Being There (between the covers)
Being There (between the covers)
Oh, the places you’ll go–
the odyssey
through the looking glass,
the voyage out
to the lighthouse–
Everything is illuminated,
darkness visible–
the red and the black,
the wind in the willows,
the shining
leaves of grass,
Goodnight moon.
Far from the madding crowd,
the sun also rises,
pale fire.
***************************
Okay, I’m not sure what it means either, but here is a “spine poem,” written for Samuel Peralta’s prompt on dVerse Poets Pub. It also happens to be exactly 55 words. So go tell the G-Man!
For those who may not know, a spine poem is poem “found” in the titles of books. There should be a photo of all the books. I’ve been traveling tonight and had to come up with books that I know I own in one form or another. I just could not get a photograph of spines together. (And I’m sorry this pic also doesn’t really suit the poem! Tired!)
The titles in the order of appearance are by Jerzy Kosinski, Dr. Seuss, Homer, Lewis Carroll, Virginia Woolf, Virginia Woolf, Jonathan Safran Foer, William Styron, Stendhal, Kenneth Grahame, Stephen King, Walt Whitman, Margaret Wise Brown, Thomas Hardy, Ernest Hemingway and Vladimir Nabokov.
I am still very uncertain of the poem’s title–if not the books’ titles–I may change when not trying to fit into 55 words. (Hint hint Galen!) Actually –I’ve edited this since posting. I meant “between” the covers, but put “under the covers!”
Explore posts in the same categories: poetry, Uncategorized
Tags: "found" poem, Be here now poem, Far From the Madding Crowd Dr. Seuss conglom, Goodnight Moon plus Jerzy kosinski makes...., manicddaily, spine poem, Wind in the Willows has beautiful pics
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ManicDDaily 
October 3, 2013 at 10:52 pm
Hey…. and this works… and from your memory! I am impressed.
October 3, 2013 at 10:54 pm
Well, thanks. I think it is quite a bit easier to do from memory than to ferret around with books, though on my behalf many of mine are still in boxes from moving. Thanks Margaret. k.
October 3, 2013 at 11:01 pm
oh you had me with the voyage out to the lighthouse already…love lighthouses…always wanted to live in one when i was little… also the Goodnight moon.
Far from the madding crowd… sounds peaceful you know…
October 3, 2013 at 11:20 pm
Very nice, Karin. I like especially the final stanza…which says to me that though we say good night to the moon we are always ready to welcome the sun the following morning! The cycle of life.
October 3, 2013 at 11:52 pm
Oh, I love yours! Through the Looking Glass really gave it that zing 😀
October 4, 2013 at 12:09 am
Totally cool! I love it!
October 4, 2013 at 1:02 am
Oh, this is brill! Especially appreciated “the shining/leaves of grass,” since the two are worlds apart in nature but kindred spirits in title! This is a great prompt by Sam. And hooray for 55!! Amy
October 4, 2013 at 6:46 am
Thanks, Amy–I thought that was funny also. The enjambment forced by the titles is a little strange but interesting too. Thanks. k.
October 4, 2013 at 1:06 am
Way to go, Karin. Produced under stress and duress, and coming out wonderfully well.
K
October 4, 2013 at 6:46 am
Thanks, Kay. k.
October 4, 2013 at 1:42 am
journeyed well! 🙂 interesting!
October 4, 2013 at 2:53 am
It makes me think of voyaging through books.
When I was younger, I was an avid reader. It’s hard for me to keep my attention focused for long enough to be any more. When I’m not falling asleep, I’m just plain distracted.
October 4, 2013 at 6:45 am
Ah–I know the feeling. It is too bad. k.
October 4, 2013 at 3:28 am
I like it. Has the effect of a walk along the bookcase remembering all the good reads.
October 4, 2013 at 6:47 am
Yes, it’s funny. It didn’t start out that way at all–more about sort of night ramble, but the titles were so famous that it moved into that direction. k.
October 4, 2013 at 4:54 am
A very effective combination Karin! All three stanzas are meaningful. A lot of the titles you chose are books that I own and have read. And I also used Hardy’s title in my own piece.
October 4, 2013 at 5:40 am
smiles….i like the last…the goodnight moon….far from the crowd the sun also rises stanza…it has an interesting contrast for me….and cool to see seuss in there as well…smiles.
October 4, 2013 at 6:46 am
I love the theme of light that radiates through this selection–very well done!
October 4, 2013 at 7:14 am
Nicely done . . . love the range of titles used.
October 4, 2013 at 9:58 am
Thanks, Kathyrn. k.
October 4, 2013 at 9:15 am
This is brilliant… (but I miss the elephants)… especially liked weaving in leaves of grass and through the looking glass.
October 4, 2013 at 9:30 am
The sun also rises, pale fire- is so lovely. As is that everything is illuminated…
October 4, 2013 at 9:41 am
A very adroit and pleasing combination, and each title does ‘speak’ into the poem, making an effective whole greater than the sum of parts. I doubt I would get this far working from memory!
October 4, 2013 at 10:01 am
Ha. Thanks. It truly was easier. I just jotted down good titles that came to mind–mainly books I liked–but it’s not hard to make a list of books that have particularly poetic titles. I felt a bit sorry not to be able to use something from Wolfe as they have such great titles, and Joyce Carol Oates is pretty good–though not a favorite writer, but decided if I was going to not use a pic, I should try to use titles people would recognize (more or less.) I don’t know about the Safran Foer and Styron–but those are both great books with great titles. k.
October 4, 2013 at 9:45 am
what continues to surprise me while reading these spine poems is that the poets voice usually comes through. especially, with yours, the second stanza. Your play with light and darkness is clever and clear. I do love the quiet effect of your final stanza. wonderfully composed. I hope your weekend allows you time to rest. ~jane
October 4, 2013 at 9:53 am
Yes, I almost only did the second stanza but I really liked the idea of the odyssey through the looking glass so couldn’t resist enlarging it. I’m not sure that I made it better – maybe better as a shorter poem with a narrowed focus. k.
October 4, 2013 at 9:56 am
PS — but I really wanted to get to 55 words! So I expanded! Ha! Thanks, Jane. k.
October 4, 2013 at 10:18 am
BEAUTIFUL! I love it!
October 4, 2013 at 10:36 am
Thanks so much, Sherry. k.
October 4, 2013 at 2:36 pm
Made perfect sense to me. 🙂 Peace, Linda
October 4, 2013 at 3:55 pm
Karin,
I think you did a great job and I really enjoyed the flow of titles..it’s amazing how we can turn these into cool poetry.
October 4, 2013 at 3:58 pm
It’s great to see some titles I recognise … smiles. There seem to be quite a few dVerse poets with their books in boxes just now; you did well to remember enough strong titles to get your 55 words for the G-man.
October 4, 2013 at 4:15 pm
The spine poems are really quite catchy. I love how yours fit together!
October 4, 2013 at 4:33 pm
Oh! Great titles that make up a great poem!
October 4, 2013 at 5:02 pm
Outstanding connections, fairytale, legends, epics strung together perfectly ! Loved it! Faithfully Debbie
October 4, 2013 at 5:47 pm
I call your poem “Go with the Flow”. In the same way sometimes one’s eyes wanders around the bookshelf and one goes with whatever you’re feeling in that moment. That’s how I read your poem and I loved it. Many thanks.
Greetings from London.
October 4, 2013 at 6:16 pm
Loved your book shelf Karin.
Thomas Hardy? Yeah me too…:P I guess we all need a little Pessimistic Fatalism now and then.
Thanks for your very cool 55
You ALWAYS Rock!!!
Have a kick Ass Week-End
October 4, 2013 at 7:54 pm
Ha! I am definitely in the Hardy mode then right now. Thanks, Galen. k.
October 4, 2013 at 7:39 pm
I love it! You have the perfect bookshelf (from which you’ve created the perfect poem). Thank you.
October 5, 2013 at 12:39 am
This is absolutely glorious! The poem, the composition, the titles that reflect the books drawn within your reach – and thus the very thing that makes you what you are – glorious! And, not only that, you’ve made the poem – a book spine poem – a self-referential composition about books, about reading itself. Glorious! A poem I wish I’d written.
October 5, 2013 at 6:39 am
Ha. Thanks, Sam. It was a very fun exercise. For me, it was fun to turn it in on itself after I got started. k.
October 5, 2013 at 3:02 am
Smoking, Karin! ~ M
October 5, 2013 at 6:40 am
Ha. Thanks. (I truly am laughing at that description, but thanks!) k
October 5, 2013 at 1:20 pm
Very nice, I agree that it is a poem that well utilizes your voice. A great technique to asemble titles as well.