Poetry Friday - about a squid

I enjoyed hosting Poetry Friday last week. Thanks to everyone who came over and left their contributions. This week Jone is hosting over at Deowriter. It's her first time hosting, too, so go over and show some love.

With all the things happening in the news, particularly the latest political merry-go round back home, it feels a bit strange to have light-hearted fare on offer today. But this week I thought I'd try a persona poem about a vampire squid (Vampyroteuthis infernalis literally "vampire squid from hell"!). I intended to respond to the call for octopus poems for the release of Irene Latham's Love, Agnes, but I ended up writing about this guy instead.

Vampire Squid

I live down deep

where so few thrive

in the depths

where the dark resides.

But suck your blood?

You bet I don't.

I feed on tiny things that float.

Eggs and

algae and

crab bits, yum.

I cast my fishing lines

to catch some grub.

I like mystery

and masquerade.

I'm not a true squid.

It's kind of a charade.

But don't be mad,

I don't mean to kid.

Blame the scientists.

They named me—

they did!

- © e. mauger

Hope you all have a productive weekend. See you next week! 

Poetry Friday is Here! - Where I'm From

Hey ya'll, welcome newcomers and vets alike to Poetry Friday. I wanted to post earlier to accommodate all time zones since I'm based in Australia, but alas. I'm happy to have you here and to be hosting for the first time since I started this blog about 5 months ago. I wasn't sure what this space was going to be used for (maybe I still don't), but I've been happy to at least be able to contribute to a bit of weekly poetry. 

For this week's offering, I thought it apt to try a 'Where I'm From' poem after seeing a few around in recent weeks. I've been living in Australia for just over 6 years now, in Israel for 3 but spent most of my life in the ol' Midwest. I found the pre-write an interesting exercise. Not everything ends up going into the poem but I was hesitant even jotting certain things down. Anyway, here's the rough outcome of my initial brainstorm.

Where I'm From 

I'm from faces black and brown

from corner stores and city beats

northside homes and 

concrete streets.

I'm from festivals and fireworks

from lakeshore views and museum wings

I'm from road trips to grandma's

Christmas feels and winter sleet.

I'm from an urban home and suburban school

dichotomies with being cool

from parents going separate ways 

from stacks of books and imaginative play.

I'm from rose-covered thresholds

from buttered biscuits and collard greens

different tastes and eccentricities

from Jeff Buckley - yes, and Prince 

(both artists whom I miss).

Memories inside of me

old journals

old drawings 

old dreams 

© e. mauger

Say hi in the comments below and add your offering to the poetry potluck. Have a great weekend!

An InLinkz Link-up

Poetry Friday - Erasure Poem

Hello everyone. This week's Poetry Friday roundup is hosted by Amy VanDerwater down at The Poem Farm. Next week is the first time I'll be hosting on this blog (eep!). Better make sure I plan ahead for that one.

For today's exercise, I thought I'd try an erasure poem. I guess it's kind of like trying to make a sculpture. I don't know if it held up in the end, but I at least I don't have to come up with the words and it provides an interesting challenge.

Arranged from some text from Monocle magazine

She just wanted

a simple solution

from the paper that keeps 

pristine.

She settled on 

minimalism.

Each stamped in 

colourful stickers.

Perfect.

Hope you guys have a good weekend. & see you next week!😅

The Edge Effect

Welcome to September!

After last week, I started perusing some of the poet/poetry book recommendations and came across a familiar illustration style on the covers of a couple of titles from the late Nancy Willard like Pish, Posh, Said Hieronymus Bosch and The Sorcerer's Apprentice. They were illustrated by Leo and Dianne Dillon, who I think is my favourite illustration team. In their interviews they talk of the idea of the 'third artist', where both of their contributions would culminate into something completely different from what they could come up with individually.

Cover for Mansa Musa (2001) /Published by Harcourt Children's Books

Illustration from Pish, Posh, said Hieronymus Bosch. Published by Harcourt

1991. Published by Harcourt Children's Books

The third artist thing reminds me of an episode of Hidden Brain, where it explores the 'edge effect' which is traditionally an ecological concept. It's the point where two different ecosystems meet, and often allows for greater diversity in an area. It's an idea that inspired Yo Yo Ma's musical group Silk Road Ensemble, an eclectic mix of sounds from around the world. How often are we utilising collaboration or taking two contrasting ideas to make something different?

This weekend I'll probably start reading some of the books that arrived from the hold queue at the library. To have a more direct poetry link for today, here's a bit of a poem from the back cover of one of the books A Strange Place to Call Home by Marilyn Singer.

Where it's dark
Where it's deep
Where it's stormy
Where it's steep
Where the rain rarely falls
       or the water always races
They survive
      strive to thrive
             in a world of risky places.

It sounds like I'll have an interesting time learning about different places that animals live in. For the rest of youse, check out the Poetry Friday line up at Carol's blog Beyond Literacy Link :)