2016 Found Object Poem Project: Day 7 and Week 2 Prompts

Congratulations! We made it through Week 1 of this year's daily writing project.It's Day 7 of our 2016 daily write-in. As you know, this year’s theme is FOUND OBJECTS. We have a new writing prompt for every day in February.The object of this project is to turn off our inner critics, play with a daily writing practice, and share the results in a community setting.For those of you who are new to the project, please read my introductory post. You’ll find more information and all of the Week 1 FOUND OBJECTS at this post. At the end of the month, I’ll have prizes for the most frequent contributors. However, there’s no obligation to write every day. Drop in as often as you like.FOUND: Blood Letting KnifeToday's prompt from Jone MacCulloch falls into the functional object category. The object, which Jone photographed at a Lewis and Clark presentation, was used for blood letting.I can't wait to see what kinds of words streamed out of everyone's poem-veins today.The blade prompted Jessica Bigi to set her poem at a barber shop.How Rumors StartBy Jessica BigiSanta Fe Golden ToothBarbershop chatterSilver spurred bootsSpring a ghostly tallOf gold up thereIn those hillsNot to wise Billy barberStrangely DisappearedChatter- chatter-Chatter Santa FeGolden ToothBarbershop chatterDiane Mayr's poem makes a good bridge between the barbershop gossip and the historical significance of today's found object.A Close ShaveBy Diane MayrThe head is tiltedso that the neck isexposed to the handsof an expert who withthe flick of a wristcan deftly de-whisker,or, as was the casehundreds of years ago,restore balance tothe humors in a bodyby the letting of blood.Instead of focusing on the knife in the image, my attention was caught by the brass bowl. I seem to be rhyming a lot this month!Letting GoBy Laura ShovanI am a bowlto catch the bloodas it flows from your armin a hot, red flood.A circle of brassringed with rust --rest me under the cutwhere the blade was thrust.The blade is sharp.The cut is deep.Watch the blood drip drippinguntil you're asleep.Maybe I should change the title to "Bad Medicine."I like the way Molly Hogan repurposes the blade in this poem. Molly is also blogging alongside our project. Check out her post.Before the Photoby Molly HoganA simple blade in capable handstransforms stickto whittled whistle,kisses apple’s russet skintwirling offonelongswirling spiral,and sculpts a blushing peachinto glistening golden slices,hitching a bit as it nicksinto the deeply crevassed pit.Wiped clean on cotton clothdiscarded with a careless toss intothe shallow metal bowlburnished vibrations echoand fadeas the simple bladerocksback and forthslowlytorest.Linda Baie writes in, "I did some research, didn’t exactly find the instrument, but close, and then imagination took over. Interesting picture!"Growing Up at Louie’s General StoreWe let him have the back table,that old man from down the way,leaning close with old eyes.He cut tobacco’s leaves for need,and earned his own pinch for the day’s end.Men dropped in to fill their pipesnot those who could afford to keep a stash at home,but those scrapping a few penniesfor the evening’s smoke,and the evening’s talk.Low voices ask how things are going;other’s answer, “fine, could be warmer,”and take another puff.Others who enter stay away,eyes watering, nose crinkling at the reek.Smoke eddies around that table,a curtain that keeps others out,just those old men passing the evening,cronies all, smoking their pipes.At last, they leave, empty their pipes in the bowl.It’s my job to clean it out back,then I can go home.Linda Baie ©All Rights ReservedCatherine Flynn describes a common problem that happens when we DO know what an object is. In contrast to our Day 3 mystery object (which turned out to be moth eggs), "Maybe my problem was that I had an idea about what this object is and couldn’t see any other possibilities," Catherine writes. What do you think, poets? Do you prefer the mystery or the knowing when you sit down to write?When curing chronic feverswas a mystery,doctors thought blood-lettingwas the remedy.Like one afflicted,a story burns inside me.I won’t be healeduntil words flow unrestrictedfrom pen to page.Just as blood once pouredfrom an incision made with a surgeon’skeen-edged scalpeland pooled in a battered, rusty bowl,my words coalesce intothe shape of something newand I am cured (for now).By Catherine Flynn at Reading to the Core.And thanks to Carol Varsalona for turning the question itself -- What is this object? -- into a poem.Late arrivals:Sorry I didn't get to post these responses last night. I'm so glad to see everyone experimenting with form. Kudos to Mary Lee Hahn for using an acrostics today. She writes, "I went with tobacco knife, too, and wrote this acrostic after interviewing a (former) pipe smoker":A pipe gives a wise man time to thinkand a fool something to stick in his mouth.– C.S. Lewis.Packing the tobacco correctly is asImportant as theProper breaking in of the pipe.Each pipeSmokes differently, and a good smoker canMake one last up to 45 minutes.One must tap the dottle from the bowl,Know how to ream the pipe, andEmbrace the subtleties of the experience —Rather like shooting or fly fishing or drinkingScotch.©Mary Lee Hahn, 2016And here is a haiku from Matt Forrest Esenwine. In a small space, this poem appeals to many of my senses.scarlet rivuletsspill into steel; blood, spiritslip into slumber– © 2016, Matt Forrest Esenwine, all rights reserved***I like hearing the voice of the blade in Charles Waters' poem.BLADE & CREAM: THE DREAM TEAMI’m a Silvery Sharp Bladewho, along with my assistantShaving Cream, will shear yourforest of follicles leaving thatvisage of yours so smooth thatrose petals on a spring afternoonwill snap at you out of jealously.(c) Charles Waters 2016***Donna uses the blade as an entry point to talking about writing, also.TransfusionWhen I writeThe veins openAnd the vanes wildlyTurnAnd I twistEach word until theyBleed wildly andChurnSpilling ontoThe white of paperWhere they stain andBurn;Then I sitAnticipating the silentTransfusion, as youLearnThe meaningIn the words lightOr dark, flighty orBold, wondering, what did youDiscern?©2016, Donna JT Smith, all rights reserved***Jone Rush MacCulloch shares a very interesting connection with this object. You'll want to read the full story at her blog.Family Myth“It was believed that bloodletting was a very important part of healing. ~Marcia LeiterThis taletold to meas a child.Benjamin Rushmy fifth great grandfather,swift in grabbingthe steel bladeand the brass cuptraps the infirm’s armslice the veinlets the red ribbonsof stagnated bloodflow freeIn 1799,George Washingtonrequested a bloodettinghis physician,obliged.my fifth great-grandfather.Washington died© 2016 Jone Rush MacCulloch all rights reserved***I know that you are all chomping at the bit for the Week 2 FOUND OBJECTS. We will have one guest host this week. Thank you to Margaret Simon at Reflections on the Teche (Day 10).Leave your writing in the blog comments (feel free to post a poem or response in the comments of any project-related post). Be sure to note which day/prompt your poem or prose short goes with so I can post it on the correct day. Send in your writing ANY TIME — early, late. As long as I receive it by February 29, it will be posted along with the object of the day.Perfect attendance is not a requirement of this project. Write and share your work as often as you like, even if it’s only once. The goal is to practice and share, not to polish, and certainly not to aim for perfection.Interested in what we’ve written so far? Here are links to this week’s poems:Monday, February 1FOUND OBJECT: 100 year-old mailing boxPoems by: Diane Mayr, Molly Hogan, Mary Lee Hahn, Linda Baie, Jessica Bigi, Margaret Simon, Laura Shovan, Matt Forrest Esenwine, Catherine Flynn, Jone Rush MacCulloch, Brenda Harsham, Charles Waters, Donna Smith, Carol Varsalona.Tuesday, February 2FOUND OBJECT: Fancy peppers and producePoems by: Mary Lee Hahn, Jessica Bigi, Diane Mayr, Molly Hogan, Laura Shovan, Linda Baie, Matt Forrest Esenwine, Margaret Simon, Jennifer Lewis, Charles Waters, Donna Smith, Carol Varsalona.Wednesday, February 3FOUND OBJECT: Moth eggsPoems by: Jessica Bigi, Margaret Simon, Diane Mayr, Mary Lee Hahn, Molly Hogan, Linda Baie, Jone Rush MacCulloch, Laura Shovan, Charles Waters, Donna Smith, Carol Varsalona.Thursday, February 4FOUND OBJECT: Table fanPoems by: Jessica Bigi, Diane Mayr, Margaret Simon, Laura Shovan, Molly Hogan, Mary Lee Hahn, Linda Baie, Carol Varsalona, Catherine Flynn, Charles Waters, Donna Smith.Friday, February 5 at Guest Blog, Radio, Rhythm & RhymeFOUND OBJECT: Tomato MoonPoems by: Matt Forrest Esenwine, Jessica Bigi, Diane Mayr, Molly Hogan, Margaret Simon, Carol Varsalona, Laura Shovan, Mary Lee Hahn, Linda Baie, Charles Waters, Donna Smith.Saturday, February 6FOUND OBJECT: Antique DollsPoems by: Jennifer Lewis, Diane Mayr, Linda Baie,  Molly Hogan, Catherine Flynn, Heidi Mordhorst, Laura Shovan, Carol Varsalona, Matt Forrest Esenwine, Mary Lee Hahn, Jessica Bigi, Margaret Simon, Patricia VanAmburg, Charles Waters, Donna Smith.