Monday, May 14, 2012

23, 22, 27, 22



image borrowed from bing

23, 22, 27, 22
23, 22, 27, 22,
Christian youth
acquire the fire
in Kansas
................miracle
taking off
suddenly
graduated
hitting several trees
...............survivor
former marine
bursting into flames
Oral Roberts University
type of man
...............teddy bear
that extra mile
we are totally grieving
two tours in Iraq
skin grafts
..................tough guy
was willing
all those burns
for a friend
who later died
but I am here,
I am here. 
Glenn Buttkus
May 2012
Would you like to hear the author read this blackout poem to you?

5 comments:

Shawna said...

Glenn, I'm so glad you experimented with this form! It's fun, isn't it? The key is finding an interesting article to work with. For my first attempt, I used the obituaries:

http://rosemarymint.wordpress.com/2012/05/10/kelly-jones/

You don't have to use the leader dots in your poem; that was just something I felt worked for mine. Here are the directions for writing a blackout poem, if you're interested:

http://poetryblogroll.blogspot.com/2012/05/think-tank-thursday-96-news.html

Shawna said...

You did a great job with this exercise, Glenn. I especially like this:

"we are totally grieving
two tours in Iraq
skin grafts"

And the ending.

Anonymous said...

Cleanliness of expression on polarizing topical matter, well done

Anonymous said...

I don't know the form, but it's an effective poem. k.

Joseph Hesch said...

Really special piece, Glenn. I know next to nothing of form, but the flash of images reminded me of walking past a bank of TVs all set to different dinnertime news presentations.

And the story you so tell... awesome!