December 17, 2006

Tease

The latest meme going around the blogs involves getting assigned a letter of the alphabet and then listing ten things you love that begin with that letter. When I commented on the meme over at PPB's, she gave me the letter T, which she said stood for time. So I picked out some T words and started writing the meme up, using all my favorite T words, and then somehow I got it into my head that I could only use T words and nothing else. Here is the result. I only regret that I just didn't have room for tongue-twister, totem, or tiddly-winks.

Part of the meme is supposed to include me assigning letters to anyone who comments, but as my readers know, I am not very quick about answering comments, especially on weekends. So if you leave a comment and want to do the meme, take the first letter from the word verification screen. And cheat if you want. No one will ever know.


Travelling together

This train traced the trail through tiny towns,
twisted through throbbing traffic,
trembled through tulips thronging tidy triangles.
Together, the two travelled through tall trees,
teeming trilliums, tilted tombstones. Tigers.
Tugboats thrust tuneful tidings towards towpaths.
Toy trucks trailed tinsel through tollgates.
Tropical tiffany temples tickled their throats.

Through thistle, thorns, toothaches, therapy,
through tattered tie-dyed tapestries, they travelled.
Thunder teased the trees, terrified tadpoles.
Tenderly, they talked through tea,
tight-roped through tears, tiptoed to thanks.
They tasted tangerines, tried tap-dance, trusted tango.

Tenacious, they twinkled through tunnels
talking, thrashing, tumbling.
Thirsty, they tugged time tendrils
towards thick towels, tents, turtledoves.
Toes touched, teeth tickled, talcumed thighs tingled,
trumpets thrilled through twilight.

18 comments:

Anonymous said...

This is why I like reading your blog. You are a wonderful writer.

Anonymous said...

oh my goodness.
I'm not worthy.

Anonymous said...

Wow. That is about all I can manage.
Wow.

zorra said...

Tour de force!

Scrivener said...

Golly. How'm I gonna follow that up with some B post?

Anonymous said...

I have never in my life ever seen a poem with all the words starting with the letter T.

Thanks Jo(e)

Yankee, Transferred said...

excellent job there.

Anonymous said...

I got I. Will post my meme soon.

LovesWildlife

Anonymous said...

excellent!

Anonymous said...

Since Jo(e) did her meme as a poem, I took some literary freedom and did the same with mine. I got "I" from the word verification list, and here it is:

I invocated Imam; invite insipid idolaters in.
Isolate iconoclastic idiots, insulate ignoble ideologies, identify inadaequate ideograms.

Instill ideals intuitive in intellect, in intention, in idolatry.
Imagine immaculate intervals immortal, imbibe imperial impellers.

I incontrovertibly insist in incredible initiatives.
I incomparably impose innocence.
I incisively increase intelligence.
I idealize indissoluble independence.

Another type of literary meme uses the following rules:
1) Grab the nearest book.
2) Open the book to page 123.
3) Find the fifth sentence.
4) Post the text of the next 4 sentences on your blog.

Here's mine:
"There is some debate about the longevity of individual plants, but I have grown all the species listed here and have found them to persist at least two years, often more. They usually seed willingly as well, so once established they will likely stay.

Culture: First and foremost, bluets need a place where there is not too much competition, as they are easily smothered and sent packing. Good spots are the edge of gravel paths, in moss or bare soil, or thin spots in a lawn or dry meadow."

LovesWildlife

Anonymous said...

Man you are good. I would have written about two lines for sure. That is a fabulous poem.

BeachMama

Anonymous said...

Show off! ;-)

Anonymous said...

AWESOME... but you're a poet, I won't even try because the standard is just too high at this point (like Scrivener pointed out), and I'm at a disadvantage with vocabulary in English, since it's my second language. Is it fair game to use the dictionary?

HAHAHA, the letter in the verification "word" thingy is X. No way. I'd dare you to do it with X... ;)

oh, it's an interesting "word," though, "xdaciy" - reminds me of "audacity."

LovesWildlife's I response is great too!

Coffee-Drinking Woman said...

Genius, utter genius. I stand in awe of you.

Sarah Sometimes said...

not only brilliant but poignant too. If I were writing a literary analysis of your work, I would say this has all your themes: nature, wonder, the solace of companionship, the steadfastness of love, the thrill of sex....

Anonymous said...

Sarah: Thanks for the literary analysis!

LovesWildlife: Nice. You certainly went for the long words, didn't you? I think it's only a matter of time before we talk you into a blog of your own ....

YourFireAnt said...

Only a poet would let a letter take on a life of its own and drag her through the back streets, alleys, ashcans and underbrush of a world where words sparkle. And rule.

Loved it.

Mary Stebbins Taitt said...

LOL! That's great, LOL, jo(e)!

I was wondering how people got their letters.

I like your letter T poem, cool!