Mrs. Hudson's Poetry Page: The 'Gloria Scott'

[scfrankles.livejournal.com]

Welcome once again to my poetry page!

I hope each week you will read Dr. Watson’s delightful narrative and then be inspired to write a poem related to it in some way. All forms of poetry are permitted, and further down the page there is a selection you might like to consider using over the coming weeks.

This week my featured form is blackout poetry.

Newspaper Blackout answers the question What is “blackout poetry”? in this way:

“Blackout poetry” is poetry made by redacting the words in a text with a permanent marker, leaving behind only a few choice words to make a poem.

Here is my example poem, using some of this week’s story:

"You never heard me talk of Victor Trevor?" he asked. "He was the only friend I made during the two years I was at college. I was never a very sociable fellow, Watson, always rather fond of moping in my rooms and working out my own little methods of thought, so that I never mixed much with the men of my year. Bar fencing and boxing I had few athletic tastes, and then my line of study was quite distinct from that of the other fellows, so that we had no points of contact at all. Trevor was the only man I knew, and that only through the accident of his bull terrier freezing on to my ankle one morning as I went down to chapel.

"It was a prosaic way of forming a friendship, but it was effective. I was laid by the heels for ten days, but Trevor used to come in to inquire after me. At first it was only a minute's chat, but soon his visits lengthened, and before the end of the term we were close friends. He was a hearty, full-blooded fellow, full of spirits and energy, the very opposite to me in most respects, but we had some subjects in common, and it was a bond of union when I found that he was as friendless as I. Finally, he invited me down to his father's place at Donnithorpe, in Norfolk, and I accepted his hospitality for a month of the long vacation.

[Note from a moderator: if you highlight the text, you will be able to see the original paragraphs.]


As always, this is simply something to consider for the future. Any form of poetry is welcome this week—and every week! Here are a few suggestions for you:

221B verselet, abecedarian poetry, acrostic poetry, blackout poetry, cinquain, circular poetry, clerihew, colour poems, concrete poetry, diamante, doggerel, double dactyl, epigram, epulaeryu, fable, haiku, limerick, palindrome poetry, riddle, sedoka, sestina, sonnet, tanka, tercet, terza rima, tongue twister poetry, triolet, tyburn, villanelle


Please leave all your poems inspired by The ‘Gloria Scott’ in the comments on this post. I look forward to seeing them!



Warm regards,

Mrs. Hudson

Comments

A clerihew

[scfrankles.livejournal.com]

Victor Trevor
Should endeavour
To make friends using charm,
Rather than grievous bodily harm.

Re: A clerihew

[thesmallhobbit.livejournal.com]

Although to be fair to Mr Trevor, on those occasions when I have not had a mop to hand, I have been tempted to bite Mr Holmes in order to get his attention.

Re: A clerihew

[scfrankles.livejournal.com]

*passes the gin*

Re: A clerihew

[debriswoman]

Excellent rhyming and sentiment:-)

Re: A clerihew

[scfrankles.livejournal.com]

Thank you so much ^^

Re: A clerihew

[gardnerhill.livejournal.com]

Hee hee. Darn dogs.

Re: A clerihew

[scfrankles.livejournal.com]

Indeed ^__^

Re: A clerihew

[laurose8.livejournal.com]

Good. It does seem to have been his dog's idea, rather than his.

We hope he does.

Re: A clerihew

[scfrankles.livejournal.com]

He does seem to be a pleasant fellow. I would imagine he does go on to make more friends ^^

Re: Victor Trevor recalls duck hunting with Holmes...an alternative version...parts 1 to 7

[thesmallhobbit.livejournal.com]

After this magnificent offering I feel any attempt on my behalf pales into insignificance.

It is completely and utterly brilliant!

Re: Victor Trevor recalls duck hunting with Holmes...an alternative version...parts 1 to 7

[debriswoman]

Thank you so much:-)
I rather liked Victor Trevor...not many who tolerated Holmes with such affection.

Re: Victor Trevor recalls duck hunting with Holmes...an alternative version...parts 1 to 7

[scfrankles.livejournal.com]

This left me helpless with laughter ^__^ Oh, God - the exploding jacket... It's just perfect - so, so many brilliant lines. I love your version of Holmes and Trevor.

Re: Victor Trevor recalls duck hunting with Holmes...an alternative version...parts 1 to 7

[scfrankles.livejournal.com]

I do want the whole thing posted here :P (I'm sure Mrs. Hudson does too ^_^) And the next two stories seem most intriguing - I shall be having a look ^^

Re: Victor Trevor recalls duck hunting with Holmes...an alternative version...parts 1 to 7

[debriswoman]

Thank you, ma'am, and thank you, Mrs H:-)

Re: Victor Trevor recalls duck hunting with Holmes...an alternative version...parts 1 to 7

[thesmallhobbit.livejournal.com]

My evening's reading has now been sorted!

ETA: And a very enjoyable evening it was too - thank you!

Re: Victor Trevor recalls duck hunting with Holmes...an alternative version...parts 1 to 7

[debriswoman]

:-)

Re: Victor Trevor recalls duck hunting with Holmes...an alternative version...parts 1 to 7

[laurose8.livejournal.com]

This would be wow! even if it wasn't very good poetry. I definitely second (or tenth) asny call to have more of it.

I like it all, but have to mention the deerstalker bit.

Re: Victor Trevor recalls duck hunting with Holmes...an alternative version...parts 1 to 7

[debriswoman]

Thank you very much:-)

Re: Victor Trevor recalls duck hunting with Holmes...an alternative version...parts 1 to 7

[gardnerhill.livejournal.com]

...And with that epic, you have won the poetry corner for this run of the Canon.

Nearly peed myself laughing at "I deduced that his lack of no friends was no mystery" and "(Just twenty-eight days and nine hours to go.)"

Re: Victor Trevor recalls duck hunting with Holmes...an alternative version...parts 1 to 7

[debriswoman]

Thank you so much...delighted that you enjoyed this:-)

A haiku

[thesmallhobbit.livejournal.com]

The Gloria Scott
Felon Armitage was drowned
Trevor became rich

Re: A haiku

[debriswoman]

Oh, I like this...precisely what happened...alas not permanently.

Re: A haiku

[thesmallhobbit.livejournal.com]

Thank you.

Re: A haiku

[scfrankles.livejournal.com]

An elegant way of looking at things. It is possible to have some sympathy with old Trevor I think. After the 'Gloria Scott', he did become rich through his own efforts and hard work.

Re: A haiku

[thesmallhobbit.livejournal.com]

Thank you - the elegance is due purely to the poetic form, which rather lends itself in that way.

The Poetry of Mrs H

[debriswoman]

Impressed at your tackling of such a tricky form, Mrs H:-)
A touching tale emerges.

Re: The Poetry of Mrs H

[scfrankles.livejournal.com]

Thank you, Mrs. P. My very first attempt at this form, though I have been interested in it for a while.

Looking at this now, I think it is a bit too ambiguous as to where the line breaks are meant to be. But hopefully it will encourage other more talented poets to have a go...

Re: The Poetry of Mrs H

[debriswoman]

Not come across it before...I am aware of found poems, which I think are made of lines of different works.

Re: The Poetry of Mrs H

[scfrankles.livejournal.com]

If I could just jump into your and Mrs. H.'s conversation :P I think blackout poetry is considered a subsection of found poetry. I do really like the poems made up of other people's lines too - it's very satisfying when they are assembled just right. Here's a couple of found poems that I like a lot: You Tell Me Things in Drips and Drabs (http://scfrankles.deviantart.com/art/You-Tell-Me-Things-in-Drips-and-Drabs-425950278) and To Be a Charming Female (http://scfrankles.deviantart.com/art/To-Be-a-Charming-Female-338417159). (The links go to DA.)

Re: The Poetry of Mrs H

[debriswoman]

Oh, please do...Mrs H and I don't mind...and thank you for the clarification...so many different forms:-)

[gardnerhill.livejournal.com]

A tattoo scratched out from old time,
A J.P. laid flat from one line –
And the tale they unfold
Proves the adage, oft-told:
Behind each great fortune, great crime.

[laurose8.livejournal.com]

Excellent! That last line should indeed have been quoted several times in canon.

[gardnerhill.livejournal.com]

Just as half of Canon seems to start "I was paid a zillion pounds to perform some trivial task in a bizarre way" the other half seems to be "Um, did I forget to tell you that our estate started with a bank robbery?"

[scfrankles.livejournal.com]

Adding to the applause - that is indeed an excellent last line ^^

[gardnerhill.livejournal.com]

Thanks. It's an old saying and it seems to fit so many of the dark secrets of wealthy clients in Canon.

[thesmallhobbit.livejournal.com]

And if not crime in the accepted sense, one in which others lose out.

[gardnerhill.livejournal.com]

Right. "Oh, we didn't start OUR estate by bank-robbery and murder, no sir! We stole that land fair and square and worked Indians/Africans/Irish to death on it growing tea/rubber/coffee/tobacco/sugar!"

[debriswoman]

Beautifully put:-)

[gardnerhill.livejournal.com]

Thanks. Half of the wealthy clients seem to have some nasty skeleton or two.