Cookala's thread of fear and trepidation

[Andrea345]

hey cookie! Glad to see you going strong. The opening of "Seeking" is striking. I also loved "find a(n) market offering( a coconut in a gold crown, bananas, and ...the Sea Lord." What a juxtaposition!
-a

[Arlene]

Hi again...I do love Death...and apparently poems of negation...how it begins sets it all off...it is not echoes through the poem, and the final line doesn't quite fit the meter, feels a syllable or two short, making it feel real and all the more disturbing. Migration too...can see those birds, love the sonics of 'gray ghosts...cinereal sky,' too.

[cookala]

hey cookie! Glad to see you going strong. The opening of "Seeking" is striking. I also loved "find a(n) market offering( a coconut in a gold crown, bananas, and ...the Sea Lord." What a juxtaposition!
-a

hi Andrea! thanks for your visit and glad you enjoyed Bell

[cookala]

Hi again...I do love Death...and apparently poems of negation...how it begins sets it all off...it is not echoes through the poem, and the final line doesn't quite fit the meter, feels a syllable or two short, making it feel real and all the more disturbing. Migration too...can see those birds, love the sonics of 'gray ghosts...cinereal sky,' too.

hi Arlene! oh, you are so good to visit so much and give me close reads as well - I really appreciate it! - I always look forward to seeing what you have to say.

[cookala]

13. Asylum Asides

simmer down now
you scream too loud too much too often
pills not working?
perhaps you need more therapy
another spin of the dial
might shock you still
....................(you’re sure to get a charge out of it)
or perhaps I’ll find a hammer
and a steel pick and fit it
squarely into your socket
....................(carpe diem - that’ll seize your brain)
either way you’re at my mercy
little of which remains
after all these years
of trying to maintain the peace
with all the constant chaos
....................(you’d think everyone had lost their minds around here)
so relax, I’ll take good care of you
and you’ll have lots of new friends
to play games with, too
....................(just you wait, they’ll be drooling all over you)
so make yourself comfy
but don’t expect any visitors
to come around and sign you out
after all, this is your home now
....................(a true house of refuge brimming with your peers)
and look, you’ve a room with a view
what more could you ask?
just think, you’ll be able to see all the dead as they pass
on their way to the cemetery
....................(THE place to get a good night’s sleep)
if you should need anything
just ring the on-call nurses
I’m sure they’ll swiftly gift you
with a new wardrobe staple
....................(a strappy little white number that’ll hug you tight)
but before I go let me remind you once more
to keep your mouth shut
and take your meds
....................(we like the slurred silence here)
before long you won’t miss
life as you once knew it
you’ll find new meaning
as we reinvent you
....................(and if things don’t work out, there’s always the chiller)




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[Dunc]

Cookie

The Beauty of Decay - a guide to the fascinations of nature, and a good shake on an interesting idea. Extra points for slipping keum bu in and those eyes that chew are great!

Fog and Future? Another nice idea nicely turned.

Late Winter's Day and you with your onlooker's pen in hand. And the questions, ah the questions, in your last three lines.

Quick Glimpse - Turandot and Talisker yet! Your poem's a glorious mix.

Cat powums - yeah, dreadful animals, dreadful. Rivulets of blood indeed.

Bilateral - Ah, those last three lines explained. Over the years I've known friends with breast cancer, and they talked of the change (like, THUD) to their sense of self, of identity, after the surgery. Wretched business. Big hug, kiddo.

Wikid Stawm and the secrets of Tornado Alley revealed - The demijohn, Gomer, bring the demijohn! Great taletelling.

Death. Well, yes. It does matter. But at least we're still here to worry about it. If that doesn't sound too Pollyannaish.

Migration - lovely vision of the birds.

Dhammazedi Bell - the most interesting travelogue I've read in years! Thanks, O spirit guide! Though I suspect the great peril when diving in such rivers is microbial.

Asylum - ah, the lessons of being in a public ward ...


Well, that wasn't the usual sort of thread. Much more unignorable. Keep those poems comin' - your poetic tide's still rising, babe.

Regards / Dunc

[casket N orbit]

Cat Pomes! Lovely c alliteration. The tightly voiced, build up of poems compactly hissy , a nice spring under the quietude.
"Bilateral" - - These psychological paintings, as thought-provoking as they are wonderful. The last stanza, a breath-stopper, yet fearlessly articulate.
Wikid Stawm - - a sensibly interesting character moonshines, err shines here. I especially like the control of voice and the conclusion: til it ain got no more init

[Sorella]

Cookie,
You're on fire here! Asylum Asides is darkly funny and scary. The found poem is richness, glorious reading. Well done, as always!

Sorella

[cookala]

thanks Dunc! for reading at such length!! glad you found it all interesting, and glad my tide is rising, though I prefer it low so I can see the sandy bottom, hehe!

CasketNO - thanks for catching up - truly appreciate your comments and time, and smiles. the smiles, need those!

Sorella - thanks so much - you make me !!

[cookala]

14. Metalsmither’s Lament

After everything else;
after every broken gem, hammer struck
thumb and molten metal singe of skin;
my gnarly, knotted fingers have succumbed
to an early arthritic demise.

No longer will I be able to forge and fire
metaliferous masterpieces, or find reward
and pleasure in their creation. What now?
What will fill this unexpected void
and sate my compulsion to manifest
the artful things of beauty that torment,
finished now only in my mind?




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[Janet]

Hi cookie,

oh my goodness, Asylum Asides- interesting approach the topic with the N's sarcastic wit! Really enjoyed Metalsmither's Lament- any artist's worst nightmare - well-captured at totally relatable.

keep it goin !

[cookala]

hi Janet! thanks so much for visiting again - means a lot! glad you enjoyed!

[Sorella]

Oh no! No jewelry! Say it is not so! I was just saving up for something when I have paid my advance taxes!

[cookala]

not to worry - there is PLENTY in the shop - and of course, you get reduced price as usual, and we can do it via paypal if you find something. but yes, I'm afraid a side effect of the chemo is that my hands have suddenly become very arthritic - chemo does that sometimes, it interrupts the immune system. and the knees have been severely bad since stopping chemo, too. I'm taking Mobic for the knees, and it helps tremendously with stiffness and pain, but it's not something I want to take long-term due to side effects. so it looks like more surgery come Oct/Nov to replace the right knee, and then replace the left in oct/nov 2016. *sigh* seems to be my lifestyle now - doctor visits galore. then again, if it means I get to live and live the way I want to it's worth going through.

[cookala]

so I finally got myself over to the MOOC class, How Writers Write Poetry 2015 - and 1st week speakers/teachers are Lia Purpura, Kate Greenstreet and Robert Hass. It involves a time commitment to do assignments and make at least 10 comments (5 in discussion and 5 in feedback), so my time here will be limited now. sorry folks, won't have a lot of time to fluff but will try. but then again, I've been a fluff queen the first 2 weeks so I am hoping that will balance things out. First assignment was to write 6 sentences while observing the immediate environment, or while taking a walk. Week 1 lesson has to do with keeping a poem journal, which I have never done before - but, after thinking on the lesson, I will probably start to journal daily mainly to build a rich source of poem ideas and starting bones. So far, it's quite interesting and informative. Oh, and there are 7028 students taking this class world-wide. Impressive!



15. Chicken Sausage Soup Pome

Remove casings from one pound
of chicken sausage. Season it
with a touch of Italy. Braise
until browned in a deep skillet.
Toss in chopped mirapoix
simmer five minutes.
Add four cups chicken stock
one eight ounce package frozen corn
half a cup of barley. Simmer
another hour and a half until barley
has burst. Add one pound baby spinach
stir. Sprinkle with grated parmesan.
Serve warm.




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