lined up, empty
dead soldiers haunt
translucent, trusty
glassy glares taunt
uncorked and spent
idle essence
vessel lament
boozy defense
front line fanatics
such promise
always democratic
more hit than miss
*I completely and totally support our troops. This poem is about empty wine bottles, which I've always called 'dead soldiers.'
another single
without pleases or thank yous
just pour the liquor
this amber drink is
imperative. My mind is
looking for comfort
whiskey peace is like
nothing i have ever known
just sip and you'll see
motherfucker, please,
your advice is exhausting
let me drink alone
*You may think that this poem is an example of a haiku, but it is actually a senyrus. "Senyrus" loosely translates as a 'comic haiku.' Whereas haiku are usually about nature and its physical aspects, senyru (plural: senyrus) is still a form of Japanese poetry that uses the syllabic 5-7-5 as a format--but without the haiku requirement of being thought provoking imagery. Dig? Mmmmkay.
Hello, Bloggers. I may have told some of you that I had been accepted into the Amazon Shorts program. Amazon Shorts is an innovative new program for readers to access exclusive short fiction and nonfiction from both today's bestselling authors and tomorrow's future literary stars. For only $0.49, you can download a story of about 2,000-10,000 words from a large and always growing library of writers. Downloads are available in HTML, PDF or plain text format and are always saved in your media library for future use. In addition, you can print out Amazon Shorts for future reading at your leisure. As of 1:00 p.m yesterday, my "short" is LIVE!
My short is entitled Flirtations and Booze. It is a collection of approximately 30 previously unpublished poems. The poetry contained in my short is not available on any of my blogs, nor will you find it in my book, lavish lines/luscious lies. (I will tell you that there are three 'Sin' poems included in the download) If you do decide to purchase my short, please write a review for me. The more reviews I have, the more exposure Flirtations and Booze will receive. As always, I appreciate your support and encouragement. Thank you for being the best readers ever!!!
Anyway, in other news, I took a selfish little trip by myself this past weekend. I thought you may enjoy this footage from the flight... (An Adventure in Drinking, indeed)
our nexus--
symbiotic
confidence--
quixotic
dissolves what's--
neurotic
turquoise blue--
aquatic
cocktail asylum--
antibiotic
swift sips--
chaotic
chat turns--
exotic
his promises--
hypnotic
*Has anyone indulged in this liqueur? Hypnotiq is a blend of vodka, fruit juices and cognac, for God's sake. It sounds like a bad hangover waiting to happen, but it was actually pretty decent. Truth be told, it was incredible and my night was even better.
Visit Hypnotic Online
my vice
terse
and concise
excruciating
paradise
brilliant
on ice
once
twice
does not
suffice
at what
price
this glorious
slice
decadent
a sacrifice
hints of spice
my ache
precise
ignoring
all advice
to desist
no dice
leave me to
my own device
Once again, Darlings, Blogger will not let me post this poem the way I want to. Please click here to see the poem the way it is meant to be read.
"Living well is the best revenge" ~George Herbert, English clergyman & metaphysical poet (1593 - 1633)
"I rhyme to see myself, to set the darkness echoing."~Seamus Heaney, Nobel Laureate--1995
she tolerates
the syndicate
they celebrate
bubbles dissipate
thinking complicates
infiltrates
seems to isolate
rather than liberate
bombshell detonates
indifference devastates
she has no duplicate
or alternate
fake friends speculate
as she decorates
should they imitate
or implicate?
this girl captivates
absolutely fascinates
detachment dominates
her reality separate
This poem is an example of sonic repetition which is not really a poetic form--it is more of a device, I suppose. Basically, sonic repetition is the repetition of sounds in a poem. So, in the above poem, 'ate' would be the repeated sound. I have written several poems using this device. It's one of my favorites because I can rhyme without apology.
bright yellow
homemade
limoncello
crayon colored
leaves me mellow
greeting me:
h e l l o
my memories
of long ago
drinking with him
incognito
have some
limoncello
he offered
turning up the radio
kissing me
listening to zydeco
we studied each other
drinking limoncello
Happy Sunday, Everyone. God, I so love limoncello!!! For all the ladies out there, I suggest drinking limoncello with an Italian man at least once in your life!!!
Hey, Everyone!!!
I thought you might like to see your favorite Girly Girl on the evening news!!! I was interviewed by Jake Miller at WGEM, which is our local NBC affiliate. We had a great time talking about poetry.
Have a great day!
vague
a blurry photograph
unrecognizable
i live
with lies
bewitching
bottles speak
sussurations
murmurs hum
with actual answers
wine tells
me
the truth
i need
to hear
Watching the sun rise
whiskey before breakfast
time hurries clockwise
yesterday is past
tomorrow--still distant
will these seconds last?
Adamant
these whiskey thoughts
they frighten and enchant
at daybreak, caught
between love and lust
indecision bought
Sweeping up stardust
dreaming of moonshine
in whiskey I trust
this moment is mine
This poem is an example of a terza rima which is an open stanzaic form with interlocking cross-rhyming. The middle line of each stanza forms the outer rhymes of the next stanza. (For example, the rhyme scheme would be aba, bcb, cdc, etc.) When the writer comes to the end of the poem, a fourth line is added to the last stanza to use up the rhyme that would have otherwise gone to the next. This form was used by Dante in his Inferno. My previous terza rima post is entitled 'History.'
I was having a great evening flexing my Saadia muscles. I found a new Chardonnay by Mad Housewife Cellars which was/is perfect for a late summer evening. Before I knew it, though, the bottle was empty...
I was a little surprised that the wine disappeared so quickly. Maybe I spilled a little or something. Anyway, when I went to open another bottle--I could not find my corkscrew. I could not find anything that could be used to open a bottle of wine. I tore my kitchen apart. I am almost 100 % sure that my husband hid all of my wine-opening tools and for that...he is in big, big trouble.
snorts of whisky
vodka rocks
scotch neat
naughty knocks
bottles of wine
a generous pour
tequila shots
i open the door
potent liqueur
drives me to drunkville
an enabling chauffeur
journey--downhill
tiny sips
felt in my fingertips
hips
limitation unzips
black licorice bitch
scratches my itch
flips my switch
recollections rich
affectation drowns
in this liquid escape
easily downed
my lush landscape
Frank inspires
adult activities
words that wink
at grown up proclivities
blue eyed encounters
need dry martinis
long legs, fascination
absent boundaries
verboten
these Frank festivities
music that encourages
my taboo propensities
oblivion
such tender mercy
from this dull,
residential scenery
I rarely worry
about soft sensitivities
I'm more concerned
with making my own history
one drink
I think
fireworks
his wink
that smirk
I swink
a perk
this drink
let's twerk
in sync
beserk
my brink
these quirks
excite ink
nice work
I think
another drink
I sink
friendly fingers want
to reach out and touch someone
better not answer
what my phone needs is
a built-in breathalyzer
one potent blow would
lock up my keypad
or power off my cell phone
all would sleep better
the breathalyzer
a defense mechanism
so, what's your number
my boozy banter
equal opportunity
annoyer, for sure
B i g y a w n
what's new
how are you
chit chat
fuck that
tequila shot
on the sly
can't get caught
you know why
copycat
plutocrats
bourgeois brew
get a clue
I a m g o n e
my courage is liquid
pour-able and wet
bravery that is fluid
makes me forget
insecurities
and hesitation
dry unease
these limitations
evaporate
with a double shot
my anxiety detonates
and I'm fearless. Somewhat.
Lil' Kim is vile--there is no doubt about it. For some reason, though--I've been enjoying her music tremendously for the past week or so. I've been in a strange mood. Possibly feeling a little vile myself...An explanation of this poetic form follows the poem.
written after being mixed in with Bacardi Dark (yuck)
she's been a lot of places
seen a lot of faces
the baddest chick
flip you quick
like money in the bank
loan you out
if you're not straight
comb you out
the junk in her trunk
not made for chumps
this Barbie, dressed in Bulgari
always tries to leave in someone's Ferrari
pop the cork
roll up the hash
we know what she's about
sex, drugs and cash
all wrong, all right
all good,not tragic
find her tonight
she'll show you maa-aagic
*Centos, according to Stephen Fry, are cannibalized verse, collage poems whose individual lines are made up of fragments of other poetry. Often each line will be from the same poet. In mine above, all the lines are culled from different songs by Lil' Kim. Centos are a revealing kind of poem--meant to be comical, but also providing a productive way of getting to know a particular poet's way with phrase and form.
Previous Cento Post:
Anne Sexton Cento
I have been tagged by Andrew the Asshole. The rules of this particular tag are: * Each player starts with eight random facts/habits about themselves. * People who are tagged need to write posts in their own blog about their eight things and post these rules. *
1. I can not resist a man with nice teeth
2. Chardonnay is my beverage of choice
3. I have a book of poetry coming out this summer
4. I'm getting my masters degree in education
5. My 3 year old likes to listen to Ludacris (and I let him)
6. I really don't like to leave my house
7. I am a voracious reader. I read several books at the same time.
8. I subscribe to Playboy Magazine.
Have a great day, Everyone!!!
Champagne pops
an explosion
bubbles non-stop
righteous erosion
This sparkling wine
loosens my locks
melts my spine
stops my clock
Other men shake his hand
as I'm poured another flute
the Dom has taken command
it's been a fevered pursuit
Lucky man, I think
as I unravel, unwind
inhibitions shrink
our night...defined
sing to the tune of 'Home on the Range'
Give me a poem
And the freedom to roam
Plus a bottle of good Chardonnay
Whatever you've heard
When I'm tipsy and slurred
Is because of some fine Chardonnay
No, no I'll never change
I so enjoy these white wine days
Whatever you've heard
When I'm tipsy and slurred
Is because of some fine Chardonnay
wine, wine, the most fabulous drink
the more you sip--the more you think
the more you think, the better you write
so pour some wine to keep words tight
*this rhyme was written because my oldest son, Noah, would not stop chanting 'beans, beans, the magical fruit/the more you eat, the more you toot/the more you toot, the better you feel/so, let's have beans with every meal!'
It's like this:
when I reminisce
the edge of the abyss
my memories—hard to dismiss
I remember what I was drinking
More than what I was thinking
Nights with Cristal, nights with Jack
Befriending Tom Collins and cognac
Flirting with princes and kingmakers
Street sweepers and heartbreakers
Forever finding solace in my drink
The missing link
Contentment can be poured
A smorgasbord
Of liquid selections
Drinkable perfection
A cocktail laboratory
My tipple territory
Fluid memory
Allegory
Je parle pour pécher
tous les jours
Il s'assied à ma table
pendant que je coupe les légumes
pour le dîner
Il boit mon vinet
mange ma nourriture
qu'Il est à l'aise dans ma maison
j'apprécie sa compagnie
Translation:
Sin
I talk to sin
every day
He sits at my table
while I chop vegetables for dinner
He drinks my wine
and eats my food
He is comfortable in my house
I enjoy his company
Obscenely expensive wine
Partake? I do, with pleasure
Unfair, really, that he has to work
So hard to provide these pretty bottles
Oblivious? I am, happily
Not concerned with the irony of
Enjoying this opulent buzz alone
*A poem or series of lines in which certain letters, usually the first in each line, form a name, motto, or message when read in sequence. For instance, the first letter of each line of this poem is highlighted. It reads 'Opus One.'
Sometimes, when I
shop
at this little boutique in
STL
on Clayton Road
They open a bottle of
wine
for me to
sip
while I try on frocks
and blue jeans
Everyone knows my
name
even the new girls
Sipping, I sashay
in
and
out
of the dressing room
The salesladies remember
the girl I
was:
devastating, aloof--and they
marvel
at my accessibility now
We talk about hemlines and
tummy tucks
the wine tastes
crisp
like I am drinking
money
Always overserved, dizziness undeserved
My empty glass forever observed
I refuse to take the blame
For my tipsy acclaim
Can my sobriety ever be preserved?
Good wine should be conserved
Inebriation reserved
Heavy handed waiters have no shame
Always overserved
Wine weilding traitors leave me unnerved
With twisted motives--curved
Contributing to my Chardonnay fame
Unfilled goblets call their name
Balance swerved
Always overserved
*A lyrical poem of French origin having between 13 and 15 lines with two rhymes throughout and with the first half of the first line repeated twice as a refrain. The rhyme scheme is typically aabba, aabR, aabbaR in a rondeau.
He offers me a can of lite beer
Unaware of the imports
That I hold dear
I suppose boys this young
Still drink beer from a can
My first sip stung
We talked about classes
Movies and hip hop
My second beer depresses
My reaction--surprising
Beer in a can used to be wonderful
The tinny taste appetizing
When did I stop liking
Beer in a can?
Adulthood changes everything
Extra olive juice
Makes the drink dirty
My excuse
For being extra flirty
A dirty martini
Simple and complicated
A bikini
Its appeal calculated
Shaken or stirred
Is irrelevant
Dirty is preferred
My experiment
A researcher charting
Cause and effect
Control and sobriety parting
The buzz perfect
How many sips
Does it take
For an eclipse
My shadow self wakes
Absinthe is illegal
In the United States
Restriction is banal
The green fairy great
That is my rationale
For the unreasonable mandate
I refuse to pay attention
To the rules of convention
*A green liqueur having a bitter anise or licorice flavor and a high alcohol content, prepared from absinthe and other herbs, and now prohibited in many countries because of its toxicity. Known to some as the 'green fairy.'
Note to reader: I have attempted to write the above verse in an open form of poetry called ottava rima. Ottava Rima is defined as a stanza of eight lines of verse with the rhyme scheme abababcc. Technically, to be a true example of the form, each line should be written in iambic pentameter.
Johnnie makes me mean
A bitchy queen
Vicious in public
An open flame licking gasoline
Speaking my mind
Unfortunately unkind
My words hurt
Delivered, sealed and signed
I like him straight
Cornering fate
Good behavior makes dull memories
Wicked times await
Scotch whiskey works quickly
Few would disagree
Johnnie does his job well
Setting drinkers free
He does not lie
No need to falsify
The truth lives in every bottle
To this, I testify
*Ruba'iyat or rubaiyat (Arabic: رباعیات) (a plural word derived from the root meaning 'four') means "quatrains" in the Persian language. Singular: ruba'i (rubai, ruba'ee, rubayi, rubayee). The rhyme scheme is AABA, i.e., lines 1, 2 and 4 rhyme.
This verse form was popularized in Edward FitzGerald's translation of the collection of Persian verses known as the Rubaiyat of Omar Khayyam. In fact, Rubaiyat is a common shorthand name for this collection.
Dark as a starless night
Just as unexpected
A pint of Guinness is a delight
My muse and I--connected
Irish stout
Fantastic
No doubt
Drastic
The drink has bite
A rough lover
Don't fight
Discover
Guinness is freedom
Release
From who I've become
Peace
Note to reader: This poem was originally supposed to be a 'sestina', which is a six stanza, unrhymed form used by troubadours and made popular by the German poets in the 17th century. Anyway...I fucked it up. This is not a sestina. I'm not really sure what it is.
Stirring my bloody mary
With a thick stalk
Of celery
I make breakfast for my family
Muffins and eggs
My diet forsaken
My oldest son demands bacon
Asking for a sip of my bloody mary
My youngest holds on to my leg
My husband and I talk
Resolutions expressed shyly
Pretty lies our commentary
Our guarantees
Awaken
Frozen dreams, chilly
Our life on this prairie
Solid as rock
Different as nutmeg
Why renege?
With an existence so very
Secure...a rock
I sprinkle some cayenne
In my bloody mary
I need some more vodka really
My drink makes me silly
I nibble on eggs
Sip my disappearing mary
A new years query
Leaves me taken
Too much double talk
I'd like to take a walk
Our whole family
It's too cold--godforsaken
My baby still holds onto my leg
Suburban scenery
This moment legendary
