avatarJ Oliver Dempsey

Summary

The website content presents a nonet poem titled "Someone Else’s Skin" by J Oliver, which explores the theme of loneliness, and invites readers to engage with the form by writing their own nonets.

Abstract

The web content features a poignant 9-line poem by J Oliver that captures the essence of loneliness, with each line decreasing by one syllable, starting from nine and ending with one. The poem vividly describes the feeling of isolation and the yearning for human connection, expressed through the desire for a phone call, a text, or the touch of another person. Accompanying the poem is a brief explanation of the nonet form, acknowledging inspiration from Alison McBain, and an invitation for readers to try writing their own nonets and share them with the author. The content also includes links to other works by J Oliver and Alison McBain, encouraging readers to explore further writings on Medium.

Opinions

  • J Oliver expresses a personal connection to the nonet form, having been inspired by another writer, Alison McBain.
  • The author values community engagement and interaction, as evidenced by the invitation to readers to write and share their own nonets.
  • There is an appreciation for brevity and conciseness in poetry, with the nonet being highlighted as a form that challenges poets to convey emotions effectively in a limited space.
  • The inclusion of links to additional writings suggests a desire to share and promote the work of fellow writers within the Medium community.

Someone Else’s Skin

A nonet on loneliness

Photo by Shane on Unsplash

Have you ever been so damn lonely

That you sit in your room writing

Ignoring your broken heart

Hoping for a phone call

Longing for a text

Needing the touch

Of someone

Else’s

Skin?

Dear Medium Family,

For those unfamiliar with the form, a nonet is a 9-line poem that begins the first line with 9 syllables and proceeds to lose 1 syllable per line, ending the poem with a single syllable in the last line. Rhyme is not required, but you may employ a rhyme scheme if you wish. The fun challenge is in the brevity — trying to say what you want to say in a very short space, all while adhering to the subtraction of exactly 1 syllable per line! I was inspired to try this after reading a nonet written by Alison McBain. I hope you’ll give it a try, and I’d be super happy if you send me a link of your poem in the comments of this piece!

Thanks, as always, for being here!

J Oliver

Please take a moment and read Alison’s nonet; I know you’ll enjoy it!

And if you like flash or micro fiction you may enjoy this:

Poetry
Nonet
Loneliness
Jolivers Twist
Heartache
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