Writing Exercise

Recommended for high school and older Monty Python fans.

Call me crazy, but I'm inspired by the wild metaphor poet Robert Hass used at last month's Dodge Poetry Festival. Is being U.S. Poet Laureate really like being the Encyclopedia Salesman in that Monty Python sketch?

I love weird writing exercises, so here's one for you.

Compare life as a poet/writer to a Monty Python character of your choice.

Go obvious and get all Lumberjacky:

"I'm a blog writer and I'm okay.

Online all night and I sleep all day."

Go surreal -- (Startling Admission -- when I'm trying to write and my kids come into my office wanting Mommy time, I react just like the cute little bloody-fanged bunny in Holy Grail.)

Go anti-writer's block with one of my favorite Python sketches, " Confuse-A-Cat."

Go write!