OuliPost #3: Belle Absente or as I like to call it: I am absent.

This prompt threw me for a big loop. I am not sure it's entirely correct or done properly. Next time, I was use digital text rather than an actual newspaper. I am old-fashioned, what can I say. Also, I feel the poem lost meaning 4 words in. There's always next time. :)


WARM-UP #3: BEAUTIFUL OUTLAW (BELLE ABSENTE)
The outlaw in question is the name of the person (or subject) to whom the poem is addressed. Each line of the poem includes all the letters of the alphabet except for the letter appearing in the dedicated name at the position corresponding to that of the line: when writing a poem to Eva, the first line will contain all letters except E, the second all letters except V, and the third all letters except A.
Choose someone mentioned in your newspaper to whom to address your poem. Compose a beautiful outlaw poem following the procedure outlined above and using words sourced from your newspaper text.
As with the previous warm-ups, please feel free to share the results in the comments.

Here it is.

For S.H. Jun:

Foreign Fixes

Organized culture joined yet maligned with average, fixed, and dependable equipment deteriorate into a wreckage

Six sized images object to legal environmental pressures likely lowering quality

Firm lengthy planning builds visual clashes between kind experts and quoted

Joint barriers accept expanded deliveries of the seized wooden goods from Kyrgyzstan

Assumed job curves suggest flexible officials expand weekly with zero equity


Sources: Multiple articles in The Boston Globe, March 24, 2014: "Besieged rail firm seeking new deal.",  "Apply Pressure.", "Satellite spots more debris in search for missing plan."

Oulipost Practice #2: Iambic Pentameter..Shakespeare's Pissed

As April approaches, we've been given some prompts to help us get ready for our Oulipo project.

I am actually quite surprised and proud of this one. Now, I know it's far from perfect but.........it's better than I even imagined.

The prompt:


WARM-UP #2: BLANK VERSE AMIDST THE PROSE

And now for something slightly more difficult...compose a poem using unintentional lines of iambic pentameter found in your newspaper (or practice source). Blank verse is poetry written in regular metrical but unrhymed lines, almost always iambic pentameters. More background:http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Blank_verse

I studied blank verse for a bit and then gave it go. 

The result: 

Social Distortion

Bemused components communicate rants

In three retired eloquent essays

Propelling processes using software

Knowledge to collect research on topics

Such as conceived fear in newfangled words

Cheeky subjects progress widely across

A myriad of people in parades

Pamphlets circulate the precious crusade

Wrapped in humanities killing real thought

SOURCE: “Who killed the SAT essays?.” (The Boston Globe, 3/14/13).

Oulipost and Me: What have I gotten myself into? (Assignment #1)

*Note: Regular followers of this blog, all 0 of you, please make a note that as of today this blog will exist solely to house a poetry project.

Assignment #1

1. WHAT EXCITES YOU ABOUT OULIPOST?

 Well, I am not sure. After reading about the project, I thought wow..that sounds cool. I may want to do this just to get back into the writer mindset. Now, here I am..typing out Assignment #1. It sounds like a challenge and I like challenges..

2. WHAT, IF ANYTHING, SCARES YOU ABOUT OULIPOST?

Everything. I am not a poet. I am barely a writer I am terrified of the outcome. Forgive me all..you will probably be reading some terrible lines.  Not to mention time constraints, etc. 


3. HAVE YOU WRITTEN EXPERIMENTAL OR FOUND POETRY BEFORE? IF

SO, TELL US ABOUT IT.

Nope, unless you count a found poem I created using an abandoned face wash bottle. 

I am also not entirely sure I fully understand found poetry. I think I view it in a strict..must use only the words you see on the page. I don't know if that's accurate. 


4. WHAT NEWSPAPER WILL SERVE AS YOUR SOURCE TEXT?

The Boston Globe


5. WHO’S YOUR SPIRIT OULIPIAN?

Valérie Beaudouin

We share a last name and she works the web. I am astounded.

This year is different....

For some reason, I feel that this year is different than the past several. I have more ambition to do things outside of work. I've been working out more, going on more adventures and have the desire to try new things.

The newest "thing" I want to try is poetry. Yes, I've written poetry before but April is National Poetry Month and a few friends of mine run a poetry review and have this very interesting month long poetry prompt. It sounds very challenging and fun. I want to do it but I am nervous about the commitment and my writing abilities. Needless to say, I am not much of a writer anymore. My job rarely involves writing and when it does, my writing gets edited into something horrible and unrecognizable. Case in point: I was asked to edit something last week and I think it came out dandy...and then as it was published, I noticed it was edited again to a paltry mess. Yay!!!

So, I question myself. Do I attempt this poetry prompt for the month of April knowing full well I may not be able to finish it and that my poems will not be very par?

I am very conflicted. Although, I do think it's very good that I am even thinking about this and I have until April to decide.

Do I get back into my craft? It may help me gain my confidence back. We shall see. I am toying with this idea.

I've written more in 2014 than I have in years...things are looking up.


Editors Note: I did not proof this the first time I published. See....I am no longer a writer.

I haven't written a letter in a while....

I haven't written a letter n a while sooooo here it goes.

Dear PBS,

Was it really necessary to brutally beat and savagely rape my favorite character on Downton?? No, it wasn't. Why do you hate women so much? None of them on that show can catch a break. Oh...Lord Grantham you are sad after WWI because the nobles are no longer considered "noble". Are we supposed to feel bad for this guy? He has like 35 servants....I feel horrible for his daughters....and his wife who lives in this ignorant bliss half the time.

Quit it!!!!!!

Love,

Nicole

---

Dear Job Seekers,

Here are a few tips. You may see them on monster.com but read them here too.

1. Proofread your resume.
2. Write a damn cover letter.
3. Don't single space the entire letter or...resume. 
4. Don't double space the entire thing either. 
5. Never, ever, ever..and I mean never..quadruple space in between jobs. You look like you are trying to too hard...
6. Write concrete phrases about what you do. Use and noun and a verb or 2.
7. Look up the definition of skill and then deduct from there what your actual skills are....then try again.
8. Research the company. Please..you look silly if you don't. 

Regards,

Nicole

---

Dear People Who've Fulfilled Dreams,

How did you do it? I need to know.

Desperately Seeking a Career I Have Passion For,

Nicole

A little self awareness...

I know I am not a perfect writer. I do not even consider myself a “good writer” or one that writes well.  What I do know is  good writing... (see what I did there). I know it when I see it. I make no qualms  that I make mistakes and I forget things about writing. Here’s what drives me absolutely bananas: Someone who possesses absolute grandiose notions about their own hellacious writing. I will call them: Writer-Grandiopolis Ridiculouso. It's Latin. Look it up.

Why I am stepping on my soapbox about this subject?  I’ve experienced this anomaly twice this week. TWICE!!!! By weeks end, I may experience it THRICE! 

I’ve met and befriended several brilliant wordsmiths. I marvel at their ability to construct beauty out of lumps of jumbled letters, thoughts and experiences. They never brag about their existence. Okay, maybe humble brag about it but they deserve to. 

The individuals who fall under my  Writer-Grandiopolis Ridiculouso category do not deserve to brag yet they do. It really hurts me. I think why it bothers me so much is that I do not write for a living anymore. I barely edit. I do edit...for example, I continually have to someone that you need to pluralize certain verbs when you have a an actuaI subject of a sentence. Bygones....

I am not as crisp and clean as I once was. I wasn't even that crisp and clean. Can't ya tell?

I could be jealous. They  have so much confidence behind their subpar writing and I have barely any in my almost par writing. 

Will I ever get back to the level of par-ness I once possessed? I hope so. I can't take much more of this. 

Hello 2014..Nice to meet you.Say hello to your mother for me.

Welcome 2014!

I don't have any resolutions...well, maybe I do. I've resolved to write more and have a more positive attitude. So far...so good. I mean..I've already locked myself out of my house this year but hey...we can't have it all.

When it comes to writing, I am starting small. I am going to blog for a bit and see where it takes me. It might not take me far but at least I am writing. That is how I have to look at it.

I bid you adieu to go nap....