The great iambic pentameter experiment

I thought I should give you an update on how my week’s worth of tweeting in iambic pentameter went.

As I mentioned in an earlier post, Tweeting in verse, I read Stephen Fry‘s book The Ode Less Travelled: Unlocking the Poet Within and was inspired to practice my iambic pentameter. Here are the results:

I’m using Twitter in a brand new way. Expressing thoughts in poetry this week. I’m reading Stephen Fry’s amazing book…

…The Ode Less Travelled which is teaching me…how I can learn to write all things in verse…so that’s what I will do for you this week.

I can’t pretend that it will always rhyme. Or ever rhyme, in fact, but that’s alright. The lesson here is how to think in five.

Like Shakespeare did – oh, now I sound blase. Like it’s so easy – look at me, you proles! That’s not it – not what’s meant at all, oh fuck.

It’s just an exercise to show me how…How writing poetry is not that hard. If you can practice just a bit each day.

Your writing muscles get a great work-out.

(In response to Todd Van Allen who asked me if I was a poet now) I don’t think I can call myself that yet – it’s more a pleasing writing exercise.

I wish adults would teach their children not…To chase small dogs who might get scared and snap. Our visits to the park would be more fun.

My newest show with Josh my Jewish friend….is finally here for everyone to see: http://tinyurl.com/3728pqy

My knee is sore and scraped where I fell down…on grass – I had forgotten what it’s like…To be a clumsy child of six or seven.

Why do I never think of losing weight…’Til Summer’s here and then it is too late?

My husband’s making fun of my intent…to tweet in verse. Goddamn you, writer git! It’s just an exercise to help my brain.

I wrote a blog about my poetry tweets. It’s here so take a look and find out how I mean to find five feet in all I say

@MissChocaree Congratulations! When do you start? Is it soon? I hope you love your job and have a ball.

My husband knows from Yiddish – go and look …at how you too can curse as good as him. http://tinyurl.com/3xklfa3

@Sally_re I thank you for your kindness – it’s a hoot! To tweet in five with every single line.

The wave of heat that hits me as I walk…into the sunshine is delicious, oh…how quickly we forget the snow and ice!

Puppy in the sun chews on a stick. Her tongue lolls out, her panting face a smile.

Off to the salon! I hope Pelayo comes. That pesky baby always keeps him home.

My husband wrote a very famous book…Al Roker for the Today Show took a look: http://tinyurl.com/2wrc6cd

The heat just gets to some – but I am glad…to walk in summer sunshine with my dog.

They re-made Hawaii -5-0? The A-Team was one step….too far. Jerk-offs! Don’t mess with my childhood, you chumps!

I may indulge myself this afternoon…with ice-cream from the Golden Arches – yum!

I had a horrible wake-up call today…don’t ever ignore your gut because of money

If a guy seems like a douche he probably is…This one turned out to be a homophobe

I learned from @janeygodley not to shrink….from staying true to what you really believe.

Although that sometimes means that you lose out….on hosting gigs – I’d rather just be true….

…to my beliefs and personal moral code. Don’t let the dodgy bastards get you down!

@stagetrailers You were doing haikus using Twitter? I haven’t got that far yet – give me time!

@stagetrailers How cool! We never did haikus in school. But I grew up in Stratford, England, home…of Shakespeare so I learned 2 write in 5

@stagetrailers It’s five years now although I do go back…to Blighty every year if funds allow!

Today was not the day that I had planned. I opened up my laptop – what the fuck?

A message from a comic, most upset…That someone I was working with had said

His “database did not like gays”, so she….Refused to do his night of all-girl jokes.

I read the message several times and felt….Like such a bloody idiot because

The first time I worked with this guy he seemed…An arrogant and ignorant buffoon.

And yet I let the lure of getting paid….Cajole me into thinking: “He’s alright.”

When really he’s a twat. And so am I…for letting money blind me from the truth.

@stagetrailers Not yet although it’s getting more and more…reflexive – like an uncool type of rap!

@stagetrailers Yeah, right, that joke is huge in In-ger-lund…where twat is thrown around a lot by all

@stagetrailers That sounds grotesque! I kinda like it, though

(Stagetrailers suggested I do an improvised one-woman show in iambic pentameter) @stagetrailers Now that is tempting – how long do you think…I’d need to do this poetry in 5…

@stagetrailers to improvise a whole entire show…with audience participation too!

@stagetrailers In English “twat” is both a noun and verb.

@stagetrailers To twat someone means hit them really hard.

@stagetrailers It’s really got me thinking. I would love…experimenting with the form somehow.

It’s very, very late and Wex ain’t home. I guess the school reunion didn’t suck!

The tiny black Chihuahua chews a stick…while I read through the email on my phone

A lucky girl am I to work from home…where sitting in the park can count as work!

Off to see my friend at Soulpepper…in Brian Friel’s “Faith Healer” – can’t wait!

Not bad, I thought, considering I only slipped a couple of times in answering other friends’ tweets. It was easy to think in 5 by the time the week was up. Now I need to read the rest of the book and practice in other forms of poetry!

Related posts:

1. 2011 is going to be a great year!
2. Great first review of SmackHeaded Peter
3. Another great review of “Toronto Noir”
4. Two great recommendations for SmackHeaded Peter on opening day!
5. Writing is annoying…