Literary Hook: A ‘list poem’ about what to give up for Lent
Posted By Brandon Reid On March 21, 2012 @ 6:49 am In Literary Hook, Vibe Entertainment, Vibe Entertainment News | No Comments
[1]Christine Swanberg
By Christine Swanberg
Author and Poet
For some of us, Lent means a time of discipline. Once, when I was trying to figure out what to give up for Lent (and stick to the promise), I was flooded by a list of silly things that either I never had in the first place or wouldn’t want anyway.
Are you a list-maker? If so, you may be interested to know a new category of poetry has been emerging — “the list poem.” It can be serious and lyrical. For example, if you were listing the things you loved about someone; i.e.: “How do I love thee? Let me count the ways,” you would probably do so in earnest. However, you can also choose to be satirical and absurd, in which case you might create a silly, though original, piece of writing. Try it. You might enjoy the experience.
This poem is published in The Alleluia Tree, now available at Barnes & Noble, or by calling 888-books-98.
This Year for Lent
I’m giving up.
I’m giving up Brad Pitt,
George Clooney,
in fact, the entire cast
of Oceans Infinitum.
I’m giving up smelt,
horehound drops,
spam-scrambled eggs,
Belfast, and Gary, Indiana;
TV evangelists,
male enzyme enhancement,
multi-tasking, and cuckholding.
Yep, I’m giving up.
I’m giving up Tupperware,
Avon, Salad Shooter,
French nails and AstroTurf,
Naugahide, Colonial furniture,
and Hummels; escargot,
Kashi, and farm-fed shrimp.
Yes, I’m giving up.
I’m giving up pretending
to like Starbuck’s coffee,
that I don’t watch television,
and that I understand square feet.
I’m giving up Rush Limbaugh,
both Howard Sterns, and Bill O’Reilly;
ice fishing, rappelling and hunting;
the expressions “laid back”
and “sucky” and “functionality.”
I’m giving up thongs, Botox,
tanning beds, and liposuction.
You heard it here, folks.
I’m giving up.
Christine Swanberg is a local author and poet.
From the March 21-27, 2012, issue
Article printed from The Rock River Times: http://rockrivertimes.com
URL to article: http://rockrivertimes.com/2012/03/21/literary-hook-a-%e2%80%98list-poem%e2%80%99-about-what-to-give-up-for-lent/
URLs in this post:
[1] Image: http://rockrivertimes.com/wpapp/wp-content/uploads/WEB_Christine_Swanberg.jpg
[2] Image: http://delicious.com/post?url=http%3A%2F%2Frockrivertimes.com%2F2012%2F03%2F21%2Fliterary-hook-a-%25e2%2580%2598list-poem%25e2%2580%2599-about-what-to-give-up-for-lent%2F&title=Literary+Hook%3A+A+%E2%80%98list+poem%E2%80%99+about+what+to+give+up+for+Lent
[3] Image: http://digg.com/submit?url=http%3A%2F%2Frockrivertimes.com%2F2012%2F03%2F21%2Fliterary-hook-a-%25e2%2580%2598list-poem%25e2%2580%2599-about-what-to-give-up-for-lent%2F&title=Literary+Hook%3A+A+%E2%80%98list+poem%E2%80%99+about+what+to+give+up+for+Lent&bodytext=%0D%0A%0D%0A%5Bcaption+id%3D%22attachment_34925%22+align%3D%22alignright%22+width%3D%22225%22+caption%3D%22Christine+Swanberg%22%5D%5B%2Fcaption%5D%0D%0A%0D%0ABy+Christine+Swanberg%0D%0AAuthor+and+Poet%0D%0A%0D%0AFor+some+of+us%2C+Lent+means+a+time+of+discipline.+Once%2C+when+I+was+trying+to+figure+out+what+to+give+up+for+Lent+%28and+stick+to+the+promise%29%2C+I+was+flooded+by+a+list+of+si
[4] Image: http://www.facebook.com/sharer.php?u=http%3A%2F%2Frockrivertimes.com%2F2012%2F03%2F21%2Fliterary-hook-a-%25e2%2580%2598list-poem%25e2%2580%2599-about-what-to-give-up-for-lent%2F&t=Literary+Hook%3A+A+%E2%80%98list+poem%E2%80%99+about+what+to+give+up+for+Lent
[5] Image: http://www.reddit.com/submit?url=http%3A%2F%2Frockrivertimes.com%2F2012%2F03%2F21%2Fliterary-hook-a-%25e2%2580%2598list-poem%25e2%2580%2599-about-what-to-give-up-for-lent%2F&title=Literary+Hook%3A+A+%E2%80%98list+poem%E2%80%99+about+what+to+give+up+for+Lent
[6] Image: http://www.stumbleupon.com/submit?url=http%3A%2F%2Frockrivertimes.com%2F2012%2F03%2F21%2Fliterary-hook-a-%25e2%2580%2598list-poem%25e2%2580%2599-about-what-to-give-up-for-lent%2F&title=Literary+Hook%3A+A+%E2%80%98list+poem%E2%80%99+about+what+to+give+up+for+Lent
[7] Image: http://twitter.com/home/?status=http%3A%2F%2Frockrivertimes.com%2F2012%2F03%2F21%2Fliterary-hook-a-%25e2%2580%2598list-poem%25e2%2580%2599-about-what-to-give-up-for-lent%2F
[8] Image: http://rockrivertimes.com/2012/03/21/literary-hook-a-%e2%80%98list-poem%e2%80%99-about-what-to-give-up-for-lent/feed
Click here to print.