»
Archives
»
Open Poetry #3
»
How To Be a Famous Poet...............#1
| Open Poetry #3 |
|
How To Be a Famous Poet...............#1 |
|
|
Balladeer
Administrator
Member Empyrean
since 1999-06-05
Posts 25505Ft. Lauderdale, Fl USA 
|
It was just about a year ago when I felt the desire Burn within as strongly as a desert prairie fire To take my pen in hand and put my nimble wit for hire And make a living as a famous poet. Although I knew the road ahead would be extremely hard, I had no doubt success would be my ultimate reward And asked for wisdom from the nation's oldest living bard, I asked, "How can I become a famous poet?" "When you've sat alone with pen in hand", The old man answered me, "And each passing moment feels like a small eternity While that piece of paper glares at you, as blank as it can be, You are on the road to be a famous poet." "When your pencil pushes down so hard the tip begins to break And you feel the sweat cascading from a throbbing head that aches And erasers disappear from dumb, grammatical mistakes, You are on the way to be a famous poet." "When the blood from out your arm makes its way down through your pen And mingles with the ink to form the thought you want to send, And the you crinkle up the paper and begin to start again You are getting close to be a famous poet." "With food and drink forgotten you will sit with brittle lips, As critics laugh and torture you with cute, one-liner quips, And your walls will be re-papered by those damn rejection slips. It's the price to pay to be a famous poet." "And then one day the world will be a grand and glorious place, And the sky will be aglow with radiance pouring off your face And the sweat and tears will disappear and vanish without trace For the time has come to be a famous poet." "You will look down at that paper and you'll know that you've created A masterpiece of workmanship! You'll feel so darned elated You'll forgive the world the sin of making you feel underrated For they're bound to recognize a famous poet." "At the first rejection slip you'll smile and think, 'That silly fool! At the fourth you'll wonder if the critics ever finished school. At the tenth you'll throw your pens away and swear a world so cruel Does not deserve to have you for a poet." "And when you're six feet under those same critics will proclaim That your poetry was masterful, deserving of the fame And the accolades forthcoming will make yours a household name - You've made it, son. You're now a famous poet!" Well, as I said, that happened just about a year ago. His words were quite foreboding; they did not deter me,though . I knew a man who knew a man on the Oprah Winfrey show And here I stand - a famous living poet!!! |
||
| © Copyright 1999 Michael Mack - All Rights Reserved | |||
|
Watcher666 Senior Member
since 1999-10-13
Posts 1606 |
A famous poet you are Sir! Liked this much!!!! ------------------ Illusion...what we see and what we do...it's all up to you. |
||
|
Marilyn Member Elite
since 1999-09-26
Posts 2621Ontario, Canada |
Bravo Sir....I do so enjoy reading our work. You come up with some wonderful themes. I hope to get there one of these days. |
||
|
Julie Senior Member
since 1999-08-20
Posts 739Houston, TX |
Well done Balladeer! Good advice...never give up.  ------------------ Julie ------------------------- Almost all our misfortunes in life come from the wrong notions we have about the things that happen to us. >Stendhal |
||
|
Martie
Moderator
Member Empyrean
since 1999-09-21
Posts 28049California |
What a smile you just made for me. How many bravos does it take to make a poet. I say you have enough here and I'm one. Bravo! |
||
|
RainbowGirl Member Elite
since 1999-07-31
Posts 3023United Kingdom |
Yep, that was definitely not a pencil with lead in or a pen with ink that caused a poet to become famous, because it's only when a mind thinks and a heart feels that such work can be produced....and this is very nice work.. HUGS ------------------ You give but little when you give of your possessions. It is when you give of yourself that you truly give. |
||
|
WhtDove Member Rara Avis
since 1999-07-22
Posts 9245Illinois |
What a story! I hope you try to do that someday! You're famous right here though. We recognize a good poet when we see one! You'll never get a rejection slip from us!! |
||
|
Denise
Moderator
Member Seraphic
since 1999-08-22
Posts 22648 |
Yep, from the first word through to the last you prove, again, that you are indeed the master story teller. Wonderful! ------------------ Denise |
||
|
Seymour Tabin Member Empyrean
since 1999-07-07
Posts 31720Tamarac Fla |
Balladeer, Can't add much to the above, except I really know the real you. |
||
|
merlynh Member
since 1999-09-26
Posts 411deer park, wa |
Don't get into this too deep or you could end up like my post "What Happened" |
||
|
Pepper Member Elite
since 1999-08-19
Posts 3079Southern Florida |
Another Wonderful piece Balladeer.The last two lines still have me smiling. ------------------ A soul that writes from the heart and shares it, truly gives a gift extrordinaire! |
||
|
Skyfyre Senior Member
since 1999-08-15
Posts 1906Sitting in Michael's Lap |
On that note, I do believe that I will resign myself to obscurity -- it seems to be less stressful!  I enjoyed what you have done here. --Kess ------------------ You cannot choose the way of your death, but the path you choose will determine its own end. |
||
|
Christopher
Moderator
Member Rara Avis
since 1999-08-02
Posts 8296Purgatorial Incarceration |
WOW Bal...youknow, these masterful epics you keep writing lead me to wonder how you ever manage to do anything...like sleep! |
||
|
Nan
Administrator
Member Seraphic
since 1999-05-20
Posts 21191Cape Cod Massachusetts USA |
And I shall say "I knew him when......." |
||
|
RSEvans Senior Member
since 1999-10-23
Posts 1147Tulsa, OK, USA |
I have to keep asking myself how many times I read this one. Although The Fourth Tenor is still my favorite I have to say this is one of the best. Keep up the good work, for here you are indeed a famous poet. ------------------ No matter where you go, somebody's probably already been there and gotten the parking space... |
||
|
Munda Member Elite
since 1999-10-08
Posts 3544The Hague, The Netherlands |
And I shall say: "He is a Master now, he was a Master then". |
||
suthern
since 1999-07-29
Posts 20723Louisiana |
Living, hunh? I'd have never guessed! LOL. (Couldja get Oprah's autograph for me? Hunh? *G*) Great job, 'Deer one... (I swear I'm gonna write a macro that types that statement every time I read one of your poems! LOL) |
||
|
Iloveit Senior Member
since 1999-09-02
Posts 1121NM |
rofg@suthern's macro.....yep, I never read one of his that wasn't great....and how funny to read this one today, I was having writer's block this weekend, does that mean I am on my way to being famous? lolol great poem |
||
|
Sunshine
Administrator
Member Empyrean
since 1999-06-25
Posts 63354Listening to every heart |
When first I saw this very piece I said "oh my, he has a gift so fine..." now here it is again, and oh how I had memorized each and every line. Still laughing.... |
||
|
Severn Member Rara Avis
since 1999-07-17
Posts 7704 |
Bravo! Yes, the posthumous adoration thing really bugs me - what's the point if you're not around to enjoy the success! Well written as usual, Balladeer. (Oh and Chris - you can talk about the sleep thing!!) |
||
|
ThUnDeRkYsS Senior Member
since 1999-09-23
Posts 727Wisconsin |
Very, very well written Bal. How true this is as well, liked this a lot. Great piece, keep up the great work ------------------ Life is what you make of it... Not what you let it be |
||
|
Craig Member
since 1999-06-10
Posts 444 |
Saying this could become tedious if I wasn’t on a high after reading your poetry. Well Done !!! ------------------ Yes, I admit your general rule. That every poet is a fool: But I myself may serve to show it. That every fool is not a poet. |
||
|
Ohme Senior Member
since 1999-07-17
Posts 816Texas |
If I could say just half as much only half as well, I'd think I had arrived. I learn well from you. Thanks for the teaching! |
||
|
Poet deVine
Administrator
Member Seraphic
since 1999-05-26
Posts 22612Hurricane Alley |
If I had to say which of your poems is the best, it would be hard to choose... this is right up there! You are already famous here.. and for the 1400 poets and their friends, and their friends...and their friends...etc.  |
||
|
|
⇧ top of page ⇧ |
|
| All times are ET (US). All dates are in Year-Month-Day format. | ||