Poetry Challenge #259-Catch Me a Catch
What are Dolly Madison, Yente, Headhunters…Literary Agents…best at? Matchmaking. Bringing people projects and products together! Without them many of us would be living little lonely unfulfilled—literarily-speaking anyway—existences. And I’m not the only one who believes this for today, August 31st is National Matchmaker Day, an entire day dedicated to celebrating Matchmakers who bring us together to help make happy endings happen.
Tzeitel! Hodel! Chava! Sing it Sisters: Matchmaker! Matchmaker! Make me a match/find me a find/catch me a catch…
Yente from Fiddler on the Roof , music by Jerry Bock, lyrics by Sheldon Harnick, and book by Joseph Stein,
Poetry Challenge #259
Catch Me a Catch
Peanut Butter and Jelly; Fried Chicken Feet and Movies; George and Gracie; Green Eggs and Ham—someone back in some long-forgotten time decided that these things would go together. Happy Endings!
Now it’s your turn. You are the Matchmaker in this prompt.
Your job is to bring two seemingly unconnected things together in a poem. For inspiration here’s an effort by Pablo Neruda:
Set the Timer for 7 Minutes!
Start Writing!
Don’t Think About it, just do it!
Amy and Mona, this one is for you!
Cindy Faughnan and I began this 7-Minute Poetry Challenge 2000+ days ago. Now we take turns creating prompts to share with you. Our hope is that creatives—children & adults—will use our prompts as springboards to word play time. 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 #258 Waffling
The largest waffle ever made weighed in at 50 kilograms, (110 pounds, 3.68 oz).
Tallest stack of waffles ever made stood 67 centimeters (2.19816273 feet) tall.
There are 1963 Waffle House Restaurants in the United States. (As of Aug 24, 2022)
Why do you need to know this?
Because it’s National Waffle Day (Aug 24th)!
While I’m pretty sure they mean the kind you eat, let’s think about another meaning of the word. Let’s think about when when you waffle between decisions.
Poetry Challenge #258
Waffling
Have you ever wanted to do two things at the same time but you had to pick one?
Have you ever held up the ice cream line while you decided which flavor?
Have you ever held two books, trying to decide which one to read next?
Write a poem where you argue with yourself. One line will talk about one decision you could make and the next line will tell why you want to do the opposite. Argue with yourself!
Add descriptive language so a reader can see how hard the decision is.
Set Your Timer for 7 Minutes
Start Writing!
Don’t Think About it, just do it! Waffle!
For more waffle fun, here are “12 Waffle Facts You’d be “Hard Pressed” to Find Anywhere Else” (except here) from www.foodbeast.com
Cindy Faughnan and I began this 7-Minute Poetry Challenge 2000+ days ago. Now we take turns creating prompts to share with you. Our hope is that creatives—children & adults—will use our prompts as springboards to word play time. 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 and sign up to receive email notifications from Kelly's blog (aka The Fishbowl):
All who subscribe, comment or share a poem will be entered in . . .
Poetry Challenge #257 Love Those Toes
If my feet are happy, everybody’s happy!
Beat the pavement!
Hit the road!
Ants go Marching…Hurrah! Hurrah!
Happy National I Love My Feet Day! (Aug 17th)
Poetry Challenge #257
Hi-Ho Hi-Ho Off to the Market We Go!
What’s in those Mystery Cans?
Imagine yourself off to the market to buy several items—on foot! Important items. Forgetting even one item on the list could mean big trouble for you—terrible terrible trouble. What do you do?
Make a list—but dang. No phone. That means making a mental list.
Turn the list into a poetic march by rearranging items into iambic feet: I am/I am/I am . . . Poet’s choice how many feet on each line.
You might need to change/substitute/rename some items on your list for others that follow fit the iambic pattern. Be creative.
Hint: numbers one through ten have one hard/stressed syllable. Pity the poet whose list includes eleven of anything.
When your poem if finished try marching it out…maybe all the way to the market!
Set Your Timer for 7 Minutes
Start Writing!
Don’t Think About it, just do it!
Be kind to your feet, for if you let them, they will take you far!
Cindy Faughnan and I began this 7-Minute Poetry Challenge 2000+ days ago. Now we take turns creating prompts to share with you. Our hope is that creatives—children & adults—will use our prompts as springboards to word play time. 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 and sign up to receive email notifications from Kelly's blog (aka The Fishbowl):
All who subscribe, comment or share a poem will be entered in . . .
Poetry Challenge#256 S'More Please?
When was the last time you made a s’more? Two points if you used the microwave. Seriously, it’s possible! When was the last time you made a s’more? Two points if you used the microwave. Seriously, it’s possible! Although lacking the depth of flavor of its fire-roasted nee charred campfire cooked flavor of the original graham cracker-marshmallow-chocolate concoction—microwave S’mores are mighty tasty. According to limited resources, the first S’more recipe was published in the 1927 guide, Tramping and Trailing with the Girl Scouts, when you’re finished you might want s’more. Happy S’More Day (Aug 10th)!
Poetry Challenge #256
S’more Please!
The original name for the campfire dessert created by sandwiching hot roasted marshmallow and chocolate between graham cracker squares was “Some More,” probably because that’s what anyone who ever tasted one said.
No telling when and who first slurred “Some Mores” into S’more, the Girl Scouts adopted the contracted name in the ‘70s. So let’s go with it.
Building on the name, S’more, write a poem about something you’ve only done once and would love to do again. And, in honor of the person, possibly talking around a mouthful of marshmallow, who first contracted “Some More” into “S’more,” use as many contractions in your poem as possible.
A contraction is made by replacing a letter or letters in a word with an apostrophe. Usually, a contraction uses the remaining letters of the original words. For inspiration, here’s a list of some uncommon contractions:
Set Your Timer for 7 Minutes
Start Writing!
Don’t Think About it, just do it!
When you’re finished whip up a batch of ooey-gooey s’mores and reread your poem while savoring s’more s’mores!
Cindy Faughnan and I began this 7-Minute Poetry Challenge 2000+ days ago. Now we take turns creating prompts to share with you. Our hope is that creatives—children & adults—will use our prompts as springboards to word play time. 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 and sign up to receive email notifications from Kelly's blog (aka The Fishbowl):
All who subscribe, comment or share a poem will be entered in . . .
Poetry Challenge #255-Watermelon Daze
It’s Watermelon Season! Watermelon at my local patch is selling for 3 cents a pound. 3 cents—pick your own. How could I resist? My favorite way to serve watermelon is as a salad. Cut the watermelon from the rind, cube it, toss it with fresh mint, lime juice and feta cheese crumbles—cool, crisp, tangy-and just a hint of salt…delish!
Ready for more?
Poetry Challenge #255
Watermelon Daze
One way to come up with an idea for a poem is to start with a noun. Today in honor of National Watermelon Day, August 3rd, let’s use WATERMELON.
Think of ways to describe a watermelon and jot them down—its color, shape, texture, taste, smell, use.
Think of ways to compare it to something else—it looks like…feels like…tastes like…
Think of what watermelon reminds you of—when, where, why, what memories do you have?
Finally, write a poem using the best things you discovered while you were answering the watermelon questions.
Set Your Timer for 7 Minutes
Start Writing!
Don’t Think About it, just do it!
Don’t forget to spit out the seeds!
Cindy Faughnan and I began this 7-Minute Poetry Challenge 2000+ days ago. Now we take turns creating prompts to share with you. Our hope is that creatives—children & adults—will use our prompts as springboards to word play time. 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 and sign up to receive email notifications from Kelly's blog (aka The Fishbowl):
All who subscribe, comment or share a poem will be entered in . . .
Poetry Challenge #254-Love is Kind
Because, as evidenced by our daily dose of news, kindness must be a learned behavior, July 27th has been designated National Love is Kind Day, a day set aside to “encourages you to become aware of how you are treating people, how people are treating you, and how you can become emboldened, supported, and empowered to lead the joyful and productive life.”
Poetry Challenge #254
Love Is Kind
Write an echo verse with “Love is Kind” as the theme.
An Echo Verse is one in which the last word or syllable in a line is repeated on the next line. In essence, that last word/sound is “echoed underneath to form a rhyming line, normally ending as the last line being the title to the poem.”
Below is an example of an Echo Poem YoungWriters.com.
Read it aloud and listen for the echo:
Set the theme of “Love is Kind” in your mind. Then, when you’re ready to begin:
Set Your Timer for 7 Minutes
Start Writing!
Don’t Think About it, just do it!
After all, every day—especially on Love is Kind Day—What the World Needs Now is Love Sweet Love by Burt Bacharach! Hit it Dionne!
Cindy Faughnan and I began this 7-Minute Poetry Challenge 2000+ days ago. Now we take turns creating prompts to share with you. Our hope is that creatives—children & adults—will use our prompts as springboards to word play time. 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 and sign up to receive email notifications from Kelly's blog (aka The Fishbowl):
All who subscribe, comment or share a poem will be entered in . . .
Poetry Challenge #253-Lolli-POP!
Lollipop, lollipop, oh lolly lollipop…
The very popular song Lollipop, written by Julius Dixson and Beverly Ross in 1958, used this line to ear worm its way onto #20 on the pop charts; and later, when the Chordettes covered it to #2 & #3 on Pop and R&B*
The song Lollipop originated when Julius Dixson was late for a songwriting session with Beverly Ross. He explained that his daughter had gotten a lollipop stuck in her hair, and that had caused him to be late. Ross was so inspired by the word "lollipop" that she sat down at the piano and produced a version of the song on the spot. —
Why the fixation on Lollipops? Because July 20th is National Lollipop Day, of course!
*Not to be confused with Lil Wayne’s Lollipop song: Lil Wayne - Lollipop (Audio) Ft. Static Major - YouTube
Here’s the perky Utube Video—Watch and Make this cute Lollies!
Poetry Challenge #253
Lolli-POP!
Lollipop, lollipop, oh lolly lollipop…
Read it aloud several times and listen to the L’s, the P’s, and the rolling rhythm.
Next, pick a different three-syllable word and make your own refrain, being sure to repeat a word or syllables.
Once you have your refrain, try to write at least 2 verses, repeating your refrain.
Set Your Timer for 7 Minutes
Start Writing!
Don’t Think About it, just do it!
All puckered up for a tasty read? Check out Rukhsana Khan’s Big Red Lollipop with art by Sophie Blackall.
Cindy Faughnan and I began this 7-Minute Poetry Challenge 2000+ days ago. Now we take turns creating prompts to share with you. Our hope is that creatives—children & adults—will use our prompts as springboards to word play time. 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 and sign up to receive email notifications from Kelly's blog (aka The Fishbowl):
All who subscribe, comment or share a poem will be entered in . . .
Poetry Challenge #252-There Was a Good Old Cow . . .
A few years back on a tour of Margaret River, Australia’s wine region (near Perth), instead of the expected—kangaroos, wallabies, boomerangs—we stumbled onto painted cows. Everywhere! Along with the cows was some utterly ridiculous Moo-ology. (If you’re curious, I wrote an article about being on the Margaret River Cow Parade entitled “Where’s the Cow, Mate?” for Now! Jakarta Magazine. Moooore on that in the magazine (which I highly recommend!)
For today, because it’s National Cow Appreciation Day, July 13th, here’s some Moo-ology:
“MOO-OLOGY FROM MARGARET RIVER
Cow-operation for co-operation
Sh-udder, as in “I sh-udder to think about it.”
Cow-herd, as in “don’t be such a cow-herd, try some more…”
Cow-L-neck, as in “I’m chilly; I think I’ll change into my cow-L-neck sweater.”
Curd-yah, as in “curd-yah please mooove out of the way, I’m trying to snap a picture.”
Let’s moooooooove it!
Better hoof it on out a here. Cheers, Mate!”
Poetry Challenge #242
It Was a Good Old Cow . . .
Write an elegy about a cow. An elegy is a poem or song expressing sadness or grief. Write your elegy in three parts.
An elegy is lyrical but does not necessarily rhyme.
Part #1 Express grief
Part #2 Praise for the departed
Part #3 Comfort and support
If you’re at a loss as to how to begin, begin with this snippet of an elegy my mom used to sing to my brother and me on road trips:
It was a good old cow . . .
Set Your Timer for 7 Minutes
Start Writing!
Don’t Think About it, just do it!
And if you’re really keen on cows, this month’s Visual Verse Anthology prompt might really mooove you… But hurry, submissions must be in by July 15th!
Cindy Faughnan and I began this 7-Minute Poetry Challenge 2000+ days ago. Now we take turns creating prompts to share with you. Our hope is that creatives—children & adults—will use our prompts as springboards to word play time. 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 and sign up to receive email notifications from Kelly's blog (aka The Fishbowl):
All who subscribe, comment or share a poem will be entered in . . .