Poetry Challenge #154-That's Puzzling?!

Shirley Ellis was the Queen of rocking song games: The Name Game, The Clapping Game, 3-6-9 Song, and the inspiration for today’s poetry challenge, The Puzzle Song (A Puzzle in Song), 1965. Definitely a tongue twister which posed a lot of questions:

To who do you do the thing to do
When it's time to do it
No matter to who
But there's nobody there to do it but you
And what isn't that has to be done
Is a puzzle in song

Now how do you know
If you know how to do
Whatever it is to be done by you
If there's nobody there to do it to
And what isn't that has to be done
Is a puzzle in song

Peter Piper picked a peck of pickled peppers
Can't compare with trying to figure out the puzzle song
Holding your tongue
And saying molasses on the table isn't as hard
As trying to figure out the puzzle song

Supposing you find the answer to
To who do you do the thing to do
The puzzle is still is a puzzle to you
Is what isn't that has to be done
Is a puzzle in song.

—”A Puzzle in Song” lyrics, Shirley Ellis

Poetry Challenge #154

That’s Puzzling?!

In the spirit of The Puzzle Song write a stanza poem that does one of two things:

1. Answers the questions posed by Shirley

2. Poses questions for the reader to ponder.

In The Puzzle Song, sneaky Shirley inserted a refrain that begins with this familiar tongue twister: “Peter Piper picked a pepper.” That refrain seemingly has absolutely nothing to do with the anything, thus making it even more puzzling.

See if you can’t follow suit by breaking up your stanza with a nursery rhyme line refrain—which may or may not make sense. 

Have fun puzzling us with your poem!

Set Your Timer for 7 Minutes

Start Writing

Don’t Think Too Much About it; Just do it!

Take a listen: A Puzzle in Song sung by Shirley!

Cindy Faughnan and I began this 7-Minute Poetry Challenge more than 1570ish prompts ago! (without a miss!!!) We now take turns creating our own prompts to share with you. If you join us in the Challenge, let us know by posting the title, a note, or if you want, the whole poem in the comments. And scroll down for my happy news:

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