Bad Poems

I was having a hard time writing, so I gave myself permission to write bad poems. This is a poem about bad poems!

Bad Poems

Are everywhere, sticking their 

noses in where they don't belong,

tortoiseshell Maine coon cats,

ready to pounce

Bad Poems

In the alley

by the dumpster,

where it's dank, dark and dirty.

They feed on wilted lettuce,

rotten bananas, orange rinds,

chicken bones.

Bad Poems

Hang out by the docks,

drinking each other under the table,

shots of tequila,

iArriba, iAbajo, iAcentro, iPadentro!

lick the briny salt, and suck the tart lime.

Bad Poems

Fly through the air,

slicing through the clouds

heavy with rain, like Olympic

swimmers, doing the breast stroke,

in record time.

Bad Poems

Hang out at the library,

cosying up to the great poets,

Dickinson

and Whitman,

lounging on shelves in the stacks

taking selfies.

Bad Poems

Sit on a blank 

piece of collage ruled

paper,

in a spiral bound notebook,

coffee stains on the page,

doodling in the margins.

But the worst poem,

the absolutely worst,

is the poem that hovers,

just out of reach,

the words falling from the pages

altogether.

Reviews

[John Sullivan]

As one who has both suffered from writer's block for many years, and written some terrible poetry, I feel this one. Nicely done

[NormaZ]

Thanks for the review John. I sometimes can’t write a thing because I get so caught up in “is this a good poem?” so then I can’t write anything!

[John Sullivan]

I publish em all, the good, the bad, and the ugly... and you certainly have nothing to worry about

[Dave Brown]

LOL
This has me wondering just how many I have contributed to the pile
With apologies

[NormaZ]

Ha, ha we all have that pile I suppose! Thanks for reading.

[living lavender]

this was an enchanting read. loved the imagery you created.
the wordplay was fun. but the picture painted was captivating.
{great perspective on 'bad' poetry.}

[NormaZ]

Those bad poems, so annoying! Thanks for reading and the review!

[Stella Armour]

Also the ones that pester your sleep and can't be recalled in the morning, i hate those!
Of course sometimes we have to write bad poems to de-clutter thoughts and encourage the good ones to surface.

[NormaZ]

So true! Thanks for stopping by!

[Throwing Romeo]

Thank you for this poem!
I'd like to think that I have
written my share of bad poetry.
But no such luck! Keeps piling
up.At first it's Ratatouille then
just rat droppings.
Liked your playfulness and
literary references.You had me
at the title. 

R.

[NormaZ]

Thank you for the review, I wasn’t coming up with any poems, so I gave myself permission to write bad poems, I thought, just write Anything!

[D. Mansfield]

"Lounging on shelves in the stacks
taking selfies." What an imagination, I loved this poem

[NormaZ]

Thanks D! I’m glad you liked it.

[John Alexander McFadyen]

I read somewhere once that there is no such thing as a bad poem, just a poem we (personally) do not like. This poem has a 'frustrated' 'mocking' voice in my head as you metaphor your way around the city of poor poetry. For me modern poetry that does not make sense and appears to be merely words thrown randomly upon a page are the worst.

[NormaZ]

I agree with you there about modern poems! You were right about the frustrated tone. I wrote it when I had been reading a lot of good poems, and was feeling a bit overwhelmed. So I gave myself permission to write bad poems. I told myself that I should just start writing, even if it wasn’t great poetry.

[nadia dmitri]

Such an interesting subject. The ways words that escape us can be so haunting is explored beautifully in this piece. Amazing job :)

[NormaZ]

Thank you Nadia!

[Ken Simm.]

I love this concept. I can see them now wearing their leather jackets and clicking their fingers as if they own the place. Excellent work.

[NormaZ]

Ha, ha, love the leather jackets! Thank for your review!

[Ken Simm.]

I think they have Bad Poems written on the back in flaky emulsion paint as well.

[emmajoygreen]

As ever, am smiling at your 'maybe' tongue in cheek tone! But then, so much of what you include in this poem, is pretty well near the truth. (perhaps same said about a few scattered reviews!)

Could gently select a couple of great quotes,

' Bad Poems
In the alley
by the dumpster,
where it's dank, dark and dirty.
They feed on wilted lettuce,
rotten bananas, orange rinds,
chicken bones.

As visual as visual can be!

'Bad Poems
Sit on a blank
piece of collage ruled
paper,
in a spiral bound notebook,
coffee stains on the page,
doodling in the margins.'

Have a few of those in my all-time journals, Norma!

Clever and witty, my friend.

[NormaZ]

Thank you Emma!