If Magpies Had Hands

[Stephen Whiteside]

Sometimes I like to write poems that don't rhyme. This is a recent example. I thought I'd post it here rather than in the poetry section. I reckon it would work OK as a performance piece.

If Magpies Had Hands

© Stephen Whiteside 02.10.2012

If magpies had hands they wouldn’t have to carry straw in their beaks.
If magpies had hands they could fly together in a long line all holding hands.
If magpies had hands they could deal cards and play tennis.
If magpies had hands they could pick their beak.
If magpies had hands they could shell nuts and peel pieces of fruit before eating them.
If magpies had hands they could cup their hands beside their beaks to make their singing louder.
If magpies had hands they could eat with a knife and fork.
If magpies had hands they could play the banjo.
If magpies had hands they could ride rats.
If magpies had hands they could do handstands.
If magpies had hands they could do chin-ups every morning from the branch beside their nest.
If magpies had hands they could grab cicadas out of the air and save them for later.
If magpies had hands they could scratch themselves whenever they were itchy.
If magpies had hands, they wouldn’t have wings.
If magpies had hands, they wouldn’t be magpies.

[Neville Briggs]

Sometimes I like to write poems that don't rhyme

HERESY !!! you'll be de-frocked.

Isn't rhyming a sort of echo or repeated sound ? Haven't you made echos or repeated sounds with the first five words of each line ?.
Who said that rhyming HAS TO BE to be words at the end of lines ? ( no one )
What cosmic authority says that the same words repeated can't be accepted as a type of rhyming music. ? ( there is none )
Therefore I reckon your verse can be accepted as a type of rhyming verse.

I like it anyway. Good to see some experimenting with different approaches.

[Stephen Whiteside]

Well, that's one way to look at it, Neville, but I don't think anybody will agree with you. I'm glad you liked it, though.

I'm certainly not the only participant to this forum to write free verse. David Campbell writes a lot of free verse, and talks about it often.

[vwalla]

Stephen and David
In your opinions, which style has the greater degree of difficulty or is there such a thing?!!
Val W

[Stephen Whiteside]

I would defer to David on this point, Val. David has won awards writing free verse. I've had a couple published, but that's about it. I find the rhyming verse generally harder to write, but I don't overall put much effort into the free verse, so I don't think I'm a very good guide.

[Rimeriter]

An addendum to inspire thoughts –

Whence did the wondrous mystic art arise,
of painting speech and speaking to the eyes?
That we by tracing magic lines are taught
how to embody and to colour thought.
William Massey.

And perhaps comments,
Jim.

[Neville Briggs]

With respect Val. I think you are asking the wrong question, because it seems that your
" degree of difficulty" is an undefined term, so how does one understand the question ?.

For example, is it easier for a swimmer to win the 100 metres freestyle or for a runner to win the 100 metres sprint. What's the degree of difficulty? it is not defined. And there is a categorical mistake.

The real question is, I think, is it easier to win an athletics race if you train rigorously or if you just practice occasionally on weekends after the pub. The degree of difficulty is defined, it is the ability to win and the required preparation for that ability.

So with poetry. Is the degree of difficulty of expression directly affected by the preparation of ; reading widely, keeping a journal of your existential observations, and development of vocabulary. YES !!!

Categories, I suggest have nothing to do with it.

[Stephen Whiteside]

Why do the observations have to be existential, Neville (and can you remind me what that means)?

[David Campbell]

Hi Val

Your question is an interesting one and, rather than take up space here, I've tried to give an answer in a separate thread. Hope it helps!

Cheers
David

[Neville Briggs]

As far as I understand Stephen, existential relates to existence i.e. the things that are.

I didn't say that observations have to be existential, I was saying that it helps to keep a journal of the things that are and our observations of them. Not everything of course, common sense applies, things that are observed and resonate to the poetic sense. I suppose that doesn't leave out keeping a journal of things we dream, maybe that's in there too.
I was hoping that the one word would have saved me having to say all that.