7-Minute Poetry Challenge #13--Smell That Smell . . .
P. U. what stinks?
Which sense is most important?
My Internet research session determined, that the sense of smell wins hands-down . . .
Or, should we say noses-pinched . . .
Why? Smell lingers longer in our minds, and is more closely linked to memory than our other senses.
"Smell is the sense most linked to our emotional recollection."
It follows that tapping into our sense of smell would inspire a more visceral response to our poetry, and this give it more impact.
Easy to say, but hard to do, right?
Why is it so easy to describe things in terms of how they look, feel, taste, sound, but so hard to describe how they smell? Beats me. Let’s give it a try anyway.
Poetry Challenge #13
Smell That Smell . . .
Take a moment to recall a smell. Now write a poem describing it—without comparing it to another smell.
I agree, this challenge stinks…
Futhermore, or What Curious Minds Want to Nose:
For some science behind smells, click here: Psychology and Smell http://www.fifthsense.org.uk/psychology-and-smell/
For a Rockin' inspirations, click here: Lynyrd Skynyrd Band singing Smell That Smell
For 19 more about smells, click here: "Fascinating Facts About Smells"
*Cindy Faughnan and I began this 7-Minute Poetry Challenge at least 630 days ago. We now take turns creating our own prompts to share with you. If you join us in the 7-Minute Poetry Challenge be sure to let us know by posting the title, a note, or if you want, the whole dang poem, in the comments!
Want the 7-Minute Stretch sent to your email? Click on SUBSCRIBE to receive email notification when entries are posted on Kelly's Fishbowl
7-Minute Poetry Challenge #12-I Like . . . I Love . . .
Brown paper packages tied . . .
I like it! I love it! I want some more of it!
That song by Tim McGraw popped into my head when I read this week's poetry challenge. (I hope that's what you're thinking too, if you clicked over for this week' challenge!) And then, after reading the challenge, Julie Andrews, the Von Trapp kids and a thunder storm chimed in--image the cacophony!
Whiskers on . . .
If you're just joining us, welcome! (And if Tim McGraw's song's not your speed, dial up some Sound of Music, grab a pen and let's go:
Raindrops on . .
Poetry Challenge #12
I like…I love…
List five small things that make you really happy. It could be a thrush singing, hot fudge, a puppy, anything. Add specific details to each thing. Make yourself smile. Try to use alliteration (same beginning sounds). Rearrange them until they’re in the best order for your poem.
Set the timer for 7 minutes.
Start writing!
Don’t think about it too much; just do it.
For Inspiration take a listen:
*Cindy and I began this 7-Minute Poetry Challenge more than 620 days ago. We now take turns creating our own prompts to share with you. If you join us in the 7-Minute Poetry Challenge be sure to let us know by posting the title, a note, or if you want, the whole dang poem, in the comments!
Want the 7-Minute Stretch sent to your email? Click on SUBSCRIBE to receive email notification when entries are posted on Kelly's Fishbowl
7-Minute Poetry Challenge #10-And To Think That I Saw It . . .
Kudos Friends for clicking over. If you've been following along, you will notice I have changed the title of this series. It is still a strrrrretch I'm hoping you're up for it!
Recently, in light of our collective efforts to be more culturally sensitive, this book (which was brought to mind by the title of this prompt) is being banned because a mural in the Dr. Suess Museum depicted a scene from this book has been deemed racist. The mural, or that section of the mural, is being replaced. I am not sure where this leaves this first book by the beloved Dr. Seuss. To read or not to read it, is a question for you to decide. To ban it is shut the door on an important conversation.
(As Theo is long gone, he can't weigh in on the discussion.)
And still only a 7-minute commitment. I just shortened the title so we could get to the Challenge faster. Here goes (courtesy of Cindy*) Grab a pen for Big #10!
Poetry Challenge #10
AND TO THINK THAT I SAW IT . . .
List 10 or more things you saw on the bus or in the car this morning on your way to work or school. Or take a walk and list things you see. Pick 5 of the things and put one on each line. Add detail or metaphor (it looks like a…it is as ___ as a ___).
If you can get a friend to do this with you, put your two poems together when you’re both done. Switch every other line. Then read the poem and see if you want to move some lines around to get it in a better order or change some words to make it rhyme (or not rhyme) or sound better.
And if you have more than one friend do this, even better!
Set the timer for 7 minutes.
Start writing!
Don’t think about it too much; just do it.
*Cindy and I began this 7-Minute Poetry Challenge more than 600 days ago. We now take turns creating our own prompts to share with you. If you join us in the 7-Minute Poetry Challenge be sure to let us know by posting the title, a note, or if you want, the whole dang poem, in the comments!
Want the 7-Minute Stretch sent to your email? Click on SUBSCRIBE to receive email notification when entries are posted on Kelly's Fishbowl
7-Minute Stretch #7 Poetry Challenge-Mixing It Up
In a recent “Chat” to her band of merry (and sometimes not) writers—of which I’m happy to be included—Book Doctor, Robyn Conley, wrote suggesting how, especially in difficult times, we could and should encourage kindness.
To that end, she asked us to share stories of times when we entered a situation or encountered a person with one belief and came away with another. Has that ever happened to you? It has me.
“Diversity: “The condition of having or being composed of differing elements :variety; especially: the inclusion of different types of people (such as people of different races or cultures) in a group or organization.”
Poetry Challenge #7
Mixing it UP
For today’s challenge, look around your space and pick out two completely different objects (or people). Write a poem that begins with the differences between the two, and end by exploring how they are the same.
Set the timer for 7 minutes
Start writing!
Don’t think about it too much; just do it.
Write a poem, paragraph, or story. If the prompt moves you, follow it. If it sparks something else, go with it! Our 7-Minute Poetry Challenge is not about writing great poetry; or writing what is expected; it’s not even about writing anything good. It’s about one thing, writing IT!
And, if you do join us in the 7-Minute Poetry Challenge be sure to let us know by posting the title, a note, or if you want, the whole dang poem, in the comments!
Want the 7-Minute Stretch sent to your email? Click on SUBSCRIBE to receive email notification when entries are posted on Kelly's Fishbowl.
7-Minute Stretch #5 Poetry Challenge: What's that Noise?
If your tots haven't read this book, they are missing out--and so are you! Buy It!
A poll of incredibly interested 2,3 & 4 year-olds revealed noteworthy data: Their favorite part of my picture book, Not Norman, A Goldfish Story, was:
Not our spunky main character,
Not the brilliant story,
Not the delightful pictures,
Not . . . Norman???
It was the dark page toward the end of the story when our tad-bit-scared boy says, "What's that noise?"
Prompted by certain sounds, our minds take us places--interesting, provocative, visceral...scary places. Which leads me to this week's prompt. Let's use sounds to mess around with readers minds--and make our poetry...well...Sing
Poetry Challenge #5
What's That Noise?
Take a walk—around your house, a store, the school, or your neighborhood.
Write a poem about it. But, rather than focusing on what you see, focus on what you hear.
Extra points for using an onomatopoeia—or a few. In case you forgot: that’s a words that sound like the sound of the object it’s describing.
You know the drill:
Set the timer for 7 minutes
Start writing!
Don’t think about it too much; just do it.
Write a poem, paragraph, or story. If the prompt moves you, follow it. If it sparks something else, go with it! Our 7-Minute Poetry Challenge is not about writing great poetry; or writing what is expected; it’s not even about writing anything good. It’s about one thing, writing IT!
For Inspiration: Here's a poem chock full of sounds by Roger McGough
“The Sound Collector
A stranger called this morning
Dressed all in black and grey
Put every sound into a bag
And carried them away
The whistling of the kettle
The turning of the lock
The purring of the kitten
The ticking of the clock
The popping of the toaster
The crunching of the flakes
When you spread the marmalade
The scraping noise it makes
The hissing of the frying pan
The ticking of the grill
The bubbling of the bathtub
As it starts to fill
The drumming of the raindrops
On the windowpane
When you do the washing-up
The gurgle of the drain
The crying of the baby
The squeaking of the chair
The swishing of the curtain
The creaking of the stair
A stranger called this morning
He didn’t leave his name
Left us only silence
Life will never be the same
”
**Need/Want more inspirations? Here's a whole page of sound poems.
And, if you do join us in the 7-Minute Poetry Challenge be sure to let us know by posting the title, a note, or if you want, the whole dang poem, in the comments!
Want the 7-Minute Stretch sent to your email? Click on SUBSCRIBE to receive email notification when entries are posted on Kelly's Fishbowl.
7-Minute Stretch #4 Poetry Challenge-Counting by Words
Channeling the Von Trapp Family Singers today, sort of: Let's start at the very beginning. .. not with ABC or with Do-Re-Me, but with 1-2-3!
Poetry Challenge #4*
Counting by Words
Today's prompt was created for the math side of your brain, because it's a counting poem. Line 1 can have only 1 word. Line 2 can have 2 words. Line 3 can have 3 words, and so on. Keep going in that pattern up to line 10. Extra credit if you can work back down from 10.
If you’re stuck for a topic, write about something you can see right now or your favorite color.
You know the drill:
Set the timer for 7 minutes
Start writing!
Don’t think about it too much; just do it.
Write a poem, paragraph, or story. If the prompt moves you, follow it. If it sparks something else, go with it! Our 7-Minute Poetry Challenge is not about writing great poetry; or writing what is expected; it’s not even about writing anything good. It’s about one thing, writing IT!
*(This prompt was filched from Cindy Faughnan--with permission. We are tag teaming to create and complete challenges. Check out her website: wwwcindyfaughnan.com for more--including recipes!)
Want the 7-Minute Stretch sent to your email? Click on SUBSCRIBE to receive email notification when entries are posted on Kelly's Fishbowl.
7-MINUTE STRETCH: #2 Poetry Challenge-Easy as ABC
Know how sometimes just the thought of doing something will stop you cold? (Maybe, if you read the Challenge I tossed out in my last post, it did.) You are so not alone! I am not a poet. Worse, I'm a lousy poet. So you can believe 548+ days ago, when my mentor, author Mary Quattlebaum, sweetly suggested poetry might help my writing and suggested I "try" some poetry prompts, I wanted to run.
The only thing that kept me from say @#$*NO! and running away (aside from shame) was that timer.
That goofy, wonderful, shame-saving Timer
If you've been slogging through The Fishbowl for a while you know I'm all about the timer. My mom introduced us, my brother Joe and I, to the timer back when we were waist high. She used it for good and evil. If we wanted to do something (say play longer, stay up longer, swim longer) she'd say "I'll give you five minutes!" and actually mean it--I'm talking watch the timer and tap off seconds with your toe mean it."
Likewise, when we didn't want to do something (say clean, pick up, straighten up, grown up...) she set the timer. "Next commercial you clear the table, vacuum, dust, brush your teeth... Hurry or you'll miss the show!" Amazing how much we could accomplish during a commercial break. Rollin' Rollin' Rollin' keep them doggies rollin' Rawhide!"
Come on, give it a try. Grab a paper, pen, a timer and give it a go! You might surprise yourself!
Poetry Challenge #2
Back to School—ABC’s*
I remember the excitement of going back to school every year, both as a student and a teacher. Friends to see, things to learn, books to read! I barely slept the night before. Always, I loved getting back to the schedule of fall.
Write one line—five words—that begin in order with the letters A, B, C, D, E.
This line will be the first line of your poem.
Add four more lines. Try to begin line 2 with B, line 3 with C, line 4 with D, and line 5 with E.
That’s it!
Remember the rules:
Read the prompt
Set the timer for 7 minutes
Start writing!
Don’t think about it too much; just do it. Write a poem, paragraph, or story. If the prompt moves you, follow it. If it sparks something else, go with it! Our 7-Minute Poetry Challenge is not about writing great poetry; or writing what is expected; it’s not even about writing anything good. It’s about one thing, writing IT!
And, if you do join us in the 7-Minute Poetry Challenge be sure to let us know by posting the title, a note, or if you want, the whole dang poem, in the comments!
*(This prompt was filched from Cindy Faughnan's Sept 14th post--with permission. We are tag teaming to create and complete challenges. Check out her website: wwwcindyfaughnan.com for more--including recipes!)
Wanna keep in touch? Click on SUBSCRIBE to receive email notification when entries are posted on Kelly's Fishbowl.
7-MINUTE STRETCH:#1 Poetry Challenge-If You Dare...
I've got a proposition for you. A challenge. A dare. . .
The gauntlet to undertake a similar challenge was tossed to me by my writing bud, Cindy Faughnan, some 540 days ago--and I caught it! I can't say it has been easy, or convenient, but it has made me a better something?! Maybe it will you, too. So come on, try it! What have you got to lose?
7-Minute Poetry Challenge
Write a poem, a paragraph or a story in seven minutes. Here's how:
Read the prompt
Set the timer for 7 minutes
Start writing!
Don't think about it too much; just do it. If the prompt moves you, follow it. If it sparks something else, go with it! Our 7-Minute Poetry Challenge is not about writing great poetry; or writing what is expected; it's not even about writing anything good. It's about one thing, writing IT!
Challenge #1 The First Day
Gavin & Keira's 1st Day of School 2017
On the first day of school what things do you bring? A backpack? Pen? Paper? Maybe you’ll wear a new pair of jeans or shoes?
Think about it: Not only will it be your first day of school, it will be that “things” first day of school too. How do you think those “things” feel about going to school for the first time? Write a “First Day of School” poem from the point of view of one of those things.
Note: It can be the first day of anything. Just tell the story from the point of view of one of the thing you bring with you that first day.
For Inspiration read: SCHOOL'S FIRST DAY OF SCHOOL, written by Adam Rex and illustrated by Christian Robinson (Roaring Brook Press, 2016), the story of the first day of school as told by Fredrick Douglass Elementary—a brand new school building!
Gavin & Keira were up the the Challenge. As you can read below, Gavin's Binder shared. Keira's dress was "shy" on that first day:
If, like Keira & Gavin, you're up for the 7-Minute Poetry Challenge, please let us know by posting the title of your poem under "Comments". Or if you would like, share your poem (or whatever the prompt inspired you to create!) We would love to see IT!
This is only the beginning. Cindy and I will post a new challenge prompt once a week—every seven days. We invite you to take the 7-Minute Poetry Challenge with us.
And, please share our Challenge with your friends, students, classmates... (even those, like me, who are absolutely, positively, NOT poets!) After all, the state of the world being what it is, to paraphrase the Beatles: Poetry is All We Need!