Kurt Malkames - Week 1

This assignment was my first time writing poetry in a long time and I have to say it was an enjoyable one. The words flowed pretty naturally and it was a bit surprising. I focused on a moment that was pretty easy to describe – a trip on a speedboat. There were so many details that could have been pointed out. I made it my goal to almost be scientific with how I described the ride. When writing a lab report it is critical to say things exactly as they are and I’ve gotten used to that. It was easy to translate that kind of writing to a poem and then add some flashy adjectives. Like the old saying goes “a picture is worth a thousand words”. I think that statement certainly has value and I’ve begun to realize it. With one simple mental image a person can gather so many details that go beyond the obvious. I tried to model my poem after “The Fish” by Emily Bishop that we read the first day in class. Her poem was detailed enough that it begins to play to senses other than visual ones. At some points in that poem you can virtually feel the “ancient” scales of the fish.