In this Meter Speeder, Mona Mehas reads us a little of the work found in the Lost at 27 anthology from Cicada Song Press. The anthology features poems about musicians, artists, and actors who died at the age of 27.
Mona Mehas (she/her) writes poetry and prose from the perspective of a retired disabled teacher in Indiana USA. A Pushcart Prize nominee, her work has appeared in Paddler Press, IHRAM Literary, Big Windows Review and others. Her poetry, Questions I Didn’t Know I’d Asked and Hand-Me-Downs (LJMcD Communications) and Self-Centered (Bottlecap Press) are available now. Mona is Editor-in-Chief of Cicada Song Press and President of the Poetry Society of Indiana. She is searching for a home for her first novel while drafting a novel in verse. You can find her online at https://linktr.ee/monaiv, https://monamehas.net, and https://bsky.app/profile monaiv.bsky.social
1. What book has caused the most mayhem in your life?
My favorite series of books is the Ekumen/Hainish series by Ursula K Le Guin. That is a series of novellas and stories that all fit within the the same universe, where Hain is the home planet. Ekumen are the explorers of the surrounding planets. Her imagination is far out there. When asked why she likes to write science fiction she said because she can make stuff up.
2. What advice do you have for a younger version of yourself?
I'd tell a younger version of me not to doubt myself, my abilities. I am a writer and some say a pretty good one, especially poetry.
3. What advice do you think a younger version of yourself would have for you now?
Slow down and smell the roses. I tend to take on way too many things all at once. I'm a writer, President of the Poetry Society of Indiana, I lead poetry workshops, I attend workshops and critique groups. I'm EIC for Cicada Song Press. Lost at 27: Musicians, Artists, Mortals is our first book.
Are you ready to do some writing? Me too!
1) Set a timer for 10 minutes. Write about what you were like at 27. If you’re not yet 27, write about what you hope you’ll be like at that age. Remember, keep the editor voice turned off. Just let yourself write, nothing is off topic. Follow that wonderful brain of yours wherever it goes!
2) Set a timer for 10 minutes. When you were 27, who did you want to be when you “grew up”? What would you at 27 think of you now? Write about it. Remember, keep that editor voice completely off. You’re just freewriting. If your brain wants to start rambling about the best ice cream you’ve ever tasted, well, don’t get in its way. Follow those beautiful side roads and detours!
3) Time to en-rhythm! When you’re ready, set the timer for 10 minutes. For this process, you read a poem over and over again, which will get the meter of the poem into your brain to pour on out in your own work right after. For more info on it, check out the work of Annie Finch. I’m going to suggest using Rupert Brooke’s “Peace.” A member of the 27 Club, Brooke died from sepsis on a hospital ship during WWI. You can also read Katherine Bancroft’s poem about him “Forever England’s (for Rupert Brooke)” in the Lost at 27 anthology.
If you’d like to use movement and music, I’m going to suggest the song “Dark Side” by the Finnish band Blind Channel because there are song lyrics that reference the 27 Club. When this song was originally selected to represent Finland in Eurovision 2021, people speculated that they’d have to change the 27 Club reference because it was too dark, but I think maybe the EBU just didn’t know what they were saying? The song came in 6th in the final, which is pretty amazing for a new metal song. Eurovision typically doesn’t like those.
4.) Ready to draft! Set a timer for 10 minutes. Turn your editor voice up to about a 3. Let it give you some guidance about shaping and direction, but don’t let it scream at you about every little word or turn. Keep flowing! Draft a poem, short story, or start an essay about whatever is on your mind right now. Look back over your freewriting, maybe something will pop up for you. If nothing comes to mind, maybe write a piece about a light-hearted topic like the ephemerality of human life.
And there you have it! In just under an hour, you’ve got a new piece to work on revising this next week, next month, or the 12th of Never!