Poetry Drabbles: The Return
I've got one last batch of responses to the Poetry Meme that was floating around LJ last year. I really enjoyed doing it, but after I got through all of my favorite characters, I figured I had to draw a line somewhere so I could focus on other projects. Hope there's something in here you like!
ROUND NINE (Female Characters edition)
1. Alien Saga (“I've never seen an abominable snowman,/I'm hoping not to see one,/I'm also hoping, if I do,/That it will be a wee one.”-The Abominable Snowman, by Ogden Nash.)
“You shouldn’t send the men out there,” Ripley insisted, “Not unless they’re properly armed.”
“They’re prisoners,” Warden Andrews scoffed, “Like hell we’re going to give them weapons. Besides, it’s a damn wasteland out there. What are you afraid of, the boogeyman?”
“No,” Ripley said curtly, “Something much worse than that.”
2. Archie Comics (“shield and his spear in front of him, resolute to kill any who”-The Iliad: Book 17, by Homer.)
“I think it’s romantic,” Betty said, setting down the book, “Men strong and brave enough to fight to the bitter end…”
“I’d do that for you, if you’d like.” Archie said, grinning.
Betty immediately thought back to Archie’s previous attempts at chivalry, and repressed a wince. “That won’t be necessary.”
3. Moulin Rouge (“ended the way a book ends” -Last Words, by Philip Levine.)
Satine closed the book and stuffed it out of sight. If anybody knew she read such silly love stories in her free time, she’d never hear the end of it. But if she wasn’t allowed to fall in love, then at the very least, she should be allowed her fantasies.
4. My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic (“The sinful painter drapes his goddess warm,/Because she still is naked, being drest;/The godlike sculptor will not so deform/Beauty, which bones and flesh enough invest.”-Painting and Sculpture, by Ralph Waldo Emerson.)
Rarity moved gracefully among her mannequins, adding a jewel here, tucking a fold there. At last, she stepped back and eyed the finished products critically. “Ooh, you’ve outdone yourself this time, Rarity,” she declared proudly, “Your ‘Saucy Modesty’ line will be the talk of Equestria by this time next month!”
5. Sandman (“first stars,”-This Is A Poem I Wrote At Night, Before The Dawn, by Delmore Schwartz.)
“Pretty, aren’t they?” Death said, gesturing up at the sky, “I love it when I get to watch the stars come out.”
“They are just pale reflections,” Dream pointed out, “Many of them are already burned out.”
“I know that, silly,” Death said, “That makes me appreciate them even more.”
ROUND TEN
1. Alien Saga (“And as the Rose appears,”-I have a Bird in spring, by Emily Dickinson.)
Ripley was starting to follow Hicks to the next room when something caught her eye. Turning back, she saw a single flower in a vase, the petals bright against the dark surroundings. It should have been comforting, but what really struck Ripley was that it was the color of blood.
2. Archie Comics (“And stares forlorn and turns away,”-My Library, by Robert Service.)
Betty stopped in her tracks as she spotted Archie and Veronica leaning up against the lockers. Based on Ronnie’s smile and Archie’s flushed expression, it was clear that he had just asked her to the Prom. Betty immediately hurried away, not wanting to cry until she was out of earshot.
3. Moulin Rouge (“A thing of dust I have striven for,”-The Last Supper, by Robert Service.)
If she let herself think about it, Satine would admit that she was being ridiculous. Why on earth would she want to be with a writer with no money and barely any possessions to his name? And yet, her heart fluttered with excitement at the prospect of seeing him again.
4. My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic (“I had a rendez-vous at ten;”-My Dentist, by Robert Service.)
Rarity checked the clock and quickly finished the current seam. She would be meeting Fluttershy at the spa soon, and it wouldn’t do to be late. Besides, she needed all the relaxation she could get; with the boutique in Canterlot opening soon, she was under a fair amount of stress.
5. Sandman (“when it's too hot to do anything”-Summer of the Grandmothers, by Susan Kelly-DeWitt.)
“Whew, it’s hot out!” the hiker said, fanning himself, “I don’t know what I would have done if you hadn’t come along. Do you have anything to drink?”
“No, but don’t worry about it,” Death said, glancing at the man’s body just behind them, “Or the heat, for that matter.”
ROUND ELEVEN (Obscure characters edition)
1. All About Eve (“The sky-lark and thrush,”-The Echoing Green, by William Blake.)
“And the voice of a songbird, too!” Addison DeWitt said, applauding politely, “There is no end to your talents, Miss Harrington.”
“I was just singing to myself,” Eve replied, “It wouldn’t work on the stage.”
“Let me be the judge of that,” Addison smirked, “It is my job, after all.”
2. Claw (“Birds singing/in the dark/-Rainy dawn.” -Haiku (Birds Singing), by Jack Kerouac.)
Claw awoke to the sound of parrots squawking and seagulls cawing. Peering out the porthole, he saw the dim outline of Pirate’s Cove through the rain. He smiled and dusted off his uniform; time to seek out Marrow. Even if he had to fight every pirate on the island first.
3. Girl With a Pearl Earring (“in the dentist's waiting room.”-In The Waiting Room, by Elizabeth Bishop.)
Griet sat nervously, watching the doctor extract Cornelia’s tooth. The girl had insisted Griet be on hand to help should the doctor need anything, but Griet knew it was just so Cornelia could look for another opportunity to torment “her” servant. She hoped she could escape to the studio soon.
4. Peanuts (“Now I've had my lazy supper, and the level sun is gleaming”-The Rhyme of the Remittance Man, by Robert Service.)
Marcie smiled as Snoopy finished off his root beer. “Must you go, Monsieur flying ace?” she said, “It is so much more dangerous for you to fly at night.”
Snoopy nodded, kissing her hand. “Good luck, then,” she said, walking him to the door, “Watch out for the Red Baron.”
5. Rome (“He said, because it's held captive, because it is”-A Stone Is Nobody’s, by Russell Edson.)
Octavian looked at Marc Anthony mildly. “Why have you sent our own soldiers to the dungeons?”
“To make an example for the rest of the legions,” Anthony responded, “This way, they’ll be less inclined to mutiny.”
Octavian nodded, smiling to himself. Anthony’s power playing was so very transparent at times.
ROUND TWELVE
1. All About Eve (“Blown from the west,/fallen leaves gather/in the east.”-Blown from the west, by Yosa Buson.)
Addison stood outside Eve’s hotel, enjoying his latest and greatest victory. Across the way, some leaves were blown off a decorative tree and skittered up the street, as if frightened by their new freedom. They needn’t be frightened, Addison thought, they just need to trust the wind to guide them.
2. Claw (“In my hardware store that day.”-Robert Fulton Tanner, by Edgar Lee Masters.)
“Ship repairs!” A ginger tom called out, “Broken masts, damaged hulls, chipped figureheads…we do it all!”
Taking no chances, Claw immediately placed a bag of gold into the cat’s paw. “Tell me where Captain Redtail’s ship is. No questions asked.”
The salescat smiled. “At the end of the dock.”
3. Girl With a Pearl Earring (“Makes the Heavens portable-”-Taking up the fair Ideal, by Emily Dickinson.)
Griet stared enraptured at Vermeer’s latest painting, a picture of a woman playing music. Everything was exquisitely done, from the figures to the lighting. Perhaps it did not depict a religious scene, but it would have been right at home in a church. If only her mother could see this!
4. Peanuts (“The better part with Mary and with Ruth,”-Sonnet 09, by John Milton.)
“The women in the Bible are really inspiring, aren’t they, sir?” Marcie said to Peppermint Patty as they walked home from Sunday School.
“I guess,” Patty answered, “But they never wore pants! They could have done so much more if they’d worn pants!”
Marcie shook her head. “You’re weird, sir.”
5. Rome (“When boughs with robin rapture ring,”-Awake to Smile, by Robert Service.)
Octavian watched as a flock of birds alighted in the trees around the garden. Spring had officially arrived, and with it, a reminder that his uncle would soon return from his military campaigns. Octavian looked forward to it; there was so much he had yet to learn from the man.
BONUS ROUND (Some personal favorite female characters, combined with some of my favorite poems)*
1. Alien Saga (“Je la veux agiter dans l'air comme un mouchoir!/I want to wave it in the air like a handkerchief!”-La Chevelure/Hair, by Charles Baudelaire.)
Ripley curled her hand around the alien’s second mouth, examining it curiously. Her memories were still hazy, but she knew that she’d been fighting these creatures for a very long time. With a smirk, she held her trophy over her head in triumph. They still hadn’t brought her down yet.
2. Beauty and the Beast (“There is a house that is no more a house”-Directive, by Robert Frost.)
Belle was glad to be given a tour of the castle by Cogsworth and Lumiere, hoping to learn more about the situation she had been thrust into. Despite their best attempts, her guides couldn’t disguise the castle’s gloomy nature, although Belle could sense its former grandeur. What had happened here?
3. The Lion King (“Old habits still make us think”-They Will Not Go Quietly, by Linda Barnes.)
As the mysterious lion leapt at her, Nala’s mind seemed to shut down, resorting to pure instinct. She fell to her back, waiting for his paws to touch her shoulders, then thrust her hind legs into his abdomen and used the momentum to flip herself on top. He’d been pinned.
4. My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic (“And now We roam in Sovreign Woods -”-My Life had stood-a Loaded gun, by Emily Dickinson.
“Must we do this, Sweetie Belle?” Rarity said, looking at the forest with distaste, “It’s such a horrid place.”
“You promised we could spend the day together,” Sweetie Belle reminded her, “And I want to find Firefly Grove. So let’s go!”
Rarity sighed. The things she did for her sister…
5. Treasure Planet (“Williams wrote: Old woman, all this was for you.”-14 First Sentences, by Hugh Seidman.)
Amelia looked over the Legacy, her heart swelling with pride. She’d come a long way from the little girl who’d spent hours watching the stars. Her mother had told her to chase her dreams; perhaps it was her Amelia had to thank for giving her the motivation to do so.
*This was done both to counterbalance the Ioan-centric series, and because I wound up doing a third round with those thanks to a spelling error. Besides, female characters always need more love.
ROUND NINE (Female Characters edition)
1. Alien Saga (“I've never seen an abominable snowman,/I'm hoping not to see one,/I'm also hoping, if I do,/That it will be a wee one.”-The Abominable Snowman, by Ogden Nash.)
“You shouldn’t send the men out there,” Ripley insisted, “Not unless they’re properly armed.”
“They’re prisoners,” Warden Andrews scoffed, “Like hell we’re going to give them weapons. Besides, it’s a damn wasteland out there. What are you afraid of, the boogeyman?”
“No,” Ripley said curtly, “Something much worse than that.”
2. Archie Comics (“shield and his spear in front of him, resolute to kill any who”-The Iliad: Book 17, by Homer.)
“I think it’s romantic,” Betty said, setting down the book, “Men strong and brave enough to fight to the bitter end…”
“I’d do that for you, if you’d like.” Archie said, grinning.
Betty immediately thought back to Archie’s previous attempts at chivalry, and repressed a wince. “That won’t be necessary.”
3. Moulin Rouge (“ended the way a book ends” -Last Words, by Philip Levine.)
Satine closed the book and stuffed it out of sight. If anybody knew she read such silly love stories in her free time, she’d never hear the end of it. But if she wasn’t allowed to fall in love, then at the very least, she should be allowed her fantasies.
4. My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic (“The sinful painter drapes his goddess warm,/Because she still is naked, being drest;/The godlike sculptor will not so deform/Beauty, which bones and flesh enough invest.”-Painting and Sculpture, by Ralph Waldo Emerson.)
Rarity moved gracefully among her mannequins, adding a jewel here, tucking a fold there. At last, she stepped back and eyed the finished products critically. “Ooh, you’ve outdone yourself this time, Rarity,” she declared proudly, “Your ‘Saucy Modesty’ line will be the talk of Equestria by this time next month!”
5. Sandman (“first stars,”-This Is A Poem I Wrote At Night, Before The Dawn, by Delmore Schwartz.)
“Pretty, aren’t they?” Death said, gesturing up at the sky, “I love it when I get to watch the stars come out.”
“They are just pale reflections,” Dream pointed out, “Many of them are already burned out.”
“I know that, silly,” Death said, “That makes me appreciate them even more.”
ROUND TEN
1. Alien Saga (“And as the Rose appears,”-I have a Bird in spring, by Emily Dickinson.)
Ripley was starting to follow Hicks to the next room when something caught her eye. Turning back, she saw a single flower in a vase, the petals bright against the dark surroundings. It should have been comforting, but what really struck Ripley was that it was the color of blood.
2. Archie Comics (“And stares forlorn and turns away,”-My Library, by Robert Service.)
Betty stopped in her tracks as she spotted Archie and Veronica leaning up against the lockers. Based on Ronnie’s smile and Archie’s flushed expression, it was clear that he had just asked her to the Prom. Betty immediately hurried away, not wanting to cry until she was out of earshot.
3. Moulin Rouge (“A thing of dust I have striven for,”-The Last Supper, by Robert Service.)
If she let herself think about it, Satine would admit that she was being ridiculous. Why on earth would she want to be with a writer with no money and barely any possessions to his name? And yet, her heart fluttered with excitement at the prospect of seeing him again.
4. My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic (“I had a rendez-vous at ten;”-My Dentist, by Robert Service.)
Rarity checked the clock and quickly finished the current seam. She would be meeting Fluttershy at the spa soon, and it wouldn’t do to be late. Besides, she needed all the relaxation she could get; with the boutique in Canterlot opening soon, she was under a fair amount of stress.
5. Sandman (“when it's too hot to do anything”-Summer of the Grandmothers, by Susan Kelly-DeWitt.)
“Whew, it’s hot out!” the hiker said, fanning himself, “I don’t know what I would have done if you hadn’t come along. Do you have anything to drink?”
“No, but don’t worry about it,” Death said, glancing at the man’s body just behind them, “Or the heat, for that matter.”
ROUND ELEVEN (Obscure characters edition)
1. All About Eve (“The sky-lark and thrush,”-The Echoing Green, by William Blake.)
“And the voice of a songbird, too!” Addison DeWitt said, applauding politely, “There is no end to your talents, Miss Harrington.”
“I was just singing to myself,” Eve replied, “It wouldn’t work on the stage.”
“Let me be the judge of that,” Addison smirked, “It is my job, after all.”
2. Claw (“Birds singing/in the dark/-Rainy dawn.” -Haiku (Birds Singing), by Jack Kerouac.)
Claw awoke to the sound of parrots squawking and seagulls cawing. Peering out the porthole, he saw the dim outline of Pirate’s Cove through the rain. He smiled and dusted off his uniform; time to seek out Marrow. Even if he had to fight every pirate on the island first.
3. Girl With a Pearl Earring (“in the dentist's waiting room.”-In The Waiting Room, by Elizabeth Bishop.)
Griet sat nervously, watching the doctor extract Cornelia’s tooth. The girl had insisted Griet be on hand to help should the doctor need anything, but Griet knew it was just so Cornelia could look for another opportunity to torment “her” servant. She hoped she could escape to the studio soon.
4. Peanuts (“Now I've had my lazy supper, and the level sun is gleaming”-The Rhyme of the Remittance Man, by Robert Service.)
Marcie smiled as Snoopy finished off his root beer. “Must you go, Monsieur flying ace?” she said, “It is so much more dangerous for you to fly at night.”
Snoopy nodded, kissing her hand. “Good luck, then,” she said, walking him to the door, “Watch out for the Red Baron.”
5. Rome (“He said, because it's held captive, because it is”-A Stone Is Nobody’s, by Russell Edson.)
Octavian looked at Marc Anthony mildly. “Why have you sent our own soldiers to the dungeons?”
“To make an example for the rest of the legions,” Anthony responded, “This way, they’ll be less inclined to mutiny.”
Octavian nodded, smiling to himself. Anthony’s power playing was so very transparent at times.
ROUND TWELVE
1. All About Eve (“Blown from the west,/fallen leaves gather/in the east.”-Blown from the west, by Yosa Buson.)
Addison stood outside Eve’s hotel, enjoying his latest and greatest victory. Across the way, some leaves were blown off a decorative tree and skittered up the street, as if frightened by their new freedom. They needn’t be frightened, Addison thought, they just need to trust the wind to guide them.
2. Claw (“In my hardware store that day.”-Robert Fulton Tanner, by Edgar Lee Masters.)
“Ship repairs!” A ginger tom called out, “Broken masts, damaged hulls, chipped figureheads…we do it all!”
Taking no chances, Claw immediately placed a bag of gold into the cat’s paw. “Tell me where Captain Redtail’s ship is. No questions asked.”
The salescat smiled. “At the end of the dock.”
3. Girl With a Pearl Earring (“Makes the Heavens portable-”-Taking up the fair Ideal, by Emily Dickinson.)
Griet stared enraptured at Vermeer’s latest painting, a picture of a woman playing music. Everything was exquisitely done, from the figures to the lighting. Perhaps it did not depict a religious scene, but it would have been right at home in a church. If only her mother could see this!
4. Peanuts (“The better part with Mary and with Ruth,”-Sonnet 09, by John Milton.)
“The women in the Bible are really inspiring, aren’t they, sir?” Marcie said to Peppermint Patty as they walked home from Sunday School.
“I guess,” Patty answered, “But they never wore pants! They could have done so much more if they’d worn pants!”
Marcie shook her head. “You’re weird, sir.”
5. Rome (“When boughs with robin rapture ring,”-Awake to Smile, by Robert Service.)
Octavian watched as a flock of birds alighted in the trees around the garden. Spring had officially arrived, and with it, a reminder that his uncle would soon return from his military campaigns. Octavian looked forward to it; there was so much he had yet to learn from the man.
BONUS ROUND (Some personal favorite female characters, combined with some of my favorite poems)*
1. Alien Saga (“Je la veux agiter dans l'air comme un mouchoir!/I want to wave it in the air like a handkerchief!”-La Chevelure/Hair, by Charles Baudelaire.)
Ripley curled her hand around the alien’s second mouth, examining it curiously. Her memories were still hazy, but she knew that she’d been fighting these creatures for a very long time. With a smirk, she held her trophy over her head in triumph. They still hadn’t brought her down yet.
2. Beauty and the Beast (“There is a house that is no more a house”-Directive, by Robert Frost.)
Belle was glad to be given a tour of the castle by Cogsworth and Lumiere, hoping to learn more about the situation she had been thrust into. Despite their best attempts, her guides couldn’t disguise the castle’s gloomy nature, although Belle could sense its former grandeur. What had happened here?
3. The Lion King (“Old habits still make us think”-They Will Not Go Quietly, by Linda Barnes.)
As the mysterious lion leapt at her, Nala’s mind seemed to shut down, resorting to pure instinct. She fell to her back, waiting for his paws to touch her shoulders, then thrust her hind legs into his abdomen and used the momentum to flip herself on top. He’d been pinned.
4. My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic (“And now We roam in Sovreign Woods -”-My Life had stood-a Loaded gun, by Emily Dickinson.
“Must we do this, Sweetie Belle?” Rarity said, looking at the forest with distaste, “It’s such a horrid place.”
“You promised we could spend the day together,” Sweetie Belle reminded her, “And I want to find Firefly Grove. So let’s go!”
Rarity sighed. The things she did for her sister…
5. Treasure Planet (“Williams wrote: Old woman, all this was for you.”-14 First Sentences, by Hugh Seidman.)
Amelia looked over the Legacy, her heart swelling with pride. She’d come a long way from the little girl who’d spent hours watching the stars. Her mother had told her to chase her dreams; perhaps it was her Amelia had to thank for giving her the motivation to do so.
*This was done both to counterbalance the Ioan-centric series, and because I wound up doing a third round with those thanks to a spelling error. Besides, female characters always need more love.