Pastry Glaze - OAI Submission

     Before I say anything, this actually happened about a month ago so I'm really behind. I must say I was meaning to be slightly more active with this blogging thing, but school, work, and Netflix have definitely taken the upper hand. Nonetheless, here I am. Back to let whoever know about whatever I deem necessary. In this case, it is an audition -- a writing audition for Oklahoma's Summer Arts Institute. Being in my high school band, playing percussion and wishing to attend college as a Music Education major, I naturally chose to audition in creative writing and photography. This particular audition was for creative writing. In fact, the photography audition is tomorrow so wish me luck.

     OAI's creative writing program has a strong emphasis on poetry. I had an idea for a piece about a boy who was bored in class, but was trying to desperately to stay attentive. His effort was of course fruitless and begins to daydream of a circus. It might just be better if I provide you the whole thing. Keep in mind, I was given a mere two hours to produce this work and I consider myself novice at best. 

But anyway, here it is.

*****

Pastry Glaze  

Eraser set to paper
But not erasing rather
Bouncing
Periodically
Rhythmically
A tempo that would concern
Even the most skillful of drum corps

Eyes laid waste
On she who fancies herself
An educator
Vigorously swiping
At that which fancies itself 
A chalkboard

Walrus of a woman
Whose jiggling matches the intensity
Of the eraser's nervous pecking   
As she shows the wall no mercy
With her lance of cured, white dust                                                                                                         

She belongs in a circus

A carnival of sorts

Where the boy once restless

Now dreams of strolling

Past queer displays of "Bearded Ladies!"

And "Le Singe Royale"

He finds himself seated

In a tent that does well

To impede the clouds' traffic

Where the world is packed

Like sardines are typically canned

It's a marvelous show

Of elephants maintaining balance

On inflated rubber balls

The crowd cheers through their sardine gills

When acrobats file out 

Doing stunts off the backs of speeding stallions

Landing on each other's shoulders

"Pastry?"

The boy takes it

"Certainly!"

And the vendor is on his way

To find somebody else he might persuade

Then a bell -- it rings

Periodically, intensely it rings

Ear-splittingly so -- it rings

Until the donut glaze flakes

From the pupil's pupils

Revealing empty chairs

And a board murdered by chalk

*****

     I was lucky I was able to even write about what I did. We were required to find inspiration in a series of photos or objects that were provided by the monitor and write down the respective number for that piece of art or object. As I said, I had been thinking about the premise to my poem a few days before the day of the audition, so I could only pray there would be something provided that could spark something in my mind that had anything to do with school or a circus. 

     As it turns out, the second or third photo I say was titled Monkey King and portrayed a monkey wearing a crown. I was nothing short of relieved and was even able to work the monkey into the poem as "Le Singe Royale" which is French for "The Royal Monkey". I used the photo and threw in some multi-culturalism. Take that Oklahoma Arts Institute! I find out mid-April or so if I made the cut or not, so I'll be sure to let whoever you are know what happens.

Is This Where the Title Goes?

     I'm new to this. I never really saw myself as the blogging type, especially since I never thought of my life to be one of much excitement -- or at least one that would interest anybody in anyway possible other than by provoking the thought of what a lame story this guy has. But as I've begun to learn, a story is a story and real life is interesting. Movies that are realistically or even historically fictitious are of interest to people like you and me because we want to know that other people go through the same sorts of problems we do, and we find comfort in these shared experiences -- not to say that any of this is exactly accurate. 

     After all, I am merely babbling. Isn't that all that blogs are? Babbling? Isn't this where people come to build their towers to Heaven only to discover they get nowhere in meaningless speech, and that after laying brick after brick of trips to the beach, walking a dog through Central Park, or philosophies of taking sick days from work, they realize they've taken themselves nowhere as contributing members of society. They may be even worse off once it becomes quite evident that their tower of accomplishments and experiences tumbles downward, and they find themselves wandering the world, searching for meaning and translation.

      Anyway, it looks like I've placed myself in the same boat.

     As for me, I'm not here to try and share ultimate life lessons or philosophize this incredibly simple thing that life truly is. I say that, but you could come back later and discover me going on about some hoozadiddy scholar that ignited a flame of thought and intuition in my mind, which granted me the opportunity to share with you the same sort of malarky -- not that truth is malarky. It most certainly isn't as some people refuse to recognize, but I won't chase that rabbit any further.

     I am just here to write. This is where I clear my thoughts, retrace my steps from the previous day, week, month, or however long the time between blog entries, and remind myself why Jesus loves me despite all my silly and sinful antics. I understand this is not my journal and that if the previous is my sole purpose in beginning this series of entries, then I should probably just invest in a spiral notebook. Privacy is comfortable, isn't it? For you and me both. But in the long run, I want to be open and honest with people -- anything you would want to know about me might be open to discovery right here. Plus, the internet is a free resource so I might as well save a few dollars here and there by taking advantage of it rather than purchasing pens and paper periodically. Like that alliteration?? Oh, yeah. That's nice.

     I say all that to say this: Come along on this journey of lame babbling with me or make other use of your time. Your decision won't affect me either way, because that's the beauty of blogs -- freedom of breach.