Thursday, April 2, 2009

Image Prompt: Rites of Spring





Dear friends, A couple of bloggers mentioned in my last post that they really did feel the poem expressed was a song. I was able to have the difference between a song and a poem explained to me very clearly by Garrison Keillor, who discussed it on his Valentine's Day show. Since I don't have the transcript handy, I will paraphrase Keillor with apologies in advance to him if I got it at all wrong:

"Thanks to all those who submitted your Valentine's poems, and about them, um (long long pause), how shall I say this tactfully? Folks, a poem can't be about love, because a poem by its very nature contains irony, it contains doubt, uncertainty. If you want to write about love, what you need is a song. Because a song is certain, a song has no doubt, no irony, no confusion, it says what it means!"
(At this point the group breaks into a rousing rendition of "I'll Be Your Baby Tonight.")



Now for today's prompt, we are going to UP the ante. Here's what I would like:

1) If you have the capacity to do it, record yourself reading the poem (to get good acoustics, try taking your recording device to your bed and reading under a blanket (might be needing a headlamp for that). This sounds goofy but all the journalists in the world do it, when you are living for months on end in a concrete block hotel room, you learn how to create a mock recording studio rather quickly. If you can send it via .wav or .aif, that would be preferred, but if you only have the capacity to do mp3, than so be it. Please also send a written copy of the poem when you send the audio file.

2) If you want me to read it for you, then don't bother with the recording issue, just send it to me via E-MAIL (yes Aniket, that means you) at cat@catvibe.com. I will read it for you. I don't need a blanket, I have a recording studio-like place.

3) I am asking for a POEM (not a song!),it must contain the elements of irony, doubt, or hidden meaning. Humor is acceptable. (As is reference to oppression Ms. Jennifer).

4)Today's prompts:
a)Promise or
b)Rites of Spring (or if you want to marry them, both).


Please send your submissions via e-mail to cat@catvibe.com by Sunday, April 5th at midnight. I will likely be posting other things in the meantime and expect to have this posted early next week.

By submitting your work, you give me permission to use it in a multimedia presentation.

In regards to the photos displayed today, I don't have Jason's handy little macro lens, and I don't walk around with a magic tripod to whip out of my purse, but I do what I can with what I have to get sharp and close. And besides, I just wanted to show all you folks in the North that Spring really truly is coming. All these photos shot in the last two weeks. IT WILL COME!


Have fun, and don't be shy!

25 comments:

jaz said...

Okay, you lost me at get under the covers and record yourself. ;)

This seems beyond the scope of a yellow polka dot break, but I'll think it over. Those pictures are SO beautiful that even I might not be able to get down with the oppression angle. Although if Aniket can follow the directions, I suppose anything is possible. ;)

Catherine Vibert said...

Tee hee! Well, I can read it for you if you won't cooperate with the recording thingy. Glad to see you back in the pink :-)

Catherine Vibert said...

BTW: Thanks Jen for your words on the photos. :-)

Deepa Gopal said...

Wonderful blooms Cat!I JUST LOVED it!
It really shows Spring is commencing!

steveroni said...

I'm gonna submit to you....I mean a poem --grin!

Don't quite understand the "prompt" thing. Also, if men ae not allowed--no problem...I'll be Stephanie -grin!

grin-a-roni (rhymes with 'steveroni')

Sarah Hina said...

You know I'm up for a challenge. ;)

Truly beautiful photos, and I love the new twist on the challenge! But as much as I like Garrison Keillor, I think he's plum crazy about love poems. That's precisely why I love poetry (and song, yes)!! You can say things with poems that you can't with prose. There's no shadow of cynicism.

But that said, I'm keen to try this. :)

(thank you so much for the email, too...I've been meaning to respond, but am wrestling with a bad case of writer's block, and am trying to tame the stupid beast! :D)

Catherine Vibert said...

Deepa-Thank you!

Steveroni! Yay! Of course you are allowed, did I allude to not allowing men? Yikes, let me strike that from your thoughts.

Catherine Vibert said...

Sarah, great! Just as I was writing this to you, Marlow jumped up and grabbed my hand from the keyboard because he wants to PLAY. I'm glad you want to play too and hope it means I'll get to hear your voice finally. :-)

Yeah, that writer's block is a bad beast, but I doubt it will stick around much with a creative INFP block killing warrior such as yourself.

Catherine Vibert said...

I want to personally acknowledge Steve E for getting in the first submission. Always good to get the ball rolling! Thanks Steve!

a.e. roman said...

Ooh, this looks fun. Looking forward to it, Cat. Do you have enough poems already?

Catherine Vibert said...

Hi Alex! I have only one poem so far, please do submit something. And welcome to my blog!

Karen said...

I may have to be only an audience for this one -- off to see the Cherry Blossoms in D.C. and will be offline for a few days. I'm taking an itsy bitsy...oh wait! I think that's been done! ;-)

I look forward to reading/hearing your entries when I return!

Catherine Vibert said...

Karen, sounds like a lovely trip! Take pictures for us!

Amritorupa Kanjilal said...

hello cat... i fell in love with the photographs.spring is half way over here in jaipur, and the desert sun has already started killing the petals, so the pictures were a treat...
i've never submitted a poem before, and i'm a bit scared, because i don't know if my poems are good enough to be called poetry at all, but i'll try,ok? please be kind :)

Aniket Thakkar said...

Oh, I am sooo late here... you got a poem already?

My router crashed yesterday, so was not able to surf. :-(

About the recording thingy, I'll try to give it a shot. but being a mimicry artist am never quite satisfied by my own voice. :-)

So you might have to do with the poem, as you rightly predicted.

I've been wondering what to write next. So this is exactly what I needed, am all geared up.

PS: The pics are beautiful, you manage quite well without Jason's lens and all.. :-)

Aniket Thakkar said...

And talking of love songs, I need your help too.

You'll know about it on my blog in a day or two. And you better be nice about it. :-D

And if you play nice, I might even let you have a cyber pinch or two. :-)

Catherine Vibert said...

LGL-Thank you for your lovely poem. You poem is very very very ok. :-) And also for your lovely words about the photos. So you're in Jaipur, not Kolkata? I had a crazy time in Jaipur when I was in India. It was one of the first cities I visited, and I was still a little green about India. There was a lot about Jaipur that I found out AFTER I left, and apparently I was so busy being swindled that I missed about 90% of what Jaipur offers. The thing I remember most about Jaipur is peacocks! Many many peacocks.

Aniket- Thanks for your compliment on the photos. :-) You weren't first this time! And now you won't be the first from India either, you're slacking and blaming it on the internet, I know. ;-)

I can't wait to see/(hear?) what you submit and I'm very curious about your upcoming blog post!

Aniket Thakkar said...

Damn. LGL is stealing all my buddies. :-)

And me no slacking. Trust me. The home net is still blown up. Am currently in office. Am trying to fix the home one and can only hope it gets fixed by tomm.
:-(

Life seems empty without net. I think I should get out a bit more. :-)

Catherine Vibert said...

Aniket, I second that. Get out and dance to the beat of the tabla! Is it hot in Pune now?

Aniket Thakkar said...

Dance to TABLA??
Who do you think I am? Classical dancer? :-) :-)

Am more of head-banging to guitar kinds. :P


And yup its hott.

Maximum: 39 degree celsius
Minimum: 16 degree celsius

So nights are cool to drive around with the stars. I often do that. Take my bike for a ride at midnight. It feels good to zoom in empty roads.

Vesper said...

The pics are beautiful... So there's hope in the air... :-)

joaquin carvel said...

hi cat - thanks for dropping in and letting me know about this. although the deadline seems impossible (3 days?!) and is compunded by the fact i won't be near a computer this weekend - i'm going to try. (sorry, i don't have a way to record anything - but will try to get a poem off this afternoon.)

i also love the photos - the first two are particularly stunning.

btw, while i appreciate him, i think our dear mr. kellior may want to read "jenny kissed me" and listen to "strange fruit" and reassess. just sayin'.

Catherine Vibert said...

Vesper-Yes, hope!!

Joaquin-Welcome! And thank you for your excellent entry!

Catherine Vibert said...

Aniket! Thank you for your entry!

Aniket Thakkar said...

Most Welcome Cat! ;)

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