Poetry Month - Day 30: Hooray!!

I'd be lying if I said I'm sad to see Poetry Month come to an end.  I'd also be lying if I said it wasn't a lot of fun!  I know my poems weren't the greatest poems ever written - not even close!  But I'm proud of myself for getting them done - and on time!

A fellow writer, Marcie Flinchum Atkins, started a series on her blog called We're All in This Together.  For the series, she asks writers to share their experiences to help other writers.  Last week, Marcie asked us to share how we find time to write.  I didn't submit anything because I couldn't think of anything to write.  

But, in reflecting on this month's writing challenge, I thought of my answer - I find time to write when I have an obligation and limited time! If I hadn't publicly announced my goal of writing a poem a day, I would have let myself off the hook on several occasions!  There were nights I'd realize it was 9:00 and I'd forgotten to write my poem!  I'd have to get it written before going to sleep and I'd have to work in the morning.  If not for the possibility of public humiliation (ok, I'm being a bit dramatic), I may have gone several days without writing.

So, here is my last poem of the month, using a word I chose for myself - well, three words really:

In thirty days and thirty nights
were thirty poems I vowed to write.

For every poem, a friend would choose
a random word I'd have to use.

To write a verse and rhyme the word,

which sometimes made my poems absurd!

I tried to make the poems funny.

Sometimes I was on the money.

Other times, my poems weren’t great,

but none of them were posted late!

And now my April challenge ends

So thanks again to all my friends!!

I’m finished now.  Tomorrow’s May!
Until next year . . . Hip Hip Hooray!!

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Poetry Month - Day 29: Aleatory

Penny Klostermann strikes again! This time, she threw the word Aleatory at me! Never heard it before and had no idea what to do with it so I used a tricky way to get around it. I think it's a poet's prerogative!

Aleatory

If I’ve never heard the word, Aleatory,

then how could I use it to tell a good story?

I looked up its meaning so I’d understand

It means “by coincidence; something unplanned”.

To me, it sounds more like an awful disease.

Like something that brings on a cough or a sneeze.

Or maybe a legal word, used by a lawyer.

Or something received by your former employer.

It could be a building where scientists work.

Or something describing a guy who’s a jerk.

It might be the space running in between homes.

Or maybe the hats worn by cute garden gnomes.

Or how ‘bout a building where people go bowling.

Or paths in the park, where a family goes strolling.

It may be the smell seeping out from the trash.

Perhaps its a word that describes someone’s rash.

But, aleatory means “by happenstance”.

I think Penny thought of it purely by chance!

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Poetry Month - Day 28: Jr. High

My childhood friend, Sally, suggested Jr. High as my word for today. Sally and I met in Jr. High and lost touch for several decades, until we reconnected on Facebook. To me, that's one of the best parts about Facebook - reconnecting with old friends! Thinking back on my years at Locust Jr. High reminded me of what an angsty (real word?) time Jr. High is!

Jr. High

It’s do or die

in Junior High.

You need to have thick skin.

From what you say

to what you weigh,

there’s pressure to fit in.

The latest clothes.

The cutest nose.

It’s superficial stuff.

The tightest blouse.

The biggest house.

It never is enough.

There’ll always be

the ones who see

the worst in everyone.

But who’s to say,

their way’s the way

that things should all be done?

So, just be you

and you’ll undo

the need to fit some mold.

And then you’ll see

you’re free to be

a treasure to behold!

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My Mea Culpa

My Mea Culpa

I had the best intentions

I really meant to do it

I hoped to write a poem a day

and on day two - I blew it!

April is Poetry Month - DUH!

What kind of habitual rhymer forgets poetry month?  I'm going to use being in Las Vegas when April began as my excuse.  It's lame - I know!  In honor of Poetry Month, I'll post a new poem everyday - starting today.  I'll also include fun poem-writing ideas I've found in various places.  So, my poem for April 3rd is called a Book Spine Poem.  April Halprin Wayland mentioned it in today's blog post at Teaching Authors.  She got the idea from Travis Jonker, an elementary school librarian and he wrote about it on the Association for Library Service to Children (ALSC) blog.  I copied this off the blog: 


How do you create your own?  Here are my tips for kids and teens:
1. Check out last year’s book spine poem gallery for inspiration.
2. Once you’re in the library, start looking at titles to see what strikes you. Arrange and rearrange in your head. The best part of this type of poetry is the fact that you don’t know where you’ll end up.
3. Have a pencil and paper with you to write down titles that stand out – you can go back to them later.
4. Don’t be afraid to use the library catalog to search for titles with exact words or phrases that you want.

As promised, here's a book spine poem I wrote tonight:

What am I doing here

Lost in the cosmos?

Beginning to see the light

With a little help from my friends - 

Heroes!

Give it a try and, when you do, post it here for others to read!  

Happy Poetry Month!!

Happy First Birthday To My Blog!

In honor of my blog's first birthday (and Poetry Month), I'm giving away a free critique!!  Because prose is not my thing, I'm only accepting rhyming manuscripts.  Writers of prose will thank me for this.  Here's a little poem I wrote about it:

My blog's been up for one whole year,
The time for celebration's here!

If it's a free critique you seek,
congratulations - it's your week!

So, now I bet you're asking "How?"
Just read the rules - yes, read them now!

Rules:
You'll receive one entry for doing each of the following:

• Post a comment saying you want to enter 
• Write a little poem and include it in your comment
• Post a link to this post on your blog

Entries will be accepted until midnight (CST), April 9th.  The winner will be chosen, at random, on April 10th and I'll post the winner here.

Good Luck!!

Poems by Arnold Spilka and me

I found a poem by Arnold Spilka that reminded me of a poem I wrote my Freshman year in college. Here's Mr. Spilka's poem:

DON'T TELL ME THAT I TALK TOO MUCH!

Don't tell me that I talk too much!
Don't say it!
Don't you dare!
I only say important things
Like why it's raining where.
Or when or how or why or what
Might happen here or there.
And why a thing is this or that
And who is bound to care.
So don't tell me I talk too much!
Don't say it!
DON'T YOU DARE!


Here's my poem. The assignment was to write a poem about myself as an introduction to the other students in class. All the other poems were really serious - oops!


FRESHMAN'S LAMENT

I think I'm too short.
My friends say "Yes". My mother says "No".
I think I'm too fat.
My friends say "Yes". My mother says "No".
I think I talk too much.
My friends say "Yes". My mother says "No".
I think I'll move back home.
My friends say "YES!", my mother says "NOOOO!".

Poetry Month - better late than never!

It's poetry month and I'm two weeks behind.
I know that I blew it - I hope you don't mind.
Beginning right now, I'll post one poem each day,
I promise my 'real life' won't get in the way.
So send me your poems that are written in rhyme,
And I'll do my best to make up for lost time!