THE LAST FIFTH GRADE OF EMERSON ELEMENTARY

THE LAST FIFTH GRADE OF EMERSON ELEMENTARY
April 12, 2016

Thursday, February 6, 2014

Have a Jazzy Poetry Friday, Sugar

Writerly Friends, not only is it Poetry Friday, but it is also Day (6 and) 7 of Author Amok's 2014 Poetry Project.


Hooray! Renee is hosting today!
Stop by No Water River for a list
of this week's Poetry Friday posts.
Last year, I spent February writing in response to vintage postcards. This year, my poetry prompt is paint colors. All this week, fellow poets have joined me, writing in response to the Pantone®  color(s) of the day.

Visit this post for a full description of the project, including sample writing prompts and instructions on how to share your colorful responses.

Officially, today's color is Jazzy. This is a color with BIG personality, well-suited for my brother's birthday celebration.



But I missed a day in there somewhere, so you might also write in response to the Day 6 colors, Kombu Green and Sugar Coral.


Day 6: Kombu Green
Pantone ®  19-0417

Day 6: Sugar Coral
Pantone ®  16-1640
I was stuck on these two colors at first. My notes are like this:

Christmas Cactus
Sugar sculpture of fish and coral crashing
Papaya?
MOSS
Pink Ladies, Cape May

And then, a very Sugar Coral memory bubbled up from a long ago trip to Hawaii. I was really surprised where this poem took me.


Guavas
by Laura Shovan

We came upon them in the wild.
I was all like, “Eat of the fruit.”
And he knew me, this new husband,
and would not eat. We sat on rocks
near a stream and I bit into the fruit,
its innards sugar coral, its seeds
in jellied pouches, like reptile eggs.
“See?” I said. “It’s good. It’s fine.”
But still he would not eat.
The trees were dark as seaweed,
kombu green. We were oceans
away from home, married two days,
maybe three. I pulled off my clothes
and slipped into the water,
which had come down
from the tip of a volcano.
I was all like, “It’s fine.
A little cold. Come in.”
I may have splashed him, playfully.
He sat on the rocks, my husband,
thinking he could still refuse,
thinking he could change the story.




Poet Patricia VanAmburg's amorous couple was inspired by the same color (Sugar Coral), but has a few less issues than the newlyweds in my poem.

Sweet Tarts
by Patricia VanAmburg

Pinky called Coral Sugar
Because she was his dish
Coral called Pinky Sugar when
Ever he granted her wish

Pinky and Coral spooning
Under a sugary moon
Their rendezvous ballooning
Into the late afternoon

Tabatha Yeatts (The Opposite of Indifference) has this meditation on one of today's colors as a symbol of writer's block.

Writer's block is kombu green,
or maybe white, or in between,
with a dash of crumple
wadded up in a bin,
and just enough room
for your brain to get in.

by Tabatha Yeatts, posted with permission.

Ready to be inspired by color? Leave your poem in the comments. I will update this post throughout the day.

Reluctant to dive in? Read some of this week's colorful poems:

Day 5: Aloe, Bronze Mist, Zinc (Featuring Margaret Simon's poem "Annunciation" from her beautiful book Illuminate.)

Later today, I will post the amazing Diane (Random Noodling) Mayr's poem using ALL of this week's colors. It's a little risque, so you may want to come back when the kiddos aren't around. (That way, no one will ask why you're laughing hysterically. And you won't have to explain about the tassels.)

Along with Diane's poem, I'll post a list of next week's colors. Put your Jazzy dancing shoes on, and I'll see you later.

Up next...

Day 8: Peach Pearl
Pantone ®  14-1419

Day 8: MeteoritePantone ®  19-4008

18 comments:

Margaret Simon said...

The images you build along with the story of a new marriage are beautiful. How the colors paint this poem with vivid clarity. I also just noticed, (I'm a little ditsy) that you typed the poem in the color of sugar coral.

Diane Mayr said...

I always thought meteorites were gray. I have to consider this change. I'll be back.

Author Amok said...

Diane, my print copy of Meteorite is more of a black hue. On screen, it's like a dark purplish brown.

Diane Mayr said...

Meteorite (A Play in One Act)

It is just after sunset, the sky darkens. Two ants stand at the entrance to their hill gazing upward.

From nearby, a loud "Plop."

YOUNGSTER
Daddy, Daddy!
A meteorite--it
fell from above!

FATHER
Where son?

YOUNGSTER
Over there, Daddy!
See it? It's
burning hot!

FATHER
Yes, my boy.
I see it. Stand back!

YOUNGSTER
Do you think it's
from a distant star,
or a faraway planet?

FATHER
Definitely a planet.

YOUNGSTER
Really? Which one?

FATHER
The planet Cow!

Diane Mayr, all rights reserved.
Film rights negotiable.

Author Amok said...

Oh, my. Is that what happened after the cow jumped over the moon? I'll add your poem to the post in the morning, Diane. Sweet dreams!

Linda B said...

I am enamored of the two 'different' love poems in your post, wondering about that color name-sugar coral. Is it the brightness or the word 'sugar' that makes one think of love. How different the two relationships are. Your poem shows how those two newlyweds, like many, are still strangers, Laura. And the sweetness of the sugar, and the rhyme, so, well, sweet, Patricia. Diane, I'm going to bed with a big laugh. Your subtlety is masterful!

Tabatha said...

Happy Birthday to your brother!

Writer's block is kombu green,
or maybe white, or in between,
with a dash of crumple
wadded up in a bin,
and just enough room
for your brain to get in.

Renee LaTulippe said...

Oh, my, these are priceless. "I was all like, 'Eat of the fruit'" - this line cracks me up, don't ask me why. Maybe because it gives more than a glimpse of your character. Just love it.

And this project! "DIY Bali Hai" - yes!! I am a color swatch junkie and they don't give them out in Italy. I had my mom ship some from the states so I wouldn't go into withdrawal - true story.

I adore this project and these colors and these all poems. I know I'll be joining in at some point. I'm starting to feel Jazzy already...

Heidi said...

Your Guavas poem is the best, most delicately balanced, richest thing I have read in weeks. Back later to take all this in...so excited (jazzed, even--MY color).

jama said...

Oh, Hawaii and guavas! Didn't realize you went there for your honeymoon.

Very interesting poem, the "eat of the fruit" reminded me of Eve in the Garden of Eden. You're a temptress! Isn't sugar coral a gorgeous color?

Violet N. said...

What a fun project Laura! I love your Guava poem - was struck by the same allusion to temptation in the Garden of Eden as Jama. The last line: "thinking he could change the story" is perfect. (Hope he's given in to some temptations since them *grin*)

Patricia VanAmburg said...

Laura's richly layered Guava took me from Eden to Gauguin and beyond--and yes sugar coral turned out to be a sexier color than anticipated :)

Author Amok said...

One of the best things about this poetry project so far is reading different responses to the same color.

Catherine said...

I love this project and these poems. Like Jama, I thought of the garden of Eden when the bride persisted offering the guava to her groom. I'm intrigued by Monday's colors, and the wheels have started spinning. Thanks for sharing!

Mary Lee said...

I'm sorry I missed the launch week, but I am SO in now! Thanks for posting the colors for the week ahead of time!

(You are giving me ideas for my NPM project!!"

Bridget Magee said...

Such a fun project and your Guava poem evoked such a juicy response to the color prompt. Love it!

Michelle Heidenrich Barnes said...

Laura, I've finally gone back and read everything so far and, really, all I can say is wow... just wow. Your own writing is fabulous, and the creative energy that is flying around Author Amok is outstanding! Everyone who is participating is totally rising to the challenge. You are quite the inspiration!

Author Amok said...

Thanks, Michelle. Wow! I'm impressed that you went back and read all of the poems. I hope you'll drop in and join us when you can.