specifics.
Yes! It was story they tried to concoct, as a sort of spur of the moment thing to cover up what really happened. Now you're talking. That's very exciting and a lovely interpretation... 😎
Poor pool guy :(
Yeah, poor guy. He was just trying to do an honest day's work... 😎
Also, you might enjoy my new fun gangster story I just put up on my page. An extra view would be much appreciated! 😎 https://chrisjfranklin.substack.com/p/the-informant
Vic Chesnutt
--------------
Sad Peter Pan
Naughty fatalist
Flirted with you all my life
-
When the bottom fell out
We hovered with short wings
-
Come into my world
Teddy bear
-
Everything I say
To be with you
Free of hope
Very nice! He's another one I will have to look up and find out more about... 😎
Thanks, Chris! He’s great. A sad life, though, full of pain.
Yes, I was just reading about that. Another one who died young. What a shame... 😎
Nice - I had completely forgotten about Vic Chestnut! Great work with the titles here. Love this phrase: When the bottom fell out / We hovered with short wings! Stunning. :-)
Thanks, Dick. The pairing just clicked. I've revisited him myself with this challenge. He shouldn't be forgotten!
Teddy bear and Peter Pan and the saddest of the poems today. Very powerful man of aran.
Fitting for his life, thanks, Writer!
A sad poem for a lost boy, how fitting. This is great, man!
Thank you, Fotini! So glad you like it.
For V day went off on a language wander this morning after the chat here.
There's a translation in the comments, but I think it's lovely to see/read/hear other words, even in languages we don't fully understand, and just let them wash over us.
https://substack.com/@darimw/note/c-56992608?utm_source=notes-share-action&r=3ly0ua
So Duane Toops mentioned Van Morrison on a comment thread and I couldn't help myself, so ended up writing a second set for "V" around Van's tunes. Cheeky I know! Haha.
.
-: Songs For Van Morrison :-
.
I. Autumn Song
.
Here comes the night
Rolling hills,
.
When that sun goes down
Fire in its belly,
Hungry for your love——
.
I will be there
Down by the riverside.
.
.
II. Only A Song
.
Look beyond the hill,
.
In the forest
A redwood tree
Born to sing——
.
Every time I see a river
The prophet speaks:
.
“Dweller of the threshold,
Share your love
With me.”
.
.
III. Dusk Prayer
.
In the garden
Across the bridge where
Angels dwell,
.
In search of grace
Behind the ritual——
.
More and more
Evening shadows.
.
.
IV. Healing Song
.
Keep me singing,
.
And the healing
Has begun——
.
Let it rhyme:
.
Till we get
The healing done.
.
.
V. Hymns to the Silence
.
If we wait for mountains
In the evening
When the sun goes down,
.
Nothing——
.
So quiet in here
It fills you up.
.
.
.
<3
You're outpouring today, Dick, way to go!!!
Hehe - thaaaanks! Looking forward to tomorrow. :-)
Yes, blame Duane for these creativity bursts! Lovely tribute for Van the man!
😂 Yeah - damn you Duane! Stop being so inspiring.
No stopping you today. I attempted Van The Man but he was too much for me to take on.
Riiiiight? He has so many songs - took me quite a while to sift through all the albums.
Beautiful. Love Van Morrison. 'Astral Weeks', what a masterpiece. 'Beside You' is just stunning. Very few people can write like that... 😎
Yeah he had a golden moment there, which lasted quite a few years!
Vintage Trouble
.
Another Man’s Words
.
Before the tear drops
The love that once lingered
Still and always will
Run like the river
From my arms
.
.
World’s Gonna Have to Take a Turn Around, the last song on this video requires the raising of the volume and of course some accompanying clap hand!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xxIlHda_oV0
"Run ... from my arms" what gorgeous lines you put together. Great song you linked us up with. Here comes trouble. Beautiful! Thank you Fotini.
And now I can't stop humming it...
Succinct and poetic. Don't know this band, but will check em out.
Dammm - this is exquisite! Not sure if it was written in the field of tanka - but it would go down a treat in any of the English-language tanka journals!
Oh, what a compliment! Thank you, Dick!
VAMPIRE WEEKEND
.
Punctuation Infatuation
.
Oxford comma stranger
Unbearable white hope
We belong together
https://youtu.be/W_WWx_ndVUA?feature=shared
I'm gonna steal your line! Seen them live, interviewed them and got their CD! Hahahahaha I was thinking of doing them but thought I'd better do another band. Wasn't expecting anyone to bring them up and so glad you did!
No way! so cool that you got to interview them. Are they complete stoners? I haven't seen them live. You win today, haha.
They were young, intelligent and it was a small gig. I haven't heard of them after the first 2 albums. They were cool kids really! I didn't get to know them that well.
Ahh, that's a very interesting one. This one was great, fantastic, and excellent. Yay! Oxford comma... 😎
What's more romantic than a comma and the blank space potential that follows. Not even sure if I use them correctly.
Yes, it's a style choice really. And it's correct with or without. It can just make things look nicer or create a beat, if you feel one is needed. That's how I use commas. Oxford or otherwise. But then, I break the rules all the time! Haha... 😎
Love this, Treasa!
Mine are getting shorter the closer we're getting to the finish line!
You're still here, aren't you?
Yep, I'm stubborn like that :)
Good for you and for us :)
You're perfecting your skill Treasa! Why use so many words when you can say what you need in a few lines?
NEW YORK, NEW YORK
These small town blues
are making me stay
I can't be a part of it
can't get a start on it
New York New York
Welcome Richard and thank you for your contribution!
Van Morrison
---
Sweet thing,
moondance,
these dreams of you
when that evening sun goes down
come running
into the mystic
hymns to the silence,
the eternal Kansas City
brand new day,
crazy love,
and it stoned me
hungry for your love —
I wanna roo you,
Natalia.