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Is It a Poem Or a Shopping List?
What closer scrutiny reveals
One of my favorite forms of poetry is live improvisational poetry. People gather together and take turns improvising a poem out of thin air. Each person is given one short line to begin their poem with and then the person has to expound on that one line with a poem that is made up on the spot.
And it has to rhyme!
It is not something that one can prepare for; something one can rehearse. It is real-time creativity that involves complete and utter surrender to the muse. Whatever comes out, comes out and there is no erasing nor going back. The words don’t come until they are spoken.
And they have to rhyme!
Believe me, live improvisational poetry is not easy! You’ve really got to be in the zone. All your creative juices must be flowing.
I have heard rumors that this type of live improvisational poetry is best carried out with one or two shots of tequila under one’s belt. I don’t remember if this is true or not.
It has been many years since I’ve done this sort of thing. I used to play live improvisational poetry with my daughter when she was a young one. What father does not do this with their daughter(s)? It’s a great way to hone a kid’s grammar and vocabulary skills as well as teaching them…
