Challenge #10

In your own space, create a fanwork. Leave a comment in this post saying you did it. Include a link to your post if you feel comfortable doing so.




"Poetic Events"


Phil ambled into the kitchen
to find Clint and JARVIS
talking over breakfast.

Clint was curled over a bowl
of Froot Loops Marshmallow,
but someone -- probably JARVIS --
had talked him into a bowl of
actual fruit to go with it.

Phil picked up the cup of
coffee that JARVIS had
made for him, then scooped
crockpot oatmeal into a bowl
with a topping of mixed berries.

Clint was staring at his phone
as he ate, and JARVIS pitched
his voice to sound like he was
reading over Clint's shoulder.

"Java Jamboree is holding
a Coffee Hour Poetry Reading
at eleven," JARVIS said.

"Enh," said Clint. "I'm not
sure we'd get there in time.
That's pretty far from here --
and the Hip-Hop Meets Haiku
is clear over in Harlem."

"Going out today?" Phil said,
sitting down with his newspaper.

"That is the idea, if we can agree
on an event," JARVIS replied.

Steve came in, filled a mixing bowl
with oatmeal, then topped it with
half a cup of heavy cream, half a cup
of brown sugar, a cup of walnut halves,
a red and a green apple chopped,
and a whole slab of honeycomb.

"Poetry in the Park advertises
all ages and topics," said Clint.

"Oh, you like poetry?" Steve said,
perking up. "I like poetry too."

"It Includes small children,"
JARVIS pointed out.

"Right, maybe not then,"
said Clint. "Hey, there's a rave
tonight out back of that goth place,
which could get pretty trippy."

"What's a rave?" Steve asked.

"You two are not taking Steve
to a rave," Phil said without
looking up from his newspaper.

"Why not?" Steve said. "It
sounds like it might be fun."

"Sensory overload," said Phil.
"A rave is basically a loud, wild party
usually happening where it shouldn't."

"Oh," Steve said, and grimaced.
"Yeah, that might be a bit ... much."

His Starkphone thrummed, and
he pulled it out. "Thanks for
sharing the schedule, JARVIS."

"There's an open mike night
at Cocoa Cabana," said Clint.
"I hear that's pretty good."

"It sounds promising,"
JARVIS agreed.

Steve gave a happy yip.
"Dadaist poetry!" he said.
"I haven't heard that in years."

"You haven't heard anything
in years," Tony quipped as
he came in. He picked up
a tiny cup of coffee along
with a bowl of fruit salad.

"Don't tease Steve, he's
still trying to get back into
the swing of things," Phil said.

"What's dadaist poetry?"
Clint wondered.

"There's no telling,"
Steve said with a laugh.
"It could be anything --
free verse about activism,
guys yelling nonsense, or
someone swinging from
a chandelier while reading
classic poetry backwards."

"Aw yeah," Clint said. "Can
we do that one and open mike?"

"The dadaist event is in the afternoon
and the open mike in the evening,
so both should fit," JARVIS said.
"Steve, you are welcome to join us.
Would anyone else like to come?"

"Ugh, no," Tony said, rolling his eyes.
"The last time I went to a poetry event,
things got a bit ... over-pickled."

In his defense, he'd been dying
at the time, but Phil still hadn't
enjoyed cleaning up after that.

"I believe I'll come," Phil said.
"I could use some relaxation."

"Then it's a date," Clint said,
and JARVIS logged the schedule.

* * *

Notes:
This poem belongs to the series Love Is For Children.

Kellogg’s Froot Loops Marshmallow is 48% sugar by weight. Clint has a sweet tooth, having grown up eating a lot of junk.

Crockpot Oatmeal works with many toppings.

Dadaism was an art movement of the European avant-garde in the early 20th century. New York Dada began around 1915, and after 1920 it flourished in Paris. The art of the movement spanned visual, literary, and sound media, including collage, sound poetry, cut-up writing, and sculpture. Dadaist artists expressed their discontent toward violence, war, and nationalism, and maintained political affinities with radical politics on the left-wing and far-left politics.

The Dadaist movement was famous for its chaotic poetry. You can explore Dadaist poetry with these famous poems. There are various ways to make your own.