Sometimes it is fun and challenging to write in the style of another writer. A Parody satirizes or ridicules another poem or poet.A Pastiche is a kind of parody borrowing passages from a writer’s work, or an imitation not intended to ridicule.
Imitation is sometimes a great complement. I believe it may even be an attempt to honor another writer, but of course it is important to attribute that person and work when you do this.
Many writers have played with the words of Dr. Seuss, and Lewis Carroll.Lewis Carroll also parodied other writers, as for example, using Jane Taylor’s “Twinkle, twinkle little star,” as a model for his own rhyme in Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland,
“Twinkle, twinkle little bat!
How I wonder what you’re at!
Up above the world you fly,
Like a tea-tray in the sky.”
I wrote this parody of Lewis Carroll, myself. It was not as easy as it might seem, and I ended up writing a glossary of terms to go with the poem, which I will include in this blog.
Adventure on the Jabberwocky
Inspired by Lewis Carroll
The Tweedle twins, Dee and Dum
floated one day down the Rhine
in their Jabberwocky raft made of tumtum.
They gyred and grumbled all the time
as the Rhine flows to the city of Ede
and divides into Lek, Wall, and Maas
in the wonderful Netherlands delta grass.
A mizzle misted on the slithy knaves
and fell on Dum and drizzled on Dee.
All wabe and burbled in the waves,
they pulled their vessel toward the lee
as night was falling,(twas dark by nine.)
Wet from wading in the wabe,
mimsy they booked a hotel on the Rhine,
the cost of which caused much outgrabe.
However the room they found quite fine.
Dee and Dum each took a bath.
Dee went to look for a dry white wine.
Dum rested up in the aftermath.
He ordered a rasher of bryllyg ham,
Dee returned with a nice vouvray.
Dum got al frumious and hollered, Hey!
That’s a wine you should serve with lamb!
Dee sat down on the velvet duvet;
said, Don’t get uffish you manxome rath.
I brought you at least, a nice vouvray.
And why didn’t you shave when in the bath?
Your pilose visage is scruffy and whimsey.
Dum galumphed out and came whiffing back.
He opened the rasher all mome and mimsy,
because their meal was burned quite black!
But hungry, they ate it anyway,
and drank the wine, Callooh! Callee!
and agreed it had been a frabjous day,
quarrels resolved in their nomography.
The following day the Tweedle twins,
floated again on their frumtious raft,
confidently vorpal and wearing grins,
happily fishing from their beamish craft.
A Carroll Glossary
Bandersnatch- creature from the Snark, an island.
Beamish – quality of sending rays of light.
Borogove- extinct kind of parrot (no wings, beaks turned up, and made nests
Under sun dials, and lived on veal)
Bryllyg – to bryl or broil.
Burbled – a combo of bleat, murmur and bubble and warble) Also it is a turbulence
That develops when air is not flowing smoothly around an object.
Calloh, Callay – Callooh, an arctic duck species of northern Scotland. Callay is from
Greek Kalos, meaning beautiful, good and fair.
Chortled – (combo of chuckle, and snort)
Frabjous day – fabulous
Frumious – (Combo of fuming and furious)
Frumtious – (Combo of frump and sumptious or scrumptious)
Galumphing back – a clumsy bumping gallop
Gymble – to screw out holes in anything (from gimblet) a would tool, pivoted rings.
Gyre -scratch like a dog.
Jabberwock – excited talkand wooer, an anglo saxon word meaning offspring
Jubjub bird – from the Snark, an island.
Jubjub tree – from the Snark, the island frequented by the Jubjub and the
Bandersnatch wne where the jabberwock was slain.
Manxome fore – from Celtic Isle of a Man, Manx pertained to anything from the
island
Mimsy – miserable and happy (combined word)
Mome – grave (combo of solemome and solemone and solomn)
Outgrabe – past tense of verb to outgribe. Means grike and shrike from which are
derived shriek and creak.
Rath – a species of land turtle, head erect, mouth like a shark, four legs curved out, so
The animal walked on its knees, smooth green body, lived on swallows and
Oysters.
Slythy – smooth and active (combo of slimy and lythe)
Snark – Oxford Dictionary – means beaming, shining brightly, radiant.
Snicker-snack – to titter (while snacking on snickers?)
Tove – species of badger – smooth white hair, long hind legs, short horns like a stag
That lives chiefly on cheese.
Tulgey wood – Carroll did not explain.
Tumtum tree – a stringed instrument, a colloquialism.
Uffish thought – a state of mind, voice is gruffish and manner ruffish, and temper
huffish.
Vorpal sword – and blades are from Carroll’s mathematical treatise (combo of verbal
and gospel)
Wabe – to swab or to soak (combined)
Whiffing – blowing unsteadily in short puffs.
Portmanteau Words – a made up word, often a combination of two words.
A portmanteau is also a kind of traveling case or suitcase.
Please Note: No matter how many times I correct the lack of paragraph spacing on this blog, the program refuses to alter it. I am sorry the paragraphs are all crunched together. It is a great frustration after all the work I have done to edit this and to create a document which is easy and pleasant to read! I must apologize for Blogger's Program.
The Creative Process for Writing and Other Art Forms Can Be Related.
Inspiration for writing and other art often comes from unexpected places and times.
In addition to memory, associations can lead from one image to another. Awakened in the night by the train whistle carried on the wind to my open window, much of this poem was created in the darkness. The image of the bridge abstraction reminded me of the train trestle crossing the Manistee River in Michigan, and of the metal bridge the school bus went over every school day. Often when the water was high, I would also get shivers while crossing that bridge.
One association can lead to another. Often I write down the ideas and these jottings can lead to other poems. Images also can stimulate writing, and poems can suggest images. The "Twenty Mile Woods" conjures other mysteries in my mind, connections which lead to many places.
Writing and Images are the Copyright of Ruth Zachary
In our Greeley Writer’s Group,we have occasionally tried different versions of collaging phrases or lines found in unexpected places, and attempted to make a poem from them. Ken Mowery first brought the idea to the group which came from an Exercise called “Unthink Your Poem.”
The Process:
Cut out lines, phrases or words from magazines or newspapers; Try to put them together to make some sort of sense.
Choose a theme, such as from advertising, fashion statements, or news headlines. You can add your own connections, and some words, phrases and lines might be discarded altogether, to come up with some coherent idea in the finished version.
One of our members, Susan Buller brought her Collage poem to our monthly meeting:
Notice how Susan tied the lines and theme together by repeating one line at the end of each stanza, in a kind or refrain. The overall effect is somewhat surreal, and there is a kind of dream-like impression conveyed by the rearranged fragments.
The advantage of this exercise is that by putting unexpected words together, new wording combinations may be suggested, that you would never think of if you proceed in your habitual manner.
Variations:
•Take a magazine column, and cut it lengthwise in two parts. Match up the lines in a new order, by scrambling them or just shifting the lines up or down.
•Write a poem made up of conversational fragments heard in a public place.
Try to avoid long lines or phrases which are uniquely someone else’s. Don’t plagiarize!
Invitation:
If you would like to contribute a writing idea or writing exercise to this blog, in the interest of taking part in a networking conversation with others, please submit your idea in the comments section with contact information so that I may reply. Your privacy will be respected, and you will be attributed for your contribution, along with your web site if you would like. Ruth Zachary.
Tomorrow, March 1, is the date I usually set for pruning the fruit trees and raspberries growing in the back yard. I wrote this poem in 2007. Both the image and the poem offer thoughts of healing and hope.
Late Winter Gardening
Spring arrived later this year than last.
Aging makes one grateful for another spring,
and even perhaps that it is postponed.
I too am late in beginning my springtime chores;
trimming raspberries, shaping the flowering crab;
pruning the fruit-bearing apple tree branches.
Culling my own errant branches which have
over-reached my strength to support them,
or that have tangled so dense, they refuse
to let in the light,are tasks for my inner garden.
To preserve those limbs that will bear the best fruit
in a shortened season is my challenge now.
Efficient use of limited energy, water, nutrients;
balancing sunlight, shade, with joy of creative work;
I seek to live as if this were heaven on earth, that
my spirit may grace the path where it has passed.
Paring down to the essence is a new approach
to gardening, a kind of xeriscaping of the soul.
For Those Who Write-
Spring is often a good subject to reflect upon when writing. Remember to notice specific details that occur daily, those which herald the return of the growing season, and hopefully stir inner growth as well. Let the changing landscape become a metaphor for your personal changes.
JOIN AN WRITER'S GROUP TO IMPROVE YOUR WRITING SKILLS
I participate in two writer’s groups, meeting monthly, and have for more than four years.
One is focused solely on poetry. The other has members who write a variety of work, including essays, human interest stories, poetry, short story fiction, novels, and even more.
We have had people who were at different levels. Those who use the groups to an advantage are serious about writing, the writing exercise, or what ever the planned activity is for the next month. Most people have written some wonderful pieces over the years.
My opinion is that peer feedback from other writers really helps one to see what needs improving. Feedback is not criticism. It is given in “I respond in this way…” or “did you mean this, or something else” by a particular phrase? I ask for feedback when ever there is time for it.
OTHER SUGGESTIONS:
Share guidelines for non-threatening peer feedback, and discourage mean spirited criticism.
The group is not a forum for competition, and most people come to improve their own writing and encourage the writing of others in the group.
Our poetry group has wonderful exercises which stimulate us to try new things, offered by Mary Lauck. Above all, I believe just showing up at the next meeting makes me write when I might otherwise procrastinate.
I have been part of different writing groups since the early 90s. Sometimes I couldn’t find one to join and that felt like a deprivation. I have started writing groups, which came and went.
It is sad when they break apart, sometimes because people move away. My advice is if you can find a group, join it. Even if you feel your writing is better than some other people’s in the group, believe that they will improve soon. I think any group is better than no group, althoughI have heard opinions counter to this.
I think there if one tries to exert some influence with gentleness, even one person can usually urge the group toward healthy growth.
Appreciate the accomplishments of others and show it with enthusiasm.
Share helpful information, books and articles with others. Encourage writing opportunities.
Try not to share issues which are too personal. Some people just can’t take it, and the group needs to stay focused on writing, not to be a support group. If you are writing about something close to the bone,treat the issue as fiction. Individuals may offer support, however, when friendships develop separately from the group. Never write unkindly about another person in the group.
Try to stay on track. Personal exchanges offer understanding and background, but too much of it can cut back on time for focusing on the writing. It helps to determine how much writing will be shared, and to make sure there is time. If there is too much work, have each person bring the excess to the next meeting. If the group is too large, break into sub groups or cut back on how much is brought to be read.
Only once have I been in a group where one person dominated every discussion. That group asked the person to leave, but I think that is unusual.
Overall, all my experiences in Writing Groups have resulted in learning and improving my skills.
