I must smell like a poet, you see
strings of words just follow me around
like eager hounds along a hound trail
they pick up my scent then
hit me with their sense and soul and sound.
When I think of all the years
my ears were deaf to this strange music,
it doesn’t ever make me sad, but smile.
Overburdened with the things I thought I ought to do
I shut them out, these word-hounds on my trail.
But now I welcome them, these eager word-hounds:
Through streams of senseless, ceaseless noise they come;
talk is meaningless and chatter is prismatic
turning to face them
I am welcomed home.
© Experimentsinfiction 2021, All Rights Reserved
Written for dVerse
Tonight, Peter is hosting Meeting the Bar and has asked us to think about first lines. I thought of the first line of this poem a few days ago, and I thought it might do nicely for this prompt.
I love this… I so remember when the hounds of words started to hunt me …. I thought it was a midlife crisis but it was really the hounds of syllables who kept me awake.
Thank you, Björn: I’m sure there are worse things to be kept awake by!
Lovely!
Thank you 😊
This is so beautiful and lovely. How words are like hounds… What an incredible metaphor and comparison. That’s some vivid imagery and imagination there. I really enjoyed reading this, Ingrid! It’s a wonderful piece from you. Amazing. Have to admit, your title (without the context at first) gave me a nice laugh. I do wonder what a poet must smell like to others! Probably a little like sweat since we work ourselves to death on each line until it’s just right in our eyes, and that can take forever with some poems. 😀
Thank you for your kind words, Lucy! The idea of smelling a poet makes me think of these lines from Sweeney Todd:
‘The trouble with poet
Is how do you know it’s
Deceased?’ 🤣🤣🤣
Ingrid what comes to my mind here is the muse with her hounds, chasing you. You knew what she wanted to tell you but you weren’t ready to listen. Oh my so delightful with the image of you stopping and turning around.
Thank you Lisa: there is no longer any need to run from the words!
:)<3
Words like hounds is a fantastic image that creates all sorts of ideas and notions in my head.This is gorgeously rendered, Ingrid 😀
Thank you, Sanaa 😊
We’re all such wordophiles! I find myself watching TV programs, even commercials, and jotting down phrases that catch my fancy!
Oh yes, that’s a great thing to do: inspiration can come from anywhere when you’re a word-lover!
Good one! Love the “strings of words following…” And of course, the first line is perfect!
Thank you 🙏
What a brilliant opening line! Well done!
Thank you, Misky – I hoped it might be intriguing!
I love this–now I’m going to think of these word hounds. Great first line!
Thank you, Merril, I’m pleased you enjoyed it!
I did!
Great opening line. (reminds me of Kate Bush and her Hounds of Love) – pursued through the forest, half afraid, half embracing the hounds following close by – a great image carried through. Bravo.
Thank you Peter, I’m pleased the image worked for you!
Strong imagery throughout very clearly illustrates the status of all wordaholics! and that opening line…BLAMMO! I wish I’d written this.
That was actually given to me the word-hounds: I was walking along the beach and everyone else had there dogs and I had…them!
A great metaphor and image. The muse is a hound and somehow finds us, but I like how they don’t overpower us, we must turn around of our own accord. 💞
Thank you Tricia: when we embrace them without fear they give us joy!
I feel whimsy in this, can picture that hound following you around, sniffing. Waiting to snarf up those words! Great poetry, Ingrid.
Thank you, Helen – I did want to be a little whimsical, so I’m pleased that worked!
love the image of the hounds waiting for your words. does this mean those of us who enjoy your words are your hounds?
That is a very good question! Once the words catch up with me does the audience become my quarry? You decide!
Yes why not they should be
Wonderful, relatable poem, Ingrid. I think the word hounds were following me on my walk today! 🙂 Have a great day! <3
They are great companions, once we turn to face them! Thank you Cheryl 😊
This is almost a Robert Johnson blues ballad, WORD HOUNDS ON MY TRAIL. This is very clever, a joy to read. I responded the word hounds as a teenager. Of course my poetics were drivel and pap; but through repetition I got better. Now I’m functioning, on muscle memory and prune juice.
I didn’t know that, how interesting! I did think of the line ‘hound dogs on my trail’ from Nina Simone’s ‘Mississippi Goddamn!’
Original and creative. Love your poem, Ingrid!
Thank you Michele ❤️
Ingrid,
The entire first stanza was my favorite part of them poem – it’s so clever 🙂
-David
Thanks, David – that bit came easy and for a change I found the ending harder to write!
It’s so satisfying when you can find a home for a random line that worms its way into your head, Ingrid, and yours is perfect for this prompt. I love the image of strings of words following you around like eager hounds. I wonder if that’s the case for all poets – although mine would probably be cats! I’ll be looking out for ‘eager word-hounds’ among the ‘senseless, ceaseless noise’ – great use of sibilance to represent white noise!
I think becoming a poet means training our noses to the scent of words leaping all about the world. And read others’ poems like puppies playing in a pack. … And the words, they do smell like home!
So much so!
Wowza! From the title alone I knew this would be perfection, and it was so.
That is very kind, thank you!
You’re welcome. Well-deserved praise!
If words have noses they will sniff out the best place to be 🙂
This made me smile. Yes, poetry is all around, we only need eyes to see and ears to hear. (K)
Thank you Kerfe 😊
This was amazing!
Thank you 🙏
Ingrid, this is splendid. You rock.
Thank you Gabriela 😊🙏🥰
My pleasure ❤️
Oh I loved this Ingrid. Such a fun poem with a great metaphor. And we are the lucky recipient of your wide range of poetry that keeps things so interesting!❤️
your sheer joy of engaging in your creative passion communicates so vividly in this playful poem!
Now that is a great opening line, love the humour in this and that “word hound” metaphor. It’s amazing how when one’s mind is uncluttered, the words start to associate with each other!
JIM
Thanks Jim – I think the secret lies in uncluttering it!
Word hounds! I saw your hounds barking tree. (Yes, I have hunted with ‘coon hounds) Loved the opening line!
Thanks Dale! 🐺
That opening line really grabbed me Ingrid, and the poem did not disappoint. Well written!
That opening line grabbed me Ingrid stirred my curiosity. In the poem was well written.
Thank you Rob 🙏
so beautiful..
Thanks for sharing..
You’re welcome, thank you 🙏