Sun Ra Arkestra – Seductive Fantasy (A Chad Van Gaalen animation)
Today’s prompt advises that “Sometimes, writing poetry is a matter of getting outside of your own head, and learning to see the world in a new way. To an extent, you have to “derange” yourself – make the world strange, and see it as a stranger might. To help you do that, I’d like to challenge you to write a poem inspired by this animated version of “Seductive Fantasy” by Sun Ra and his Arkestra. If you don’t feel after watching it a little bit like the top of your head’s been taken off, and your thoughts given a good stir – well, maybe you are already living in a state of heightened poetic awareness!” (Full prompt available here.)
PS–As in past years, most of the poems written this April will remain online for a couple of days, after which they will be replaced by an excerpt, an erasure, or a thoroughly amateurish art piece that will only allow for bits of the original poem to peek through. At least, this is the plan. The reason being that, at some point, in the hopefully not too distant future, these drafts will undergo revision and begin their multiple-year pilgrimage through the slush piles of many a literary journal. So help me, O Muse. (OK, I totally plagiarized my own post scriptum from last year. Why amend something if it’s not broken?)
PPS–The posted poem has expired, but here’s another mysterious creature to keep you company (and a line from my poem as caption). I see an image of my dog sleeping (her head, seen from above, mostly in yellow and green). What do you see?

I used this comment on one other response to the prompt, but it applies even more for yours — This is like a trip through the visuals of the prompt.
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Thank you!
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I love this! Brilliant ironic use of if-then structure to highlight the wonderful illogic of it all! I also really like the sound play, like in “still frame” and “distill.” The sonic equivalent of all the visual echoing and morphing in the video. Very cool.
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Many thanks, Alana! Love this close reading of the poem.🙏💜
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Ahh, your words are shooting out of the page in joy and urgency.
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Love!!
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Thank you, Manja!🙏🥰 I’m so in love with my dog, she keep popping up in my poems.
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beautiful thoughtful writing. An honor to know you Romania is a great country.I much admire the Romanian people.Thank you for your visit and follow up.
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You nailed it! The derangement spoke like an Oracle!
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Thank you! I’m so glad it did.🥰
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Watched that video myself this morning. I think you caught the tune.
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Thank you!
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Terrific, surioara! What an AWESOME poem to kick off NaPoWriMo. One of my favorite lines [quote deleted by RI] Totally unexpected and memorable. Bravo, Romana!!! ❤️ 🐝
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Mulțumesc din suflet, soră dragă!🥰🙏🌺🐝
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This is actually much better than the video, which I found rather trite. Your poem elevates it.
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Thank you so much for the kind words!
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Excellent capture of Sun Ra. He was a favorite of my teenage brother growing up. (K)
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Thank you! It’s a new encounter for me. Definitely excited to hear more of their music.
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[quote deleted by RI] — Nailed it!
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Thank you, MissSwiss!🥰
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