Poetry Challenge #326-Every Picture
Rod Stewart’s album, Every Picture Tells A Story, was one of my favorites growing up—it was one I “bought” for a penny in one of those Album subscription services. Dang I loved those! It’s where most of my coveted vinyl collection was amassed. As I listen to Rod growling, Every Picture Tells a Story don’t it/whoo-whoo . . . I imagine Kenneth Patchen, our birthday poet (born in Niles, Ohio Dec 13, 1911), listening too while confined to bed with debilitating pain, he created his “Picture-Poems.”
Why celebrate Kenneth Patchen?
Because even though his poetry never received recognition from critics, he didn’t let that bother him one bit—it may even have emboldened him. And, as is often the case, with mainstream unpopular anything, Patchen’s poetry was especially popular with college students
Patchen passed on Jan 8, 1972, but his poetry is alive and well on Etsy, Ebay, Instagram, etc. as wall art/inspiration/oddity.
Patchen as a poet who like to play with form. Over the course of his career, which included about forty books, he created concrete poetry, drama, prose, multi-media poetry with John Cage and jazz poetry—which included two weeks in New York creating poetry jazz with Charlie Mingus—verse, the anti-novel, and painted books.
Henry Miller called Patchen "The Man of Anger and Light"
And, as shown in this poem “The Great Birds,” Patchen saw, admired, and singled out moments of beauty.
Poets.org noted, “The picture-poems are jazz-like in that they keep rhythm through the words and move through the seemingly child-like nature of the anti-linear creatures and figments of Patchen's imagination. They are celebrations of everyday playfulness as well as realizations of the sadnesses, humor and limitations of the body and mind.”
"It happens that very often my writing with pen is interrupted by my writing with brush, but I think of both as writing," said Patchen. "In other words, I don’t consider myself a painter. I think of myself as someone who has used the medium of painting in an attempt to extend."
Poetry Challenge #326
Every Picture . . .
Patchen’s Picture-Poems have been described as, “a unique genre of poetry which integrated his ideas of human nature, social protest, and creativity.”
For this prompt, create a picture poem, be it a poem that paints a picture, or if you dare to step away from the computer, draw a picture poem integrating art and drawings ala Patchen.
Who knows, maybe yours will sell on Ebay one day too!
Set Your Timer for 7 Minutes
Start Writing!
Don’t Think About it, Write It!
Cindy Faughnan and I began this 7-Minute Poetry Challenge 2700+ days ago. Now we take turns creating prompts to share with you. Our hope is that creatives—children & adults—will use our prompts as springboards to word play time. If you join us in the Challenge, let us know by posting the title, a note, or if you want, the whole poem in the comments.
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All who subscribe, comment or share a poem will be entered in . . .
