30/30 poem 1

Number 1--First Words –

Other writers can often be our best inspiration. This exercise will require a short poem of 10-20 lines or a quote of 10-20 words. Take each word of the poem or quote and use it as the first word of each line. You must keep the words in order and you can't skip any.

This exercise forces connections and gives an inherent cohesion to the draft, and it can be completed in just a few minutes. And, since all writers have a bank of poems and quotes that they love, this little exercise can be perfect for those times when a long session of writing isn’t possible. You could even do a series of these based on quotes or poems from the
same author. The possibilities are endless. So give it a try – and let me know how it goes! 

I'm making a list of things I must say
For politeness,
And goodness and kindness and gentleness
Sweetness and rightness:
Hello
Pardon me
How are you?
Excuse me
Bless you
May I?
Thank you
Goodbye
If you know some that I've forgot,
Please stick them in you eye!” 

--Shel Silverstein

I'm trying not to be judgmental

making accusations

a man compiling a

list 

of decorum and violations of the social niceties

things that nicer people would never mention

I am biting my tongue

must remain silent and just

say that it's been a wonderful party
For what it's worth I'm new to this...

politeness,
And may not fully understand it's nuances and chewy

goodness

and so I need to apologize now before

kindness turns sour

and I lose touch with all the

gentleness and
Sweetness

and

rightness I learned from my mother.
Hello, my name is Gerald, I beg your
Pardon, but you seem to be wearing a bed sheet

me, I wouldn't wear anything less than Egyptian cotton
How do you justify that avocado coloring

are you really that desperate to be the center of attention

you and your constant yelling of every third word
Excuse yourself from this good company

me...I'm just happy your not related to me
Bless the family that does claim

you and your dysfunctional idiocy
May they lovingly make excuses for your behavior but

I have no patience for this kind of shenanigans
Thank God that most of these people are too drunk to remember the incident of

you and the bridesmaids at Cousin Barb's wedding otherwise
Goodbye and a good ass kicking would be you contribution to the family reunion
If you can stop acting like a frat boy barbarian

you might have noticed that no one finds this amusing

know this...memorize it...have it tattooed backwards on your forehead

some kind of reminder

that will make you stoop and say

“I've been a total ass, and I...

forgot that mixing booze and pain killers is inadvisable
Please

stick me in the back of a cab and tell

them I had a wonderful time...I'm sorry about the mess

in the master bedroom

you have been a marvelous host I would drive bu there's something in my

eye, that feels exactly like petulance”

© copyright 2014 David “Buddha 309” Hargarten