Who’s Who in the Cast
Dark (Darkness) has taken leading roles in works by poets as diverse as Byron, Dickinson, and Larkin as well as in many contemporary poems by high school students and M.F.A. graduates. Dark has the range to play either an adjective or a noun, but prefers historical titles, such as his much-honored appearance in The Dark Ages. Hails from Old English and wants to say “Hi,” to his former partner and best friend, Dreary.
Triumph (Triumphant) wants everyone to know how much she has enjoyed her role in this poem. “I so enjoy amplifying the work of other words, particularly young ones who are just getting started in the business.” she says. Favorite part she’s ever played: Triumph/Disaster in “If” by Rudyard Kipling. “I loved having the opportunity to play the twin imposters in that poem. It required all of my craft to give each of them a separate and distinct personality.”
Be (Was) is much called for in supporting roles and has appeared in pretty much every poem in the English language. “I’m not flashy in my approach to a role, so it’s often easy to be overlooked, but I think that I’ve always been good in moving a poem forward. I’ve been in a lot of poems where I simply exist, but I prefer a part where I can serve to focus the audience on a major theme of the poem, even if I have to surprise everyone and go all past tense.”
A Young Woman (O, Great Love) was first noticed after taking multiple roles as an ingénue in a slew of well-known poems by old dead white men, but more recently she has devoted herself to a series of more “feminist” performances. She notes, “I can be as thin as an empty dress, but sometimes I need space to move around in, so I don’t think I put any limits on what I can do.” She holds a B.A. from Vassar College and an M.F.A. from Yale.
Cheugy (Gratuitous Slang) feels fortunate to have been cast in this production directly from the pages of Urban Dictionary. “I know the author was looking to give this poem some contemporary flair and I think that I’ve been able to do that.” he says. “I may have walked in off the streets, but I think that I’m here to stay in the substratum of poetry, even as a word that requires italics or a definition in a footnote.”
Famous Poet (Book) after attending a rich private school and an Ivy League college, he received a M.F.A. from the Famous Writers’ School. Academic Press published his first book of poetry, Poems Desperately Trying to Show Solidarity with Minority Artists, and his second book, More of the Same. He conceived of this poem while cashing a grant check and dashed it off on the same day, just before applying for another grant. He wishes to thank the English language for all the support they’ve shown him and for being a fun group to work with
Free Verse (Director) lauded for the formlessness of his productions, Free believes his collaboration with Famous Poet has produced one of the most rambling poems ever done in this country. “When the readers recognize that there are no lines that are flush left, you can hear this sort of collective exhalation of breath. Oh, sorry, is that a spoiler?” Shout out to his mother and to Ezra Pound: “Man, you’re just the best!”
Academic Press (Producer) has put forth the work of any number of poets who have earned tenure at the large University that it’s associated with. It says, “Our recent titles include such works as Mycological Evidence of Coprophagy from the Feces of an Alaskan Late Glacial Mammoth, so publishing Famous Poet’s work is really no different than what we usually do.” BTW, great cast party.
12 pt. Times New Roman (Set Design) known for a high degree of contrasts and sharp serifs, Times New Roman remains in demand in all types of poetry productions. Born in London, he admits to being somewhat north of 70 years, but age has not withered, nor can custom stale his infinite variety and he continues to offer a sparkling, modern look, even as we proceed into another century. What a trooper!
Another Famous Poet (Blurbs) notes of this poem that it is, “a work of brilliance and luminescence afire with the empathetic genius of one with a stupendous eye for fractal imagery who has journeyed through the long dark night of the soul to reach a redemptive firestorm of illustrative community and generative coherence.” Another Famous Poet wants to thank Famous Poet in advance “for the wonderful blurb I know that he’s going to be doing for my next book.”