7 Ways of Looking at 15 Minutes

I was angry when I wrote this poem, which was published in Acumen No. 54, January 2006.

The title is a play on Wallace Stevens' "7 Ways of Looking at a Blackbird", while the 15 minutes of fame is now a cliche, for which I do not apologise. It works in my title.

If there is a strong element of cynicism, well, yes, you are absolutely right!

Oh, and lovely Mrs. McDowell (Noni) is on the extreme left of this picture.


7 Ways of Looking at 15 Minutes
by Janet Cameron

The author would like to thank
her family - and Mrs. McDowell who actually read her book.

Her agent
who spoke for more than sixty seconds
on the telephone
and signed a card
"With much love."

The author would like to stick a
Long Pin
in the heart of the academic
who remarked, "Oh well, nowadays
they publish
such rubbish.

And the "friend" who asked how much it cost her!

Figments and fragments -
the seeds that gave birth to the composite children
of her imagination,
whom she grew to love.

And her muse,
so insistent, she can't wait
to start her fiction

that lush green field planted
on her side of the fence
where she is producer, director and absolute boss
and can be as
Bloody-Minded as she pleases.