flipside records invites writers to play with a list of words every Monday. This week it is a double treat:
- List 1 (taken from “The World As I See It” by Albert Einstein)
- List 2 (taken from the Shakespeare Insult Kit)
Tantalizing? You know it is. Go play with them yourself. You’ll find my scraps of fun below.
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August heat–dismal dewberries
we mortals
paradise
ruttish beast on third humble malt
senses dependent
weather-bitten milkweed
Coxcomb (Photo credit: bbum)
ill-nurtured kidney
coxcomb’s colored blooms
Shiteki Na Usagi 
I have nominated you for the Super Sweet Blogging Award. Go to my Home Page to view the details on how to receive it.
sarahjademcdermott,
Thank you very much. I don’t participate in awards, but I truly appreciate the consideration. Very best to you.
einstein, shakespeare and kidneys are truly an adventurous combo…very cool take..made me smile
Claudia,
Thank you for the visit and read. My feelings on these shift with the days, but working with those words was a delight. Thank you for smiling.
just thought i’d pop in and say hello…wishing you a lovely friday
Claudia,
Thank you. I’ve visited and read, but not left comments. I’m in another catch-up phase. Finally wrote something today after such a long break. I’m going to try and write more over our long holiday weekend. Thank you for coming by. You have a wonderful weekend as well.
That last one really got me. How did you manage to make a sick kidney pretty?
Luke,
Just luck, my friend. Part of the joy of poetry is playing with the words . . . ah, but I’m “preaching to the choir,” right? Thanks for stopping in. 😀
I think Albert would be intrigued by your verse
even he would ponder those delightful words
thanks for introducing Flipside they look like fun
moondustwriter,
I wondered about Albert’s reaction to poetic use of scientific terms. I really know very little about him, and now I’m curious as to whether he had interests outside of science. Thank you for the read and visit. I’m sure you’ll enjoy your time visiting Flipside. She’s a great thinker and her word lists are always interesting. She has two list posts this week, if you’re interested.
Summer is such a high-spirited season and although, there is plenty of wilting in these long days, I love the colors at its peak. The height of summer is when we pick berries, wild. We have a natural water spring in our town and in August, blackberries spread around it like shelter and they’re free for the picking. Very nice piece, I really enjoy Shawna’s lists also. 🙂
Archna,
What a lovely place you live, indeed. I’m glad we share enjoyment in Shawna’s lists. I look forward to seeing what we create from the next one.
Interesting, interesting, and I liked many of your formulations here. Einstein, yes, much observational wisdom, and Shakespeare, also yes, I’ve gotta go read some of his plays again. I love that language in all its full breath. Read, and it rubs off some. Thanks.
neil,
I was hoping you would come by and read. The word lists were irresistible and obviously fun. At least one other commenter mentioned reading Shakespeare again. I think I’ll be ready for him by late fall (Bradbury is ahead of him on my reading list). Which play to start with? I’d love a good coating of the bard going into winter. Thank you for visiting and sharing.
Uh, yeah. We are dismal dewberries, aren’t we?! 🙂 Especially when we’re under fire, metaphorical describing circumstances, or physical heat.
The second one is funny but also foreboding. Who knows how many “humble malts” it will take to get the “ruttish beast” off the barstool and up to no good? 🙂 I’m sure it is paradise to him, but perhaps not to those around him.
I read something the other day about our six senses, the five traditional but also the sixth being the mind. The article suggested that if we can control the senses, we can control the mind. So if you can control your nose’s sense of smell (telling you that you are hungry and smell something good to eat) … if you can override sensory message, then you can control your mind’s receptors and therefore control the body’s responses. Essentially all senses should be dependent on the mind, not the other way around. … And if that were the case, and you denied all sensory messages and therefore pleasures, then you would certainly be “weather-bitten milkweed”—or you’d feel like one, at least. You might have absolutely control over yourself, but then what’s the point of living? You’d be like a shriveled up mermaid at the hand of the sea witch (think Little Mermaid).
This one also makes me think of a healer/seer who is guided by senses. You might think there’s power in that, but really you dependent on your senses and on reaching out to others to heal and guide. (Milkweed is used in folk medicines.) When a witch doctor (or whatever you want to call it) is completely tapped out and has completely given all of himself, he would have to retreat, having lost his magic and energy (like weather-bitten milkweed). We all have to retreat for seasons of rejuvenation so that we can return to heal the world when our energy returns.
An ill-nurtured kidney makes me think of an alcoholic or an unhealthy person who doesn’t drink water. Perhaps even someone in a third-world country who doesn’t have access to water. Sometimes being ill-nurtured is beyond one’s control. “Kidney” also means “class” or “kind.” So you could be describing a whole group of people. It means “temperament” too, so perhaps this person has an out-of-control temper. You might also be describing any type of non-functioning filter that should be getting waste but is not—like a person.
But looking at the picture of the flower, I do see that it looks like a swollen, inflamed kidney that might require removal. So yes, the flowers might be conceited. 🙂
In light of the above thoughts, however, I do think a person who isn’t taking care of himself does seem to brag about having rights to do as he pleases, even if it is harmful. So I think the second line is a bit sarcastic: he is conceited over killing himself, essentially—whether the damage is literally to his kidney, or if he is just not “filtering the waste” inside himself, letting it fester and thereby walking closer and closer toward his demise.
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All is beautiful on the surface of this poetry. But I see so much below. Excellent work, once again. Thank you.
flipside,
I got my “learn something new everyday” for the week in your comment. 😉 Glad you liked them and saw so much in them. Your lists are my favorite part of Mondays.
Ha! So I guess that means I read a bunch of stuff you didn’t mean. 🙂
flipside,
Maybe . . . 😉
When I ramble stream-of-consciousness style in interpreting poetry, I sound like English is my second language. 😉 Sorry for not proofreading. Writing long comments like this drains me, and I rarely proofread.
flipside,
Not to worry. I’ve left too many comments which I’ve gone back and read only to have the “UGH!” reaction when I spy mistakes littered everywhere. You’re a sweetie and tease me about them. I love your long comments. You give the writer me lots to think about, beyond my own intentions. It’s all good and splendid. Besides, any egregious errors I slip in and rub off. 😉
haha i like…the last couplet is my fav, esp the way you bring out the color…but the first made me laugh in comparing us to dewberries…
brian,
The words were a blast to work with. The list is always good, but these were just daring and raring to go. If you haven’t already, you should go to flipside’s Mr. Linky and visit the others who used the list. I remember one poem (but not who’s) that was insulting and hilarious. Thanks as always for reading and sharing.