This is my writing blog, where I will be shamelessly posting my work. Poems, short stories, flash fiction, extracts from novels...they'll all be here. And if you don't like any of that, just play with the tiger.

Wednesday 6 February 2008

With apologies to T. S. Eliot...

My current essay is turning into something of an obsession (not that I'm actually writing it or anything; that would be a step too far). There's great displacement to be had in aping J. Alfred Prufrock...

Let us go then, you and I,
While essay plans flutter before eyes
Like a patient bouncing on padded walls.
Oh, do not stop to ask ‘which question?’
Both A and B cause indigestion.

In the forum students come and go
Panicking about Okigbo.

The lowering fog that curls round my brain
Obliterates knowledge;
And do I dare to no longer care
And submit a pile of garbage?
To make it by my teeth’s skin?
(Tutors will hoot, ‘how she is dim!’)
It is impossible to write what I mean!

There will be time, there will be time
To analyze all the obscure rhyme
then feast on chocs and fizzy wine
Once the final ‘send’ has been confronted.

In the forum students feel wrecked
Musing on the ways of Brecht.

It grows late…it grows late…
And shall I miss the cut-off date?
I have seen essays returned,
Seen them marked, and smiled at some,
But this one will not smile for me.
I shall swim in seas of ignorance,
That’s by the by,
Til a ‘bad fail’ wake me, and I cry.

8 comments:

Anonymous said...

I think you get a first for that one!
A piece of inspired writing, lol

Viki Lane said...

lol, thanks! If only I could get some inspiration for the fargin' essay!

Good luck with yours.

Gatepost productions said...

I'm so glad I am excused the excitement of TMA essays...where ...."...no work of words now for three lean months in the blooy Belly of the rich year..." Dylan Thomas

Viki Lane said...

'Excitement' isn't quite the word I'd use. It's more a kind of relentless torture.

Anonymous said...

I loved your poem. I did A(ZX)300 last year and still visit the Forum. You can see by the name of my blog that it had a lasting effect on me!

Viki Lane said...

Thanks for popping by - love your blog! Are you going to do the level 3 creative writing?

Anonymous said...

I had intended to do the level 3 creative writing course, but I did the first presentation of A215, so I may wait. What about you?

Thank for dropping in on my blog.

Viki Lane said...

I've already signed up. I did the first presentation of A215 too, and miss it so much I've just got to do the level 3 as soon as possible.


With thanks to Graeme