 |
| originally published 1992 |
I'm feeling a wee bit lighter today, as I reached a point in my revisions where I can STOP... and print the book out to read in 7-10 days -- once my brain has cleared a little!
I wish I had more time... alas, I'm on a deadline. The good news this isn't my last chance to improve the book -- there will be another round, or three. :)
While at the Florence-Lauderdale Library last month, I picked up a few books at the used book store. One of them was THE D- POEMS OF JEREMY BLOOM: A Collection of Poems About School, Homework, and Life (sort of) by Gordon Korman and Bernice Korman (son & mother!).
Poor Jeremy. He just can't figure this poem thing out. Ha! I can relate!
Here are two of the poems I really enjoyed:
VITAL QUESTION
If a poem doesn't rhyme -
How do you know
It's a poem?
If it's about sunsets and flowers, well okay.
But some of them might be about termites, and rats,
Cockroaches, earwigs, bedbugs
and silverfish,
Battalions of cooties,
And are more like the exterminator's report
Than a poem.
So how do you now it's a poem
If it doesn't rhyme?
-----
DEFINITION
A poem.
Rhyme salad,
Chopped by the word processor,
Garnished with pictures,
Sprinkled with adjectives,
Tossed by a poet-chef.
Lettuce, onions, tomatoes, images --
A poem.
-----
So Jeremy learned something, didn't he?
If I could talk to him, I'd add... "surprise!" Because surprise is one of my most favorite elements of a poem.
What about you? What would you tell Jeremy?
What a great find. Enjoyed both poems, but of course favor the second one - can't resist rhyme salad. :)
ReplyDeleteI bought a copy when it was first published. As I recall, Jeremy thought he was signing up for a pottery class! : )
ReplyDeleteThis is such fun, Irene. I've never heard of the book, but the poems are hilarious & clever. Love it!
ReplyDeleteFirst, many congratulations on being lighter! What a wonderful thing to be able to type and really mean it. Gordon Korman has poems? What?! This guy is a writing machine. I love his writing story. How funny that this book has been around since 1992...probably on someone's shelf in a bedroom that finally got cleared out and via the amazing magic of the used book sale found its way to you. I love old poetry books. They give me good ideas. Enjoy your break and wishing you lots of focus for your next round of reading/writing.
ReplyDeleteI can't believe I don't know this book. I have other Gordan Korman books in my classroom. My students will love this. They have devoured Chris Harris's "I'm Just No Good at Rhyming" and Rhett Miller's "No More Poems."
ReplyDeleteSometimes people call aphorisms poems (I just saw an "instagram poem" that was "Spoiler, we all die in the end," which I would not call a poem.) My daughter Ariana says poems have metaphors.
ReplyDeleteJeremy seems like he is becoming a real "poet-chef"!
Congrats on getting to a revision stopping point!
Sounds like a fun collection. I would tell Jeremy that a great verb can go a long way, too!
ReplyDeleteRhyme salad is the best.
ReplyDelete