In 1999, H-L kindly gave me a magnetic poetry set for my birthday. The idea is that you have various words on little magnets, which you can then attach to a suitable surface (such as a fridge door). You then combine them to make poetry. The thing is, this leads to a very different creative process, since you can't choose whatever words you want; you have to make do with what's there. I originally intended to do a poem about bouncy castles and clouds, but I couldn't find the words; a new form of writer's block! As I was looking for those words, however, I found that a new pattern was emerging, so I came up with a different verse:
as I smile in the naked night
the joy of a kiss lingers on my lip
and as a present from the vast ocean of air
I wake to her voice like magic
I quite like it, but William (my flatmate at the time) didn't really appreciate this masterpiece, so he made a few substitutions (which I've emphasised):
as I growl in the naked glass
the joy of a drink lingers on my lip
and as a present from the vast home of women
I wake to her cake like magic
This page was last updated on 2003-12-29 by John C. Kirk