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Thursday, August 03, 2006

Poetry Thursday: Singing the Blues

This week's optional prompt for Poetry Thursday was to write a poem using the words of a song. As usual, I didn't write something new. I have been busy playing with my husband's camera to see what features I want, if I buy myself a new one. Apart from that, I don't like to come up with poems quite that quickly - I like to let them sit and settle for a while before editing.

Here is a poem in a previous post which uses song lyrics - OK, only about three words are quoted directly, but it does use song lyrics.

And here is a slightly silly poem I haven't posted before which could be the lyrics to a song, if someone cares to set it to music. Do you sing the blues? The Consumer Guarantees Act is a piece of New Zealand legislation, it is pretty much what it sounds like.

Consumer Guarantees Act Blues

Oh, there’s a “total satisfaction or your heart back” guarantee
Yes, a “total satisfaction or your heart back” guarantee
That’s what the man in the love shop said to me.

Well my man got up and left me, and he took my heart away
My man got up and left me, and he took my heart away
So I went to the complaints desk, here is what they had to say:

We’re sorry you’re not covered, because you did him wrong
We’re sorry you’re not covered, because you did him wrong
If you’d read the fine print, you’d have known all along.

Well I took my love for granted, now there’s nothing left to do
Yes I took my love for granted, now there’s nothing left to do
But sit alone and sing the Consumer Guarantees Act Blues
(oh yeah!)

19 comments:

paris parfait said...

It does sound like the lyrics to a blues song! Very clever.

Kay Cooke said...

Very funny - so despite what you said about yourself in Lynn's comments, you DO have a sense of humour!

lisrobbe said...

how witty!

Deb R said...

I think this is hilarious and wonderful! And you're right, it could totally be a song!!

Tammy Brierly said...

That sounds like the blues but it made me giggle. Thanks :)

Catherine said...

Thanks everyone - chiefbiscuti, I never denied having a sense of humour, it's just that I think I have an underlying seriousness. I find it best to go easy on the humour and let it come through when it wants. I had the line "total satisfaction or your heart back" in my head for quite a while before I wrote this.

liz elayne lamoreux said...

i love that line "total satisfaction or your heart back." and yes, i can hear it as a song...hmmm...wonder if there is a PT participant who wants to put some guitar music to this?

and your previous poem...so gorgeous. thank you for sharing it again here.

Star said...

This is priceless. I can see you in some smokey blues bar somewhere perched on a stool on a stage in a dim corner. Pour another round, bartender!

Colorsonmymind said...

Very good....I like your honesty and the lyrics too:)

mareymercy said...

Ha - a very funny idea.

mareymercy said...

Hey - I posted too soon! I meant to say also: I love how bluesy it is, I too can picture reading this while sitting on a barstool with a glass of whiskey in your hand or something.

Anonymous said...

Very bluesy. good stuff!
Michele sent me.

Sarah Jane said...

I love it! And it deffinately has a beat to it.

Thanks for stopping by my blog. Heh, if you get that camera working and want to take a picture of your laundry drying on the line, I promise to post it on my blog. So far, I have american laundry, british laundry, turkish and hungarian, but no kiwi laundry yet! I bet you guys get beautiful breezes to blow the sheets dry.

Thanks again!
Vickiev

wendy said...

has a true down home real to the boots bluesy feel.

writingblind said...

I really liked this, well done.

Verity said...

Fabulous, rolls off the tongue nicely, I could so imagine myself singing this!

January said...

So funny. What a great take on the poetry prompt!

Ian russell said...

i like it. it sounds authentic.

David Edward said...

i went to a blog for fun
it was, for me, a different one
I got to reading all the posts
and the one i liked the most
was catherines on singing the blues
myself, in her words, I did lose


michele