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Sporadic photos and notes from a Psyche-midwife, cheerleader, anthropologist--aka clinical social worker in therapy practice. Photos are usually mine except for those of historical events/famous people. Music relevant to the daily topic is often included in a web video embedded below the blog. Click on highlighted links in the copy to get to source or supplemental material. For contact information, see my website @ janasvoboda.com or click on the button to the right below. Join in the conversation.

Friday, January 13, 2012

January 14 Challenge: Turn a Headline into a Poem

Now that you've sharpened your teeth a little, take a bite out of this challenge:
Find a headline that intrigues you, and turn it into a poem.  You've got a whole leisurely Saturday to do it.

I hear the commenting section is buggy.  If you can't use it, e it to me on the contact link or via my facebook page and I'll post it for you.  Make sure to let me know it's ok to post it.

Boog pre-empted  us during haiku day by shear serendipity.  He's always been ahead of the curve.

The bishop busted
Six hundred naughty pix and
A handheld device

Source:  http://www.nytimes.com/2012/01/05/world/americas/canada-judge-frees-jailed-bishop.html?_r=1&scp=1&sq=%22handheld+device%22+priest&st=cse

Mine's old, from a Gazette Times Headline:


 It starts out innocently enough. 
The llama had been seeking the field mint
It knew grew sweetly on the south hillside,
The mint had been seeking a bit of shade there,
Near the edge where the forest bled into the
Pasture.  The cougar had been seeking deer,
Having no geographic or recent genetic reason,
Before such animals bled from one land to another,
To want for the taste of llama.  The trapper
Was after nutria, another import wreaking havoc.
But a job’s a job, and the llama owner, taking all
Of this much too personally, is after revenge.
We are all seeking one thing or another.  We have
Lost track of our edges, we want to pretend we can
Move outside where we belong, and no one will
Notice; nothing will end up bleeding.  This is the
Misfortune of poorly directed hungers. 


7 comments:

Ilsabe OConnell said...

Just want to say. . . what a poem, Jana!

Jana Svoboda, LCSW said...

Hmmm Ilsabe-- that could be interpreted in many ways-- "That's some jacket you're wearing!"
Yours was very nice-- and rhyming! Can we post it here?

speck said...

"Rabbit rustler and one tattooed rabbit still at large"

(Saturday paper edition headline, which was changed for online article found here.

Eighteen rabbits lifted, or liberated.
Not some backyard coyote,
or weasel,
but a protester 'gainst
corpse eaters
aka omnivorous huMen&huWomen.

Seventeen returned,
with much discussion.
To live, to breed, to die, to feed--
what life between is the question,
and who shall do the dying,
and who the eating?

One in legal limbo,
Roger, that.
Negotiations are still underway:

"Pets or meat," to borrow a phrase
from M. Moore.

or as old Joe C. described it:
the "monstrous mystery play of life,
which is called 'Now You Eat Me'."

speck said...

Roger, Jr, posted by Oregonian to illustrate Roger Sr's pettish appeal?

speck said...

I love the rhythm of your poem, Jana--and the wrapped lines that so beautifully describe and illustrate the complexities of "edge effect."

Kiesa Kay said...

http://www.poynter.org/uncategorized/20206/1000-headlines-in-460-days/
(A GOOD SOURCE FOR HEADLINES ABOVE)

I totally tried to do this one
but I don't read newspapers
because crimes scare me
so instead I'll send some headlines
but it was tough
to get even a few clean from among
the murders suicides rapes
destruction terror and plain
flat out silliness
about what rich people
wear to dinner

TODAY IN THE NEWS:

Woman cited for drugs after calling police to report dealer sold her SUGAR instead of crack cocaine

U.S. biggest wine drinkers in the world and consumed 3.7 BILLION bottles last year

Will it spark an earthquake? Fears over plans to pour 24 million gallons of water - and $43 MILLION - into Oregon volcano to see if it can create electricity

And the beat goes on . . ... .

Mary Anderson said...

"In an Informal Economy, Part Valet, Part Hustler"

Dress for the job that you want
Dress for the jobs
Dress for the score, the cash, the win
With the right clothes stealing isn't a sin
Dress for the trust given you from a stranger
Dress to show you protect them from danger
Dress to survive and keep hunger at bay
Because how you appear reflects how much to pay
And if you see doubt start to form in their eye,
Simply straighten your jacket and lie lie lie

from: http://www.nytimes.com/2012/01/16/world/africa/south-african-car-guards-part-valet-part-hustler.html