Poet's Writer's Block
"Poet's Writer's Block" was an episode that appeared in Season 5 of the Smurfs cartoon show.
Summary
Sassette asks Poet what he is doing. He replies, "I'm writing a poem, Sassette." She then asks what a poem is. He replies, "why, it is only the most marvelous invention of medieval civilization!" She still doesn't understand, so he decides to write a poem about Sassette to demonstrate. Later, Sassette reads the poem to the other Smurfs, "Sassette is a Smurf who is small and bright, like a shiny pearl she is a pretty sight. Hair as red as a ripe strawberry, never did I see a Smurf so merry". The other Smurfs all say in unison, "very smurfy!" Vanity gets the idea, however, that every single Smurf should get their own poem...
The Smurfs en masse enter Poet's abode and ask for poems written in their honor. Brainy schedules a poetry reading in one-half hour, to which Poet responds, "no problem". Poet gets to work on all his poems. First he starts on an Ode to Hefty's muscles. Getting nowhere, he starts on an Ode to Farmer. That doesn't work either so he tries Clumsy next. The half-hour comes and goes, and the poems are not done.
The Smurfs return and the poems are all blank. Poet explains that he has writer's block, where he just can't think of the right words. Handy Smurf decides to help with his new Wordsmurfer, a typewriter that can help crank out writing at top speed. Brainy gives a list of "all the words you could possibly need to describe me". Harmony wants to provide mood music. Vanity contributes pictures of himself to help provide inspiration. Poet runs away from all of them, to write by himself. Even a waterfall can't inspire him, and he feels he will never write another poem again.
Suddenly, Poet is captured by horned creatures. One says, "hornless creature, you have been trespassing on the land of the Willy Beast King". The creatures, riding rodent-like animals, depart to their kingdom so Poet may answer to their king. Upon questioning by their king, Poet reveals his occupation as a poet - and they immediately bring him to the Wily Beast Princess, who has a spell on her. One hundred moons ago, an evil wizard desired her hoof in marriage, but she refused. He cast a spell on her, taking away all her feelings, and she would never be able to love or feel love again. Apparently, the spell can be broken if someone can make the princess cry. The Wily Beast people want poet to try and make the princess cry. Their king expects the poem by nightfall, or he will be banished to the Valley of the Howling Wolves.
Poet is unable to write, suggests the King write his own poem, and is cast into the Valley of the Howling Wolves as a captive. He decides to write farewell poem to all his Smurf friends. Their king reads the poems to the princess in last attempt to wake her. They are so touching the spell is broken! Poet is freed from captivity because his poem worked. The king says to Poet, "Your poem expressed the feelings I couldn't find words for. I now realize the only way we can be inspired by our talent is to give you the time and freedom to be inspired first".
The episode ends with Poet reading his writing to all the Smurfs from the stage, and a tearful Handy stating, "there's no doubt about it, the smurfiest poems really do come from the heart".
Background Information
- Poet's Writer's Block was written by Therese Naugle.
