Summary

The website content describes a poet named Peter who mentors a young boy in writing poetry to impress a girl, reflecting on his own past and the nature of inspiration and fame.

Abstract

The narrative revolves around Peter, a seasoned poet, who is approached by a young boy seeking to learn poetry to win over a girl. Through a series of dialogues and reflections, Peter imparts wisdom about the craft of poetry, drawing from his own experiences of love and rejection. The story is interwoven with metaphors and imagery, emphasizing the transformative power of words and the enduring impact of a muse. It culminates in a poignant reunion between Peter and his first muse, Lorraine, revealing the complexities of their past relationship. The content also introduces "the Two Headed Horse Tails," a collaborative writing concept by the artists Fox and Smillew, inviting readers to engage in a creative exercise of shared storytelling.

Opinions

Peter believes that poetry is inherent and influenced by one's reading and experiences, suggesting it's not easily taught.
The boy's initial attempts at poetry are simplistic, indicating a naive understanding of the art form.
Peter's first poems were poorly received, which aligns with the idea that initial creative attempts often face criticism or rejection.
The story implies that profound poetry often stems from deep personal connections and emotional truths, as seen in Peter's use of Lorraine's middle name to evoke a response.
The mention of only dead poets gaining fame suggests a cynical view of the poetry world, where recognition often comes posthumously.
The concept of "the Two Headed Horse Tails" promotes a democratic view of creativity, encouraging collaboration and the breaking of traditional writing rules.
The invitation to readers to co-write stories reflects a belief in the accessibility of creative writing and the value of communal storytelling.

Two headed horse tails

The Girl in the Middle

Poet’s Reminisce

“How d’you write poetry, Peter?”, asked the boy, raking his leaves at $6 an hour.

Peter massaged his own neck. “you’re born to it; might have something to do with what you’ve read; some questions are harder to answer.”

A dog barked, running by the fence, frantic owner in tow.

“I was hoping you could teach me,” the boy said, his eyes on the newfound jogger. “There’s this girl I would like to impress, you know, I thought poetry could help.”

Peter smiled; that was exactly how he had started. His first poems were horrible. She had laughed at them.

Peter didn’t know why he was giving in.

“Tell me about the dog who went by”

“He was fast?”, said the boy

“How fast?”

“as lightning?”

“As lightning with its shoes on,” smiled the poet. “What about the jogger?”

“She’s pretty as a rose?”

“As a de-thorned, trembling rose”

“What about us?”, Peter finally asked.

“We grok our lust, Nothing left but wordy sublimations, Receding steps afar.”

The boy and his rake had disappeared, replaced by the jogger and her dog. It was her, his first muse. Still as statues, they were looking at Peter, waiting. For what? Excuses?

You still had your thorns, Claire, didn’t you?”

The pup unfroze, licked its lips

“And you were never fast, boy, just hungry.”

The raked leaves began to lift from their piles and swirl around him.

“How to reanimate you?” asked the poet.

And then he spoke her middle name.

“Lorraine”

“Nobody else but you ever used my middle name. Even my sister. Did you know that? I loved it. I was this secret person with you, free of constraints. The real me.”

Her caress leaving thorny scars on Peter’s cheek, Lorraine added, “you know only dead poets get famous, right?”

This story was co-written by Fox (the artist) and Smillew (top writer in satire).

It was our fifteenth tale! Here are the previous ones:

We call the concept the Two Headed Horse Tails.

As Fox (poet and digital art expert) describes it, Two Headed Horse Tails can be a tug of war. Two people (one of them could be YOU) are trying to get a tale into the corral, sometimes even against each other’s will.

Here are the rules (follow them or break them):

300 words total.
Someone starts and writes 50 words. Then the other takes the lead and writes 50 more. Till the 300 count is reached.
You can switch back and forth as to who starts the piece. (or not! We do.)

What about finding yourself another horse writer and giving it a try?

Follows us on Twitter, we follow back! Except for Fox, he’s not on Twitter.

Hi Paul!

Read one of Paul Mansfield’s Monaxia stories here:

Endless Hunger

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