This is from Charles Bukowski’s manuscripts (challenge #1 Fall in love with a poet)
(‘This is the first one that I changed a little following is the original)
How long does love stay green?
(as long as the money lasts)
when women open doors and walk out in rain at 3 a.m.
like an ape trying to relocate his last stool
when sleeping wants to kill himself
and someone as rich as you
mounts a machine gun on their roof
to point at you as you search in garbage cans
–hello rocks in the sun
–how long does love stay green?
She’ll tell you what the queen
wore to the opera or who has won
twenty baseball games
as your heart lies by a dead chicken
outside a Spanish whorehouse
as pain screams in cemetery bones
she says
–where did my big dream go?
–hello to the rocks in her shoes
——
How long does love stay green?
(as long as the money lasts)
when men open doors and walk out into the rain at 3 a.m.
like apes trying to relocate their last stool
when sleep wants to kill itself
and somebody richer than you
mounts a machine gun upon his roof
to point at you as you search garbage cans
I say
–hello to rocks in the sun
–how long does love stay green?
they’ll tell you what the queen
wore at the opera or who won
twenty baseball games
as your heart lies next to a
dead chicken
outside of a Spanish whorehouse
as the pain screams in your cemetary bones
I say
–where did the big dream go?
–hello to rocks in my shoes
<a href=”http://readwritepoem.org”><img src=”http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3173/2908425234_55d973018e_o.jpg” border=”0″></a>
February 5, 2010 at 10:02 pm
Powerful words. Nicely done. And thanks for the visit to my blog.
February 5, 2010 at 11:48 pm
Anthony thanks so much for the nice comment. This mini-challenge is aptly named. I didn’t even know what a cento was till this week, lol. Seriously it does make me reach deep inside in order to make it work. I enjoy visiting your blog. Good day to you.
Pamela
February 6, 2010 at 10:50 pm
bukowski is a great choice for this exercise, i think. he’s very “to the point” in every line. 🙂 you’re assemblage is wonderful.
February 6, 2010 at 11:06 pm
Thanks so much! You have no idea how much better you have made me feel. This is not an easy prompt for me considering a week ago I didn’t even know what a cento was. But I now am starting to feel the rhythm in it. Again thanks.
Pamela
February 8, 2010 at 5:55 am
I wonder if I am doing this mini-challenge correctly after reading your poem…and the original.
February 8, 2010 at 6:12 pm
Evelyn,
I haven’t seen yours but if you go and check Carolee’s blog she explains the process very well.
Pamela
February 8, 2010 at 2:15 pm
I’m with you, Pamela – I didn’t know what Cento was until this challenge either but oh, I am enjoying writing and reading them immensely!
Excellent… and great choice for a lover!
February 8, 2010 at 6:16 pm
Julie,
Boy did I feel like a real dummy when I saw the prompt. But Carolee’s blog and process are quite clear. I am enjoying this also. I adore Charles Bukowski.
Today is #4 and I am sweating it a little though.
Pamela
February 23, 2010 at 7:13 pm
Wow. First of all, great choice for a poet. Secondly, I am getting more and more amazed at how well people are working with this prompt, and you are no exception. The “heart lying next to a dead chicken” line in your piece bowled me over. Well done.
-Nicole
February 23, 2010 at 7:53 pm
Thanks Nicole but that line is Bukowski’s. I modified it to “by a dead chicken”. I appreciate your comments. I had some trouble with this prompt as I didn’t know what a cento was. And I saw that everybody approached the exercise differently. Thanks for stopping by.
Pamela