"Seven bums and fourteen legs,
a brazen ecstasy which begs
the question some of us are asking -
is Peter Goulding multi-tasking?"

Martin Parker, Editor, Lighten Up Online

Sunday, July 3, 2011

Beware of the flowers Poetry Jam

This week's jam stirrer is the pentagenarian Kat from Kanada and she's set us a delicious confiture to spread on our croissants. "Use your imagination and write about flowers that are used for ill-will, or a funeral, or that conjure up sad memories, or are ragged and dirty and war-torn.
I don’t want anything pretty … or flowery"

Okay, as the legendary John Otway once wrote, beware of the flowers cos I'm sure they're gonna get you, yeah...

Deadly nightshade – plans for the money

Pale deadly nightshade, aroma so sweet –
ironic she said they looked good enough to eat,
but I’ve plans for the money
and spending’s the way I will grieve.

Bland deadly nightshade, ground to a powder,
the mystery’s how it got into her chowder,
but I’ve plans for the money
and spending’s the way I will grieve.

Swift deadly nightshade, atropa belladonna –
several convulsions and she was a goner
but I’ve plans for the money
and spending’s the way I will grieve.

Sad deadly nightshade, unearthed and cremated.
Forensics found nothing to get them fixated
but I’ve plans for the money
and spending’s the way I will grieve.

Bright deadly nightshade, strewn on her coffin,
the cheapest old box I could see my wife off in
but I’ve plans for the money
and spending’s the way I will grieve.

Flat deadly nightshade, pressed into my Bible –
I’ve sued several national papers for libel
and I’ve plans for the money
and spending’s the way I will grieve.

Damned deadly nightshade, the perfume still lingers,
no matter how thoroughly I scrub my fingers
but I’ve plans for the money
and spending’s the way I will grieve.

Cruel deadly nightshade, growing on her grave –
is that any way for a corpse to behave?
But I’ve plans for the money
and spending’s the way I will grieve.




12 comments:

  1. Interesting in showing a killer's mind and thoughts.

    Great imagery at the end "growing on her grave"... guilt! Or not as he has "plans for the money".

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  2. My first choice for darkside flowers, too. I like the way those repetitions work. Fun to be in the villain's head now and then.

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  3. Really interesting, the first two lines are lighter but the refrain darkens it with every verse, and that repetition increases the effect. Disturbing.

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  4. I won't be visiting you for dinner! Great poem!

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  5. Very effective, the repeat... Like a guilty conscience

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  6. Somehow I knew you would sink your teeth into this one!
    Love this rhyme especially:

    Bright deadly nightshade, strewn on her coffin,
    the cheapest old box I could see my wife off in

    Funny and nasty at the same time! Great job!

    ... Miss Sexy New Haircut

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  7. We have these very flowers growing on our fence. I do believe I'll be paying VERY close attention the next time Dr. M cooks!

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  8. ha that's deadly :D Literally, actually...but yes. Nice!

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  9. Very MacBeth, scrubbing those fingers! It's always a pleasure watching you in my mind's eye building a poem and snatching at rhymes like this:
    "Swift deadly nightshade, atropa belladonna –
    several convulsions and she was a goner"
    I enjoyed saying the whole thing out loud.

    Thanks, on a different note, for your comment about my poem ending on the word "hilarious." That's exactly the helpful kind of thing that tells me whether I've hit my mark with the reader or not. This public poetry posting stuff isn't just for fun...I want to learn, too, what impacts people. Titus's comment about your structure, for instance, resonates with me too.

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  10. Thanks very much everyone for the kind words.
    Chris, Titus is a much better poet than I am. I react to what I like. Titus knows what constitutes a good poem!
    Besides, you're pretty hot yourself, missus!

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  11. Absolutely incredible! Dark as dark can get I think.

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