[stylist] Poem - "Antoinette"

[William L Houts]

Thanks, Myrna!


--Bill





On 3/17/2014 2:30 PM, Myrna Badgerow wrote:
> Hi Bill
> I have to agree with Bridget   It does have the "beat" vibe to it and I love it. Great images!
> I don't write it but love to read it.
> Myrna
>
> Sent from my iPhone
>
>> On Mar 17, 2014, at 4:10 PM, Bridgit Pollpeter <bpollpeter at hotmail.com> wrote:
>>
>> As I said, I really like your flow. And the way you arrange and
>> structure your poems, they often have a powerful affect. Yes, I would
>> definitely compare this to Beat poetry, grin.
>>
>> Bridgit
>>
>> -----Original Message-----
>> From: stylist [mailto:stylist-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of William L
>> Houts
>> Sent: Monday, March 17, 2014 3:18 PM
>> To: stylist at nfbnet.org
>> Subject: Re: [stylist] Poem - "Antoinette"
>>
>>
>>
>> HI Brigit,
>>
>> To answer one question of yours which I didn't cover in my previous
>> message:  I've written a number of sonnets --almost all of them bad-- in
>>
>> order to learn some things about the uses of structure and rhyme.
>> Mostly, though, I tend to write loose if not totally free verse lines.
>> I have to pay strict attention to JAWS as I do this, or I make hash out
>> of everything and nothing makes any sense.  As I said before, this is
>> all a matter of craft,though much of it is mostly subconscious at this
>> point.  Hope I don't come off like some egotistical boobnow,  ha.
>>
>> OH yeah, and comparing my work to that of the Beats is high praise, and
>> I hope I eventually live up to Mr. Ginsberg's "HOWL", which still makes
>> me sob whenever I read it.
>>
>>
>> --Bill
>>
>>
>>
>>> On 3/17/2014 11:57 AM, Bridgit Pollpeter wrote:
>>> Bill,
>>>
>>> Thank you for posting. I too enjoy your poetry.
>>>
>>> I think one of the reasons I and others like Chris connect to your
>>> poetry when we usually don't feel much when reading poetry is because
>>> you have a unique voice, almost Beat-like. It's not archaic language,
>>> though full of vivid imagery and descriptive language.
>>>
>>> This poem in particular is quite vivid. I have instant images in my
>>> head when reading it.
>>>
>>> Do you follow a particular poetry format? I like your phrasing and how
>>> you structure the lines and stanzas. I've studied poetry but not
>>> enough to recognize most formats just by reading them. I really enjoy
>>> the flow of your poetry and can totally see you reading this at a
>>> coffee house or something, smile.
>>>
>>> Bridgit
>>>
>>> -----Original Message-----
>>> From: stylist [mailto:stylist-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of William
>>> L Houts
>>> Sent: Monday, March 17, 2014 10:37 AM
>>> To: Writer's Division Mailing List
>>> Subject: [stylist] Poem - "Antoinette"
>>>
>>>
>>> Hey Peeps,
>>>
>>> Here's a poem I wrote this summer, recovered this morning after some
>>> hard drive archaeology.  I think it has legs; your mileage may vary,
>>> ha.
>>>
>>>
>>> --Bill
>>>
>>>
>>> ---
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>> For fifteen years
>>>
>>> it's been a hard life, poverty rife
>>>
>>> and replete with disease.
>>>
>>> It's not complaint, I'm just
>>>
>>> speaking up. IN this country,
>>>
>>> we scrub heaven's streets
>>>
>>> with wire brushes and eat
>>>
>>> our dolor like cake.
>>>
>>> The movie house helps, and the Web,
>>>
>>> and the cheap greasy eats which
>>>
>>> will kill us all grinning.
>>>
>>> Most days, I hardly bitch.
>>>
>>> Cold unhoped for water
>>>
>>> spills tapwise, filling my
>>>
>>> cups, faithful as falls.
>>>
>>> I void in toilets,
>>>
>>> in peaceful, clean, unhoped for
>>>
>>> waters, always granted.
>>>
>>> Unhoped for too, these graces,
>>>
>>> by billions who squat, and bear
>>>
>>> their stench in public streets:
>>>
>>> filthy, betrayed, and naked as fire.
>>
>> -- 
>> "Let's drink a toast now to who we really are."
>>
>>            --Jane Siberry
>>
>>
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>>
>>
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-- 
"Let's drink a toast now to who we really are."

           --Jane Siberry