Tuesday, July 20, 2010

Back in the Driver's Seat!!

Ok, I promise, it won't be as traumatic as the last time I got behind the wheel, you can put the sick bags away...
However, you will find that some seats are facing backwards, the steering wheel is on the ceiling and the radio only plays the Sunday Scrapbook because this week's challenge, if you choose to accept it, is to write a poem about Confusion.

Aldous Huxley got a whole book out of the Doors of Perception being opened... think about a time you face or faced something completely confusing and unknown to you, something you just can't get your head around. You can simply have this as the jumping off point or use the writing of this poem as a means of opening a door into it - take anything you can't understand at all...
the cruelty of the world, chinese writing, Bagnell's 4th theorum of subatomic deliverance, how anyone could accidentally leave their money at an ATM machine -whatever it may be... research it, dig in deep, maybe find out something more about it, even if it's only something about your own reaction to it...
(and sometimes getting answers to questions only leads to way more questions, well that's ok, if we're to make our millions as poets we'll need lots of questions for answering... go forth, explore, find something you don't get and go get it!!!)

Enjoy... and remember - anything less than an unravelling of the deep and wonderful mysteries of the universe will still get you on the bus, anything at all will get you on the bus in fact, you're among friends, as always - just let me know when you have your ticket bought and I'll link from this Sunday - good luck!


Some early passengers have already climbed aboard

See Jeanne spinning in confusion here

and Chiccoreal is on the confusing bus here

Argent is on with the truth of Eden here

40 comments:

Jinksy said...

I should be able to manage this one, as confusion often reigns when I'm around! :)

Titus said...

Like jinksy, I am beginning to feel the affects of too much aluminium in my diet (mush have snacked on tin foil as a child) so I am looking forward to this, if I can remember what the prompt is in a couple of day (an old joke, but remember, I'm making it first!)

Niamh B said...

Well congratulations to both of you for finding the driver... that alone is a great accomplishment!

Batteson.Ind said...

my poor head!...

Dave King said...

Yup, I think I'll have a go, but that may just be the confusion talking.

Peter Goulding said...

So when you say confusion, does that mean we write about confusion or write in a confused style or write in the style of Confucius, or write about convicts being fused together , or some, or all or none of the above? Or what?

Niamh B said...

Watercats, sorry - it seems you can't leave me in charge of anything!
Well Dave, I hope you get on - the bus timetable will be on the left as you look at it.
Gwanyagoodthing TFE - to borrow a phrase.
Peter, if that is your real name, we will be looking for a mix of all of the above with a bit of a difference maybe or else the complete opposite, it's hard to say really. You should ask someone in the know about these things, that's my humble expert opinion advice. Keep practising.

The Weaver of Grass said...

Am confused - so should be able to manage a poem about it! See you at the bus stop.

Totalfeckineejit said...

Ancient chinese philosopher
Confused-Us said 'journey of a thousand miles starts with a single bus ticket'

Niamh B said...

Weaver, looking forward to it!
TFE - wise words

Anonymous said...

Good thing it is a virtual bus so there will be enough seats, I fear there may be more confused souls than any of us likes to admit.
much love
cfm

Niamh B said...

haha cfm - can't wait to see the results!

chiccoreal said...

Dear Naimh: Confusion. What the? A state of mind for me; I should ace this one!

Enchanted Oak said...

I'll be back, as our California governor Schwartzenegger would say.

Niamh B said...

Excellent news Chicco, and I look forward to your contribution Oak!!

Dr. Jeanne Iris said...

Hi Niamh,

Ticket bought, poem up here:

http://www.revolutionaryrevelry.blogspot.com

Thanks for a great topic! : )

Niamh B said...

Thanks Jeanne, have put yourself and Chicco's links up now

Argent said...

If I can make sense of the confusing ticket pricing structure, I'll be there!

Niamh B said...

Thanks Argent!
It's a very simple means tested cost base. if you are over the age of the date - eg today the marker would be 23, then your poem needs to be no less than 23 syllables long, and the total number of syllables must be evenly divisible by the number of vowels, obviously this reverts to consonants for those under the age of the date, and they must ensure their pieces contain an even spread of the letters obtained from the word verification throughout...

Argent said...

Aha! NOW I get it!

Argent said...

Having circumnavigated the labyrinthine complexities of the ticketing system - I'm here!. Oh, bugger! It's only Friday! Still haven't sussed out the timetable by the looks of it.

Niamh B said...

That link's added now Argent, you too may have confused the time table but indeed who cares! thanks for getting on!!

NotMaudeGonne said...

I'll give it a go and try to be on time for once! lol

Niamh B said...

I know you can do it NMG!

Shilpa said...

Niamh,,
Got a ticket dear driver, please stop at http://bonjour-a-tous.blogspot.com/2010/07/this-week-i-made-in-time-for-poetry-bus.html

Dominic Rivron said...

Great prompt! Possibly working too hard this week to be able to get my head round it (I haven't even had the time to get confused never mind write about it!) but I'll jump aboard at the last minute if I can...

Unknown said...

Ok Niamh I'm on board - just...
http://returninghomeinsilkenrobes.blogspot.com/2010/07/poetry-bus-driven-by-niamh.html

Dave King said...

Not sure when I'll be around, so I've scheduled my trip to begin tomorrow (Sunday) at noon. Thanks for a great ticket!

Doctor FTSE said...

Hello! I bought a ticket and sat quietly at the back, chuntering to myself HERE

Dave King said...

Posted! - earlier than planned.

Niamh B said...

there ye are! you're all linked up and punched in on today's post.

Jinksy said...

My ticket is here . Actually, there's an earlier one I bought this week, which is now out- dated, but is still worth a clip, perhaps? You can find that here.

Niamh B said...

great stuff jinksky, am linking them both up on todays post! Thanks

The Weaver of Grass said...

So sorry - no poem this week - too confused! I'll be back next week - enjoy the bus ride - you certainly have plenty of passengers so don't think I shall be missed.

Niamh B said...

Ah Weaver, sorry to hear it, but we'll struggle on, many thanks for stopping by anyway!!

Don't Feed The Pixies said...

OK - i am really sorry, because i wrote my entry entirely on line and then, inbetween trying to post links, i lost the pome and couldn't remember a word of it - so i did try to enter and failed massively.

Yours was great though!

Niamh B said...

Thanks DFTP - I vote that's a good a response to the prompt anyway!
Cheers for stopping in

Gerry Snape said...

I'm standing here at the bus stop and hoping that it will come along and give me a ride. Not been on this route before, so here's hoping I've got the right ticket, 'cos otherwise I'm really confused!

Niamh B said...

Newcomers especially welcome Gerry, your link is up on the most recent post

Bill said...

Great prompt, thanks!

Poem posted:

http://usuallyconfined.blogspot.com/2010/07/one-for-poetry-bus.html