X is for Xanadu

You want a trip in the surreal? Maybe with rock music? Someplace where ELO meets Big Bands...and Gene Kelly. Oh, and there's roller skating too!

Sound like a fever dream? Maybe...

It's Xanadu!

First a poem titled Kubla Khan in 1797 by a poet Samuel Taylor Coleridge (belo w is the first stanza), it's about the Mongolian ruler Kubla Khan, the grandson of Genghis Khan dreaming in his pleasure palace;  a movie in 1980; and later musical in 2007.

In Xanadu did Kubla Khan 
A stately pleasure-dome decree: 
Where Alph, the sacred river, ran 
Through caverns measureless to man 
Down to a sunless sea. 

Xanadu is defined as an idyllic place, a place place of great beauty, luxury, contentment. From dictionary.com and Merriam-Webster online dictionary.

Xanadu is many thing all rolled into one. The primary story centers on the Greek muses, nine sisters and one muse in particular, Kira's (real name is Terpsichore. Clio in the musical.) and her adventures on earth. The funny part is the movie is adaptation of a movie from Down to Earth (1947), which is an adaptation of a play Heaven Can Wait. The movie is filled with rock music from ELO (Electric Light Orchestra), Olivia Newton-John, who plays Kira in the movie, and early animation from Don Bluth. Never mind that it is about a roller disco and features Gene Kelly in his last movie role; and one amazing scene that blends 1940s and 1980s music into the most intense mash-up ever.

It was also one of two movie nominated for the first ever Golden Raspberry Award, but lost out to the Village People movie, Can't Stop the Music.

It also needs to be seen to be believed.

A Musing Inspiration

Where is the inspiration?

The Greeks believed the Muses inspired,

giving mankind a leg up in creativity

in song, poetry, and dance.

The Greeks believed the Muses inspired,

nine sisters to grant humanity gifts

in song, poetry, and dance;

to create something out of nothing.

Nine sisters to grant humanity gifts,

although I prefer my gifts to be my own,

to create something out of nothing,

but maybe I am wrong.

Although I prefer my gifts to be my ow,n,

weaving words across a page or colours across a canvas,

but maybe I am wrong,

that gifts are given to us, for us make our own.

Weaving words across a page or colours across a canvas; 

that is our job, isn't it?

That gifts are given to us, for us make our own,

out of the spiritual ether around us.

That is out jobs, isn't it,

make the art that the world needs

out of the spiritual ether around us?

That might just be the gods bequeathing their gifts.

Make the art that the world needs,

giving mankind a leg up in creativity

that might just be the gods bequeathing their gifts.

What is the inspiration? 

Bridge to Cross...Across the Sea!

Today, I’d like to challenge you to write a poem about bridges. A bridge is a powerful metaphor, and when you start looking for bridges in poems, you find them everywhere. Your poem could be about a real bridge or an imaginary or ideal bridge. It could be one you cross every day, or one that simply seems to stand for something larger – for the idea of connection or distance, for the idea of movement and travel and new horizons.

Okay, I bridge it is. After reading poet post, Jesi, I felt that maybe I need where I wanted to go with this prompt. I have come to know the people dubbed The Poets Three. Their comments and conversations and votes of confidences have push me into new ways of thinking and stretching my poetic license. And even though we live some far across these cyber seas, I feel we are that much closer. They are the ones that make that make me feel less lonely as a poet. These are the folk that I can celebrate my victories and share my woes with in verse and friendship. Thank you, The Poets Three, Jesi, Rod, and Lizzi.

Today's a Pantoum about Bridges and Friendship across the miles.

from Morgue File

Sometime Marooned I be

Sometimes I feel a marooned captain that drifts upon a sea--
not so filled with water is this sea that upon I ride,
but an ocean of amassed of digital ones and zeros
that fills the spaces between the known lands.

Not so filled with water is this sea that upon I ride
while it is true that I do surf upon these strange tides,
that fills the spaces between the known lands
this is a vast and lonely cyber sea.

While it is true that I do surf upon these strange tides
and lonely is my journey often,
this is a vast and lonely cyber sea,
and I can count my blessing three.

And lonely is my journey often,
with nary and single crew to man this stalwart vessel
and I can count my blessings three;
1, 2, 3 others who float along this shiny sea with me.

With nary a single crew to man this stalwart vessel
yet, its the Poets Three who raise the sails, the
1, 2, 3 others who float along this shiny sea with me
staying the mainsail and swabbing the poop deck.

Yet, its the Poets Three who raise the sail, the
guiding voices that bridge the gaps of these lonely seas
staying the mainsail and swabbing the poop deck
when all of the wind and weather has beaten me raw.

Guiding voices that bridge the gaps of these lonely seas--
an ocean of amassed of digital ones and zeros,
when all of the wind and weather has beaten me raw--
sometimes I feel a marooned captain that drifts upon a sea.

Now onto the A to Z Challenge, so a second poem and about something equally random.  X is for Xanadu! It's part of a classic poem, Kubla Khan by Samuel Taylor Coleridge and it is also a ultra cheesy movie musical, Xanadu with Olivia Newton-John, and music by ELO (mostly). Xanadu is basically what paradise would be, so tonight a Cinquain for Xanadu.

I can't remember if I use Xanadu last year, but I am sure I didn't use it to write a poem. The way I think about it, even if I overlap, at least I am keeping it fresh.

Fragmented Fantasy

Magic

it unfolds in dreams

and I am dancing in

the biggest ballroom of pleasure

right here.

In case you are confused by this and have never read the poem or saw the movie, I present the most famous part of Kubla Khan and the title song from the movie:

The first stanza of Kubla Khan: 

In Xanadu did Kubla Khan

A stately pleasure-dome decree:

Where Alph, the sacred river, ran

Through caverns measureless to man

   Down to a sunless sea.

Day #28 - X is for Xylophones and X-cellent Writing Prompts

I am going to write a haiku using the Letter "X" for today's blog. X is a harder letter to find something to blog about. Unless you like X-men, which I do. SO, I will also write a lune using X-men.

Xylophone's Song

Hear the echoes rings

As the mallets dance upon

The xylophone keys.

Mutants Abound

Those with power

with either lightening or magnetism

Saving the day.

Today's NaPoWriMo prompt is a bit harder than I thought. I had to take a News Article to write a poem, using the words and content of the article. Click the link to see the article I used. I don't feel like this is my strongest poem, but I tried, Dear Readers.

But, I did it! I can say that I did it. It was a challenge and for that, it was worth the time I spent time writing it.

Netflix Stands For?

Executives,

You won’t see

But higher fees on the rise.

A new battle of wits

Between Netflix

And Comcast.

It begins,

The battle for the Internet.

Prices and

Rights and

Ease of connecting.

The battlefield—

It’s the Internet

And has fought many a battle

over the last few years—

Now it’s Net Neutrality

And the behemoth of Comcast

Merging with Time Warner.

What will the future bring,

To the waste land of the Web?

Where those weaker

Than the mighty

Force their will, like some sort of

Tyrant Lord

Taxing the poor,

While he gets richer

While the rest still have to pay

To be able to Log on.

9:49 pm