“hermit crab form”

When Lytton told me this class would be focused on “sources” of poetry, I knew I would really enjoy being a part of this class. I often find myself writing about things I have come across in other readings, or stories I have come across through research. For example, I have a poem about Marilyn Monroe–one of my favorite original pieces. I also have written a piece about Paul Celan and Ingeborg Bachmann, both writers during the Second World War; they had a correspondence of love letters throughout the war. I have a poem about a woman who was became pregnant by a wealthy man on the Titanic, written in the voice of their child. From here I will write my list:

1. I love bringing old stories/historical moments (like those I have written about above) back to life.

2. Nature often grabs my attention and I find myself writing about things I see in nature all the time. A few months ago a deer jumped out in front of my car and I have yet to write a piece about it but I REALLY want to. I also am fascinated by fruit and love cutting it up and tossing it in my poetry.

3. In one of my last workshops someone made a joke that all my poetry is about food and sex–not entirely true! Although I am definitely into writing about physical and emotional relationships. I try to make these pieces more complex rather than one-sided–I won’t write a plain “love poem,” there is always something else lying beneath the surface of that relationship or physical encounter I am trying to convey.

4. Things I see when I’m living everyday life. This may seem vague but there are times when I see things and think “Oh my god, that’d be a great poem” so I jot down a note about it and go back to it later. Yesterday I was in one of my education classes and the professor showed us a video titled “Finch Frozen to Finch Rescue”. That will certainly turn into a poem when I get to it.

5. The slam poetry I write often comes from a conflict I have with the world or within myself.

6.  This kind of goes along with #5, but I often write about my Obsessive Compulsive Disorder–what it means to be someone with a mental illness, and what it feels like to overcome it.

7. I have a pet hermit crab named Lilo and I like to write about her, sometimes turning those hermit crab poems into pieces that are no longer about hermit crabs. You’ll be hearing a lot more about Lilo, don’t worry! 🙂

8. Certain things that people say often resonate with me. If I’m having a conversation with someone about something significant and they say something I think is worth repeating, I will write it down or type into my poem for safekeeping.

9. Things that surprise/excite me. I think this is a good starting point for a piece if I’m stuck. An example would be the 6-year-old boy I babysit; he surprises me everyday!

Looking forward to seeing you all in class next week! Happy writing!
ari

2 Replies to ““hermit crab form””

  1. hi! First off, fruit! A bunch of your inspirations were things I’ve never really thought or noticed before, and I really like how you can garner so much from fruit. You’ve made me think that I should start approaching my breakfasts (and surroundings) with a more receptive outlook, since I love fruit and it’s actually extremely colorful and crazy. Plus, fruit are just ovaries and that’s something that needs exploring.

    Also, I’ve had too many people try to tell me that college creative writing courses are limited to the topic of sex. I think there are so many things to write about, but considering I like reading and writing poems with more than one meaning, the topic of sex is a really communicable way to convey the many facets of love. Sex can also address so many topics other than just romantic love- there is friendship, self-love, pain, confusion…

    I think it’s so cool that you like to write some sort of historical fiction, in which you take real life events and people but add your own twists and turns. I remember when I was younger I had a strange obsession with world disasters, mainly the Titantic and the eruption of Mt. Vesuvius in Pompeii. As a result, I’ve seen the Leo DiCaprio Titanic a million times because of the tragic love story of Jack and Rose. Likewise, I’ve seen every recreation that the History Channel has assembled about Mt. Vesuvius. In order to attract an audience to learned about ancient history, they had to come up with narratives about pregnant women being stranded in the city as pumice fell from the sky, or a dog feeling a premonition of disaster and warning his owner to escape. As corny as these sound, they have always won me over. I would love to read your interpretations on history, especially present history!

  2. Hi again! Because I didn’t explicitly state the recommendations in my first comment, I’ll clarify it here:

    1- Documentaries from the History Channel, like The Men Who Built America. I may not be crazy about the title or it’s implications, but I think you would gather some ideas from the metafictional portrayal of the lives of Vanderbilt and Rockefeller. It shares their personal lives, their business deals, and their stride to literally dominate and monetize the newborn country.
    2- Definitely: The BBC created Pompeii: The Last Day. It’s a 50 min video on YouTube, and I really think you would like the storyline amidst the disaster!
    3- This is an obvious one, but Milk and Honey by rupi kaur. I think the way it’s written, the pauses, the emphasis, fits well with your interest in slam poetry. While I read some of her poems, I thought about what powerful performances they could be. Also, I just really related to what kaur was telling me to believe in, in terms of relationships with others, flames with boys, and feelings about my self-worth.

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