Poetry Month - Day 24: Noise

Today is International Noise Awareness Day - a day when we warn people about the long term exposure to noise.  Noise induced hearing loss can not be reversed!  So, if you go to concerts or when you mow the lawn or are exposed to loud noises, wear ear plugs - protect your hearing!!  You can learn more about it here, at the Center for Hearing and Communication.  

In honor of Noise Awareness Day, I'm posting a Bowery Poetry Club/ASL Slam!  Check it out!

Wasn't that cool?

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Poetry Month Mash-Up: Day Twenty-Six

We've reached the end of Poetry Month and I have mixed feelings about it.  I'll be happy to be free of the pressure of writing a poem every day and putting my post together.  Some days I'm so busy, it feels a bit oppressive, but when I finish, it always feels great!  On the other hand, I'll miss the online communication with the other participants of A to Z Poetry, as well as other bloggers I've gotten to know this month!

One thing's for sure - I'll be writing and posting poetry on a more regular basis now.  Although I'm a rhymer (a habitual one at that), I've never really considered myself a poet - I've always thought of myself as a picture book writer.  But, after a month of writing daily poems in a wide variety of styles on a wide variety of topics, I think I've earned the moniker - Poet!

Thanks to Rena Traxel for hosting this wonderful challenge and to my fellow "poets" for the encouragement and kind remarks - you really kept me going!

Now, onto my Zig Zag poem.

Z is for Zig Zag

For twenty-six days
days I have written
written twenty-six poems
poems about ability and books
books about cento poems
poems about doctors and epigrams
epigrams like fractured fairy tales
tales filled with glee and haiku heroes
heroes and other inspirations
inspirations as simple as jingles
jingles for kids who like limericks
limericks written by Mother Goose about nature
nature filled with onomatopoeia
onomatopoeia plopped in prose
prose, you question, or rhyme?
rhyme used in sonnets
sonnets you tweet
tweet something universal about vampires
vampires who suck words
words you should ixnay
ixnay what you write
write in zig zag
zig zag to the end

Here's how you sign ZIG ZAG:

Here's how to sign THE END:  

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Poetry Month Mash-Up: Day Twenty-Five

Y is for You

I can't believe I made it through the first 24 days of A to Z Poetry Month without missing a day and then I go and blow it on the 25th day!!  So close and yet so far - but yesterday, life just got in the way!  Because we have Sundays off for good behavior, I'm going to post my poem today instead.  


Rena challenged us to "write a poem about yourself".  I have a busy day ahead - again - so I'm going to post an old poem.  The last time I was asked to write a poem about myself was for an English class in my Sophomore year of college - just a few years ago :-)  I wrote it on a cocktail napkin the night before it was due - some things never change (the cocktails and the procrastination)!  Here it is in all it's original glory:

I think I'm too short.

My friends say, "Yes"

My mom says, "No"

I think I'm too fat.

My friends say, "Yes"

My mom says, "No"

I think I talk too much.

My friends say, "Yes"

My mom says, "No"

I think I'll move back home.

My friends say, "YES!"

My mom says, "NOOOO!"

Here's how to sign YOU:

 Here's how to sign NO:

 Here's how to sign YES:
 

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Poetry Month Mash-Up: Day Twenty-Three

Today, at On the Way to Somewhere, Rena Traxel's wonderful guest blogger, Debbie LaCroix, shared her wisdom about the five W's.  Check it out!  

W is for 'W' Words

When I was a wily child,

the tricks I played were naughty.

When I was a willful teen,

my attitude was haughty.

When I was winsome bride,

I tried hard not to show it,

When I was a watchful mom

I prayed I wouldn't blow it!

When I was a wistful mom

I missed my children dearly.

Now that I'm a wiser soul, 

I see the world more clearly.


Here's how to sign WORD:

Here's how to sign WISE:

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Poetry Month Mash-Up: Day Twenty-One

Rena's challenge for today is to "write a poem that depicts your universe that you think others could relate to."  Here's my poem:

U is for Universal

Life is like juggling and that is a fact.
Sometimes it feels like a balancing act!


Family and friends - my students, my boss,
Some of the "balls in the air" that I toss.



Shopping and cooking - laundry and cleaning,
Picking up poops in the yard - so demeaning!



Writing, revising then writing some more,
Counting rejections - but, who's keeping score?


Going to conferences, workshops and meetings,
Taking a break makes me feel like I'm cheating.


Updating websites and posting on blogs
In between feeding and walking my dogs


Twitter and Facebook -  a new "friend" request,
Next off to LinkedIn and then Pinterest!


Finally, exhausted, I lay down to sleep,
I count all my blessings, and then I count sheep!

Here's how to sign UNIVERSAL:

Here's how to sign UNIVERSE:

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Poetry Month Mash-Up: Day Fourteen

Today at the A to Z Poetry Challenge, Rena has asked us to write a poem about nature.  I looked out my window at all the pretty yellow "flowers" and I knew what I had to write.  This poem is sad but true - for the most part!

N is for Nature

Weed it and Reap

 
I work the soil and dig some holes,

I gently plant the seeds.

I water them, then watch and wait,

but all I get are weeds!

Here's how to sign NATURE: 

Here's how to sign PLANT:

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Poetry Month Mash-Up: Day Ten

J is for Jingle                         

Just got home and I'm feeling the pressure of having to write a poem for day eleven of the A to Z Poetry Challenge!  Rena's challenge for today is to "write a jingle that promotes your blog, website or yourself."  Yikes!  I started writing a complicated ad then a quick, easy one popped into my head - thank goodness!!  Here it is, along with the original jingle from the 60s.

                  

                         

When habitual rhyming's got you in a tizzy, 

Just plop yourself down and write something fizzy!

Wrote this, post this,

Oh what a relief it is!

Wrote this, post this,

Oh what a relief this is!

Here's how to sign COMMERCIAL:

Here's how to sign RELIEF:

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Poetry Month MashUp: Day Four

I had such a busy day today, I didn't have time to start a poem from scratch - it may be a lame excuse but - oh well!  Instead, I took an old joke and turned it into a poem.  Here it is:

D is for Doctor  

I think I need a doctor 'cause I've got this awful pain.

It hurts no matter where I press - it's driving me insane!

I told him, "Every place I touch, the pain is sharp, then lingers."

He said, "My diagnosis is - you simply broke your finger!"

Here's how to sign DOCTOR:

Here's how to sign DIAGNOSIS: