Free Write

i always thought the backside
of a dime was an image of
wheat or barley in a field growly freely.
as i got older, my life went
on from my childhood imagination
until one day i was paying
attention to a dime
and realized how wrong i was.
the back of a dime is not
an image of wheat in field,
it actually is an image
of a flower, the burning flame that sererandes
the Olympics and some type of plant-like substance.
anybody noticed how all of these
beautiful things are being
trapped in in circled by the words
"United States of America"
and ""one dime".

Junkyard Quotes

"Obviously menopause has effected your sense of smell." - Weeds


"I just saw the woman I'm going to marry. I know it. But I lost her." - Big Fish


" Do you ever get down on your knees and thank God you know me and have access to my dementia?" - George Castanza


"is he a cracker or is he a biscotti? - me

Improv (Week 10)

Bad Language by Dan Albergotti

We fear to speak, and silence coats the night air.
So we are dumb, as quiet as the kitchen pans
hanging on their cabinet hooks. What words
do we even have? The root of fuck is as much
to strike as to copulate. And sometimes ravish
is to rape. But when you're ravishing, you're
beautiful. Strikingly beautiful. Other tongues
do not help. Try saying "kiss me" on the streets
of Paris. God does not help. The Bible is full
of prohibition. Thou shalt not, saith the lord.
No sounds like know. To know is to understand.
In the Bible to know is to fuck. What do you mean
when you say no? I think I know. I want to know.
Understand me. You're ravishing. I want to know
you. Strike me. Don't leave me alone with self-
knowledge and these rich, fruitless, unspoken words.

Language is bad in the right situations by Atarah Rumph

Too scared to speak fearing it will
fuck up the mood, she continues to
lay on the bottom as his pelvic bone thrust
into hip bone. Damn he needs to eat
some collard green with pork and beans.
She needed to lose weight, but only in the
stomach area. Muffin top is just a cute
word to say not to look at. If they were
in a picture, the effect would be sepia
the way the basement had that
1987 feel to it. You know the one
where when you swept the dirt
off the floor, the wind would sneak it
back in. The worn out couch, ashtrays on the ground,
liquor bottled on top of the entertainment center,
15 inch television showing the scores to
the previous game of Mortal Combat, the smell of
fried chicken being warmed up, hormone levels rising,
understanding between two complicated young adults.
Waking up from a cat nap, his eyes greeted her body
and welcomed his hands to caress her nose.
They always spoke in sign language.  

Calisthenics (Week 10)

Why does pizza get to a house faster than an ambulance?

-because food is important for the survival of humans
-because the pizza delivery guy wants his tip
-because people don't want to eat cold pizza if they have to
-because ambulances always get stuck in traffic for some strange reason
-because the paramedics were too busy smoking
-because hunger is a more important emergency
-because most pizza delivery vehicles are cars
-because the hospital is located in the city
-because all of the ambulances were full
-because everyone requested this specific day to not be on duty
-because the pizza man's second job is driving the ambulance
-because people always get excited to see the pizza guy
-because ambulances cost too much to fill up
-because after this delivery the pizza guy is off for the night

Response 2 (Week 10)

Response to Ben's Free Write, "The Perfect Bar"

I've never been to a bar but I would love to go to this one just to see the interior and personalities. It sounds like an upscale, sophisticated bar contrasted to the typical bar that is shown in movies. I think most people that like to go to bars sometimes wish the bar would be as described in this free write instead they encounter emotional drunks, women dressed slutty, cheap drinks and interior. I question the spelling of cheap in this. It may just be an honest misspelling but I looked up the word "cheep" and I think it could definitely fit into the description you are giving.

Response 1 (Week 10)

Response to Ebef's Improv to Kate Northrop's "The Pure Beauties"

Ebef, I admire how you improved and used the same form of the original poem. I know that whenever I try to improv someone's poem, I can never stay true to the original form. I would have liked to read more of your own language in some of the lines that you chose to keep some of Ms. Northrop's words. I think by using your own language it would clarify the "they" and "our" that shows up throughout the poem.

Sign Inventory (Week 10)

Kate Northrop's "The Film"


Come, let's go in.
The ticket-taker
has shyly grinned
and it's almost time,
Lovely One.
Let's go in.

The wind tonight's too wild.
The sky too deep,
too thin. Already it's time.
The lights have dimmed.
Come, Loveliest.
Let's go in.

and know those bodies
we do not have to own, passing
quietly as dreams , as snow.
Already leaves are falling
and music begins.
Lovely One,

It's time.
Let's go in.


-three full stanzas along with one mini stanza made up of two lines
-"let's go in" is repeated in the first, second, and fourth stanzas
-the first word of every beginning stanza is capitalized except for the third stanza
-questionable language: "and know those bodies/we do not have to own, passing/quietly as dreams, as snow./Already leaves are falling"
-significance put at the end of the poem:" It's time./Let's go in."
-20 lines
-enjambments throughout
-

Junkyard Quotes (Week 10)

“That old saying, how you always hurt the one you love, well, it works both ways” -Anon


I cannot believe that the purpose of life is to be "happy." I think the purpose of life is to be useful, to be responsible, to be compassionate. It is, above all, to matter and to count, to stand for something, to have made some difference that you lived at all. -Leo C. Rosten


"the heart wants what it wants" - on an episode of the game, said by TeeTee


"Q: how come we neva play sex evolution?

A: i didnt know that was a game and they have books that can evolve sex"- conversation someone had with my on facebook. 

Free Write (Week 10)

Good Morning

Woke up to a tantrum-throwing alarm clock
he demanded I wake up
as persistent as I was to push him away
he was twice as persistent for me to wake up
to the sweet smell of the garbage can
that pervertibly stares at me outside my window.
It's Monday,
Monday is the you need to forget about the endless nights
you stayed up because your best friends were in town
that you guys had to catch up at the nearest club, wipe out
all of the left of crust from your eyes,
drink two mugs full of green tea,
beginning of the work week day.
Running like a speeding bullet,
trying to catch the train
it hit me,
I didnt eat any Berry Berry Kicks
and my mom popped into my head
and recited: Breakfast is the most important meal of the day!
Breathing like a fish out of water
I was finally on the damn train.