today

[mickey_one]

Today
I finished reading a book
of short stories
so clever
so brilliant
they inspired me
never to write again.


michael

[imaginary friend]

Please name
the author
and please share the title
of that book
of short stories
so clever
so brilliant
they inspired you
never to write again.

[Violet]

.

[mickey_one]

hi, Imaginary Friend. The book is No One Belongs Here More Than You, by Miranda July. I have never been much of a fan of that format but she has sorted it.

michael

[mat james]

my husband made me

If that's the case
you'll be waiting for a sign forever
...and I suspect it'll be there
but you won't run with it.
It is no three-leg'd race.

[Steven]

Michael,

I'm not familiar with that book. Excellence, though, has a way of both intimidating
and inspiring. I hope the first goes to the wayside in favor of the inspiration.
The book didn't affect your short poem writing, evidently.

[mickey_one]

right on, Steven (and write on, Michael) . (I remember once saying on this forum "bang on" meaning "precisely" and it was taken as a criticism, meaning "tedious".)

After the initial "intimidation"of reading brilliance, plagiarism of style follows, then finally, and best of all, inspiration emerges. So not a bad deal at all!


michael

[Violet]

.

[Heretic]

I heard it said (probably on Radio4) that short story writing is a tougher medium that novel writing.
I have never written either so am not qualified to comment.
There is always someone better at anything you can do.
You know, there may even be a better trial attorney.
So why refuse a challenge?

Heretic.

[mickey_one]

You know, there may even be a better trial attorney.


Heretic.

where is she, the bit*h.

[Violet]

Hi,

No one's pointed out that Michael's poem is enormously funny and witty in its own right, and very pleasingly so. It hits just the right note, and so I wouldn't change a thing.

As for the trial lawyer crack, you're sounding quite misogynistic, Michael.

v.


[much later edit: just perusing my posts, seeing what I'll leave here at this Forum] [I was into ellipses for some reason, and find myself removing them at this late date]

[mickey_one]

thanks for the poem compliment, Violet.

pleads emphatically Not Guilty to the misoggythingy, it was my feeble imitation of the line about God- "I think she's black", slipping in a presumption in favour of women.

In fact I have for years commented to juries about their selection of a foreperson that "these days, you could even pick a man".

I overwhelmingly prefer females and unhesitatingly vote for them to rule the world. men are meaner and stupider. As Loudon Wainwright sang "I wish I was a lesbian", but I actually mean it.

Born the wrong way, I was.

michael (who accepts there may be some generalisations in his post)

[Violet]

Michael, I'm glad to hear that misogyny is not at all your failing (even though I don't always understand your reasoning.)

[much later edit: same as last note]

[J.R. MacLean]

Here's the revised, truer version, mickey.


Today
I finished reading a book
of short stories
so clever
so brilliant
they inspired me
to read only shit
by nobodies on the internet
lest I
never write again.

[mat james]

they inspired me
to read only shit
by nobodies

where I come from,
nobody's a nobody.

Mat (Australian)