Poetry in Five Words or Five

Yesterday, Chris Piuma announced on his blog the release of a remarkable little e-book of his: 5X5X5(X5), 125 (5X5X5) poems, each five words (X5) in length. This kind of severe minimalism enchants me any day, but Chris’ handling of this Herculean restraint was most remarkable. He showed how, with only five words at his side at any time, there was a huge variety of games he could play, ways we could think about language and poetry, ways to make meaning, ways to make aural games for the subvocalized ear. Beautifully designed, with a striking and apropos cover image by Anthony Easton, the book lends itself to a gentle read right on the computer screen, just as it’s meant to be savored. Download the book yourself to find out, but for a taste of the variety and imagination of the book, see a few of my favorites below, each accompanied by five words of “criticism.”

4
parenthesis
variable vex ethics
parenthesis

enclosing
a triad and
focusing

8
the purchase
the
the relief

a list
not quite
listed

17
button burst blanche blame back

how alliterations holds them together

18
open reveal in out in

showing suggesting
a little
of

30
possibly possibly possibly possibly possibly

rime riche in one line

32
love
cannot
oh don’t smirk

the tone
changes
to conversation

41
now now
now
no now

repetition repeated almost to nothing

55
ou
exercises en style
sans

what
these experiments
certainly are

63
loop loopy threw through lose

or assonance
can hold
sway

70
cognoscenti boogie
ochre talk imbued

a mix of styles
olla-podrida

72
avail
relieve
reveal
inveigle
vendetta

complex consonsance
consoling
our coeurs

100
this is word five hundred

marking
self-conscious
the passing
words

110
lie
lay
lie
lien
laid

English
verbs that still
confuse

111
i i i i j

five
perfected by
number &

ecr. l’inf.