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Silly Word Songs

Like the Beatles' tune, 'silly love songs', some poets like to write silly word songs, poems so clever in rhyme or line-- ABBABCDDCDABBA, QRST--wow! Six lines here, three and a half there, and every ninth word must rhyme! All this is fine for poetry should be fun at times (e.e. cummings and Ogden Nash made their fame and fortune so) but lest we forget, poetry's soul lies deeper than smart word-play. So may there be more word jousts celebrating the magic of being young and the wonder of being old while probing the depths of God and Soul, for while it's good to be clever, it's always best to be wise....

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Michelle Faulkner

Date: 8/7/2018 1:47:00 PM

I usually try to go the other way, and write something serious but lately I have been taking a lighter approach, and finding out it's a lot of fun! But yes I think there is room for many forms, as long as it makes you feel something-

L. J. Carber
Date: 8/8/2018 8:58:00 AM

I heartily agree, Michelle-- evoking an emotional awareness is the sine qua non of a true poem.

Gershon Wolf

Date: 8/5/2018 11:04:00 PM

Interesting point. … Reminds me a bit of all the comedians over the years who have yearned to be 'serious actors' --- thereby diminishing their gift of making people laugh … Perhaps there's more than enough room in the tent of poetry for both the profound and the clever, and even for the profoundly clever! Thanks for this 'food-for-thought' poem, L.J! Best wishes, Gershon

L. J. Carber
Date: 8/6/2018 9:41:00 AM

I've always admired people who can make us laugh-- as someone-- forgot who- put it, 'tragedy is easy, comedy is hard'. I wrote this Gerson, though, because I think some of the contests at Soup are getting a bit esoteric-- though perhaps they're just too clever for my meager talent.

L. J. Carber

Date: 7/29/2018 2:39:00 PM

Thank you, Tony