So, in lines with a book we recently read in 430, Holocaust, I decided to create some found poetry of my own. I took some examples of last words and manipulated them into a poem...enjoy, yall!
how about this for a headline:
for tomorrow's paper:
French fries.
Good
I want the press to know this.
people are always so sure they're right.
I did not get my Spaghetti-O's I got spaghetti.
I want the press to know this.
lock
and
load
let's do it.
I want the press to know this.
You can be a king
or a street sweeper,
but everyone dances
with the Grim Reaper.
I want the press to know this.
I love you, mom.
I want the press to know this.
shoot
straight
you bastards
and
don't make
a mess of it
you sons of bitches.
give my love
to Mother.
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Allison-
ReplyDeleteWhat an interesting medium to be experimenting with- last words.
I assume from the language in the poem you are telling the narrative of a man about to be executed. The narrative works well in this instance (think of every movie where the killer asks the victim: Any last words?). The use of food in the poem seems peculiar at first, but upon further readings begins to make sense. Food is a prized tangible product that decays and rots back into the earth. Humans are like food (unless they are eaten in which case they are food) in that they are prized and rot back into the earth. Maybe?
Last words are interesting for a variety of reasons. One reason that I can think of off the top of my head is the finality of last words. Think about it. Your last words are the last utterances your human body will make. You will, in other words, be making your last acoustic presence in our earthly realm. There is something very powerful about that.
Last words also have the power to truly express the heart of an individual. Does the lifetime sinner pray to Jesus in a death-bed conversion? Does a Father reach to his son and say, "Son you are a better man than myself. And for that I am proud." Or does the conservative old women tell her hospital roommate that she wishes she'd let Billy Martins from the 8th grade go down on her. All these images are painted with deeper seriousness because of the finality of the statements.
Another thing to think about with last words are what is not said. Secret's that are taken to the grave so to speak. Not sure what you can do with that in terms of found text, but none-the-less an interesting concept to muddle around.
Keep writing!
I took the french fries as the beginning of the last meal, tasty and then gone, meaningless in the big scheme of things (and in the scheme of the poem) but I like the inclusion of it. Agreeing with Tim, I think working with last words as a concept is a really neat one, they are really powerful, they are really memorable, and they have quite an effect on the reader because it forces them to contemplate (in a subtle way)their own last words. It's also an effective commentary on the nature of words and their "lasting" effects. How long do they stay around, who will remember them, etc. Perhaps that's why we should tell the press? To make sure some part of us, our words at the very least, is remembered? Analyzing poetry is not my strong suit, but this is a really neat concept for found work, and I think it's really effective as a piece.
ReplyDeleteThe french fries hearken back to, well, frying. Last words... it's an inevitably spellbinding topic despite the morbidity. Us "sensible" people couldn't imagine requesting something so trivial, but there's a lot to be said for the comfort value of something familiar, something that's probably been missing for many years. You know you're gonna die, all you can do is wait for that last walk. So take that last measure.
ReplyDeleteWhich then makes a startling contrast to the anger, what other people assume, and hoping you don't get Monmouth'ed. So much for a "good" death. Pretty horrifying to look up botched executions.
That being said I think it being found is a cue in itself.
Al- as usual I have continued my devoted reading of your work. This week, I was a little more confused than I normally am. Maybe I just don't understand what found poetry is. That would probably help. And when you say last words, do you mean like those were the last words that people spoke before death or the last words of various poems? Either way, I enjoyed the repetition of "I want the press to hear this." I think, without the preface of where this poem came from or what inspired you, the sense of power in language is made clear. I also think this ties nicely to your other posts. You begin with the idea of frying and food, which is also introduced in this poem. In your last post, you have an in-your-face approach with almost a stream of consciousness feel that I think is present here as well. Not all of the lines or thoughts are coherent, but just like the "I will..." repetition of the last post, this has the repetition that creates a fluid connectivity. I like the different poetic approaches you are taking with your posts, and I am always excited to hear your next posts! Keep it up!
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