"Practice Makes Perfect." Just a cliche?

   I practiced depression. When i quit there was no joy in any thing or thought. I practiced being an abused child. When i quit there was nothing to me except being the destroyed remains of an abused child...

Fortunately, during this horrid learning experience, i practiced poetry! This practice has led to many of the joyous thoughts and situations in my life!    During my laborous attempt to read Famous Editions Of English Poetry (The Dial Press 1935) i came across a wonderful poem by Shakespeare:

   One of the "great" poets believes in practice; believes in taking a form and working it until it is 'flawless'. Maybe we as poets ought to do the same!

   I do not deride the "assignments" of many writing sites. These writings are of great benefit in forming the writer you are to become. Without the use of such exercise many a poet may not find their 'pen'. Yet, do we wish to become hacks of all form, or would we rather find our niche and perfect it?

   

   

   We are still open for submissions! All volumes for the year of 2005 must be completed before the end of April. Trying to balance editing and printing during a hectic paving schedule this past year proved to be too exhausting. If you, or someone you know, are interested in having your verse be an addition to this colorful and inspiring series, PLEASE submit as soon as possible.

   We are also looking for articles for this newsletter! If you have an essay on a poet, or form of poetry, we would be glad to run it here! Let us know!

   I, again, would like to remind all the Palace Poets that the poem and picture/art option for the newsletter is open to all. Maybe you could go through your photo albums in search of poetic inspiration. Maybe you will even find the whole idea enticing. A scrapbook of your life with accompanying verse might be quite the heirloom to leave behind! :)

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#50

I am very old
and i am far too young
I will die late, too early
with many songs unsung

I have lived too little
in all too many lives
I have pierced and been
my heart with many knives

I have committed murder
i have been murdered too
I have fought many wars
none of which are through

I have seen the stars
from their every side
In every galaxy
i have tried to hide

I have loved so often
but always from afar
The door that guards my heart
left permanently ajar

The first of all my memories
were passion, hate and fear
Eternities they have grown
and all i hold quite dear

I have lusted for rage
i have slept with greed
I have wrestled with compassion
and hunted with need

I have preached pity
and caressed kind
Jumped with joy
with care intertwined

I have raced with rude
and parried with pain
I have entrapped with envy
by loneliness slain

Rallied with righteous
walked with depressed
Traveled with want
with hope been dressed

I have gone with glory
fathomed defeat
I have lounged with lies
and darkened deceit

I have smelled suicide
and with agony paced
I have shivered with shame
and of victory taste

I have rolled in regret
but not for myself
For none of these dust
set back on a shelf

Each time i feel
it is long and hard
Though my soul is shaken
not one of these barred

For all of the lives
my being possessed
I find them all
i remember the best



from the book; Veracious Verse © 2001
thomas beal







Palace Poet XIX


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"I was watching the congregation arriving for Evensong one time from up in the bell tower and saw this little old lady sat at the front, so hunched up she made me think of the way brass instruments curl round, her skirt like the bell of a horn. It reminded me of the local landowner/parliamentarian from seventeen-hundred-and-something, Lord Brass (he of the phrase bold as brass) and ended up writing about the old folks in the congregation and their likenesses to brass instruments. The way the two ideas came together, and worked so well together, was kind of cool."

Sal Davis

Palace Poet XIV



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"I don't sit down and say I must fill this blank sheet of paper with something for the sake of it. My muse comes to me not me to it. It can be triggered by something I hear, a song, or a phrase someone says or I read something somewhere or it just comes to me from my thoughts, feelings, emotions deep inside."

Mary Shovlin

Palace Poet XVI



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"Given one class of poetry I would teach “Give your Imagination wings” forget rhyme or reason just fly so that the pupils learn to experience things in order to express themselves better. Release what is inside."

Lila Joseph

Palace Poet XVII



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Poetry Exercise

     As to go along with the above, this month's exercise is simply to take the form of poetry you are most comfortable with and use it. Daily. Maybe even several times each day!

     Have an exercise you created for improving your writing? Would you like to see it in this newsletter? Send it to

Poetry Palace

     Remember, if the exercise is easy, the benefit is minimal… :(

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Thank You, Again, For Your Visit!

"My mind is like a city of one way streets

all leading to its center.

Poems and parts of poems

and parts of possible poems

stampede frantically

in Twilight Zone redundancy

down each street

and i live

in the dust above the collision

unable

or willing

to control the bits of their shrapnel

as they tear through me

writing all that i can hold on to

long enough to slate.

I am not sure if i messed up the blueprints

or the construction

or if the city was already there waiting for me.

My best days are when i scribble frantically

or share those scribblings.

I guess that makes this one of my best days!!!





Thanx"



thomas beal

Palace Poet XIX