1. Pick up the nearest book of 123 pages or more. No cheating!
2. Find page 123.
3. Find the first five sentences.
4. Post the next three sentences.
5. Tag five people.
I've done it before, but that's OK because I like this one.
Although I am currently just starting Blind Assassin by Margret Atwood, the book that is sitting beside my computer here at home is The Poet's Handbook by Judson Jerome. If you don't own this book, you really, really should. Anyone who wants to write, or just enjoy reading poetry should always have this book within reach of your fingertips.
Then, with that poem or another, count the total number of lines and find by what factors they are divisible. For instance, a thirty-six line poem might have six units of six lines, three units of twelve lines, twelve units of three lines, eighteen units of two lines, two units of 18 lines. Try each.
As always those who wish to may play along.
8 comments:
Mmm, this is the type of meme I like!
Hi!
Welcome to my little corner of the internet!
Okay, I'll bite (since I do so love my books and will jump at any excuse to open something from the teetering stack on my nightstand.)
From Bill of Wrongs by Molly Ivins:
"When they completed their research, she told Christian he was in a real bind. Denying the FBI's demands would entail taking on the "attorney general of the United States." Christian called the consortium's vice president, Peter Chase, and requested an emergency meeting of the executive board."
Ok- I'll go.
From Unspeakable Acts, Ordinary People by John Conroy
We kidded around, saying he'd gone off for a haircut and had his hair colored." At forty-two, Sean McKenna was the oldest of the hooded men. During one of the interrogation sessions he had forgotten the names of his children.
Hahaha! Ok, here you go:
From the Barbecue! Bible: Sauces Rubs and Marinades by Steven Raichlen
"Over the years, I've used this oil to invigorate everything from grilled tofu to spare-ribs and I've varied the chilies and flavorings, adding black or Sichuan peppercorns, garlic, ginger, scallions, or other seasonings. Which is to say that you should consider the following recipe as a broad outline, not a formula to be followed to the letter.
The best way to remove the zest from the tangerines is to use a vegetable peeler."
Hey, that's a good tip about tangerine peel zest!
I will check out The Poet's Handbook -- is it old or new?
I played this game over at Whittering On, and actually used some lines from The Blind Assassin!
For you, something from "The Wit and Wisdom of Great Writers." This is Katherine Mansfield, holding forth on Anton Chekhov.
"The truth is one can only get so much much into a story; there is always a sacrifice. One has to leave out what one knows and longs to use."
(I know that's only two sentences, really, but I'm bending the meme rules because I really like the quotation.)
Bee - The Poet's Handbook is fairly old, I think it came out in the very early 80's.
It is simply the best book of its kind I have ever seen.
The Blind Assassin is really good :).
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