I lean against stone
eyes closed
longing for what was
or what will be,
what was lost without
reason or rhyme.
I lean against stone
and in dreams,
see time.
.
.
.
An Outlander themed poem
poem-good company August 24, 2014
In this time
I can watch a TV show
and share thoughts
impressions
giggles
and sighs
with others watching
simultaneously
all across the country.
Humming Twitter feed
makes for good
company.
Unlike chickens.
.
.
#OutlanderCAN #kiltit This poem references a famous line from the first really intimate conversation between Jamie and Claire
“When I woke, I was trussed up in the wagon wi’ the chickens, jolting down the road to Fort William.”
“I see, I said quietly, “I’m sorry. It must have been terrible for you.”
“Oh, aye. Chickens are verra poor company, especially on a long journey.”
Diana Gabaldon. Outlander Toronto: Seal Books. p. 90
lyrics-Skye Boat Song August 5, 2014
My Outlander theme lyrics to Skye Boat Song:
.
Called through the stones and carried ‘cross time
Voyaging far from home
All she has known is gone and she roams
Lost beneath Scotland’s pines.
Centuries part
Where is her heart?
Two hundred years away
Two men to love
Prayers to above
Whose love will she betray?
Carried through time, she’s called through the stones
Where will she make her home?
Highland wars loom
they’re leading to doom
Destiny knows its own
Centuries part
Where is her heart?
Two hundred years away
Two men to love
Prayers to above
Whose love will she betray?
Third verse, harp only
Repeat chorus with harp to end.
(c) Shawn L. Bird
.
Starz has released the first episode of Outlander, and with it, Bear McCreary’s theme song based on The Skye Boat Song.
I might be going against the current here, but I really don’t like those lyrics Horrendous. Grammatically cringeworthy. I mean seriously, “Say could that lass, be I” ARGGGGGGGGG!!! It hurts me. It really does. Not to mention they’ve stuck “Skye” in there, and Claire never goes to Skye in the books. He has feminized Robert Louis Stevenson’s lyrics to the tune, I understand, but there was no need to do that.
I’m willing to put my money where my mouth is when I complain about something, so here is a poem that fits with the tune of the Skye Boat Song and also reflects the story of Outlander. What’s more, I think it is a better fit for the romantic tone and the essential conflict of the story. Nothing about Skye, and the grammar is correct.
If Starz wishes to replace their lyrics for the next season, I am delighted to offer these. Feel free to send them a link and encourage the idea! 😉 If you’re from Starz, you can find my agent is listed on my About page. Drop her a line, she’ll be delighted to negotiate something.
.
.
Blooper lines:
Centuries part
Where is her heart?
Will she get back to Frank?
Though she is torn
Jamie she’ll mourn
but he is known to spank
PS. I made a video of myself singing and playing the harp (I’ve never been coordinated enough to do that before! How exciting!) The dogs got up and left the room, their ears twitching on the high notes. I listened to the video and apologized to them. Plainly, G is not my key. Yikes! So, while I assure you that this works beautifully, I may have to learn it in another key before I try to demonstrate . 😉 In the meantime, click to play on the video, then scroll up to sing along yourself. Hopefully G is YOUR key. 😉
.
found poem- NY Outlander premiere July 29, 2014
Diana Gabaldon line at the Outlander panel at 33 minutes: http://www.starz.com/originals/outlander/extras/qanda
In response to the question, “What was her favourite scene in the series so far?”
.
.
“In terms of
visceral reaction,
honesty
compels me
to add,
You have
one
fine
ass,
Sam!*
.
.
.
(She actually said, ‘man’ but she was saying it to Sam Heughan so allow poetic licence).
The buttocks in question will available for admiration August 30th, 2014, when it makes its appearance in the fourth episode of Outlander in the US. (We have 2 more weeks to wait in Canada, theoretically).
poem-vicarious pleasure July 24, 2014
It’s been a journey of celebrations
seeing dreams unfolding
in flirtatious Twitter assignations,
watching joy unrolling
during this cinematic gestation.
And now, with keen anticipation
all around the Earth
One can feel the vibrations
from fans awaiting this birth:
an incarnation of literary creation.
.
Outlander comes to television! Premieres are being aired this weekend. It has been fabulous following along with author Diana Gabaldon as she has shared the fun from the moment the papers were signed and it was official that Ron Moore was turning her books series into an epic television series. We fans were part of the excitement as each character was cast, and I particularly enjoyed watching the delight sparkle in Diana’s eyes as she told me about being on set when she had her cameo!
My joy is vicarious, but it is a very genuine and thorough joy. It is just SO GREAT to experience the adventure of favourite books being transformed for a new media!
In case you don’t know, Outlander is airing in the US on Starz, in Canada on Showcase, and in Australia on Soho. In Canada, we have to wait until August 24th. It’s going to be painful as the American fans have 2 weeks ahead of us!
.
.
and here’s a little more information 🙂
found poem- chapter titles from MOBY by Diana Gabaldon December 12, 2013
Diana Gabaldon just posted the Chapter 82 to 94 titles for her next book in the Outlander series, entitled Written in My Own Heart’s Blood (aka MOH-B, aka MOBY) Those chapter titles were mixed to create this ‘found poem.’ Words in bold are Diana’s titles. Regular print and punctuation are mine. The fun with found poetry, is that one often senses something profound hovering just below understanding. Can you find a message here?
.
Keeping Score:
One Day Cock of the Walk—Next Day, A Feather Duster
but
I Will Not Have Thee Be Alone
on the
Long Road Home
Through
Sundown
Nightfall
Moonrise or
The Sense of the Meeting
In Which Rosy-Fingered Dawn Shows Up Mob-Handed.
A Whiff of Roquefort
in
The House on Chestnut Street
reveals that
It’s a Wise Child Who Knows His Father
Oh yes, for
Even People Who Want to Go to Heaven Don’t Want to Die to Get There.
Poem- Dear Sam Heughan July 31, 2013
As previously posted, Sam Heughan has been cast to play the character of Jamie Fraser in Ron Moore’s TV series Outlander based on the book series by Diana Gabaldon. Here is a bit of friendly advice for him.
.
Dear Sam
I am
afraid that the Jamie-philes
will compile more
scary photo-shopped dreams.
It seems that in face of
the depraved
you are as brave
as your homeland.
So lad,
be glad
of this career boost
But go canny, aye?
They’ll grab that manly thigh
and try to catch your eye,
tear kilt askew
aim for the dagger hilt of you,
and hurdle for the spurtle, too!
Are you up for the ride?
For jokes aside,
Jamie is seriously adored,
these books explored
they touch a chord
with inflamed hordes of fans.
They’ll give you fame
but give them James
Alexander Malcolm MacKenzie Fraser
Give them frenzied pleasure.
Be the man the fans adore
and they’ll be yours forever more,
those fanatical fannying fans galore.
Thanks Sam.
.
Sincerely,
Fan.
.
A little advice for actor Sam Heughan as the devoted fans of Outlander take over his life (and his Twitter feed)
.
August 1. 2013 Note:
This poem was the subject of much hilarity and edification on the Twitter feed when it was posted at about 2 a.m. July 31st. The line following, “Go canny, aye” was originally about a fan reaching for ‘fanny and thigh.’ Diana Gabaldon tweeted almost immediately to let me know that fanny didn’t mean the same thing in UK as it does in North America, specifically that ‘men don’t have one.’ Then the Scots started posting about their amusement of American usage of the term i.e. falling on your fanny is difficult. I was sent photos of the beverage called Fanny, which confused me a great deal, because if fanny means vagina, why would you name a carbonated beverage that? (answer: “Scots humour”). Diana also added that there is the term “fannying around” and that was explained to me by various eager tutors as meaning being silly or goofing off (rather than whoring, which might be the more logical assumption). So obviously I had to alter a few lines of the poem. Forgetting that the key was rhyming ‘canny, aye?’ (likely due to the posting of Diana’s infamous Jamie butt pumpkin that evening as well) most tried to think of euphemisms for bum. This was not helpful at all, but was highly entertaining. With a few keystrokes, the fanny and thighs became ‘manly thighs’ and the ‘fannying fans’ were added to reflect my new knowledge. By about 5 a.m. Heulighans from the American Eastern seaboard were waking up, and the responses to the Twitter conversation and the poem went wild. I update this to honour a wonderful night of giggling over the keyboard with Diana and my fellow fans of her work around the globe.
This post received a remarkable number of visitors- over 450 in the day with many, many lovely comments left for me on Twitter and Facebook. I thank you all. I consider myself thoroughly educated and well entertained as well.
.
If that wasn’t enough awesomeness,
Diana dedicated her August 5th Daily Lines to ME!
(see Shawn swooning in astonishment) Read those hashtags:
That’s pretty fantastic support for anyone, don’t you think? She saw some craziness happening, and this was her response. I am so glad to know her, to have her support, and to learn how to handle social media hysteria by following her example. “The words get into their heads and drive them mad.” Yup. Glad I have friends in high places! With Diana on my side, I feel almost invincible.
.
And now this poem is the subject of my very first poem video! Click to see and hear it! 🙂
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.
Poem-another sign of love- a kilt story July 17, 2013
She gets these notions, ken?
Strange notions.
That because my great,
great,
great,
great,
great,
grandfather was a Scot
I need a kilt.
.
I won’t wear a kilt,
I said.
I am not connected to
my Scot’s heritage
I said.
That’s all right,
she said,
unloading
eight meters of fabric
and starting to pleat.
.
I won’t wear a kilt
I said.
What kind of belt buckle?
she asked.
So I picked the clan buckle
of my great
great etc
grandfather.
.
I won’t wear a kilt
I said.
Which pleat design?
she asked.
So I picked the pleat to the sett
(or so she tells me)
and she ironed
and ironed
and ironed
late into the night
and then she sewed
and sewed
and sewed
each stitch by hand
for night
after night.
.
I don’t want a kilt
I said.
She sewed
a linen shirt
and knit a lace jabot
and created sock flashes
and sock garters.
I ordered the socks and
the sporran from
Scotland
she said.
.
I really don’t want…
I said
Try this
she said
arranging a leather pocket
dangling from chains
around my waist.
No!
I squawked
It can’t go like that!
That’s like saying
X marks the spot!
She laughed
at my dismay.
.
Just try it all
she said,
arranging
ecoutrements.
I sighed
but did.
Walk up and down so I can see the swing,
she said.
Ooooooh,
she said
and led me back up the hall.
.
For our anniversary
she said
will you wear your kilt?
Yes,
I said
and did.
.
.
True story.
Outlander inspiration is clear.
Diana has a lot to answer for.
But most of it is good.
Verra good.
.
Here’s the proof:
and the more modern interpretation:
We should have taken some pictures from behind to show off…
(cough) the pleat to the sett.
It’s verra lovely.
<g>
Always remember “Happy Wife, Happy Life” or as Diana wrote him in the book plate for his copy of The Scottish Prisoner, “No one looks better than a man in a kilt.”
.
FYI- Here are a few of the posts written back while I was making the kilt with photos of the process:
https://shawnbird.com/2011/11/16/the-latest-obsessive-project/
https://shawnbird.com/2011/11/19/kilt-progress/
https://shawnbird.com/2011/12/06/all-done/
Note the dates- It’s been nearly 18 months since I finished. He’s worn it ONCE before today, back for that final drooling fitting. Plainly I caught him in a moment of weakness today. Or else he’s been reading Outlander again on his own. Good lad.
6 years later, here’s a lovely shot of the swing from behind! 🙂
the fundamental fiction July 13, 2013
In love with a fictional character?
Honey.
Don’t you know that
ALL
objects of our desire
are fundamentally fictional?
Courtship
is a time of great performance,
convincing the other,
showing the best face,
doing things you’ve never done
(and won’t do again)
pretending you love each moment
to impress the object of your desire.
Love is always
fictional.
We love what we wish
it to be.
If we’re lucky,
when rose lenses are lost,
what we created in dream
bears enough
resemblance to reality
that truth
becomes better
than fiction.
.
.
In response to a Tweet about all the wild Outlander fans in a tizzy about Jamie Fraser coming to life. I was thinking how we fictionalize real people all the time.
on being thoroughly mused June 30, 2013
For Outlander author Diana Gabaldon:
.
You
were not
just kissed
by the muse,
Diana, huntress,
goddess of the moon.
You were ravaged.
You were embraced;
your buttocks clutched
and hoisted high,
as the muse impaled you,
roughly pierced your soul,
raised hairs the whole length of you.
Seized by such divine inspiration,
you stretched, back arching,
and received the pulsing
thrusts of
.
w
o
r
d
s
,
w
o
r
d
s
,
w
o
r
d
s.
.
Excruciating
ecstasy
that called forth
rippling quivers,
left you heaving,
complete,
replete,
and pregnant
with story.
.
.
This post began with a random comment made on Diana Gabaldon’s Facebook page yesterday, and here we are! My first erotica! ((blush)) lol
.
For those who wondered, yes, Diana has seen this, and I even have a recording of her laughing lustily about it, as we were wrapping up our blue pencil at SIWC 2013. 🙂 Her comment, should you not be able to read the image is, “Wow! That’s a GREAT poem Shawn! I’m truly honoured #mindIusuallyhavetodomoreofthework”
In August 2013 she dedicated her Daily lines to me:
The daily lines in question can be read here:
http://www.twitlonger.com/show/n_1rlp46l
And if you’re a fan of Outlander and are now watching the TV series, you may enjoy the poem Dear Sam Heughan from August 2013 when Sam was first cast to play Jamie: Diana has seen this one as well, and coached me through some necessary vocabulary alterations (see notes at the end). 😉
Shawn L. Bird 