I recall being super impressed with Molly Hogan's wordplay poem 'Splat.' Molly's poem placed this delightful onomatopoeic word under the microscope and revealed it in all its dimensions.
I promised myself I would try to write in the style of a poet I admire. After much rummaging about in word-land, I settled on the word 'twang.' It is a well known truism of writing- 'First we imitate, and then we innovate.' It is always best to write under the influence of those you admire.
So, here is T-w-a-n-g!
Twang
Twang,
I hear you-
What a word,
Word,
Word.
-Cousin of bang
Quieter, but you hang around,
-somewhat longer.
You, twang
Are a reverberating rebel.
I hear what you have to say,
A little nosy at times,
Constantly returning,
As sound,
To my ears.
You only stop,
When you are good and ready.
Twang, you are a musical soul,
It’s clear to me.
I hear you in plucked string and bows,
Guitars and violins,
You call out when cables break,
You hide in old couches and mattresses,
You, twang
Vibrate vigorously,
With temporary resonance,
And some degree of pleasantness.
-Twang-ang-ang ang!
Alan j Wright
It just happens to be Poetry Friday...
Our genial host this week is Cathy Mere at Merely Day By Day. Please visit Cathy to discover more poetry treasure.
"a reverberating rebel" - perfect. What a fun poem, Alan. Thanks for sharing it and for the inspiration. I'm trying to play more in my writing, so a wordplay poem or two just might be in order.
ReplyDeleteThank you, Rose. May the wordplay visit itself upon your words...
DeleteDelightful, Alan! I'll think of this when I sit down in an old couch! How clever you are in your follow up to "Splat."
ReplyDeleteJanice, your kind response is much appreciated.
DeleteI missed Molly's poem so both together make quite a terrific pair of events reverberating in our world, Alan. I love that "You hide in old couches and mattresses". Now wondering what word is next?
ReplyDeleteThe possibilities seem endless Linda, although onomatopoeic words do lend themselves quite deliciously to the task.
Delete"Write under the influence of those you admire." <--- This!
ReplyDeleteYou have perfectly defined twang. Thanks for sharing your poem and its mentor.
I am constantly saying this to young writers, Cathy. We must allow our writing heroes to provide some scaffolding for our own writing attempts until such times as we can confidently strike out in our own direction. Glad you enjoyed the poem.
DeleteThis is wonderful Alan! Your poems always have such strong endings, and this one is no exception. I lvoe this:
ReplyDelete"With temporary resonance,
And some degree of pleasantness.
-Twang-ang-ang ang!"
Thanks Elisabeth. So pleased you enjoyed it. As for strong endings... I read once that a poet should endeavour to begin and end strongly. The aim is to leave the reader satisfied.
DeleteAlan... just the title made me laugh. Yes, this kind of poem is something to explore. amd you did it very
ReplyDeletewell. I especially love the hiding in old couches and mattresses, and the ang-ang-ang. Thanks for this!
Thanks Karen. Titles are important. As recently as this very week, I was imploring young writers to give due consideration to titles. Splat and Twang are so apt for these poems, I believe.
DeleteI love your reverberating rebel!
ReplyDeleteAh Ruth, I am a sucker for a bit of alliteration.
DeleteBesides the reverberating rebel, this line resonated with me: "I hear you in plucked string and bows,
ReplyDeleteGuitars and violins" . I played violin and remember the pizzicato.
Your experience is invaluable in understanding the poem, Jone. Thanks for your comments.
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ReplyDeleteAlan, twang it is and what a wonderful poem filled with alliteration and sound effects conjured in my mind.
When a reader visualizes your words, there is little more a poet needs. Thank you, Carol.
DeleteMolly provided a fabulous mentor poem, which inspired another just as good from you! Others have already praised all my favorite word choices and your masterful alliteration, so I'll focus on the way you used line breaks to mirror the up-and-down volume of a "twang-ang-ang-ang!" Applause!!
ReplyDeleteMolly's mentoring was a fabulous springboard, Mary Lee. No doubt about that. Thank you for noticing the line breaks, too.
DeleteBrava to Molly for the inspiration and bravo to you, Alan. Your poem is 'twang' good. :)
ReplyDeleteIndeed, Bridget. Molly's poem inspired my response. We all need a spark to light a flame, so 'Twang' owes much to 'Splat.'
DeleteWow, Alan! What a treat to find my poem on your page and to read your delightful "Twang!" Your word choice is spot on as always and your poem is a delightful, playful romp. Thanks for sharing! You've reminded me how much fun it is to write a poem like this...might be time for another one :)
ReplyDeleteSurprise Molly! So glad you discovered 'Twang'- a poem forever indebted to 'Splat.' You are quite right in saying these poems are fun to write. I enjoyed the process of getting to know 'Twang ' as a word and then structuring the poem. The search for a suitable word also made for discoveries. All up, a most enjoyable poetry pilgrimage. I have no doubt the gentle whispers of other words are rising. You can hear them- 'Pick me, pick me! Thank you for the spark...
DeleteDelightful, Alan! You have absolutely captured that slippery sound of t-w-a-n-g-e. I love how it hangs around for you to hear what it has to say. So true. All I can do now is hear the accents of my friends from the USA southern states...they all have a drawl but it can also be described as twang. Bravo!
ReplyDeleteThank you, Linda. Twang and drawl are synonymous with certain accents in both our countries. So glad you liked my exploration of 'Twang.'
Delete