I had fun with this one as is fitting because it is the last of the prompts that Kim Hawke had put forth for May. These last two of Kim’s MMPP prompts were: Write a poem for or about Beltane (or the midpoint between vernal equinox and summer solstice) and Write a piece in the style of your favorite poet, or about your favorite poet. I love Carl Sandburg. We had to memorize a poem for 7th grade English and I wanted to memorize “Chicago” by Carl Sandburg. I had found it in an anthology on my parent’s bookcase. My teacher, Miss Watson, felt the theme was too mature and my classmates wouldn’t understand it. Instead she approved a much shorter Sandburg poem “Fog” which was easy – too easy I thought! So for your reading pleasure my take on Sandburg’s style and interpretation of Beltane in the industrialized world…
I squint into the sun of the blast furnace
The roar of the fire fierce but the men more so
The heat intensifies the hunger and the thirst
And we toil making our own tribute to Beltane
The flame is mine, the god of iron and steel is mine
And the boys jump between crucibles
Leap past molten metal between slag showers
Ingots
Billets
Slabs
Coils
Shovel coke and sweat the dust from our faces
Wear flowers of soot and char while we dance
We sing as a raging inferno pounding iron
Listen to our song of spark and sizzle
This is awesome.
I also enjoy “Chicago” by Carl Sandburg. At some point (high school? middle school?) I had memorized a fairly good chunk. Hog Butcher to the world. is about what I have left of that. nation’s freight handler. maybe. What an impressive poem.
Anyhow. Back to you. Like it.
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Thanks Carrie! Awesome is a awesome way to start a Wednesday!! Carl Sandburg writes with such strength and I often feel that my stuff is “weak sauce” in comparison… I am thrilled you liked it!
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I would never call you “weak sauce”. In fact, I read it again and like this one even more.
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You are too kind! Maybe I should channel my inner Carl Sandburg more often?? I’m so happy that you think it worthy!
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What a great combination of prompts you turned this into! Wonderful work/play! Loving the voice in this, too. Well done. (My father just sent me his copy of Sandburg’s last book of poems.)
?post yours next Beltane, so that we can read it again, and get new readers, too?
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I am totally amazed that you like this one that much!! I have to admit that without your prompts I would have never in a thousand years gone in the directions you sent me! So what exactly is involved in posting this to get more readers? I’m not very good at self promotion…
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So poetry prompts are like geo-caching? 😉 Going places that one would never have gone.
I only meant, perhaps to repost, next year, at Beltane, i.e. on May day. And y’all have more readers than I do, for that’s for good reason.
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Yes! Prompts are a little like geocaching. They do take you to wonderful new places where you discover unique things – either internally or externally! I suppose I could do that. I will have to make a note in my calendar – a year is a long time for my brain to hold an event… As for readers, it is only because I follow and comment on lots of posts and then I get the same in return. I think your blog is very very good and am so happy I follow you!
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Thank you, thank you and thank you! (i’ll remind you next year; i have a permanent clock in my head. or something. 😉
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Ah! I’ll still put it in my calendar and if you remind me too then it will definitely happen!
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That one was intresting. Glad it came easy to you.
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Thanks. Some are easier than others…
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The same is the same for me on books.
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This is wonderful Val..Carl Sandburg would be happy to read your poem…❤❤❤
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Thanks tons for all the kind words (and little hearts)!
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never heard of CS but like this, resonates as there were steel works near where I grew up.
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Carl Sandburg wrote during the early part of the last century. When he died in 1967, then President Lyndon Johnson is quoted as saying, “Carl Sandburg was more than the voice of America, more than the poet of its strength and genius. He was America.” My husband worked for US Steel for many years and because of that I learned more about steel manufacturing than I ever wanted to know. We also live in Northern Indiana, close to many steel plants (though there are very few left).
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you do have a really strong connection then, our big brother devotion didn’t evolve until more recently so that’s why we wouldn’t have heard of him 🙂
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I’m finding that the same is true on this end – there are wonderful authors and poets from Australia and NZ that I’ve never been expose to. I have some catching up to do…
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lol internet and blogging in particular open so many doors!
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I agree! I have met so many interesting and delightful people through blogging – on Xanga and now WordPress…
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I only started on WP so didn’t know xanga but many have mentioned it!
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Xanga was my introduction to blogging and there was community there that even to this day is unsurpassed. My BFF is someone I met through Xanga. I’ve met so many truly wonderful souls through Xanga that it will forever have a special place in my heart…
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my dear friend Carolyn came from there … sounds like I missed a real era!
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I think you did! Xangans are on the whole really interesting and friendly people. Back in the day we’d have Xanga meet-up. I’ve met quite a few and there are still some that switched to WP that I want to meet in person!!
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how lovely, I’d like to meet a lot in person – including yourself and Sparky – but my travel days are done! I just want to nest 🙂
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When we make our way to Australia I’ll make a point of setting up a meet! Of course that might be a few years down the road…
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lol so long as I’m still alive … family has a congenital heart problem and I haven’t had the surgery 🙂
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Great job. Really like this. CS would be proud. 😉
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A boatload of thanks Elizabeth!! Hope all is looking up for you.
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We studied ‘Fog’ and ‘Chicago’, just before reading Sinclair Lewis’ “The Jungle”-in eleventh grade. I can still remember Mrs. Bisbee, in her patrician Boston accent: Hawg butcha to the world…”
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The Jungle was set aside by my school district just before I got to HS. I read it anyway as it was still on most college reading lists.
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