This poetic device is just what it says: a catalog or list of thing—an inventory of people, places, things, ideas. But it is no simple shopping list or to-do list, though I suppose it could be if a little thought and a dab of poetic creativity is added to the mix. It’s not just a simple one-two-three—rather, to be successful, it is a well thought-out, complex process.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Fins or Horns
Tails, nails, talons
fisherman -devils? water/fire
casting thoughts
dreams/nightmares
line of fire
uncovered in light of day –
remember to remember the
night before – write it down
write a list you fool
what meaning has this
gnarled hooks metal/keratine?
invading silence in my slumber
plunging into darkness – hell
fire/brimstone
depths of blackened water – drowning
come up to breathe, exhale/inhale
fingernails/cepholopod mollusc
tentacles slithering
open eyes – awakening
but is it?
tales of fish/horns with tails
discombobulated
I shake my head pepper and salt
sprinkle on eggs
forgot the bacon on my list
intrusion in my head -meddling/trespass
stare out my window
wear a flame proof coat
or wellies and mac
I am not sure I have succeeded with the true definition of ‘Lists’ – but I gave it a shot.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
For the brilliant DVerse ~ The Poet’s Pub – Please pop over and join in the fun and merriment.
http://dversepoets.com/2013/07/25/are-you-listing-dverse-meeting-the-bar/#respond
Ramblings From A Mum 
the greatest tragedy in this is forgetting the bacon, you know…ha….ok, i dont list, but i do keep a notebook to write things down so i stay out of the fool category…its mostly verse though…that is what i wake up in the middle of the night to jot down…what a dream too…fish with horns? hmm there has to meaning there somewhere…smiles.
I know how sad is that 😦 what are a mornings eggs without the bacon! I jot down in my notes on the phone which is under my pillow throughout the night – maybe that’s why I dream of horns and fish… now you know why I am discombobulated! – Thanks for the read Brian – appreciated 🙂
This is such a contrast to the last poem I read of yours about the loss of a child (that still almost haunts me). It’s so clever and well written. And it’s true, making that list before going to bed does keep the mind from going into insomniac mode. At least it lessons it a bit. Thanks for this. (My notes are on the nightstand)!
Victoria, I am humbled truly – thank you. This was so spur of the moment I don’t know if the true essence of the challenge was captured. Sometimes I tend to linger too long in my work, my thought process dragging it out. I think with this I stopped when needed. I am sorry that you feel a little haunted still, my pieces are quite diverse as you have noticed. Appreciated you reading and commenting. 🙂 about your notes.
It fit! The whole idea of a prompt, as I see it, is to get ideas flowing. And this was well thought-through. And haunted maybe is too strong a word. I remember it well, though.
Well you succeeded in that, thank you – I do adore prompts, as sometimes the cogs get stuck. ‘Mother cries goodbye’ was written as I am commencing a course (tomorrow) as a Funeral Celebrant – a far different career path than the office jobs I have held for so many years. I guess it was a ‘test-piece’ in the kindess way.
How lists and ideas invade you as you go to sleep. I have several notebooks by my bed to scribble in if I force myself to do it…it’s good to think on it before you go to sleep but sometimes I forget in the morning. I really liked this poem, there was a real mood captured. 🙂
Welcome and thank you so much for reading ‘Pandam’. Our brains are so consumed daily and through out the night with lists, what to remember,combined with dreams/nightmares getting in the way… the only cure – eggs (sadly without the bacon) 🙂
i like the list, great use of words to conjure up imagery. l am continuously writing lists, keep paper and pen near my bed too, and when i need them to refer to, i find that i have often left them behind. alas, they have served a higher purpose though, to clear my mind from dwelling on them.
Thank you my sweet, lists whether written or typed are so necessary in this day and age. Our brains are too crammed with too much to try and remember without the help of our trusty reminders. x
I like the list of verses, catching and netting them would be fun ~ when I wake up in the morning, I quickly jot down my words in a paper lest I forget them ~ To forget bacon is a crime, but I am more of a milk & cereal breakfast fan ~ smiles ~
Thank you so much Grace – it would be 🙂 I am somewhat of an insomniac (not helped by waking continually to jot down lines/words) very rare that I forget the bacon, in fact very rarely have breakfast! 🙂
A great list– reminds me of a fever dream I once had! 🙂 peace, Jason
Thanks so much for the read and comment Jason – can’t wait to read everyone’s take on this one. 😀
The end of your poem caught me by surprise as my godmother is nicknamed Wellie, so that stood out for me !!Oh, your title reminds me of a chinese medicine shop ! and giving it a shot is all we can do and by doing, getting really lucky once in a while and standing out !! Poem On !!
Smiles – I am sure it would have! Thank you for reading and loved your comment cloud – yes our brains work overtime, thoughts scurrying between masses of grey cells in the hope we ‘hit the nail on the head’..( off to the chinese medicine shop for a cure) 😉
I don’t know what I hate more – the necessity of making lists or forgetting something I SHOULD have listed. There is just SO much to keep track of…both the mundane and the important.
that made me laugh out loud! The older we get the harder it is too (screams a little scream on the inside)
🙂
Nice write, Jenny.>KB
Appreciated KB- thank you.
Intriguing… it is fun and irritating to keep on fretting and thinking and revising tasks while lying down to sleep. An enjoyable read of the dreams/nightmares… 🙂
thank you HA yes the dreams/nightmares confused the whole damn thing 🙂
I’m going to try this so I don’t forget the bacon (which, by the way, I’m cooking now for lunch) 😉
You’ve done really well here, Jen – very clever indeed 😀
hand some over I am starving! why thank you lovely lady of the north 🙂 x
I’ve devoured it – it was YUMMY!!! Good grief, I want more now 😉
um…sharing????
*gulp*
so NOT fair ( rolls eyes)
ha smiles…don’t ever forget the bacon..smiles… ah…it’s good to get the things out of our head and put them on a list – and that can sound quite adventurous at times…
never forget the bacon 😉 Thanks Claudia 😀
Forgetting the bacon would be a nightmare! I loved the feel of this, the rhythm.
I think the bacon somehow was the centerpiece in this lol. Perhaps I should have written about breakfast and not lists. Thank you so much sweetness 😀
Bacon somehow touches everyone, I know not why 😉
if I had a drink in my mouth my monitor would be wearing it right now! 😉