Once, my son found a "help wanted" ad:
Remove nest of baby copperheads
from under porch. Will pay $20.
I always wondered if anyone was desperate enough to answer. I mean, come on---they're BABY copperheads, right?
That's the thing about classifieds. They suggest (perhaps willfully) that if only you answer them, the full story will be revealed. More likely, the truth is that if you answer the ad, you become part of the story, too.
I think the same give and take applies to poetry. Which is good, because this month, the Poetry Sisters are playing with haiku/senryu in the form of classified ads. I wrote several because I couldn't help myself.
WANTED: rain, heavy
Must pelt/soak; no peevish squalls
Will pay in fresh corn.
LOST: my perspective
No reward; meet me for cake
mountains>molehills>crumbs.
FREE: to a good home:
One book, never read, but loved.
#coverseducedme
POETS: Start today;
word your way up; could capture
moon in fifty years.
----all poems by Sara Lewis Holmes (all rights reserved)
See what's LOST/FOUND/WANTED/FOR SALE from my Poetry Sisters here: Liz, Tanita, Tricia, Laura, Kelly, Andi.
Poetry Friday is hosted today by Tabatha at The Opposite of Indifference.
Excellent! That first one is my particular favorite ("will pay in fresh corn"). If only getting a good rain was that easy...
ReplyDeleteP.S. I wish I knew what happened to the people with the nest of copperheads!
ReplyDeleteFabulous examples of intriguing ads. Love that photo - it so accents your post! Classified are a whole genre of fascination. And your haiku! You definitely inspired me and got me going in a better direction. My favorite here is the "meet me for cake" one. Because sharing cake IS the reward, right?
ReplyDeleteI love your introduction. I would not have answered the copperhead ad, as babies are far more deadly than adults because they can't control the amount of venom they inject.
ReplyDeleteI too love your rain poem. The third one speaks to me. I love the use of the hashtag and will admit that I too have been seduced by covers.
Hard to pick a favorite out of these--all so strong in different ways. I think it has to be the perspective one, as I have been known ("No, not you," people will gasp) to make mountains of molehills, and it's lovely to reverse that:>)
ReplyDeleteNo peevish squalls... Hah! I love that.
ReplyDeleteThese are all just splendid.
The rain poem is my favorite, for the unexpected corn payoff, but they were all great!
ReplyDeleteLove them all, but I might have the poet one tattooed on my left palm.
ReplyDeleteI wish you would, Mary Lee. I'm not brave enough.
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