The Empty Cupboard Writing Club... (Succinct Simplicity) Forum Favorite "Short Form"..

Post some of your favorite succinct/simple poetry.

Here are a couple of mine that have influenced my own work greatly:

"Reflections on a Small Parade"
by Bob Kaufman

When I see the little Buddhist scouts
Marching with their Zen mothers
to tea ceremonies at a rock garden,
I shake my head...it falls off.

"A BASEBALL GAME, PART 7"
by Richard Brautigan

Baudelaire went
to a baseball game
and bought a hot dog
and lit up a pipe
of opium.
the New York Yankees
were playing
the Detroit Tigers.
In the fourth inning
an angel committed
suicide by jumping
off a low cloud.
The angel landed
on second base,
causing the
whole infield
to crack like
a huge mirror.
The game was
called on
account of
fear.

"Haiku (For the Police on Osage Ave.)"
by Sonya Sanchez

They came eating their
Own mouths orgiastic teeth
Smiling crucifixions

I love Brautigan. He is an amazing writer. 'The Scarletti Tilt' is one of the best short stories I've ever read.

'It's very hard to live in a studio apartment in San Jose with a man who's learning to play the violin.' That's what she told the police when she handed them the empty revolver.

Thats it... Amazing

And 'Happiness' by Sanburg

or some of Whitmans weird short pieces.

Curtain -- Charles Bukowski

the final curtain on one of the longest running
musicals ever, some people claim to have
seen it over one hundred times.
I saw it on the tv news, that final curtain:
flowers, cheers, tears, a thunderous
accolade.
I have not seen this particular musical
but I know if I had that I wouldn't have
been able to bear it, it would have
sickened me.
trust me on this, the world and its
peoples and its artful entertainment has
done very little for me, only to me.
still, let them enjoy one another, it will
keep them from my door
and for this, my own thunderous
accolade.


The only man in the world who could pull off writing like this and actually get published. It's amazing, isn't it? And beauitful. Love Bukowski.

Rosy

What about 'The Harvest' by Amy Hempel. Its not a poem, but jeeezus, its good.

I'll have to check out "The Harvest". And as far as Bukowski goes, he's got this one poem about him sitting at his desk staring at a statue of the Buddha. I remember reading it and loving it a while ago, but I haven't been able to find it again. I think it was in a collection called "Septuagenarian Stew" or something like that.

Hemmingway said the best story he ever wrote was this; 'For sale; Babies shoes, never worn.'