Poetry Exercise #5, to poet JAMES SHIRLEY Options

[Cleo_Serapis]

Hello again.

Please read the poem below by James Shirley and create your own response following the SAME stanza patterns of 8 lines with syllable counts ~ tetrameter/dimeter: 8/8/8/8/4/4/8 and rhyme scheme of ABABCCDD.

Good luck!
Cleo  :pharoah2




DEATH THE LEVELLER by JAMES SHIRLEY (1596-1666)

The glories of our blood and state
Are shadows, not substantial things;
There is no armour against Fate;
Death lays his icy hand on kings:
Sceptre and crown
Must tumble down,
And in the dust be equal made
With the poor crooked scythe and spade.

Some men with swords may reap the field,
And plant fresh laurels where they kill;
But their strong nerves at last must yield;
They tame but one another still:
Early or late
They stoop to fate,
And must give up their murmuring breath
When they, pale captives, creep to death.

The garlands wither on your brow;
Then boast no more your mighty deeds!
Upon Death's purple altar now
See where the victor-victim bleeds.
Your heads must come
To the cold tomb:
Only the actions of the just
Smell sweet and blossom in their dust.

[Guest__*]

Dear Cleo,

I hope this is not too British-based for others to understand - Tony Blair is our beloved Prime Minister, and he has allegedly several times promised his chancellor Gordon Brown to stand down in his favour, by whom (who knows him best) he is not quite so beloved.

In case the poem does not make it clear, I think both should take themselves to the veterinary clinic and have themselves put down.

Love
Alan

THE ELECTORAL LEVELLER
(apologies to James Shirley)

Achievements of our Gord and Tone
are shadows, no substantial thing;
forever fighting o’er a bone -
this nation’s lead - their battles bring.
Thus Blair and Brown
must tumble down,
dusty now, both are much odder
to elect’ral bloody fodder.

Such men with words can trap the field,
and mint fresh praises while they kill,
but their sick heads at last must yield
They con each one the other still.
Early or late,
They stoop to fate,
And must die through their poisonous lies,
When each false premiss, exposed, dies.

These garlands fit not on their brow;
they’re barely deeds, mere mighty boast;
upon elect’ral altars now
exposed, and burned, why, they are toast !
Our time to say
you’ve had your day
for in elections we are just;
now, Smile and Poison, they are dust !

Alan McAlpine Douglas

[Guest_Jox_*]

Hi Alan,

Most amusing... for non Brits, the Chancellor is the Finance or Economics minister - almost the top job, apart from PM himself - so to have the two squabbling is not good news. I think The Queen should sack them both and appoint Alan and I to run things. er...

You are in parody heaven at the moment, Alan - so many, so quickly, so good. I looked at this exercise but found its form too prescriptive for me - so I am extra impressed that you can come up with such a good response. I haven't counted any syllables etc but I'm sure they fit perfectly.

Well done,

James.

[Guest__*]

Dear Jox,

"so many, so quickly, so good"

Thank you dear friend !

Does it kill you off, or encourage you, if I say I find these quite easy?

In 1999 I wrote 3 Cats spoofs about my 3 least favouite morons, Tony, Gorn and Prescott, he was the Transport Cat.

Love
Alan

[Guest_Jox_*]

Hi Alan, Thanks for your reply.

>>Does it kill you off, or encourage you, if I say I find these quite easy?

Neither, actually. I'm not really into spoof - that is, I find it amusing to read but not to write. I enjoy writing satirical prose but not really verse. So I enjoy reading your entertaining output - which you make look easy but isn't... you obviously have a talent for it. (You have a much better understanding of, ability with and interest in, poetical structures and techniques than I).

I think if I want to have a go at Ministers I really want to put the boot in where it hurts. I have done gentle satire but I most enjoy writing more cutting stuff (I'm a "Private Eye" fan - top UK satirical magazine and I thought "Spitting Image" quite wonderful at its peak. - UK tv satirical prog).

Of course, my favouriet poet, Wilfred Owen, used bitter satire against The War and very successfully - I really like that but if doing it I wouldn't want to be too gentle and I think spoof is too gentle.

Thank you for the entertainment - I shall look forward to more from you.

By the way, two points... 1 I have a poem I would appreciate you taking a look at - not one of mine but someone from BBCGW, if you wouldn't mind. It is rather beyong my ability to sort out but I think has great merit. We have recently had several members come across from BBCGW (the site is due to close, unfortunatly) and I've been looking at various people there who deserve better crit. (There are good critters on there but they are few and far between - JJ, Perrorist, Nina and Toumai are some of the best - but don't tell them!)

Secondly, how many poems did you say you'd now written? I can't remember the exact number but I do remember it was staggeringly large.

All the best, Alan.

James.