Monday, January 23, 2006
New Tricks
Well, today has been a day for new tricks. First, I got notice that my poem Foreign Thoughts was accepted for publication by Star*Line which is the bi-monthly journal of the Science Fiction Poetry Association. This was the first sci-fi poem I have ever written. (Lots of science fiction prose, lots of poetry, but the first time together.) I may have to try my hand at more. I have to say, it wasn't easy forcing an idea to come to my brain, but once it came, the poem flowed pretty well. Unfortunately for all y'all that might want to read it, it's not coming out till the Nov/Dec issue. At least you have something to look forward to ALL YEAR LONG!
The other new trick -- I wrote a song! A nasheed to be exact. (Nasheed for those of you who probably don't know are like psalms, or hymns in praise of God.) This is also the first song I've ever written. I love music, I love songs (Winterreise is perhaps my favorite song cycle ever), I would kill to be able to write like Beethoven or Chopin (ok, no I wouldn't but I would be sooo happy!). Unfortunately, I cannot write a single original stanza. Period. But now I have written the lyrics to a song and if I'm lucky they will be selected by the singer Ahmed Bukhatir to be made into a nasheed. Of course, if he does choose to use my lyrics, it won't sound anything like The Halleluiah Chorus, or even Scherezade; nonetheles it's exciting to think about adding lyricist to my list of odd writerly jobs.
I think I not only have to write a few more sf poems, but I also have to write a couple more nasheed, in case Mr. Bukhatir would like more than one, and in case he doesn't like the first one! Gosh, see how quick what was an old trick becomes a new one? ¶ 11:28 PM
The other new trick -- I wrote a song! A nasheed to be exact. (Nasheed for those of you who probably don't know are like psalms, or hymns in praise of God.) This is also the first song I've ever written. I love music, I love songs (Winterreise is perhaps my favorite song cycle ever), I would kill to be able to write like Beethoven or Chopin (ok, no I wouldn't but I would be sooo happy!). Unfortunately, I cannot write a single original stanza. Period. But now I have written the lyrics to a song and if I'm lucky they will be selected by the singer Ahmed Bukhatir to be made into a nasheed. Of course, if he does choose to use my lyrics, it won't sound anything like The Halleluiah Chorus, or even Scherezade; nonetheles it's exciting to think about adding lyricist to my list of odd writerly jobs.
I think I not only have to write a few more sf poems, but I also have to write a couple more nasheed, in case Mr. Bukhatir would like more than one, and in case he doesn't like the first one! Gosh, see how quick what was an old trick becomes a new one? ¶ 11:28 PM
