Friday, June 27, 2008

Creative Writing Prompt #6

So here is the prompt so you understand the poem:

So your assignment is to write a poem to God.  Make it untraditional: a tirade, an outburst, a slanderous harangue.  Let yourself go.  The television series The West Wing did a great job of this in the season finale from the 00/01 season, when President Jed Bartlett talks to God in the Cathedral, and in Latin, no less.  Other options, if you've got an issue with an assignment like this: write a poem in God's voice, explaining, refuting, denying, defending, complaining, whatever.  Make it a monologue or a conversation, whatever you want.  Make God a manicurist, a traffic cop, a rock star, anything.  The sky's the limit.  Whatever you do, remember that this is a persona poem, so there has to be character there, specific character with specific voice.  And one more rule: use at least one cliche, but turn it around so that it's got a fresh spin.  For example, Sheryl Crow sings "I'm standing in the desert, waiting for my ship to come in."  That's a fresh take on an old line.  Try it. 

No More Conscientious Objectors

What the hell do you mean it’s your will? My will 
Is smarter, better, faster, and much more powerful. 
I can lure these sin-eating mortals with my devious ways. 
You say, Beauty is in the eye of the beholder, but not if those eyes 
Are ugly. Like mine. 
Red and wicked. My horns will get them. They will 
Give in. Succumb to my powerful ways. Your silly 
No-fun nonsense will never keep them around. Do 
Good. Be kind. Love others, you say. Can’t you see, they don’t 
Want to. They want it my way. It’s your way 
Or the highway, you say. The highway to hell. Well, they won’t listen. 
The highway to the fiery pits is paved with 
Fool’s gold. Temptations and deceit will entice those mortals into 
My arms. Sins of the flesh, sins of the 
Godless. They will march down the highway in droves. 
The saints go marching in. Hurrah! Hurrah! 
Your golden rule: Do unto others, as you would want them to 
Do unto you. They don’t believe that shit. You get nowhere in life 
Living by those standards. 
Immorality rules in my world and in theirs. You can’t 
Convince them of anything else. Keep trying 
You self-righteous good ol’ boy! Your ten commandments put ideas 
In their heads. You have given them imaginings of 
Sugar and spice and everything nice but I will show them 
What real little girls are made of. 
My harangues from tongues of snakes will charm and 
beguile them into malevolence. 
What goes around comes around, and it’s comin for you old man. The 
Militia of heathens is going to devour your angels. Have their cake and 
Eat it too. The sadistic war is approaching and your cherubs are 
Enlisting. They won’t be conscientious objectors. 


Do you get who my character was? Do ya? Do ya? 

Yeah, the example that the professor gave was of a mother talking to god, I think mine is much more clever.

2 comments:

  1. Um, yeah, I get it. You are wickedly good at this, you know.

    Also, Jed Bartlett praying in Latin in Aaron Sorkin's West Wing? So copied from Jesus praying in Aramaic in Mel Gibson's Passion of the Christ, if you ask me. Not that you did.

    Anyway, love your take on things.

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  2. Terrifying, that's what this is. Well done.

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