Streams in the Wasteland
A blog for original poetry and commentary by Ms. Literal Pickle
Cummings, A Place of Homage
Cummings, A Place of Homage June 2024 Introduction E. E. Cummings' famous poem, "[anyone lived in a pretty how town]," was first published in 1940 as part of his collection "50 Poems." The poem tells the story of "anyone," an ordinary man living in a small town, and his relationship with "noone," his lover.
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Ms. Literal Pickle
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Poetry
Ms. Literal Pickle
Poetry
Cummings, A Place of Homage
Cummings, A Place of Homage June 2024 Introduction E. E. Cummings' famous poem, "[anyone lived in a pretty how town]," was first published in 1940 as part of his collection "50 Poems." The poem tells the story of "anyone," an ordinary man living in a small town, and his relationship with "noone," his lover.
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Ms. Literal Pickle
Poetry
Cummings, A Place of Homage
Cummings, A Place of Homage June 2024 Introduction E. E. Cummings' famous poem, "[anyone lived in a pretty how town]," was first published in 1940 as part of his collection "50 Poems." The poem tells the story of "anyone," an ordinary man living in a small town, and his relationship with "noone," his lover.
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Ms. Literal Pickle
Poetry
Villanelleville
Villanelleville Each day I'll write a villanelle until A little town they make for me; pray tell They make for me a Villanelleville. A pretty little poet town, it will A villanelle a day require—well Each day I'll write a villanelle until They build for me a bella ville, and bill Me for a
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Ms. Literal Pickle
Poetry
Eclipsestina
Eclipsestina (An "eclipsed" sestina written for the solar eclipse on April 8th, 2024) (An eclipse over noon) Ruddy clouds cast silvered shade First morning threads of filtered sunlight made The coruscated treetops dance with bright And scintillated glints of dappled light A pas de deux of mingled sun and moon A yin and yang
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Ms. Literal Pickle
Poetry
The Eclipse - a form for exploring change
The Eclipse - a form for exploring change In the quiet moments, when the sun dips below the horizon or the moon veils the stars, if we stop to notice, we see the dance of light and shadow. These thoughts birthed the "Eclipse" poetic form, a structure that seeks to encourage observation of the
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Ms. Literal Pickle
Poetry
Since you asked about an ae freislighe...
Since you asked about an ae freislighe... I recently came across an intriguing Irish poetic form called the ae freislighe (pronounced approximately as "a freshly"). It's a syllabic verse form that was popular in Ireland from the 14th to the 17th centuries. I was fascinated by its structure of quatrains, seven-syllable lines, and intricate
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Ms. Literal Pickle
Poetry
Cummings, A Glosa
Cummings, A Glosa As a student and admirer of E.E. Cummings' work, I have long been drawn to his unique style, his playful use of language, and his ability to imbue seemingly simple words with layers of meaning. One of my favorites, "[anyone lived in a pretty how town]," stands out as one of
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Ms. Literal Pickle
Poetry
Since you asked about a Ghazal...
Since you asked about a Ghazal... In my ongoing exploration of poetry, I've found a certain joy in diving deep into various forms, each with its own unique landscape of rules and patterns. Whether it's the cyclical echoes of the villanelle or the intricate wordplay of the sestina, my approach has often been one
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Ms. Literal Pickle
Poetry
A thing within this garden lies
A thing within this garden lies As a student of poetic forms, I am fascinated by the ways in which structure and constraint can paradoxically liberate the imagination. In "A thing within this garden lies," I sought to explore this idea by combining two distinct forms: the sestina, with its mesmerizing repetition of end-words,
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Ms. Literal Pickle
Poetry
Still in Aspen
Still in Aspen The poem "Still in Aspen" is built around the phrase that serves as its title, exploring the double meaning of being "still" in a place. On one level, it refers to the tranquility and quietude one might experience in Aspen, surrounded by the beauty of its natural landscape. At the same
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