Wednesday, February 22, 2012

So Much Depends Upon


I haven’t participated in the Poetry Jam in AGES. (Remember yesterday’s floaty clouds? Yeah, writing to a prompt requires more in the way of brain power). Anyway, for whatever reason, the prompt for this week grabbed me so I had to participate. Peggy has asked us to play around with the phrase “so much depends/upon” (which is from "The Red Wheel Barrow" by William Carlos Williams). I thought I would write some deep, meaningful treatise about the meaning of life, but this is what you get instead (happens to me all. the. time. Heh.).

So much depends upon
what you ate for breakfast,
what I saw from the window,
whether my latest poem
was well received.
I imagine my spirit
in a runaway cart
in an abandoned mine.
When you say, “Hey!
How are you?”
Am I heading up
or screaming my way
to the bottom?
So much depends upon
the eggs, the view, the accolades,
the zing of metal wheels
on metal tracks.

But the answer is
“Fine.”

Now – go here to see what everyone else did with the prompt!

21 comments:

  1. I always say Hey Bug,

    Accolades for your poem, which is more than fine. It bumps along like a red wagon being pulled by a purposeful person. What you say is so very true.... even for the person responding to your poem. They may be commenting on their 25th poem in a row.

    I am always happiest about my poems when responses come from my most meaningful friends... like you or Tess or Jo or Michael. =D

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  2. I think the quality of a poem depends on how much one can read into it. One can read volumes into your poem.

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  3. Love your sense of humor Bug...it always shines from your blog! I actually had considered doing a post on "So Much Depends On Your Depends"....maybe next time....lol

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  4. smiles...i am too tired...i originally read the second line as WHO you ate for breakfast...lol...i like the texture of the runaway cart too...now how about some bacon and eggs over easy...smiles.

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  5. What I really like about this is how you speak to what you (we) hide inside even as you say: "Fine."

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  6. I'd say you are heading upwards from the mine, a great piece, Bug. The floaty clouds worked their creative spell:)

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  7. Now this I REALLY like! The little recapitulation of the first verse leading up to that final, show-stopping ending, was captivating.

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  8. so much summed up into one little word. it's like a box of chocolates, right? ;) i always say "peachy."

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  9. Perfect ... who can argue with that word?

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  10. Really liked this! I'm also one of those people who tends to hide behind "Fine" whether I am or not.

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  11. Bug, you did this perfectly. So much depends on other things. Your poem made that point very well. And we all know 'fine' sometimes isn't. Glad to see you back at Poetry Jam.

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  12. This one speaks to me, and yes so much depends on whether we are going up or down...wonderfully done!

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  13. Good. Really liked it, and often what I enjoy about your poetry is just how anchored it is in the real here and now.

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  14. I like the layers of this poem very much--the layers of life all going on at once. Thank you for participating again in Poetry Jam. I am so enjoying seeing what people have done with my prompt

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  15. I do much better when I start with protein... I also read your post above... I'm Catholic, too. Gave up anything and everything that has to do with caramel. So far so good.

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  16. I like it! I have to admit my mood, receptiveness, etc, does so very often depend on the things you mention...

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  17. I always like your work. I am glad you put up a poem, even if you don't do it again for a while. I took a bit of a break from PJ, but I'm trying again. Finding it harder than before. WTF?

    I love your poem.

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  18. I just found you today, am going to follow your blog. This poem really strikes me. "Everything is multidetrmined" is one of my phrases to live by and you catch that - but then, the answer being fine, anyway, kind of hit me out of the blue. I hope people don't tell me "fine" when they aren't. I know some do.

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  19. I love the way you entered this with breakfast! A very good read, through and through.

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Thanks for stopping by - I'd love to hear what you have to say!

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