This Is Just To Say (Eleventy One Things # 18)

18. I like to read and write poetry.

O.M. over at The Columnist Manifesto recently posted a spoof he wrote of William Carlos Williams' "This Is Just to Say." It brought back some great memories for me.

In college, I got to take a poetry writing class. That was one of the most enjoyable classes I ever took. Part of it, of course, was the teacher and the matierial. But another thing that made it so great was that it was a small class with a very fun and unique mix of personalities.

One of our class exercises was to do a parody of Williams' poem. This isn't the best example of my poetry-writing, but I promised O.M. I would post it. :)

THIS IS JUST TO SAY, by William Carlos Williams

I have eaten
the plums
that were in
the icebox

and which
you were probably
saving
for breakfast

Forgive me
they were delicious
so sweet
and so cold

Here was my version:

I dropped
your wedding dress
out of the window

Forgive me
It looked so lovely
floating
twenty stories down

--Until it
landed
in the
street

by AJW

Here are a couple of my favorites from my classmates.


Kamilla Faye Smith wrote:

I have taken
the phone
off the wall
and thrown

it out of the
window on the
sixth floor.

I'm sorry. But it screamed
with such agony,
I thought it would be
happier that way.



Jason Nicholas wrote:

I have pulled the
Pin from that grenade
On the desk.

Forgive me.
I thought it was
My keyring,
And