Pitch the Third: Rock n’ Roll Haiku
Here at Poetry Northwest we’re excited about our upcoming Fall Social & Hootenanny happening November 13th at the Columbia City Theater in Seattle. As part of the festivities we’re selecting three lucky winners to come and read their rock n’ roll haikus onstage at the event.
What’s a rock n’ roll haiku you ask? You decide. But make sure it’s three lines—the first containing 5 syllables, the second seven, and the third five. Post your completed poem into the comment section below or on our Facebook wall. The three winners will receive free admission to the benefit for themselves and a guest and will be invited to the stage to share their musings with everyone.
All entries are due by 11/04/11.
The fine print: winners and their guests must be 21 or older and be in the Puget Sound area the night of Poetry Northwest’s Fall Social & Hootenanny.
For inspiration we’ll leave you with a rock n’ roll haiku penned by managing editor William Bernhard:
Smoking Pop
Ashes to ashen,
a boney cloud in the lungs—
Keith Richards inhales.
He saw the birds flock,
Tupelo screened Merseyside.
A good job, fame seemed
Don’t fear the reaper
Or running with the devil
Or the ace of spades
I know, its only rock and
roll, but I like it
Hair cells dance with feet.
Decibels screech to the sky.
Where is our hearing?
The Nineteen Seventies
Boston. Chicago.
Kansas, Europe. Then: Asia.
Jefferson Starship.
“Plaid Reality”
Pale androgyny,
girl-delirious and broke,
but no depression.
Alternative rock-
Joyfully I join the flock
Dancing to the beat.
Percussive, throbbing,
Music so pure, i’m sobbing.
Thank you, Dave Matthews.
When Depeche Mode sings,
“Let’s play master and servant”,
I participate.
Techno, grunge, pure rock-
There are too many choices,
Too many voices.
One O Three Seven-
The numbers before “The End”-
Always my first choice.
Rock defines my life.
I play music all day long
Where’s that perfect song?
U2, OMD,
OAR, and DMB.
OMG! Pretext.
A Winter Blues
Snow, stir that snow snare.
Midnight vent pipe mournin’ horn
Sing, Lover gone gone.
Guitar strings blues key,
Holy modal served with tears
Dixie Chicken Feat.
Back Door Man comes in
Danny Kalb plays hard and cool
New York 60s yeah.
Janis makes me growl
Too late in the year of death
Shine that Pearl real good.
throw little things off
the cliffside crashes of Venus
are quiet yearning
–After Bjork
Strobe lightning explodes
flaming pink feather boas
into a purple haze.
Strobe lightning explodes
flaming pink feather boas
into purple haze.
A History of Rock
Do wop then be bop,
To grunge bands signed on SubPop,
Somehow rock survives.
Taking Requests
Hey DJ, please play
Songs I don’t hear everyday.
Come on, rock my world.
Getting Even
Give him hell, Adelle.
Imply he’s a prick in song,
Some man done her wrong.
Halloween Rocks
Werewolves of London
Follow Big Head Todd’s Monsters
Smashing some Pumpkins
Zappa poked and stroked
til his wrist got numb & he
got prostate cancer.
Keith Richards blood
now over 3,000 miles.
Time for transfusion.
Jeff Beck at the Moore
honors our guitar hero
tears up Little Wing.
add an “is” to the first line of Keith Richards poem if you’re slaves to the syllable count.
Can’t make the show but had fun with the idea…
With a strong backbeat,
twanging reverberations
imperil wound steel.
Pounding drums and bass
create opportunity
to dance with guitars.
When the music is
your special friend, you dance on
fire as it intends.
No “unplugged” version
of Electric Music for
the Mind and Body.
Jimi Hendrix played
All Along the Watchtower
and woke my ass up!
Jefferson Airplane’s
Surrealistic Pillow
remains outstanding.
The singer carried
just one note for sixteen bars.
Let us all say Grace.
It’s my right eardrum
that best recalls that Who concert
fondly, in silence.
Ch-ch-ch changes,
we’re up to our necks in it,
ch-ch-ch changes.
(After REM)
River poet, search.
Crazy what you could have had:
Can’t get there from here.
(After Jimi)
I stood next to your
fire. We’re experienced
now. Also, blistered.
(After The White Album)
Did it in the road.
Thought no one would be watching.
Will they pay for pics?
(After “Alladin Sane”)
Naked, lost. But what
will be your living end: it’s
those piano glisses.
(White Light / White Heat)
Warhol bailed. Even Cale
did. But Sister Ray would say
It’s all just feedback.
(Oh yeah — and one for Nick Cave)
Murder balladeer,
rock me to sleep; opium tea
tears, wild bells, wild skies
Star Wars
Elton’s Rocket Man
Collides with Ziggy Stardust
Now they’re free falling.
Keep Your Head Down
The Eagles attack
All those Crows, Counting or Black,
Feathers everywhere.
(after david byrne)
Heaven is a place
Where something hasn’t happened,
But it could, it could.
Pearl Jammed Up
Hey Eddie Vedder,
What’s with the ukulele?
Pick up your guitar.
Hi There,
Not sure if “Lyric” is one or two syllables, so I did two Hiaku’s.
A Good Song
Lyrics make you think,
its the Bass that bobs your head,
Riff crawls up the spine.
A Good Song (again)
The Lyrics make you think,
its the Bass that bobs your head,
Riff crawls up the spine.
Fresh Start
Just Ctrl, alt, delete
Thats all you do to start over (That’s all you do, start again)
Task Manage, reboot.
Relax
Yes, I want to win.
Have fun, it’s rule number one.
This is just the start.
Untitled
Hourglass you tempt me
Shoulders tense, trying to breath.
Soon you will run out.
My Sister
Its always a mess
She cant sleep without a bowl
Laptop on the bed
1969
Far Rockaway Beach
(Sand in tuna sandwiches)
Rock on transistor
Aberdeen garage.
Sears electric guitar strummed.
Sound of nothingness.