Poetry Challenge #142-You Can Say That Again...
“Play it again, Sam!”
Today is National Repeat Day! (What? Care to repeat that?) Today is National Repeat Day. As if we need an excuse, it’s a day set aside for folks to “seek out activities and experiences” to do over again. Repeating a root canal or Hurricane Katrina are not suggested for this day.
Celebrate by repeating some of the tasks of the day. Wash the dishes twice. Make the same meal for lunch as you do for supper. Watch Groundhog Day twice.
Send duplicate text messages. Or? As the saying goes “If it’s worth doing once; it’s worth doing again,” or if you’d prefer Bogie: “Play it again, Sam!” (Even though, in Casablanca, he never actually said that.)
Poetry Challenge #142
You Can Say That Again! . . . “That”
Repetition can be used in poetry in many ways. You can repeat a sound like a long o sound or an l or t sound.
You can repeat a word several times in the poem like the word “bells” in a famous poem by Edgar Allan Poe.
You can repeat a phrase or a whole line. Or you can repeat a verse like the refrain in a song.
Choose a way to repeat from the list above and write a poem that uses some repetition.
Set your timer for 7 minutes
Start writing!
Don’t think about it too much; just do it!
just do it! just do it! just do it! just do it! just do it!
Cindy Faughnan and I began this 7-Minute Poetry Challenge MORE THAN 1500 days 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.
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Poetry Challenge #141-Grape Popsicles!
It rarely freezes in San Francisco, but boy, when it does . . . Grape Popsicle!
Here’s the story: in 1905, 11-year old Frank Epperson “was outside on his porch, mixing water with a powdered flavoring to make soda. Upon going inside, he left it there on the porch with the stirring stick still in it. That night something that rarely ever happens in San Francisco happened: temps dipped below freezing! The following morning, Frank discovered the drink frozen to the stick.”—NPR July 22, 2015
Popsicles are now as much a part of summertime as, well, the sun! Who hasn’t sat on the steps hot afternoons slurping ice treats? Trying to catch the sweet syrup as it dripped down your hand. Or maybe you’ve made your own popsicles, the way we did. We used to fill ice cube trays with whatever sweet drink was on hand: cola, root beer, Kool aid, lemonade—and yes sometimes grape juice—stick in toothpicks for sticks and wha-lah! What about you? What memories come to mind when you think of popsicles? What was your favorite flavor? Grape?
Poetry Challenge #141
Popsicle Daze
In recognition of National Grape Popsicle Day (May 27th), write a Tongue Twister about Popsicles. A tongue twister is a phrase that’s hard to say multiple times in quick succession or sometimes even once. Sally sells seashells by the sea shore and Peter Piper picked a peck of pickled peppers are two tried trustworthy tongue twisters.
Tongue Twister Tips:
There are three key elements in the twistiest tongue twister: alliteration, consonance & confusion.
· Alliteration: words that begin with the same-sound. Lucky Lucy liked_____tricky twisters twist ____.
· Consonance: repeated consonants within a word or phrase. Think "pitter patter" “slippy splinter splitter”…
· Confusion: Fool the reer’s eye and trip up their tongue with consonant combinations that are almost the same, but not… as in soldier’s shoulder or chains clang. And change the endings of words—s ending are really slippery.
With these elements in mind, begin by brainstorming phrases that come to mind with you say grape or popsicle. Listen . . . I think I hear the ice cream truck now!
Set your timer for 7 minutes
Start writing!
Don’t think about it too much; just do it!
Cindy Faughnan and I began this 7-Minute Poetry Challenge MORE THAN 4 YEARS 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.
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Poetry Challenge #140-ARRRRROOOOO! for Rescue Dogs!
Have you ever rescued a dog or do you know a rescue dog? The ones I know are wonderful—and lucky. They have nice homes after starting out in less than perfect situations. They’re smart and happy and full of love.
Poetry Challenge #140
ARRRRROOOOO! for Rescue Dogs!
In honor of National Rescue Dog Day*, celebrated every 20th of May, write an ode to a rescue dog. An ode is short poem praising something. Think about what that rescue dog looks like, acts like, sounds like, anything that makes the dog special. You can write it to your dog friend if you want!
Set your timer for 7 minutes
Start writing!
Don’t think about it too much; just do it!
Along with writing an ode to rescue dogs, here are other ways to celebrate & share the “puppy love” with a big ARRRRROOOOOO Donny Osmond style!
*National Rescue Dog Day was founded by Tails that Teach to honor “the honor the inspiring ways rescue dogs become a part of the human family and increase awareness about the number of dogs in shelters.” Here are some ways you can celebrate:
Volunteer at your local shelter. Taking dogs for walks, grooming and giving them plenty of affection improves their socialization.
Shelters always need donations. Financial donations are always welcome. Most shelters have a list of constant needs, such as blankets, bleach, toys, treats, and leashes.
If there is room in your life for a rescue dog, consider adoption and giving one a forever home.
Consider fostering. Many dogs abandoned to shelters require some medical care or rehabilitation in a home setting before an adoption can take place.
Remember to spay and neuter your pets. Overpopulation is the number one reason shelters exist.
Trick your old dog into thinking it’s new with treats like these vitamins from topdogvitamins.com
Share your Ode to A Rescue Dog on social media, use #NationalRescueDogDay
Cindy Faughnan and I began this 7-Minute Poetry Challenge MORE THAN 4 YEARS 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.
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Poetry Challenge #139-It Jumped How Far?
Three Ribbits for National Frog Jumping Day! Ribbit! Ribbit! Ribbit!
As long as toad have been croaking, frogs (and kids) have been jump-jump-jumping!
And, every May 13th, in honor of Mark Twain’s first published short story, Jim Smiley and His Jumping Frog (better known as The Celebrated Jumping Frog of Calaveras County or The Notorious Jumping Frog of Calaveras County) folks have been celebrating frog jumping day.
According to the Guinness Book of Records, the longest frog jump on record is 1.21 m (3 ft 11.64 in)—compared to the frog jumps recorded at the Calaveras County Frog Jumping Jubilee, a mere hop. The 2019 Calaveras Country winner “The Webbed One” jumped 18 feet 6 inches! Seeing a frog jump that far is surely the stuff of poetry!
Poetry Challenge #139
It Jumped How Far?
Let’s invoke the spirit of Mark Twain by writing a hyperbolic poem about a long-high-far jumping frog, or a person who jumps like a frog, or a frog-jumping contest—creator’s choice. Hyperbole means “gross exaggeration for effect” so we’re not talking tiny hops, make those frog JUMP!
See how many words for jump you can include in the poem. And don’t forget to add in a ribbit or three!
Set your timer for 7 minutes
Start writing!
Don’t think about it too much; just RIBBIT! (That means “do it!” in frog.)
Cindy Faughnan and I began this 7-Minute Poetry Challenge MORE THAN 4 YEARS 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.
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Poetry Challenge #138-I Love You, You're Perfect, Now Change
“I can’t write five words but that I change seven”—Dorothy Parker
“I love revisions...We can't go back and revise our lives but being allowed to go back and revise what we have written comes closest.”—Katherine Paterson.
Poetry Challenge #138
I Love You, You’re Perfect, Now Change!
One of the best things to do to make a poem better is revise it.
First, read your poem aloud. If it sounds good, reads well, great! Now try to make it even better by doing the following:
Can you replace weak words with more visual words? Words like “that” or “was” or “is” can usually be replaced with something stronger. Try to make every word count.
Listen to the sounds of each word. Is there a sound that’s repeated in your poem? Can you replace words to add more of that sound?
Read your poem very slowly. Pause at the end of each line. Is that the best word to end on? Play with your line lengths and with punctuation. Make readers read it the way you want them to.
Repeat these steps until you’re satisfied and then read the poem once more aloud.
Happy revising!
“Every success story is a tale of constant adaption, revision and change”—Sir Richard Branson
Cindy Faughnan and I began this 7-Minute Poetry Challenge MORE THAN 4 YEARS 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.
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Poetry Challenge #137- XYZipppppper!
Two Part Question: 1. Did you wear a coat or pants today? 2. How did you clasp the front closed?
If your answer to the second part was “I zipped up!” Then put on your party hat and let’s here it for Elias Howe!* It’s National Zipper Day!
Elias Howe’s first zipper wasn’t called a zipper. When Howe filed his patent in 1851, it was for an “Automatic, Continuous Clothing Closure.” But …Howe never tried to market or sell his invention, so it wasn’t until 42 year later when Whitcomb Judson patented a fastener similar to but not exactly the same called the “Clasp Locker.” Judson debuted his clasp locker at the Chicago World’s Fair in 1893. But… people were too zipped up at that time to fathom doing away with button hooks and laces, so nothing came of it.
Finally, in 1917, a fella who worked at the company Judson founded, Gideon Sundback invented the “Separable Fastener.” Folks like it, but…no one knew quite what to do with it. Apparently, the trouble was all in the name. It wasn’t until 1923 when B. F. Goodrich tried the danged zipper as a boot fastener and coined the name that stuck. Which brings us to our prompt.
Poetry Challenge #137
XYZ: Xamine Your ZZZipppppper!
Back in my school yard days, whenever a friend forgot to zip his or her pants, we’d call out with a helpful XYZ! Let’s begin by doing exactly that. By design a zipper is “two facing-rows of teeth that pull into a single piece by the slider.”
In honor of National Zipper Day let’s choose two different sets of words and link them together—zip them—into a poem.
Begin with two words. But, just as zipping a snug pair of jeans isn’t easy, let’s not make this poem come together too easily. Choose two words that do not seem at all connected. For instance: Tire & Popcorn; Carnival & Pencil; Snow & Tabasco. You get the idea.
Write each word on one side of a paper. Now, BRAINSTORM, list 5 or more words that relate to each of those words.
Weave, link, fasten—ZIP these words together into a one poem. Extra points for physically arranging the poem into a zipper shape on the page.
Or, write about riding THE BIG ZIPPER
Set your timer for 7 minutes
Start writing!
Don’t think about it too much; just do it!
Ready! Set! X.Y.Z.
*That zipper isn’t the only thing about those clothes for which we have good ole Elias to thank. He also invented the sewing machine. Without him, instead of a closets & drawers full of clothes to choose from, we might be scrounging around in hand-sewn sacks tied with string—zip it pontificator, stick to the subject!
Cindy Faughnan and I began this 7-Minute Poetry Challenge MORE THAN 4 YEARS 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.
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Poetry Challenge #136-Happy 50th Earth Day
The first Earth Day was April 22, 1970—fifty years ago! It is now celebrated by millions of people all over the world who care about our planet.
Check out One Square Inch of Silence which was founded on Earth Day in 2005 to find out how you can participate in expanding naturally silent spaces around the globe.
“The concept of Earth Day was established in 1969 at a UNESCO Conference in San Francisco. On March 21, 1970, a sanctioned Proclamation was signed by Secretary General U Thant at the United Nations. On April 22, 1970, U.S. Senator Gaylord Nelson founded Earth Day.”—National Day Calendar.
On this day each year—for the past 50 years—people around the world, promote green campaigns to save the Earth.
Poetry Challenge #136
Happy Earth Day
One way to celebrate our world is to write a poem about it. Because haiku is usually written about nature, today is a great day to write one (or two or three).
Haiku usually has three lines with 5 syllables on the first and third line and 7 syllables on the second.
Think about what you most appreciate about Earth on this Earth Day and write a haiku celebrating that trait.
Set your timer for 7 minutes
Start writing!
Don’t think about it too much; just do it!
Share your Earth Day experiences using #EarthDay on Social Media.
Cindy Faughnan and I began this 7-Minute Poetry Challenge MORE THAN 4 YEARS 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.
Click on Fishbowl link below and sign up to receive email notifications from Kelly's blog (aka The Fishbowl):
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Poetry Challenge #135-Bird Therapy During this Time of CoVid
Stop! Listen! What’s that Sound? Everybody look what’s flitting round! *
Birds! Hear them? See them? Now, in this time of CoVid-19 mandated Lockdown, with most human-made noises stilled and human activity slowed, Birds are everywhere! (Or were they always everywhere and we were too busy to notice?) I’m noticing now!
There’s something therapeutic about watching birds flutter and flit about, calling to each other—especially now when we humans are trapped in our cages and the birds are free. For today’s post, let’s send our imaginations winging with the birds.
7-Minute Poetry Challenge #135
Bird Song Therapy
Position yourself in a quiet spot with your eyes and ears tuned to the world beyond your window and listen to the birds. What are they singing about? Are they greeting each other? Squabbling? Sharing news of the world—just learning to tweet?
See if you can track the bird songs to a specific bird or clump of birds. If not, close your eyes and imagine yourself amongst the birds.
Nestlings in sis-in-law Liz’s pansies.
Write a poem about what you’re seeing—and most especially hearing.
Incorporate the sounds and rhythm of the birds into your poem to make it sing!
Set your timer for 7 minutes
Start writing!
Don’t think about it too much; just do it!
Join Audobon Alaska’s Bird Poetry party. Each week a new bird poem prompt is posted. Try it! Submit it! Submissions will be published. And, what’s more! Each week’s poems are mashed to create a collective poem. #AudubonAlaska
*Stop Children by Buffalo Springfield Utube:
**For more “Bird Therapy in CoVid” click over to Audubon Alaska’s “Birdy Care Package” with glorious photographs, activities—for kid’s too—games & videos—complete with song…& bird poetry! Bird Poetry Corner features a new prompt each week.
Cindy Faughnan and I began this 7-Minute Poetry Challenge MORE THAN 4 YEARS 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.
Click on Fishbowl link below and sign up to receive email notifications from Kelly's blog (aka The Fishbowl):
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Audubon Alaska
Audubon Alaska’s “Bird Therapy in CoVid”: https://ak.audubon.org/covid-19-Relief
Audubon Alaska’s Poetry Corner: https://ak.audubon.org/education/bird-poetry-corner
*Stop Children by Buffalo Springfield Utube: