PAD Day 26

Once again, I had a hard time reconciling the two prompts for today.  Poetic Asides' prompt is to write a "casting" poem.  Maybe I'll come up with something by the end of the day, or tomorrow.  Meanwhile I worked on today's prompt from NaPoWriMo, which is to write a "deletion" poem: Take a longer poem and delete most of the words, then use the words you have left - in order - to form another poem.  It is suggested that you even leave the words more or less in their original positions on the page, which makes for a more concrete, post-modern appearance. I tried this with one of Billy Collins' longest poems, "Victoria's Secret", and here's what I came up with.  (The title, "To Rise" is also an excision of the original title.)

To Rise

                   a deeply scalloped

                                           shoulder

cannot hide the shadow of

               

                                organza

Here, the            

                   reclining           

                                         widow

decorated

with       ruffles

                                                mouth

    arching,

as if to say           I am         nothing

but        

                a low sweetheart

                                                a music box

                    will wake         her

                                catlike

in the                                       library

with a   

                                                shimmering

                                                  fireplace

                                her neighbor

 a beautifully shaped

princess

                  displays             

                                                photographic

                ice cream

       a new sofa

peach,                                  rose, and periwinkle

It is

                                                a   swollen

                                                                   garden

Rain is beating on the roof.