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The Exquisite ‘Ku
By Richard | July 3, 2008
The Exquisite Corpse is a game the Surrealists would play where they’d fold a piece of paper into several rows. The first artist would draw something on the first section. Lines that went past the “bottom” of the first section would carry on just a little ways onto the next. When the paper was passed to the next person, all he would be able to see were the ends of those lines, so he’d blindly add onto the next section, and so on, through three or four contributors. These actually turned out cooler than you’d think. Some of them are hung in the Chicago Art Institute with each artist’s contribution, Dali’s, Breton’s, Miro’s, Tanguy’s, etc., identified.
Exquisite ‘Ku is a variation on the idea: the first entrant posts a haiku (or poem, or something) and then the next person takes his/her last line, word, or thought, and writes a haiku (or whatever) starting from there. Sometimes the haikus carry on a thought through several posters. Sometimes they’re not connected at all, except by that last line, which the new poster has taken in an entirely different direction. Sometimes they connect hilariously, kind of ironic call-and-response style. What can you make? There’s no rules, except that we encourage you to post actual haikus (3 lines of 5 syllables, 7 syllables, and 5 syllables, or something close) and spam/gratuitous-posting-of-your-unrelated-work will be immediately deleted. You can toggle the previous entries on if you don’t want to play blind, or leave them off if you really want to have fun.
Please be advised: Participation in our Exquisite ‘Ku game gives ShowMeYourLits.com the right to post your ‘Ku, without compensation, to the ShowMeYourLits Twitter page. Attribution will be made according to the name you assign to your post.
Your prompt is:"... these glass slippers hurt "
185 Comments »
making you anew
March 2nd, 2010 at 8:05 pmcasket, to hold and caress
reduced to ashes
reduced to ashes
March 3rd, 2010 at 12:58 amyou’d do better in an urn
a casket’s a waste
a casket’s a waste
March 5th, 2010 at 1:55 pma trisket a trasket
buried in basket
buried in basket
March 8th, 2010 at 2:45 amunderneath the cakes and ale
knife to slay a wolf
knife to slay a wolf
March 8th, 2010 at 4:16 pmstraight pin to slay a balloon
it’s all relative
it’s all relative,
March 9th, 2010 at 1:53 pmsays my Uncle Albert,
popping my baloon.
“popping my baloon??”
March 9th, 2010 at 1:56 pmThat is how Lombards spell
baloon…. honestly.
baloon…. honestly.
March 10th, 2010 at 7:29 pmlet’s sit a spell, rest our bones
have some balloney
have some balloney …
March 12th, 2010 at 4:20 pmbee, ae, el, el, oh, en, why,
failed the spelling bee
failed the spelling bee
March 14th, 2010 at 11:17 amby spelling bee b-e-a.
A sting in the… tale?
A sting in the tale
March 15th, 2010 at 8:23 amtold around dinner table
forks frozen to mouth
forks frozen to mouth
March 15th, 2010 at 9:16 pmlikced it on a dare, now call
the Fire Department
forks frozen to mouth
March 15th, 2010 at 9:16 pmlicked it on a dare, now call
the Fire Department
the Fire Department
March 20th, 2010 at 8:49 amthinks Fahrenheit 451
inflammatory
inflammatory
March 24th, 2010 at 6:47 ampainful burning rectal itch?
then buy our product !
then buy our product !
March 27th, 2010 at 4:24 pmwe just trademarked AIR, so get
yours while supplies last !
yours, while supplies last
March 29th, 2010 at 7:28 amdon’t wait till I’m gone, for good
or ill, take your pill
or ill, take your pill
March 29th, 2010 at 8:48 amswallow your tale, eat your words
rain, rain and more rain
rain, rain and more rain
March 30th, 2010 at 4:50 amthe clouds circle around an
atmospheric low
atmospheric lows
March 30th, 2010 at 7:58 amhard on stratospheric highs
yo-yos feel like this
Yo-yos feel like this,
March 30th, 2010 at 6:19 pmtaut around the thumb and finger.
Pulling tricks of youth
Have mercy be just
April 5th, 2010 at 7:27 pmFor Peter Pan they’re the same
Depending who you
Pulling tricks of youth
April 6th, 2010 at 7:46 amhave taut mercy for youth tricks
Depending who you
Depending who you
April 7th, 2010 at 8:04 pmwondering if you know who
I am wondering
I am wondering
April 7th, 2010 at 11:14 pmAnd I am wandering, and
wondering where to?
wondering where to
April 8th, 2010 at 5:40 pmget some help with my spelling
I, wunder-lust lost
I, wunder-lust lost
April 9th, 2010 at 11:49 pmanother of Milton’s works
but sadly obscure
but sadly obscure
April 10th, 2010 at 4:42 amhe obnubilated intent
veils were ripped away
veils were ripped away -
April 10th, 2010 at 4:55 amthe vestal virgins, covered
in confusion, blush
in confusion, blush
April 10th, 2010 at 3:59 pmI cover my privates and
pray for clarity
pray for clarity
April 12th, 2010 at 5:12 amuse plain English and short words
not to confuse God
not to confuse God
April 12th, 2010 at 5:40 ambut I divide by zero
it’s just my nature
It’s just my nature
April 15th, 2010 at 8:48 pmTo defend you with coffee grounds
Left out in the rain
Left out in the rain -
April 16th, 2010 at 6:09 amRichard Harris and his cake
in MacArthur Park
In MacArthur Park
April 17th, 2010 at 12:06 amThe doves dive-bomb my mother
Who sneers at passers-by
Who sneers, passer-by?
April 17th, 2010 at 7:05 pmYou edit, unrightfully
Those you seek to friend
Those you seek to friend
April 18th, 2010 at 3:04 pmare you who I think you are?
luv, it’s been too long
Love, it’s been too long
April 18th, 2010 at 8:47 pmHoneysuckle reminds me
how we broke the peace
how we broke the peace
April 19th, 2010 at 10:43 amhow we stepped into this hell
how did we get here
how did we get here?
April 22nd, 2010 at 12:33 amBy walking down the primrose
path of righteousness
path of righteousness
April 22nd, 2010 at 8:28 amwide enough for only one
lonely in winter
lonely in winter
April 22nd, 2010 at 9:48 amforgettable in summer
spring and fall: a king
spring and fall – a king
April 22nd, 2010 at 2:53 pmof the vaulting horse, he took
a fatal tumble
a fatal tumble
April 22nd, 2010 at 3:29 pma costly roll in the hay
no mere petite mort
no mere petite mort
April 22nd, 2010 at 4:33 pmLittle Death has outgrown his
big black baby shoes
Big black baby shoes
April 22nd, 2010 at 11:52 pmGo squeak when I step on tiles
Smiles on tiles, pretty smiles
Smiles on tiles
April 24th, 2010 at 1:09 pmglum underneath my big thumb
heaven is calling
Heaven is calling
April 24th, 2010 at 7:12 pmDown, down, sounds fall, my heart is
Lifting against time
Lifting against time
April 25th, 2010 at 9:18 amaging, always going forth,
now is the best age
now is the best age
April 25th, 2010 at 1:12 pmto go round and round and round
then we wake up dead
then we wake up dead,
April 25th, 2010 at 3:03 pmeyelids bare of Charon’s coins—
dirty, dirty thieves
dirty, dirty thieves
April 25th, 2010 at 3:40 pmstealing breath out of all life
breathe in, breathe out, gasp
Breathe in, breathe out, gasp . . .
April 25th, 2010 at 6:16 pmThe Lost Ones cry out
At the cruelty of Man
Cruelty of man
April 25th, 2010 at 7:42 pmopen eyes that see the truth
and soften the sight
and soften the sight
April 25th, 2010 at 8:17 pmagainst inconvenient truths
blurring all the lines
Blurring all the lines
April 25th, 2010 at 9:21 pmscribble-man graces pages
with reams of dreaming
with realms of dreaming
April 26th, 2010 at 3:59 amfantasy owns you tonight
sleep sleep my beauty
sleep sleep my beauty
April 26th, 2010 at 6:05 pmwake wake my ugly, sleepless
I toss all night long
I toss all night long
April 27th, 2010 at 1:30 pmballs, eggs, bowling pins, it’s the
Night of The Juggler
Night of the Juggler,
April 27th, 2010 at 3:23 pmThrows a hat onto a stick
Leaps to the Abyss
Leaps to the Abyss
April 29th, 2010 at 9:11 ambeyond the edge of reason
deep within thyself
deep within thyself
April 29th, 2010 at 1:01 pmthough the word sounds archaic
you found you felt shy
you found you felt shy
April 30th, 2010 at 5:07 amsharing your thoughts with the world
so you hid your heart
So you hid your heart
April 30th, 2010 at 5:33 amin a box down by the creek,
the grass there grows thick
so you hid your heart
April 30th, 2010 at 5:36 amin a box of silver stars
I reach out to touch
the grass there grows thick
April 30th, 2010 at 5:37 amlady bugs scurry on home
I reach for the box
I reach for the box
April 30th, 2010 at 10:58 pmis the box half empty, or
is the box half full?
is the box half full
May 1st, 2010 at 6:16 amempty dreams of yesterday
reach towards the top
reach towards the top,
May 2nd, 2010 at 12:08 pmfingers skim just shy, empty—
he slips away, lost
he slips away, lost
May 2nd, 2010 at 6:46 pmin a box he finds himself
we keen so loudly
we keen so loudly
May 3rd, 2010 at 4:09 amthat crickets hush, bird songs stop
sorrow is present
sorrow is present
May 3rd, 2010 at 6:57 ammy future is all remorse
joy is in the past
joy is in the past
May 3rd, 2010 at 6:45 pmjoy is the present, this is
the key to my heart.
the key to my heart
May 4th, 2010 at 6:00 pmwhere oh where can that key be
lets look together…
let’s look together
May 6th, 2010 at 3:37 amone chameleon eye said as
the other eye strayed
Lets look together.
May 6th, 2010 at 3:39 amThe rains are falling. Dry earth,
Birthing promises.
birthing promises
May 6th, 2010 at 11:47 amof light and sparkling dewdrops
sunrise, life’s glory
Sunrise, life’s glory,
May 6th, 2010 at 7:30 pmThe shape of all time,
Relentless in its passage
relentless in its passage
May 7th, 2010 at 5:53 pmgrains of sand.. falling, tick tock..
the abyss of time
the abyss of time—
May 8th, 2010 at 12:43 pmso dark down here, searching for
the fountain of youth
the fountain of youth
May 8th, 2010 at 2:50 pmis littered with old bodies
catch the golden ring
catch the golden ring…
May 8th, 2010 at 4:31 pmhurry, hurry, one more round,
the ride is over
the ride is over
May 9th, 2010 at 12:49 pmthe leap at the last fence was
headed for a fall
headed for a fall
May 9th, 2010 at 2:31 pmquick, grab my hand, I’ll hold you
high above the pain
high above the pain
May 9th, 2010 at 5:13 pmdamn total anaesthetic
I am numb again
I am numb again
May 9th, 2010 at 7:25 pmgazing at the stars up high
wondering how high
wondering how high
May 10th, 2010 at 4:06 amI need to get to forget
a numbness in me?
a numbness in me,
May 10th, 2010 at 8:47 amfrom the depth of my despair
hoping for the light
hoping for the light
May 10th, 2010 at 10:56 amAs the darkness is too great
we take a moment
we take a moment
May 10th, 2010 at 12:37 pmwe smell the flowers of life
what a sweet fragrance
what a sweet fragrance
May 10th, 2010 at 1:06 pmeverything is going well
my heart is open
my heart is open
May 10th, 2010 at 1:40 pmbut the surgeon is asleep.
Does the beat go on?
Does the beat go on
May 10th, 2010 at 3:20 pmEndless raindrops in my soul…
the rhythm of life
the rhythm of life
May 10th, 2010 at 5:57 pmhas an off beat pulse, better
than breathless silence
than breathless silence
May 13th, 2010 at 10:59 amin this library, using
their comp. My comp crashed.
their comp. My comp crashed.
May 13th, 2010 at 11:00 amthis library’s vast, and deep
with breathless silence
with breathless silence
May 13th, 2010 at 4:53 pmI chat endlessly at you
my little story
my little story
May 13th, 2010 at 7:34 pmtold a thousand times a day
but never by you
but never by you
May 14th, 2010 at 2:40 pmmy wings tucked I dive at blue
yet you are in me
yet you are in me
May 14th, 2010 at 5:37 pmwithin, without, in all things
spill my wakeful dreams
Spill my wakeful dreams
May 14th, 2010 at 11:15 pmThey faun at your fingertips . . .
Madness lingering
madness lingering
May 15th, 2010 at 7:49 amon the edge of conciousness
please don’t wake me now
please don’t wake me now
May 17th, 2010 at 3:34 pmwhile the stars are overhead
casting sleeping spells
casting sleeping spells
May 18th, 2010 at 5:15 pmbut her magic doesn’t work
so she takes a pill
so she takes a pill;
May 18th, 2010 at 5:27 pmthe world fades slowly away
and she knows nothing.
and she knows nothing
May 19th, 2010 at 2:23 pmabout lilacs and lipstick,
she files away life.
she files away life
May 20th, 2010 at 9:42 amall hope and dreams fly away
on gossamer wings
On gossamer wings
May 20th, 2010 at 3:41 pmflight is so boringly smooth.
I like turbulence
I like turbulence
May 20th, 2010 at 7:15 pmbouncing and bumping through life
finding adventure.
I like turbulence
May 20th, 2010 at 7:17 pmand pina coladas, and
getting caught in rain
getting caught in rain
May 21st, 2010 at 7:18 pmdrip drip drip in rivulets
it tickles my ears
it tickles my ears
May 22nd, 2010 at 6:52 pmyet deafness is so profound
I hear not your words
I hear not your words…
May 22nd, 2010 at 8:00 pmI see not your warped vision…
you do not exist.
you do no exist
May 22nd, 2010 at 10:18 pmthey call you Zero, yet I
see you as Hero
see you as Hero
May 23rd, 2010 at 1:41 pmyet being quirky and wild
child of my flesh
child of my flesh
May 24th, 2010 at 5:10 amso far away and growing
a brood of your own
a brood of your own
May 24th, 2010 at 5:51 pmbaby ducklings waddle in
wolves open jaws wait
wolves open jaws wait
May 24th, 2010 at 11:48 pmstockbrokers sing like seashells
the robots make cheese
the robots make cheese
May 25th, 2010 at 7:35 amelectric blue cows produce
blueberry yogurt
blueberry yogurt,
May 26th, 2010 at 4:58 pmblue birds and blue ribbons fly
high in the breezes.
high in the breezes
May 26th, 2010 at 6:01 pmyour shinny curls fly, haircut
was just your first one
was just your first one
May 27th, 2010 at 12:22 amhave another, with mustard
robots making cheese?
robots making cheese,
May 28th, 2010 at 12:14 pmpastures of Dolly’s sisters,
no one to cry wolf
No one to cry wolf,
May 28th, 2010 at 2:27 pmamong dogs, cats and fishes
domesticated
domesticated –
May 29th, 2010 at 4:54 amshe gave it up for Lent, to
be liberated
be liberated
May 29th, 2010 at 2:03 pmfrom brainiac brow beating
love your lying eyes
love your lying eyes
May 29th, 2010 at 5:25 pmyet if robots can’t make cheese
we’ll surely perish
we’ll surely perish!
May 29th, 2010 at 8:35 pmrobots cut cheese, the ozone
layer unravels
layer unravels
May 29th, 2010 at 10:26 pmthe onion is flayed alive
by the cruel Squash King
by the cruel Squash King
May 29th, 2010 at 10:27 pmyet that king himself was squashed
by a fat pumpkin
by a fat pumpkin
May 30th, 2010 at 7:06 amI have had my fill of food
now must learn my lines
now must learn my lines
May 31st, 2010 at 8:12 amand excite my cheating heart
am I right pumpkin?
am I right pumpkin?
May 31st, 2010 at 4:18 pmYes indeed, the pumpkin said
wait … can pumpkins talk?
“wait … can pumpkins talk?”
May 31st, 2010 at 4:21 pmis hard to follow. Let’s try :
Once upon a time …
Once upon a time …
May 31st, 2010 at 5:02 pmthere was a little girl who
had a red wagon…
had a red wagon
June 1st, 2010 at 3:07 amloaded with kiddie chem sets
my travelling lab
my traveling lab
June 1st, 2010 at 12:47 pmmy-stay-at-home white poodle
the gift of you, dawg
the gift of you, dawg
June 1st, 2010 at 4:00 pmand pony, it’s show and tell
you want to go first?
you want to go first?
June 3rd, 2010 at 12:00 pmI asked my reflection, but
we went the same time
we went the same time
June 3rd, 2010 at 12:08 pmeven though I had a late-
start equaled finish
start equalled finish
June 4th, 2010 at 2:13 pmbefore birth to after death
unknown to unknown
unknown to unknown
June 4th, 2010 at 5:18 pmfrom unknowable to known
wisdom to wise-ass
wisdom to wise-ass
June 5th, 2010 at 12:40 pmI wander in tight circles
getting lanky lose
getting lanky lose
June 7th, 2010 at 3:20 amtill I stumble upon you
changing the weather
changing the weather
June 9th, 2010 at 2:51 amthe jet-stream tumbles southward.
Looks like rain today.
Looks like rain today.
June 9th, 2010 at 9:37 ammother nature is crying
ocean’s emotion
ocean’s emotion
June 10th, 2010 at 8:45 amearth is rotating in thought
my nerves surf water
Ocean’s emotions
June 13th, 2010 at 2:17 pmOh they never tell the truth
But reveal the way
But reveal the way
June 14th, 2010 at 2:58 amI must stop hiding within
take my hand, guide me
…take my hand guide me
June 15th, 2010 at 6:27 pmpull me up that steep dark hill
this canyon is cold
this canyon is cold
June 17th, 2010 at 12:14 amthe limes complain of frostbite
the trees wear their coats
the trees wear their coats
June 19th, 2010 at 4:21 amis silly. So how about
the hedges wear hats?
the hedges wear hats
June 19th, 2010 at 9:29 amof cow parsley and sparrows -
this summer’s fashion
this summer’s fashion
June 20th, 2010 at 7:50 amwelcome the light, curse the heat
eat the cake you have
eat the cake you have
June 20th, 2010 at 7:53 amhave your cake and eat it too
this equals cake squared
This equals cake squared:
June 20th, 2010 at 12:20 pmbrownie over battenberg
divided by pi
divided by pi
June 20th, 2010 at 12:31 pmfour-and-twenty baked blackbirds
sing recurringly
sing recurringly
June 23rd, 2010 at 4:00 pmtill oil thickens in chill
all songs are over
All songs are over
June 24th, 2010 at 1:12 pmthe children have departed
empty seats, silent
empty seats, silent
June 26th, 2010 at 3:21 pmthe punk meets the Godfather
power’s handed down
power’s handed down
June 27th, 2010 at 3:39 pmwaste and water flow downhill
while money flows up
while money flows up,
June 29th, 2010 at 5:35 amclogs a few gilded drainpipes,
we scavenge for crumbs.
we scavenge for crumbs
June 29th, 2010 at 9:17 pmvultures in a bakery
Gingerbread Man’s dead
Gingerbread Man’s dead.
June 30th, 2010 at 10:45 amRound up the usual suspects:
the Girl Scout Cookies.
the Girl Scout cookies
July 1st, 2010 at 1:20 aman entire brave good brigade
lost in the abyss
lost in the abyss
July 2nd, 2010 at 1:27 amseeking some primordial truth
all I found was me
all I found was me
July 8th, 2010 at 8:12 ama refugee from Misery Street
scratching around for answers
around for answers
July 9th, 2010 at 9:13 amlook in dark places, beneath
stones, and between stars
stones, and between stars.
July 12th, 2010 at 5:10 amChasing supernovas
when I should have been sleeping
when I should have been
July 13th, 2010 at 12:08 amsleeping, I was sitting here
writing this hiaku
writing this hiaku
July 20th, 2010 at 3:16 amnow I’m writing THIS hiaku
this, not that, hiaku
this, not that, haiku
July 20th, 2010 at 11:35 amwas the one in which you hair
laid on my pillow
laid on my pillow,
July 20th, 2010 at 6:56 pmtaken in my morning tea,
loved in small doses
loved in small doses
July 24th, 2010 at 6:20 amdrips of saline and shocks that
restarted my heart
restarted my heart
July 25th, 2010 at 9:43 pmjumper cables, lightning rod …
Frankenstein method
Frankenstein method:
July 26th, 2010 at 1:33 pmpound on the chest and scream “give
my creation life!”
my creation — life!
July 27th, 2010 at 8:09 pmversus your creation, death …
but yours always wins
but yours always wins
July 30th, 2010 at 8:01 amclockwork symmetry trumps my
organic pleasures
organic pleasures
August 4th, 2010 at 5:12 pmare lost on the robot who
contemplates a peach
contemplates a peach
August 8th, 2010 at 2:43 ampainting it in reverse, he
turns the canvas white
turns, the canvas white;
August 18th, 2010 at 5:06 amabout face, slate clean once more;
new chapter begins
new chapter begins
August 24th, 2010 at 2:07 pmhesitantly, it would seem
where’s the Ku writers?
“Where’s the Ku writers,”
August 31st, 2010 at 5:51 pmyou ask. Too busy…perhaps,
repainting their nails.
repainting their nails
September 5th, 2010 at 3:35 pm“look at me” orange, suff’ring
fashionably
fashionably late
September 6th, 2010 at 9:03 amarriving at the party -
these glass slippers hurt