Monday 28 September 2009

The Monday Poem

The Lord High Eejit has thrown down the gauntlet of a poetry challenge Here.

This is my poem, pretentious claptrap that it is.

The classroom clock
Drips away the slow seconds

The teacher stands ready
To fill our heads
And tamp it down hard.
Today is Poetry Apreciation.

The clock's hands are moved
But we are not.

Horses and thought-foxes,
Tomcat, Pike and otter
The Hawk in the rain
Have no room to run, swim or fly
In the small crowded space
Of our bored afternoon minds.

The classroom clock
Drips away the slow seconds
The clock's hands are moved
But we are not.

19 comments:

  1. The clocks hands are moved
    But we are not

    fantastic line - definitely deserved being repeated. Lovely poem!

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  2. NOT pretentious. NOT claptrap. Just a considered piece of writing that means something to you - and me. Poetry. Nice One!

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  3. Good one - and I certainly recall similar experiences at school.

    Claptrap etc? Depreciate yourself not! :)

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  4. Great poem Argent.Redolent (for me) of terrible days,I could smell the boredom chalk dust and fear, enough to make me shudder!Love the effect of the beginning being the end conjuring a timeless circle of boredom.Thanks!

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  5. Thanks, kind people! This is actually the second version of this, the first one got binned as I was trying to over-explain what was going on in case it wasn't clear. I think in this case, less is more.

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  6. I love the oblique ones!
    And Lord, do I remember some English lessons.
    Enjoyed it. Certainly not pretentious ...

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  7. oh yes. been there. more so for wuthering bleeding heights

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  8. Argent, I particularly like the way your clock 'drips away the seconds.' Nice! Thank you!

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  9. Simple but effective. A lot of people would relate to this!
    As for pretentious...heavens you've a long way to go yet!
    x

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  10. Nothing more likely to kill enthusiasm than a bored 12 year old reading poetry in broken sentences on a hot sunny afternoon at school

    Excellent

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  11. I understood it well. It was clear, concise and yet comprehensive. Loved it!

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  12. Love the Delusions of Adequacy name too.
    x

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  13. As a retired English teacher I recognise the classroom in your poem only too well. That sort of lesson puts people off poetry for life - it takes someone like TFE to revive it! Thanks for calling on me - call again.

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  14. And thanks again, people! I think the problem with school poetry is that, because it is something that has to be taught for the exam, they cram as many poems in as they can and give you no time to enjoy. I was lucky, I think, in that they never managed to kill off my love for the poems themselves - despite their best efforts! I really appreciate the warm welcome into the group and am eager for our next assignment.

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  15. I remember that classroom, Argent. Your line "the teacher stands ready to fill our heads" took me back (w-a-y back) to a teacher of mine who liked to refer to the "bucket theory of education." He didn't go along with that, and I love him to this day.

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  16. Claptrap? Not on your bleedin' Nelly! That is brilliant!
    I find most home-made bloggers' poetry pretty dire, actually, I find most home-made poetry pretty dire and when forced to sit and listen in some poetry group or other can barely remain civil; I remain silent instead, having finally learnt some manners in my old age. But this poem describes exactly the 'feeling' of the classroom and those bored halfwit children whom the inept teacher cannot enthuse to blow their snotty noses much less appreciate poetry!
    There, said it!

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  17. @Sandra - I was very fortunate to have some good teachers too, whose memory I treasure. As for the bad ones, well, I'd still like to lie in wait for them in a dark alley!

    @Friko - Lovely to hear from you, I too am wary of 'homemade' poems. Sometimes on 'Midlands Today' or some such TV programme, they'll feature someone or other who has 'done a poem' and they are invariably awful.

    And thanks, both for the kind words.

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  18. This-un snuck past me!... bloomin eck, and tis a nice little thingy! Good to see your music link up too, about bloomin time! :-D

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  19. @Watercats - thanks for the verbal kindnesses. I'm a bit rusty at the poetry, but it's all coming back to me now. I've got my seat on da bus for this week's.

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