Poetry Fishbowl Open!: ysabetwordsmith

Poetry Fishbowl Open!

Starting now, the Poetry Fishbowl is open! I will be checking this page periodically throughout the day. When people make suggestions, I'll pick some and weave them together into a poem ... and then another ... and so on. I'm hoping to get a lot of ideas and a lot of poems.

EDIT: The December poetry fishbowl is now closed.

If you are holiday shopping, consider that an original poem makes a good gift for "someone who has everything" if they like literature. I can "credit" a poem to anyone you wish. Also, I offer papercrafted versions if you want to put a poem into tangible form, suitable for framing or putting in a scrapbook.

What Is a Poetry Fishbowl?

Writing is usually considered a solitary pursuit. One exception to this is a fascinating exercise called a "fishbowl." This has various forms, but all of them basically involve some kind of writing in public, usually with interaction between author and audience. A famous example is Harlan Ellison's series of "stories under glass" in which he sits in a bookstore window and writes a new story based on an idea that someone gives him. Writing classes sometimes include a version where students watch each other write, often with students calling out suggestions which are chalked up on the blackboard for those writing to use as inspiration.

In this online version of a Poetry Fishbowl, I begin by setting a theme; today's theme is "cultures of the world." I invite people to suggest characters, settings, and other things relating to that theme. Then I use those prompts as inspiration for writing poems.

Cyberfunded Creativity

I'm practicing cyberfunded creativity. If you enjoy what I'm doing and want to see more of it, please feed the Bard. The following options are currently available:

1) Sponsor the Fishbowl -- Here is a PayPal button for donations. There is no specific requirement, but $1 is the minimum recommended size for PayPal transactions since they take a cut from every one. You can also donate via check or money order sent by postal mail. If you make a donation and tell me about it, I promise to use one of your prompts. Anonymous donations are perfectly welcome, just won't get that perk. General donations will be tallied, and at the end of the fishbowl I’ll post a list of eligible poems based on the total funding; then the audience can vote on which they want to see posted.

2) Buy It Now! -- Gakked from various e-auction sites, this feature allows you to sponsor a specific poem. If you don't want to wait for some editor to buy and publish my poem so you can read it, well, now you don't have to. Sponsoring a poem means that I will immediately post it on my blog for everyone to see, with the name of the sponsor (or another dedicate) if you wish; plus you get a nonexclusive publication right, so you can post it on your own blog or elsewhere as long as you keep the credits intact. You'll need to tell me the title of the poem you want to sponsor. I'm basing the prices on length, and they're comparable to what I typically make selling poetry to magazines (semi-pro rates according to Duotrope's Digest).

0-10 lines: $5
11-25 lines: $10
26-40 lines: $15
41-60 lines: $20
Poems over 60 lines, or with very intricate structure, fall into custom pricing.

3) Commission a scrapbook page. I can render a chosen poem in hardcopy format, on colorful paper, using archival materials for background and any embellishments. This will be suitable for framing or for adding to a scrapbook. Details are here.

4) Spread the word. Echo or link to this post on your LiveJournal, other blog, Twitter, Facebook, MySpace, Digg, StumbleUpon, or any other social network. Encourage people to come here and participate in the fishbowl. If there is at least one new prompter or donor, I will post an extra freebie poem.

Additional Notes

1) I customarily post replies to prompt posts telling people which of their prompts I'm using, with a brief description of the resulting poem(s). If you want to know what's available, watch for those.

2) You don't have to pay me to see a poem based on a prompt that you gave me. I try to send copies of poems to people whose eddresses I already have. If you want to see the poem inspired by your prompt, give me your eddress; I recommend using {at} and {dot} to discourage spammers. These are for-your-eyes-only, though, not for sharing.

3) Sponsors of the Poetry Fishbowl in general, or of specific poems, will gain access to an extra post in appreciation of their generosity.

Feed the Fish!
Now's your chance to participate in the creative process by posting ideas for me to write about. Today's theme is cultures of the world. I am especially looking for: culture heroes, historic figures, ancient or modern societies, objects linked to a certain culture, winter holidays around the world, cultural practices, culture clashes, historic evolution of cultures, places associated with a given culture, and poetic forms linked to a culture in particular.

But anything is welcome, really. If you manage to recommend a form that I don't recognize, I will probably pounce on it and ask you for its rules. I do have the first edition of Lewis Turco's The Book of Forms which covers most common and many obscure forms.

I'll post at least one of the fishbowl poems here so you-all can enjoy it. (Remember, you get an extra freebie poem if someone new posts a prompt or makes a donation.) The rest will go into my archive for magazine submission.

Let's Have Some Fun

stonetalker

December 1 2009, 17:39:48 UTC 11 years ago

New comment

How about something light-hearted, trying to explain to 18th Century Native Americans who the fat guy in the red suit was, and why he traveled the world every Christmas Eve?

Re: Let's Have Some Fun

ysabetwordsmith

December 1 2009, 18:21:50 UTC 11 years ago

From this I got "The Explication of Christmas Past," a free-verse poem about a time traveler who has lost a bet.

46 lines, Buy It Now = $20

wyld_dandelyon

December 1 2009, 17:48:52 UTC 11 years ago

I'm thinking of American Indians too, but more their sense of time, not time divided into tiny set lengths by mechanical devices, but time the way it naturally happens, divided by natural and human activity.

Poem

December 1 2009, 18:47:18 UTC 11 years ago

From this I got "Willow Leaves," a free-verse poem exploring how different languages treat time. I love Native American tenses, but trying to fit even a hint of them into English requires beating the language with a lug wrench.

24 lines, Buy It Now = $10

Re: Poem

11 years ago

beetiger

December 1 2009, 18:03:15 UTC 11 years ago

This is basic, but I'd love to see a Divali poem.

December 1 2009, 21:23:50 UTC 11 years ago

For this, I looked up Indian forms of poetry and chose the masnavi, written in rhymed couplets. "The Festival of Light" devotes one couplet to each of the five days of Divali, describing a tradition associated with each day.

10 lines, Buy It Now = $5

jenny_evergreen

December 1 2009, 18:03:25 UTC 11 years ago

Something that might call for some research you might find interesting...a poem on the Quebec independence issue in Canada.

December 1 2009, 22:33:21 UTC 11 years ago

From this I got "A Sovereign Design," a free-verse poem which combines quilting metaphors with language identity.

27 lines, Buy It Now = $15

December 1 2009, 18:05:42 UTC 11 years ago

Ooh...how about something inspired by zen koans?

December 1 2009, 18:07:23 UTC 11 years ago

OMG I love Zen Koans!

grin

i_id

December 1 2009, 18:10:14 UTC 11 years ago

I work on a historical ship (replica) that was the first American vessel to visit the Pacific Northwest, Hawaii, Japan, and China and the first American ship to circumnavigate the globe. So the original crew were members of a very new nation who spent three years living in a microculture of their own, encountering dozens of cultures and ways of life.

So, some form of poem about that?

More Input!

December 1 2009, 18:29:44 UTC 11 years ago

Gah, I'll need the name of the ship!

Re: More Input!

haikujaguar

December 1 2009, 20:16:49 UTC 11 years ago

I want to see something about the treasures of the earth. The multiple languages, the exotic foods, so many different kinds of dressing, ways of thinking. Like aliens leaning over and going 'oooh, so many pretties'. So much diversity, one little place!

siege

December 1 2009, 23:19:28 UTC 11 years ago

The culture of Bloomington, Indiana: I have described it as every culture in the world comes here, and wants to share their food. Restaurants of many different kinds, from fast to eternal. Not to mention the diversity of students attending IU. ;)

arielstarshadow

December 1 2009, 20:20:10 UTC 11 years ago

I would like to see something on the internet tribes and cultures we build. I've seen - and been fortunate enough to be part of - the miracles they work.

I wish I had money to put in the tip jar, but far too often these days, what bits I've got left over are helping folks in dire straits.

December 2 2009, 04:15:12 UTC 11 years ago

From this I got "The World We Made," a ballad describing cyberspace and its communities in the clear light of creation. For like Underhill, cyberspace is what we make of it.

16 lines, Buy It Now = $10

marina_bonomi

December 1 2009, 20:40:00 UTC 11 years ago

Scotland! When I was there (too short a time alas!) I was very impressed by the Scots' hospitality, opennes and wry sense of humor (given their history I think they need it). Also there's an element that ties Italy and Scotland nicely together: Bonnie Price Charlie was born in Rome, and to thank Italians for the hospitality and the support he got, he granted us the right to wear Royal Stewart tartan.

Does anything of this inspire?

December 1 2009, 23:25:01 UTC 11 years ago

I live in Bonny Italia,
My kilt is bright and proud
Thru danger, romance, and polizei,
My voice is strong and loud:
Hail, Scotland, my cousin!
Hail to my cousins' land!
For here in Bonny Italia,
A Stewart I am.

December 1 2009, 21:50:55 UTC 11 years ago

This poem was inspired by a backchannel prompt from

natasiakith about "books of the dead/living." The result is "Books of the Dead and the Living," a free-verse poem written in five-line stanzas, comparing the literature of Egypt, Tibet, and America.

15 lines, Buy It Now = $10

December 2 2009, 01:21:47 UTC 11 years ago

By the way, I tweeted about your fishbowl today, calling it to the attention of the #haikuchallenge and #poetwist people, though coming up with an announcement that fits into 140 characters and also includes a link is challenging. I hope it brings/brought you at least a few curious viewers.

Thank you!

December 2 2009, 04:42:28 UTC 11 years ago

I really appreciate the networking assist! So far, I haven't seen anyone new post a prompt, but maybe they will.

Re: Thank you!

December 2 2009, 01:22:53 UTC 11 years ago

If you're still looking for new prompts, how about tricksters of different cultures? What would happen if they got together?

December 2 2009, 02:35:17 UTC 11 years ago

My father Anthony Barrette gave me the prompt "Afghani culture." That led me on a search for an Afghani form, of course; I settled on the dubeiti. The poem is "From Times Long Past," about glimpses of culture in a marketplace.

16 lines, Buy It Now = $10

nhpeacenik

December 2 2009, 03:34:39 UTC 11 years ago

I wonder if Holger Danske might wake up and rescue the world from global warming next week (and then presumably go to sleep again)

December 2 2009, 05:40:48 UTC 11 years ago

From this I got "All the Sleeping Heroes," a free-verse poem about heroes of legend awaking from their enchanted slumber to storm the summit of Copenhagen. What, you didn't think Holger Danske was going by himself, did you? ;) I really hope someone sponsors this one because it's got a short shelf-life.

60 lines, Buy It Now = $20

December 2 2009, 04:39:50 UTC 11 years ago

An anonymous poster left a prompt about "treppenwitz," the clever remark that only comes to mind after it's too late, when you're leaving. From this I got "Stepchild Wit," written in quatrains, musing about the things we almost say.

16 lines, Buy It Now = $10

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