| Author | Message | ||
| Woodworm (Woodworm)
New member Username: Woodworm Post Number: 1389 Registered: 3-2006 |
It's poetry time again. In this puzzle, you're invited to reconstruct an entire poem I read recently, complete with title. The subject matter was the tsunami of 26 December 2004. As ever, early spoileuses please mail. | ||
| Peter365 (Peter365)
New member Username: Peter365 Post Number: 1338 Registered: 1-2007 |
Wow this is a new concept and not sure where to begin Before i try a few q's about the poem itself. Does it give one the sense of the tragedy that was the tsunami (i.e. it's not flippant or lighthearted)? Any punning? Is it a particular type of poem e.g. Haiku? Limerick? Iambic Pentameter? I take it rhyming is relevant (or we'll never guess it)? If so is the word Tsunami rhymed? WAG for the title -- Shortly my friend (Soon ami) | ||
| Woodworm (Woodworm)
New member Username: Woodworm Post Number: 1394 Registered: 3-2006 |
Does it give one the sense of the tragedy that was the tsunami (i.e. it's not flippant or lighthearted)? It's subjective, of course, but I didn't find it flippant or in bad taste. I probably wouldn't set such a puzzle! I found it quite poignant, actually. Not tragic or doom-laden, either. Any punning? Not really, but lateral thinking/poetic cleverness is definitely involved. Is it a particular type of poem e.g. Haiku? not a 5-7-5 three-line job, but this is certainly closest in spirit Limerick? not this Iambic Pentameter? nor this I take it rhyming is relevant (or we'll never guess it)? I'm afraid that rhyming isn't relevant, but it's definitely guessable if you think sideways If so is the word Tsunami rhymed? no WAG for the title -- Shortly my friend (Soon ami) no | ||
| Peter365 (Peter365)
New member Username: Peter365 Post Number: 1340 Registered: 1-2007 |
Sorry Woodworm... Hope I didn't imply that I thought you capable of running a tasteless puzzle.. Does the poem concentrate on the event itself? Aftermath? Victims? International Reaction? Does it concentrate on one affected country? Would the poem convey a sense of loss? Anger? injustice? any religous themes? | ||
| Woodworm (Woodworm)
New member Username: Woodworm Post Number: 1397 Registered: 3-2006 |
Sorry Woodworm... Hope I didn't imply that I thought you capable of running a tasteless puzzle.. Hahaha! Does the poem concentrate on the event itself? not this so much as ... Aftermath? this Victims? no International Reaction? no Does it concentrate on one affected country? no Would the poem convey a sense of loss? not directly: only by association with the tsunami Anger? no injustice? no any religous themes? not directly, but there is some relevance here | ||
| Jumpingjack (Jumpingjack)
New member Username: Jumpingjack Post Number: 993 Registered: 3-2006 |
Does the poem give any detail of the destruction that the tsunami left in its wake? Is it philosophical in nature? Any mention of fate? of the unpredictability of life? human frailty in the face of nature and its power? Is the idea of the butterfly flapping its wings relevant here? | ||
| Woodworm (Woodworm)
New member Username: Woodworm Post Number: 1399 Registered: 3-2006 |
Does the poem give any detail of the destruction that the tsunami left in its wake? yes-ish Is it philosophical in nature? not really Any mention of fate? no of the unpredictability of life? not as such human frailty in the face of nature and its power? not directly, though it might lead you to such ponderings Is the idea of the butterfly flapping its wings relevant here? no | ||
| Jumpingjack (Jumpingjack)
New member Username: Jumpingjack Post Number: 994 Registered: 3-2006 |
At first glance, is it immediately obvious that the writer is talking about the tsunami? Is there a kind of riddle at the heart of the poem? if so, is the title the answer to the riddle? Is there a regular rhythm? If so, is it iambic? trochaic? spondaic? anapestic? dactylic? How many lines does it have: 2? 3? 4? 5? 6? 7? 8? 9? 10? more? How many words does the title have? 1? 2? 3? 4? 5? 6? 7? 8? 9? 10? more? There is no rhyming involved, correct? What about alliteration? assonance? Do the following words appear in the poem? in the title?: tsunami? man? men? women? children? water? death? die? dying? destruction? destroyed? drowned? ruin? huge? great? enormous? some other adjective to describe immensity? tears? grief? The detail of the destruction that got a yes-ish: was it referring to physical destruction? buildings etc? human? emotional destruction? mental destruction? Is it relevant that the tsunami happened on Boxing Day? Is the title of your puzzle relevant? | ||
| Woodworm (Woodworm)
New member Username: Woodworm Post Number: 1401 Registered: 3-2006 |
At first glance, is it immediately obvious that the writer is talking about the tsunami? With the title, yes. Without the title, it's a lot less obvious Is there a kind of riddle at the heart of the poem? a clever play of ideas rather than a riddle as such if so, is the title the answer to the riddle? you could recast it this way, but it isn't necessary Is there a regular rhythm? no If so, is it iambic? trochaic? spondaic? anapestic? dactylic? hence, none of these, but it's an impressive list! How many lines does it have: 2? < this one 3? 4? 5? 6? 7? 8? 9? 10? more? How many words does the title have? 1? 2? 3? < this one<4? 5? 6? 7? 8? 9? 10? more? There is no rhyming involved, correct? correct What about alliteration? assonance? neither Do the following words appear in the poem? in the title?: tsunami? this appears in the title man? men? women? children? none of these water? no death? die? dying? no destruction? destroyed? no drowned? no ruin? no huge? great? enormous? some other adjective to describe immensity? no to all these tears? grief? & neither of these, I'm afraid The detail of the destruction that got a yes-ish: was it referring to physical destruction? buildings etc? human? emotional destruction? mental destruction? it was not referring directly to destruction at all, but it was a detail of the aftermath Is it relevant that the tsunami happened on Boxing Day? yes Is the title of your puzzle relevant? of course | ||
| Jumpingjack (Jumpingjack)
New member Username: Jumpingjack Post Number: 997 Registered: 3-2006 |
Does your title refer to the fact that when a tsunami hits and one is rushed along by the water, one would feel more or less weightless? Is it relevant that many people are interested in losing weight, and so would give "anything to feel weightless"? Is the poem an ironic one? It focuses on a detail of the aftermath...like a structure/box/car floating along? a small detail like this? Is it relevant that Boxing day follows Christmas? Relevant that people usually receive presents on Boxing Day? | ||
| Woodworm (Woodworm)
New member Username: Woodworm Post Number: 1402 Registered: 3-2006 |
Does your title refer to the fact that when a tsunami hits and one is rushed along by the water, one would feel more or less weightless? sort of: an apparent defiance of gravity is relevant Is it relevant that many people are interested in losing weight, and so would give "anything to feel weightless"? nothing like this! Is the poem an ironic one? not really It focuses on a detail of the aftermath...like a structure/box/car floating along? not these a small detail like this? but a small detail, not unlike these but different in one important respect Is it relevant that Boxing day follows Christmas? yes Relevant that people usually receive presents on Boxing Day? no | ||
| Jumpingjack (Jumpingjack)
New member Username: Jumpingjack Post Number: 999 Registered: 3-2006 |
A corpse? corpses? Were they hanging from a tree? Almost as if it were...an ornamented Christmas tree? =( | ||
| Woodworm (Woodworm)
New member Username: Woodworm Post Number: 1403 Registered: 3-2006 |
A corpse? corpses? no, but ... Were they hanging from a tree? Almost as if it were...an ornamented Christmas tree? =( this idea is very promising, but it's nothing so sick ... one more thematic sidestep and you're there | ||
| Peter365 (Peter365)
New member Username: Peter365 Post Number: 1349 Registered: 1-2007 |
Is boxing as in pugilism relevant? | ||
| Jenburdoo (Jenburdoo)
New member Username: Jenburdoo Post Number: 290 Registered: 5-2003 |
Bodies scattered like snow? | ||
| Woodworm (Woodworm)
New member Username: Woodworm Post Number: 1404 Registered: 3-2006 |
Is boxing as in pugilism relevant? no Bodies scattered like snow? no | ||
| Blazingphoenix (Blazingphoenix)
New member Username: Blazingphoenix Post Number: 234 Registered: 2-2007 |
Is it weightless poetry? =) | ||
| Woodworm (Woodworm)
New member Username: Woodworm Post Number: 1407 Registered: 3-2006 |
Is it weightless poetry? =) Well, I wouldn't call it weightless in the Woubit sense, but it isn't exactly Ezra Pound either. :~) | ||
| Liquizt (Liquizt)
New member Username: Liquizt Post Number: 355 Registered: 5-2008 |
Does it contain any of the following themes: death? drowning? floating? being swept away? outer space? multiple interpretations of the word 'wave'? christmas? seasons? Does it contain any of the following common poetic features: sight-rhyme? near rhyme? alliteration? assonance? metaphor? similie? personification? hyperbole? | ||
| Woodworm (Woodworm)
New member Username: Woodworm Post Number: 1423 Registered: 3-2006 |
Does it contain any of the following themes: death? no-ish drowning? no floating? yes-ish being swept away? yesish or yope outer space? hehe, no multiple interpretations of the word 'wave'?no christmas? yes-ish seasons? in that Christmas is seasonal, yes Does it contain any of the following common poetic features: sight-rhyme? no near rhyme? no alliteration? no assonance? no metaphor? no similie? not directly, though there is an implicit comparison going on personification? no hyperbole? not at all: it's quite an understated little poem, imho | ||
| Jumpingjack (Jumpingjack)
New member Username: Jumpingjack Post Number: 1029 Registered: 3-2006 |
Is there repetition in the poem? If so, is a line repeated? a phrase? a word? an image? Or is it just parallelism? | ||
| Woodworm (Woodworm)
New member Username: Woodworm Post Number: 1435 Registered: 3-2006 |
Is there repetition in the poem? none whatsoever If so, is a line repeated? a phrase? a word? an image? hence, no to these Or is it just parallelism? in the grammatical sense, nope, but the poet is evoking an implicit parallel between two things, I suppose | ||
| Jumpingjack (Jumpingjack)
New member Username: Jumpingjack Post Number: 1031 Registered: 3-2006 |
Is he conjuring up a parallel between these two things in order to show up a contrast? For instance: the cyclical nature of the Christmas season, which comes around year after year is compared to the cyclical nature of human life; however while Christmas is a cause for celebration, death is something to mourn? Something similar to this? | ||
| Jumpingjack (Jumpingjack)
New member Username: Jumpingjack Post Number: 1032 Registered: 3-2006 |
Is it a shape poem? Do the lines construct an image of things floating on water, perhaps? | ||
| Woodworm (Woodworm)
New member Username: Woodworm Post Number: 1438 Registered: 3-2006 |
Is he conjuring up a parallel between these two things in order to show up a contrast? not really For instance: the cyclical nature of the Christmas season, which comes around year after year is compared to the cyclical nature of human life; however while Christmas is a cause for celebration, death is something to mourn? Something similar to this? a reader may ponder these broader things, but the poem just sticks to images Is it a shape poem? no, but a very good question Do the lines construct an image of things floating on water, perhaps? so, no | ||
| Jumpingjack (Jumpingjack)
New member Username: Jumpingjack Post Number: 1034 Registered: 3-2006 |
So an implicit parallel is made between two images? Is either one animate? used to be animate? Does either one float? Is either one something that can be found in nature? Is either one man-made? Is either one solid? liquid? gas? hard? soft? malleable? | ||
| Woodworm (Woodworm)
New member Username: Woodworm Post Number: 1442 Registered: 3-2006 |
So an implicit parallel is made between two images? yes, though I'd stress "implicit" Is either one animate? one involves animate things, yes used to be animate? Does either one float? one does Is either one something that can be found in nature? one of the images certainly is, and indeed was observed after the tsunami, but ... Is either one man-made? one of them is man-made in part, though it's not easy to answer definitively, as we're talking about an image Is either one solid? both images are of tangible, solid objects liquid? no gas? no hard? this-ish soft? and this-ish: not easy to answer, as you'll see whan you've solved the puzzle malleable? hmmm, not really | ||
| Jumpingjack (Jumpingjack)
New member Username: Jumpingjack Post Number: 1036 Registered: 3-2006 |
Does one of the images involve the remains of Christmas celebrations? Eg. discarded tinsel? wrapping paper? etc? The poem has just two lines, correct? Is each line devoted to describing each of the images? | ||
| Woodworm (Woodworm)
New member Username: Woodworm Post Number: 1448 Registered: 3-2006 |
Does one of the images involve the remains of Christmas celebrations? not quite, but worth exploring Eg. discarded tinsel? wrapping paper? etc? no The poem has just two lines, correct? correct Is each line devoted to describing each of the images? no: again worth pursuing | ||
| Peter365 (Peter365)
New member Username: Peter365 Post Number: 1403 Registered: 1-2007 |
Are any of the following relevant? Christmas Carols? Hymns? Dinner? Presents? Decorations? Trees? Nativity Plays? | ||
| Woodworm (Woodworm)
New member Username: Woodworm Post Number: 1458 Registered: 3-2006 |
Are any of the following relevant? Christmas Carols? no Hymns? no Dinner? no Presents? no Decorations? yes Trees? yes Nativity Plays? no | ||
| Peter365 (Peter365)
New member Username: Peter365 Post Number: 1405 Registered: 1-2007 |
Anything to do with putting a star or an angel on top of the Christmas Tree? | ||
| Woodworm (Woodworm)
New member Username: Woodworm Post Number: 1459 Registered: 3-2006 |
Anything to do with putting a star or an angel on top of the Christmas Tree? this is indeed the central idea, yes: think star rather than angel, though | ||
| Liquizt (Liquizt)
New member Username: Liquizt Post Number: 404 Registered: 5-2008 |
As there are two images we are discussing here can we call one image A and the other image B? [I'll let you decide which way round you'll have them.] Are any of the following relevant to image A (If the relevance is only partial could you indicate this with noish/yope/yesish?): The title of the poem? The first line? The second line? death? floating? being swept away? tsunami? christmas? christmas decorations? christmas tree? star? boxing day? Are any of the following relevant to image B (If the relevance is only partial could you indicate this with noish/yope/yesish?): The title of the poem? The first line? The second line? death? floating? being swept away? tsunami? christmas? christmas decorations? christmas tree? star? boxing day? Are any of the following words present in the poem (If a derived form or varient of the word is present could you indicate this with 'yope'?): die/dead/death? float? sweep? away? christmas? decoration? tree? star? box? day? Is the removal of decorations relevant? | ||
| Woodworm (Woodworm)
New member Username: Woodworm Post Number: 1461 Registered: 3-2006 |
As there are two images we are discussing here beware FA, btw can we call one image A and the other image B? [I'll let you decide which way round you'll have them.]I suppose so, though to do so might be confusing Are any of the following relevant to image A (If the relevance is only partial could you indicate this with noish/yope/yesish?): The title of the poem? yes The first line? yes The second line? yes death? no floating? no being swept away? not quite "swept away", but close tsunami? not the wave itself christmas? yes christmas decorations? no christmas tree? no star? yes-ish boxing day? again, only by association Are any of the following relevant to image B (If the relevance is only partial could you indicate this with noish/yope/yesish?): The title of the poem? yes The first line? not directly, no The second line? not directly, no death? no death anywhere in the poem floating? no being swept away? no tsunami? no christmas? yes christmas decorations? yes christmas tree? yes star? yes boxing day? any day in the Christmas period would do fine Are any of the following words present in the poem (If a derived form or varient of the word is present could you indicate this with 'yope'?): die/dead/death? no float? no sweep? no away? no christmas? no decoration? no tree? yope star? yope box? nopeday? no Is the removal of decorations relevant? no | ||
| Zephyr14 (Zephyr14)
New member Username: Zephyr14 Post Number: 202 Registered: 1-2007 |
Is there a human (living) body in this? Is the word "present" or "gift" in the poem? More trees involved? More stars? Another word used for tree? for star? Are both sides of the parallel what one would call images? Is the second part of the parallel actually mentioned, or just implied? Is syntactical ambiguity relevant? | ||
| Woodworm (Woodworm)
New member Username: Woodworm Post Number: 1463 Registered: 3-2006 |
Is there a human (living) body in this? no Is the word "present" or "gift" in the poem? no More trees involved? More stars? other than the ones mentioned in the poem? possibly, but not relevant Another word used for tree? for star? yope ... to both! Are both sides of the parallel what one would call images? yes Is the second part of the parallel actually mentioned, or just implied? good question: it is just implied Is syntactical ambiguity relevant? not at all | ||
| Zephyr14 (Zephyr14)
New member Username: Zephyr14 Post Number: 206 Registered: 1-2007 |
No, not other trees and stars. I meant, you said yope to tree and star. Is it trees, and respectivly, stars, then? If not, does the word for tree have this as its denotative meaning? Conotative? Same for star. | ||
| Woodworm (Woodworm)
New member Username: Woodworm Post Number: 1464 Registered: 3-2006 |
No, not other trees and stars. I meant, you said yope to tree and star. correct Is it trees, and respectivly, stars, then? no: the words "trees" and "stars" don't appear, as such If not, does the word for tree have this as its denotative meaning? no: hint of a FA, I think Conotative? Same for star.likewise | ||
| Zephyr14 (Zephyr14)
New member Username: Zephyr14 Post Number: 211 Registered: 1-2007 |
I'm going to stretch out a bit. Do the trees and the stars form the second, implied part of the parallel? Is it one big (modernist style) metaphor? | ||
| Woodworm (Woodworm)
New member Username: Woodworm Post Number: 1468 Registered: 3-2006 |
I'm going to stretch out a bit. good approach: you're all very close to it, and may not be seeing the wood for the trees Do the trees and the stars form the second, implied part of the parallel? yes indeed Is it one big (modernist style) metaphor? not a metaphor: more of a haiku-like observation of the aftermath | ||
| Zephyr14 (Zephyr14)
New member Username: Zephyr14 Post Number: 224 Registered: 1-2007 |
Haikus are based on a juxtaposition of two images. Is it correct to say that this poem presents an image, while juxtaposing it with another image which is implied from the way the first image is described? | ||
| Woodworm (Woodworm)
New member Username: Woodworm Post Number: 1471 Registered: 3-2006 |
Haikus are based on a juxtaposition of two images. perhaps not necessarily, but I'm no expert on them Is it correct to say that this poem presents an image, yes: a single, startling image while juxtaposing it with another image which is implied from the way the first image is described? yes: that sums it up nicely, I think | ||
| Vene (Vene)
New member Username: Vene Post Number: 2 Registered: 9-2008 |
(zephyr14 here) Please assume I'm asking for each notion, if it's relevant in the first image or the second image (or both). It's like two yes/no questions for each word. Christmas Religion Saints Animals Humans Storm Wind Forest Snow | ||
| Woodworm (Woodworm)
New member Username: Woodworm Post Number: 1474 Registered: 3-2006 |
(zephyr14 here) Please assume I'm asking for each notion, if it's relevant in the first image or the second image (or both). It's like two yes/no questions for each word. OK! In the poem itself: Christmas no Religion no Saints no Animals yes Humans no Storm no Wind no Forest yes-ish Snow no and in the image it might bring to mind (which isn't in the poem): Christmas this Religion no, other than the above Saints no Animals no Humans no Storm no Wind no Forest er ... a Christmas tree Snow no, but nice thinking | ||
| Vene (Vene)
New member Username: Vene Post Number: 7 Registered: 9-2008 |
The yesish for forests in the poem: No pine trees or similar, right? One tree? A few trees? More trees? Bushes or similar vegetation? Are the animals birds? Is flight involved? Is burning involved in any of the images? Is the first image dynamic? How about the second? | ||
| Woodworm (Woodworm)
New member Username: Woodworm Post Number: 1475 Registered: 3-2006 |
The yesish for forests in the poem: No pine trees or similar, right? One tree? A few trees? More trees? some trees are involved, probably not pines Bushes or similar vegetation? Are the animals birds? no, they're not Is flight involved? no Is burning involved in any of the images? no Is the first image dynamic? not 100% sure what you mean: nothing is moving, if that's what you mean, in either image How about the second? | ||
| Vene (Vene)
New member Username: Vene Post Number: 9 Registered: 9-2008 |
So the animals are alive and not moving? Are they mammals? Small? Medium? Large? One animal? Two? Three? More than 10? More than 100? Are there as many animals as trees? Are the animals hanging or clinging to the trees? | ||
| Vene (Vene)
New member Username: Vene Post Number: 10 Registered: 9-2008 |
Sorry for double post, but I just recapped the whole thread and got some more hints Are the animals survivors? Is the notion of surviving relevant? You said some floating is relevant. Is it in the first image? The second? Both? Floating on air? On water? Different kind? Are the animals floating? Is the star floating? Are the trees floating? Maybe, instead of lifting a star to put on top of a christmas tree, the tree floats up to a star. Which raises another question: Are real stars relevant? Is there anything floating into the distance until it looks tiny? | ||
| Woodworm (Woodworm)
New member Username: Woodworm Post Number: 1476 Registered: 3-2006 |
So the animals are alive and not moving? yes, though they could equally be dead Are they mammals? no Small? Medium? Large? er ... hard to answer that one! One animal? Two? Three? More than 10? More than 100? could be any of the above, though the grammar of the poem (probably) implies at least two Are there as many animals as trees? possibly but not relevant/ not stipulated Are the animals hanging or clinging to the trees? not climbing: perhaps hanging is closer Are the animals survivors? possibly: see above Is the notion of surviving relevant? not really You said some floating is relevant. Is it in the first image? The second? Both? in the first, some kind of "defiance of gravity" is evident: floating is only an approximation Floating on air? On water? this Different kind? Are the animals floating? after a fashion, or at least they have floated at some point Is the star floating? no Are the trees floating? no Maybe, instead of lifting a star to put on top of a christmas tree, the tree floats up to a star. now this is just too lateral! Which raises another question: Are real stars relevant? now you mention it, no Is there anything floating into the distance until it looks tiny? no I must say you're so close, and very much in kick-self territory. You may want to don shin-pads from here on in. This must surely go in one more post! | ||
| Peter365 (Peter365)
New member Username: Peter365 Post Number: 1410 Registered: 1-2007 |
Starfish? | ||
| Woodworm (Woodworm)
New member Username: Woodworm Post Number: 1477 Registered: 3-2006 |
*** SPOILER *** Tsunami, Christmas 2004 Starfish in treetops. Apparently, starfish were seen draped in trees in Sri Lanka, just after the tsunami struck, and our poet came up with that rather neat idea. I read it on an internet poetry site, and the poet quoted his own poem several times: he was obviously quite pleased with himself. Nicely done Peter, and everyone else who played along. | ||
| Peter365 (Peter365)
New member Username: Peter365 Post Number: 1411 Registered: 1-2007 |
Nice. For such a short poem it certainly invokes a powerful image. |
