Whim Wham

Monthly Thought

Just a little poem this month; but one with a little seasonal cheer.

Whim Wham is short, and it is simple in its form. It is a list of ingredients with some built-in guidance on how to use them. But it is a poem; lines are written carefully with an ear to rhythm; line breaks are thought through as is punctuation. One of the great things about a poem is that you can write about a small thing, but the poem form enables the writing to have a meaning that is bigger than its parts. Each of the elements listed earlier, contribute to the meaning – the meaning that I frequently refer to as The Big Idea.

So, what is The Big Idea here? It could be, particularly noting the last line which stands, for emphasis, isolated, that the poet is pointing out the terrible excesses of rich aristocracy. On the other hand, the poet sets out the ingredients with apparent relish, particularly when he comes to the final elements (look at the adjectives) of the cream and toasted almonds. The final line is then ironic and written/read/spoken with a huge grin.

Try the poem both ways and see how it fits best for you. The way you read it is the way the poet means it for you.

Writing

Much time has been spent bringing both my General Guidance and Magpie projects to the conclusion of their first stages.

General Guidance (the sight loss verse theatre performance) project has a few more weeks to go. Then the big decision about how to move it forward. I had wonderful days with a performance team, have spoken with inspiring directors and poets, and have carried out and been a participant in poetry workshops.

The 20 songs of Magpie have now been recorded. I spent two days with a colleague ensuring the lyrics in the score and the lyrics in the script (known as the book in the musical theatre world) matched exactly. Not as easy as it sounds. Then I shall do another edit of the book. We then have to find a way of moving this on. I have totally enjoyed the experience of collaborating with the composer, Tom.