Jon Stone's Mustard Poem and Michaela Clarke

Following on from a recent post, I have tasked Kingston undergrads in my Poetry Now class with trying to outdo Jon Stone's clever Mustard anagram sonnet in Best British Poetry 2011. Here's another clever version, from second-year-student poet Michaela Clarke, pictured.

Creative

What use is it, trying to be creative?

It’s as difficult as trying to motivate rice

to grow in the famine of your mind. Instead, starve: ice

cold in the pit of your imagination. Retire: cave

into your wallowing self. Or take no notice: rave

your life away. Or say, ‘C’est la vie’. React

to this challenge: this destructive race

against time to find the perfect words, and with instinctive care.

Hope to find peace in that inventive crate

in your head. To be creative is to believe: cart

away the doubt and be reckless. Take my advice: tear

it up. Even though doubt is a bond harder to break than to tie, crave,

need, embrace, nurture. Someday, you’ll find the live trace

that will make you more inspired, more ready, more reactive.

poem by Michaela Clarke; reprinted with permission of the poet.

Comments

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