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 |   A tentative blog to test the temperature. |
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Ten years ago I was writing several blogs on various subjects - F1 motor racing, Music, Classic Cars, Great Romances and, most crushingly, a personal journal that included my thoughts on America, memories of England and Africa, opinion, humour, writing and anything else that occurred. It all became too much (I was attempting to update the journal every day) and I collapsed, exhausted and thoroughly disillusioned in the end. So this blog is indeed a Toe in the Water, a place to document my thoughts in and on WdC but with a determination not to get sucked into the blog whirlpool ever again. Here's hoping.     |
| Cliché I have come to realise that the cliché is a much maligned creature. For so long we have reviled it, saying that it must not be used if we’re to write properly, that it should be cast out and something new and fresh substituted in its place. Yet, that’s not always possible - sometimes a cliché is still the best way to say something. But it goes beyond that, especially if you write poetry. The thing about clichés is that they come with baggage. Each of them is a cliché because they’ve been used for years and have accumulated all sorts of moss in their lives, all of which now affects their meaning and means that they are positively obese with nuance, expression and adornment. And that makes them something special. They have become portmanteau words that say in a few words what it might take whole sentences to say otherwise. In poetry, that’s extremely useful. The trick then becomes to use them in such a way that their value overcomes their familiarity (which, as we all know, breeds contempt). And that needs an example to demonstrate. Old Age Is it really yesterday already? There’s so much I had to say, and now the times are folded over with dreams so long forgotten and memories before us spread. I’ve honed my skills of long ago, filled up my drawer of things to keep, the rainy day may be tomorrow. Line count: 8 Free verse For Express It In Eight, 04.16.24 Prompt: Skills of yesteryear. See that "rainy day?" It’s a cliché because it’s part of a well worn saying - to keep something for a rainy day. So I can use it to say exactly that with two words instead of seven. The cliché becomes a magical form of shorthand. We actually do this all the time: “great minds,” “jack of all trades,” the early bird.” And poetry can pounce upon such things and use it to say a mouthful. That’s what I think today, anyway. Word count: 337 |
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I've always remembered that episode and thought that was a fun idea.
Quite good is quite a good compliment 
As someone who just reviewed an item in your port, I can't help but wonder, Did I pick an item that you'd throw out? 