I am now a published poet! Here’s how it happened:
Many moons ago, my good friend John Scalzi announced that he was guest-editing an issue of Subterranean Magazine. His theme? Big Old Honkin’ Science Fiction Clichés!
Or as John explains:
Rocketships and orinthopters, Little Green Men and Amazon Women on the Moon, master computers flummoxed by simple logic, worlds where everyone wears the same silver tunics, everyone eating meals made from pills, people named “Ted-35″ and “Jill QR7.” Yes. As writers we’re trained to run from them, because they’ve been done to death . . .
And yet John wanted a whole magazine full of stories based on sf clichés! But why?
You know how people get when they’re told they can’t touch something. It makes them want to get their grimy little paws all over that thing.
Hmm. It’s an interesting challenge: Can you take an old idea and make something new and fresh out of it?
Of course, done-to-deathness is a subject close to my heart. After all, I’ve written a vampire novel, a trilogy about a world where everyone looks the same, and another where time freezes. These are all sf/fantasy clichés, but I’ve enjoyed trying to breathe new life into them.
So I decided to submit a few science fictional haiku. But why poetry? And why haiku? Well, because:
(a) I’m chronically overworked, and haiku are short, and . . .
(b) “haiku” and “cliché” are both foreign words. Or something.
In any case, the issue is out now, and as you can see it is beautiful.
It contains eight haiku by me as well as 17 other stories, inlcuding works by Elizabeth Bear, Tobias S. Buckell, Allen Steele, and Jo Walton.
Here’s Scalzi talks more about the lineup. And here’s where you can order a copy of your own.
So in honor of this issue, all comments on this post MUST BE IN HAIKU. (That’s 5 syllables, 7 syllables, then 5 again.)
That is all.
July 1st, 2006 12:44
That is so awesome
I think that if I see it
I’ll sit and read them.
July 1st, 2006 14:36
How wonderfully cool!
You are a genius, I think.
Sci-fi poetry!
July 1st, 2006 14:36
I want to buy it
But my account’s empty
So I must wonder
July 1st, 2006 14:48
That is quite funny
To put haiku and cliche
Into sci-fi stuff.
Publishing stuff, wow!
I wish I could read the poems,
That would make me laugh.
Commenting like this
Is a little challenging,
But haikus are fun!
July 1st, 2006 16:01
Gee wilikers Scott
Inquiry I have for you
’bout the conference
July twenty-first
Is there a fee to see you?
please reply at once!
July 1st, 2006 16:04
And in addition
cliche sci-fi haiku idea
is unorthodox
July 1st, 2006 18:10
Small and humble now
The bigness of movie news
Oh poet, rock on!
July 1st, 2006 22:57
So sorry, haiku
Does not meet our needs. We wish
Luck placing elsewhere.
July 2nd, 2006 02:13
watching the world cup
i read about poetry
a pleasant surprise
July 2nd, 2006 02:34
If I write haiku
As a comment to your post,
Do I get earrings?
July 2nd, 2006 02:47
These hikus are odd
And mine is close to sod
How are you doing?
Arms plauged by
poision, is hard to type
but is shall try here
Thanks for all the books
I really like them all, quite
And now I am done
July 2nd, 2006 04:46
Congratulations,
Poetry publication,
Definitely cool!
July 2nd, 2006 05:10
Haha that’s not fair…
Westerpoetry, how cool
I want to read it
July 2nd, 2006 05:12
By the way, I think
That you do a great job of
Revamping cliches.
July 2nd, 2006 05:37
Cliches are funny
Green men on mars and stuff
bust so are haikus.
I often spend math
Composing haikus instead
Algebra is dumb.
July 2nd, 2006 05:40
And now poems?
Well Scott, you have done it all!
You are amazing
July 2nd, 2006 07:25
Kate: your first line had
only four syllables when
it should have had five.
Sorry, I just had
to point that out after I
noticed it–sorry.
You wrote a poem!
I can’t wait to read it, Scott!
But I won’t subscribe…
July 2nd, 2006 08:39
that is really cool!
i will buy the magazine
also won’t subscribe….
i am still sad though
now i will go mourn away
Brazil lost the cup……….:(
July 2nd, 2006 08:45
yes, brazil lost it
yellow shirts not so sunny
rain falls on the field
July 2nd, 2006 16:05
What are you saying?
I don’t know what you’re saying
Is it ’bout soccer?
July 2nd, 2006 16:50
you wrote a poem!
i cannot wait to read it,
you are amazing!
July 3rd, 2006 03:08
true, ’tis soccer talk
brazil lost, my heart ’twas sad
now just europe stands
July 3rd, 2006 03:58
This is very wierd,
Want to order a copy,
Of the magazine.
Hope everyone has,
A great fourth of July and,
Sees some fireworks!
July 3rd, 2006 10:44
This is uber cool,
Scott is a man of talents,
Are you Superman?
July 3rd, 2006 11:21
‘Tis quite amusing,
To think I am a poet,
Who can’t write Haiku.
Anyway, Scott,
Congradulations,
I must buy one now.
July 3rd, 2006 13:39
I love poetry
Even more when it’s sci-fi
Scott is my hero
I feel like Rosie
She writes poems on her blog
O’Donnel, that is
Because I’m not good
I am counting syllables
Now I feel goofy
Well this is the end
Of my delightful haiku
Going to sleep now!
July 3rd, 2006 16:59
Westerpoetry!!
Scott, you really rock outloud.
Congratulations!
If I had more dough
I would get a copy of
this wonderful thing.
Sad, yes, I am poor.
But I will get my boyfriend
to buy it for me.
That sounds horrible!
I know it’s true, but I guess
it’s good he likes you!
I got him addicted
to your most recent trio-
aren’t you proud of me?!
Have fun on the fourth!
I will probably be bored.
Blow stuff up for me??
^___^
July 4th, 2006 00:51
Are you serious?
That’s a pretty tall order,
writing in haiku.
I guess I could try.
But what could I talk about?
I haven’t a clue.
How about vampires?
You’re right – it’s been done to death.
I need something new.
Some time-stopping kids?
That would be interesting.
No, that’s been done too.
A space opera?
Like Star Wars, only better?
Too cliché? Aww, poo.
Looks like you got me.
I’m fresh out of ideas –
don’t know what to do.
Writing’s not for me.
I guess I’ll keep my day job –
leave writing to you…
July 5th, 2006 04:46
Wow, and a poet too!
A man of oh so many talents.
Congratulations!
This is supper hard.
I am counting syllables.
I am supper silly.
July 5th, 2006 12:42
ooo thats cool!!!!!!!!
July 6th, 2006 15:02
poetry is, well,
hard to write because of words,
that won’t co-operate
you can write poems,
which are very very hard,
you are way too cool
July 12th, 2006 01:56
i just want to say
that no other author is
quite as cool as you
July 14th, 2006 02:40
oh thats cool i am not the best at poetry i would have to say lol
ppl. my site has a bunch of updates and i need a lot of ppl to do roleplaying so check it out
http://www.freewebs.com/worldxofxbeauty
July 20th, 2006 04:18
oh, poetry with scott
and a movie on the way
what more could we need?
July 20th, 2006 12:31
your books are pretty swell
but it’s hard for me to tell
what is that strange smell
true, I know- Lame!
but with intentions I came
to rhyme, I did aim
July 20th, 2006 12:35
I blatantly say (5)
the above post was quite strange (7)
but it’s kind of hard to count… I swear this is five syllables. (15… oops)
July 20th, 2006 12:38
All You Need is Scott
and possibly the beatles
goo goo ga joob! woot!
July 24th, 2006 13:49
i love the beatles…. thats off subject, oh well…