Wacky Poem Life

Episode 68: It’s the Real Thing

Episode 68: It's the Real Thing is not about a Coca Cola ad, which you would not even think about anyway if you are under the age of 55, but it is about hands, hand in hand, fingerprints on one's hands, Ma Barker's gang of outlaws during the Depression and . . . hands, particularly Nancy June's hands and her lovely poem.

Episode 67: Lady Gaga Scarecrow

Episode 67: Lady Gaga Scarecrow is actually about scarecrows, which we dare to discuss in winter, as this poem left in the museum pissed off Shaun but then it was all right and then, it becomes a pretty good poem or "pome," as the case may be. Bill reads it 3 or 4 times. We lose count and then we talk about Lady Gaga in her lampshade dress and stuff like that.

Episode 66: Murder Poets

Episode 66: Murder Poets is really only about one murdering poet, but it’s also about a poet writing about that murdering poet and . . . also Barbie and Ken. In all seriousness, we celebrate the winning poem from our Okie Outlaw Poem Contest, which Bill McCloud wrote: a lovely lyric about Bonnie Parker, herself a proclaimed poet. Reba McEntire also enters the picture, as does the town of Chickiechockie.

Episode 65: Fallen Woman

Episode 65: Fallen Woman takes you on a journey to the roadside haunts of a female in distress, a Precious Moments doll (to be honest), rescued by Bill and the instigator for Frankenstein-like transformation and poetry and tales of empathy of those who cannot suffer a naked baby doll. Yeah . . . that about covers it. OH, ALSO! Suggest a name for the transformed doll at WackyPoemLife@gmail.com.

Episode 64: Rodeo Clown

Episode 64: Rodeo Clown has us tripping through the land of Couplets and Clowns, of the rodeo kind, in particular. Learn about the history of the rodeo clown, the joys of the couplet and hone your clown joke skills, while riding in a barrel through the 30 luxurious minutes of this episode. You know you want to.

Episode 63: Wooly-Headed Decline

Episode 63: Wooly-Headed Decline takes its name from a computer-generated poem about loss. Never fear: Real poems are also a part of this episode, along with restless shadows, brain dissection, losing one's marbles and general cluelessness involving the meaning of the lyrics in Steely Dan's "Rikki Don't Lose That Number."

Episode 62: Abject Terror

Episode 62: Abject Terror takes its title from Professor Darren Hick’s response when he realized his students were using a program that writes essays for them. Thus, this is not a Halloween episode or a Poe or King story, but it could be–depending on your sensibilities. Bill and Shaun discuss computers writing poetry and the end of the world as we know it.

Episode 61: Fish are Biting Today

Episode 61: Fish are Biting Today details the inner workings of the fish mind, a wonderful poem by a visitor to the museum and a wonderful poem by Elizabeth Bishop, a memory of floating turds and various and sundry other memories. Do tell.

 

Episode 60: Being Nobody

Episode 60: Being Nobody begins with Chuck Norris, goes into Bruce Lee, and ends with a lovely Christmas poem, and in between we have a poem about just existing and Emily Dickinson sits in the corner and does her Nobody act for all the world to see. Or something like that.

Episode 59: How Still

Episode 59: How Still is about the Brady Bunch, paper dolls, asses, and Mrs. Santa Claus. Actually, it’s about a perfectly lovely Matsuo Basho haiku sent to us on a postcard from Japan in the year 2013. And it’s also about the Brady Bunch, paper dolls, asses . . .