Their Hometowns
a pantoum
Their Hometowns
It’s become ordinary to me to go see my favorite bands play in their hometowns, no matter where that is.
From Minneapolis to Philadelphia, from Queens to Chicago, from San Francisco to Los Angeles.
It was something I’d long dreamt of doing, and then one day, I realized I could do it.
It’s not just the concert; it’s visiting the scenes of the songs, it’s walking where they walked, drinking where they drank.
From Asbury Park to Austin, from Duluth to Durham, from Libertyville to London.
Doing this both builds up and tears down the mythology I have about artists, and that delights me—the lore about the lore.
It’s not just the concert; it’s visiting the scenes of the songs, it’s walking where they walked, drinking where they drank.
It doesn’t have to be a band, of course; go to the author’s street, the painter’s studio, the journalist’s bar.
Doing this both builds up and tears down the mythology I have about artists, and that delights me—the lore about the lore.
Take a photo on the bridge where the band threw their master recordings into the river after a fight with their record label.
It doesn’t have to be a band, of course; go to the poet’s field, the chef’s kitchen, the adventurer’s trail.
When you count the rings around your eyes, remember they came from journeys like this one.
Take a photo on the bridge where the band threw their master recordings into the river after a fight with their record label.
It was something I’d long dreamt of doing, and then one day, the band reunited, and I realized I could do it.
So when you count the rings around your eyes, remember those rings came from journeys like these.
I go see my favorite bands perform in their hometowns, no matter where that is.
I wrote this pantoum based on a series of prompts that Pádraig Ó Tuama shared on his excellent Poetry Unbound substack. Here’s the post with the exercise.
It’s fun.
If you make one, too, I’d love to read it. Go ahead and drop it in the comments, or email me at mkelleyolg@gmail.com.
Love this, Matt, and so bummed I missed it in person. Cassie said there is a handout, so I'm going to try it. I might use it in class as well. Thanks for sharing it with us, both the practice and your poem. I really like the latter, both the content and the nature of the repetition. I feel this for writers. Walden Pond is certainly on my list. And I was giddy when crossing The Queensboro a few years ago when Cassie and I went to New York. It is the bridge in chapter four where Gatsby Takes Nick into the city. We were going the opposite direction, sadly, and so I was turned around looking out the back window. Or when we went past the Yale Club, where Nick takes lunch or dinner at times, while learning bonds in the city. Or the two times I've walked along the banks of the Mississippi, and contemplated Huck's journey. That book changed my life. It's amazing the mythos stories and songs can take in our lives. Thanks, Matt.