ARS POETICA: LIFE FAR FROM HERE A written creative work submitted to the faculty of San Francisco State University In partial fulfillment of The Requirements for The Degree AS 30 ^oi> Master of Arts In - 1) 631' English: Creative Writing by Frederick Denman Dodsworth III San Francisco, California December, 2017 Copyright by Frederick Denman Dodsworth III 2017 ARS POETICA: L ife Far F rom H ere Frederick Denman Dodsworth III San Francisco, California December, 2017 Poetry reveals the concealed using playful and serious stratagems to offer another truth, often several. Utilizing meter, rhythm, rhyme, and line breaks, or working with unexpected images, potent symbols, or subtle metaphors, this poet hopes to evocatively encourage the reader to embrace a different experience, the author’s, and apply it to their own. While certainly each of us is unique, our lives mirror each other’s. Essential aspects of our experience are proximately universal, or through poetry can be made universal, despite age, gender, geo­ ethnic identities, or religious beliefs. This collection of works, often confessional in nature, attempts to entice the reader into accepting and enjoying poetic narratives that in some cases represent hard or painful experiences. If I am able to call forth memories that have been buried, or bring laughter or tears to the reader, I have done all that I can hope to do. If there is even one poem herein that any reader wants to share with someone they care about, I am satisfied. I certify that the Annotation is a correct representation of the content of this written creative work. Chair, Written Creative Work Committee Date CERTIFICATION OF APPROVAL I certify that I have read ARS POETICA: L if e F a r F r o m H e r e by Frederick Denman Dodsworth III, and that in my opinion this work meets the criteria for approving a written creative work submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree: Master of Arts in English: Creative Writing at San Francisco State University. Paul Hoover Professor of English ACKNOWLEDGMENTS I wish to thank and acknowledge my wife of 40 years, Linda Sue Franklin, who insisted I return to school in 2011 to pursue a long-delayed Bachelor’s Degree; and who encouraged me when I chose to continue and earn this Master’s Degree. I also wish to acknowledge and appreciate Mrs. Mueller, the school librarian at Tonalea Elementry School in Scottsdale, Arizona. Working with me one-to-one, she taught me to read and introduced me to a world far from the one where I lived. I am convinced she saved my life. I also wish to thank my senior year English teacher, Mr. Bradshaw, who passed me for unknown reasons despite that I’d dropped out of high school a few months into my senior year. Only he knows why. I wish to thank Dr. Sonya “Cherry Bomb” Wozniak at Berkeley City College. She took no prisoners and demanded nothing less than everything I had. Similarly, Instructor Matthew Davison at San Francisco State University; Davison’s demands set a higher standard of accomplishment and helped me get to this point. Thank you. The professors and instructors of the San Francisco State University Creative Writing Department are exceptional and a great gift to the entire writing community. Peter Omer and Katie Crouch, ZZ Packer, and Junse Kim, I was blessed to have the opportunity to learn from you. Working hand in hand with the Creative Writing Department, the SFSU English Department is truly exceptional. I learned so much from Doctors Loretta Stec, Summer Starr, Margaret Schoerke, and Sarah Hackenberg. Thank you. I want to personally and especially thank Maxine Chemoff and Paul Hoover. Maxine, I admire and envy you. You have lived the life I dreamed of living. Your poetry and fiction are the standards we judge ourselves against. It’s been a great pleasure to know you, and I truly appreciate your support. Fondly and with great respect, Fred Dods worth. Some of these poems (in various forms) have been published in Red Light Lit, Rag Zine, Troop.Cargo, Oakland Review, riverbabble, Transfer, Milvia Street, Bay Area Generations, Writing Without Walls, Saturday Night Special, Something Worth Revising, US Represented, 11-9 the Fall of Democracy, RISE!, and other publications. v T a b l e o f C o n t e n t s B ook E n d s .................................................................................................................................... 1 T he D efinition O f D e se r t ................................................ 2 G r a m m a ’s W o r d s ....................................................................................................................4 1- Going With Him 2- The Visitor 3- The Night Before The Wedding Ic a r u s ............................................................................................................................................ 7 W atching T he K racken In F r is c o ....................................................................................8 T rojan H o r s e s ........................................................................................................................... 9 Just U s For T he D o w n t r o d d e n .......................................................................................10 A Path T o H eaven W ith ou t Q u e s t io n s .......................................................................11 Baby St e p s ................................................................................................................. 12 Scents O f A w e ........................................................................................................................ 14 O pen Y o u r s e l f ........................................................................................................................ 15 N o Re g r e t s ............................................................................................................................... 16 Som e E lem ents O f T r u t h ................................................................................................... 17 In Sig m u n d ’s D ream s D ora Is A lw ays R u n n in g .....................................................18 F inally A s l e e p ........................................................................................................................20 Pt t t t ! (aka Sleeping W ith A Soun d P o et) ................................................................ 22 T he R e c ip e ................................................................................................................................. 23 L ove R em em bers Y o ur N a m e ...........................................................................................24 H ow T o Forg et Painful M e m o r ie s ................................................................................26 Y es T o T he F u r i e s ..................................................................................................................28 Ja pan C u r r e n t ........................................................................................................................29 A G rea t D is t a n c e ..................................................................................................................30 V iew s O f H eaven ...................................................................................................................32 Salt R o c k .................................................................................................................. 34 F in du M onde/L a ke H u r o n ................................................................................................35 C a ndy K is s e s ........................................................................................................................... 36 1- the quick 2- fire 3-flying Y e a r n in g ....................................................................................................................................37 L ovely F l o w e r .......................................................................................................................38 T a b l e o f C o n t e n t s H a i k u ...........................................................................................................................................40 Two Fingers Hunger SF Jail L itany ................ 41 W hat W e W a n t ...................................................................................................................... 42 R ega rdin g T he Pain O f O t h e r s ......................................................................................44 W e W ere W ar Sp a w n e d ......................................................................................................45 T he F am ily T a b l e ..................................................................................................................46 D ad ...........................................................................................................................................48 G iving T h a n k s ......................................................................................................................... 51 A L ittle ’T u d e .........................................................................................................................52 M om ........................................................................................................................................... 53 R em em ber {Ca n ’t R em em ber) ...........................................................................................