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Tuesday, August 17, 2010

ISAN HEARTLAND

FOR BIG TENT POETRY


This week’s promptThis week’s prompt is a Wordle. The words are taken from one of a well-regarded poet’s published poems, which will be named (and linked to!) in Friday’s Come One, Come All post.
Hope you enjoy this week’s challenge to use any number of the words in your Big Tent Poetry poem this week!









ISAN HEARTLAND

Deep in the Isan heartland
Beyond banana, pineapple
Across untended rice fields
Baked hard by the summer sun
The unforgiving landscape
In cynical dry-season mood
Questions the wisdom of cars
That risk its impassable route

Our focus zeroes in on
The slow trickle of a stream
Where once flowed a full-blown river
Supplying diesel-driven pumps
Used to moisten rice in plant
Via discarded rubber hose pipes
Or home-made earthenware pots
Hand-crafted by silk-clad women
Deep in the Isan heartland
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34 comments:

  1. ClaudiaAugust 18, 2010 at 2:18 AM

    seems you managed to fit in all the words...wow...hat off!

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  2. Stan SkiAugust 18, 2010 at 6:25 AM

    Thanks Claudia; A couple of tricky ones in there, but I just about got them all to fit.

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  3. Sweatha SanjanaAugust 18, 2010 at 10:39 AM

    A Tribute to Theatre
    The Murugan Theatre. It is one of the theatres in Thiruthangal, a small town near the famous industrial town of Sivakasi in Tamil Nadu. The small town had three theatres in those days (1980s). Chinnaknai Theatre was in the northern corner of the town and Balaji Talkies was at the other end, in the southern corner

    We proud inviting you to the the internet's best Social community. www.jeejix.com .

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  4. Stan SkiAugust 18, 2010 at 12:20 PM

    Thanks Sweatha; Sounds interesting.

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  5. Paul OakleyAugust 20, 2010 at 2:30 PM

    Nice panoramic snapshot of the Isan heartland, of which I know nothing, yet now feel as if I do.

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  6. Stan SkiAugust 20, 2010 at 2:33 PM

    Thanks Paul; The edible landscape of north eastern Thailand.

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  7. AnonymousAugust 20, 2010 at 4:03 PM

    You always manage to transport us to an unfamiliar world, and make it visible.

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  8. nanAugust 20, 2010 at 5:55 PM

    Great job with the prompt. It flows naturally and takes us to Thailand with hints of tastes and smells. I liked how you used "zeroes in."

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  9. ireneAugust 20, 2010 at 7:16 PM

    You painted a vivid landscape Stan..well done.

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  10. MaryAugust 20, 2010 at 7:34 PM

    I'm focusing in on that stream that once was a river. Hope that rain fills it soon!

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  11. UnknownAugust 20, 2010 at 8:50 PM

    'The unforgiving landscape' with compassionate people. You've painted a vivid picture, Stan.

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  12. brenda wAugust 20, 2010 at 9:49 PM

    I agree with Derrick, was coming to post a comment about the picture you created. It's almost like a painting in my mind. Well done, Stan!

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  13. ElizabethAugust 20, 2010 at 9:56 PM

    Vivid imagery of a different land that seems less far away because of your fantastic use of the words. Salute!

    Elizabeth

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  14. flaubertAugust 20, 2010 at 9:58 PM

    Stan I love the imagery in this!
    Pamela

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  15. Stan SkiAugust 20, 2010 at 10:48 PM

    Thanks to:
    ViV; I hope I do it justice.
    Nan; "Zeroes" was The hardest to fit in.
    Irene: Said as seen...
    Mary; Rain is a-coming, oh yeah...
    Derrick; All the better to see...
    Brenda; Just a brushstroke...
    Elizabeth; Right on my doorstep...
    Pamela; A snapshot of a life cycle.

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  16. WeaselAugust 20, 2010 at 11:25 PM

    A wonderful snapshot portrayed in this poem! Excellent post! =)

    -Weasel

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  17. Diane TAugust 20, 2010 at 11:51 PM

    I did not even notice the wordle words... I was so fascinated with this poem! Delightful!

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  18. JinksyAugust 21, 2010 at 3:02 AM

    home-made earthenware pots
    Hand-crafted by silk-clad women

    Lovely picture this conjures up...

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  19. Stan SkiAugust 21, 2010 at 6:58 AM

    Thanks to:
    Weasel; Country life in the dry season.
    Diane; Some tricky words, but I got them all in.
    Jinksy; A slight exaggeration, but sounds better than 'factory made' and 'denim clad'.

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  20. UnknownAugust 21, 2010 at 9:31 AM

    Not just smoothly worked, it's got it all.
    I like the landscape as unforgiving and cynical.

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  21. rallentandaAugust 21, 2010 at 9:38 AM

    I lke the landscape as unforgiving and hard as well.

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  22. Stan SkiAugust 21, 2010 at 9:48 AM

    Thanks to:
    B; It's attitude changes quickly, once the rain comes.
    Rall; It's softening by the day now.

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  23. Wayne PitchkoAugust 21, 2010 at 10:58 AM

    you have painted a wonderful ladscape with your words Stanski

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  24. Stan SkiAugust 21, 2010 at 11:22 AM

    Thanks Wayne; The landscape was already there - the words happened to fit the scene.

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  25. DebAugust 21, 2010 at 9:50 PM

    Wow. I'd never know this was a Wordle poem. The world fits it to a tee, or rather versa visa. Thanks for being able to see and to put these all together.

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  26. Stan SkiAugust 22, 2010 at 6:53 AM

    Thanks Deb; Sometimes it just works out that way.

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  27. gautami tripathyAugust 22, 2010 at 12:01 PM

    You painted it so well..

    dances of the zeroes

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  28. Stan SkiAugust 22, 2010 at 5:10 PM

    Thanks Gautami; I just write as I see.

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  29. Vinay Leo R.August 23, 2010 at 12:44 AM

    lovely poem, Stan :) well sewed together.. liked it..! even I got the whole lot in.. :D

    Leo's

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  30. Tumblewords:August 23, 2010 at 4:08 AM

    Wonderful! I feel as if I've taken a visual journey to a landscape I didn't know.

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  31. Cynthia ShortAugust 23, 2010 at 5:55 AM

    I feel as if I have just traveled with you to the spot you describe. So beautifully done!

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  32. Stan SkiAugust 23, 2010 at 9:11 AM

    Thanks to:
    Leo; I had plenty of thread.
    Tumblewords; Glad you enjoyed the journey and liked what you saw.
    Cynthia; That stream is becoming a river again now the rain has started.

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  33. Francis ScudellariAugust 23, 2010 at 12:06 PM

    It's a part of the world I have little knowledge of, so thanks for this vivid glimpse.

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  34. Stan SkiAugust 23, 2010 at 12:44 PM

    Thanks Francis; It's a world away from the cities its produce feeds.

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