[Robert J. Clawson]

Has Starbuck been discussed in this forum? His play with forms and words is quite entertaining and, at least, instructive. His titles alone make me laugh out loud:
"Hurricane Zeke."

I can post a few if you'd like.

Bob

[Robt_Ward]

By all means do, Bob. I love his stuff. Show us what you think is the best of it.

(robt)

[Robt_Ward]

On the assumption that it's ok to post copyrighted work here for discussion (I think I've read that) here's a Starbuck that utterly cracks me up... It's got some of that "Juster Anti-Mime Beat" to it, LOL

Up to Here with the Pied Pipers of Gotham

IDontLikeMimeI
DontLikeSleaze
IDontLikeSteel
BandSymphonies
Psalterypawing
SlobsLikeThese
Discountenance
Philanthropies

NorAmIAvidToBe
EyeballedOddly
ByAnIdleRibald
OboistWhoFlaps
APiebaldMotley
WhilstHeTweets

Copyright © George Starbuck

(robt)

If this is not ok to do, some mod please strike this post ok?

[Robert J. Clawson]

Robert's post is what George called a "SLAB." He wrote many. See if you can figure out what SLAB means. Not you, Ward.

Bob

[Robt_Ward]

yessir!

[Robert J. Clawson]

Time's up. A SLAB is a Standard Length and Breadth Sonnet. Fourteen lines, each consisting of fourteen characters.

[Robt_Ward]

I think we're preaching to ourselves, Brother Bob. Sing Alleluia! For me, the SLAB is one of the more amusing things to come down the poetic pike, And Starbuck did a bunch of them.

I tried my hand at one once. Eventually gave up in frustration. A devilishly difficult exercise...

(robt)

[Robert J. Clawson]

Here's something easier.

War Story

The 4th of July he stormed a nest.
He won a ribbon but lost his chest.
We threw his arms across the rest
And kneed him in the chin.
(You knee them in the chin
To drive the dog-tag in.)

The 5th of July the Chaplain wrote.
It wasn't much; I needn't quote.
The widow lay on her davenport
Letting the news sink in.
(Since April she had been
Letting the news sink in.)

The 6th of July the Captain stank.
The had us pinned from either flank.
With all respect to the dead and rank
We wished he was dug in.
(I mean to save your skin
It says to get dug in.)

The word when it came was nine days old.
Lieutenant Jones brought margolds.
The widow got out the Captain's Olds
And took him for a spin.
(A faster-than-ever spin:
Down to the Lake, and in.)


{The Works, University of Alabama Press, 2003)

This one combines, at least, the qualities of Henry Reed and Tom Leher (sing rickety tickity tin).

[Robert J. Clawson]

Sorry about the dupe.

Bob

[This message has been edited by Robert J. Clawson (edited March 23, 2004).]

[A. E. Stallings]

Ha! I love this SLAB form. It's worth a go. Though am sure is harder than it looks.

I only really know Starbuck from some anthology pieces, as this one:

Verses to Exhaust my Stock of Four-letter Words

From the ocean floors, where the necrovores
Of the zoooogenous mud
Fight for their share, to the Andes where
Bullllamas thunder and thud,

And even thence to the heavens, whence
Archchurchmen appear to receive
The shortwave stations of rival nations
Of angels: "Believe! Believe!"

They battle, they battle--poor put-upon cattle,
EAch waging, reluctantly,
That punitive war on the disagreeor
Which falls to the disagreeee.