Poetry Challenge #41-Phone it In
It's pumpkin time! The leaves are blazing! Apples are hanging! Blossoms are giving their last gasp.
If, like me, you are itching to get out in it, call whomever you must and play! Nature awaits. But…
"Let your fingers do the walking / so you can do the talking." (FYI that's a phonebook.)
The Challenge can't!
At the risk of sounding like a telemarketer: All I'm asking for is seven minutes of your time—Okay, maybe 7 and a half—and your phone number. Here goes:
Poetry Challenge #41
Phone It In!
For this challenge, write your phone number (including the area code) down the page, one number on each line.
That number tells how many words you need to have on each line. Zeroes are wild; you can have any number of words on a zero line.
Get rid of the numbers for your final poem and add punctuation if you need it.
Once you have a draft, add or delete words to make the poem better. (The numbers were just to get you started.)
Here’s an example by Cindy from phone number.
Visiting St. Gaudens on a warm, summer day,
I write about nature and man-made art.
I look up
and into the woods, and hear
birds call. Crows, doves,
chickadees, and a pileated woodpecker. I mark the early
fall of leaves
and know that soon snow will cover
the grounds, burying everything in a shroud of
winter.
Now it’s your turn. Ring-a-Ling-Ding!
Set the timer for 7 minutes.
Start writing!
Don’t think about it too much; just do it.
Phone Home Playlist:
Operator by Jim Croce
Pennsylvania 6-5000 by The Glen Miller Band
Really Love to See You Tonight by England Dan & John Ford Coley
Image: Judy Holiday in “Bells are Ringing” my all-time fav. Watch this snippet!
Cindy Faughnan and I began this 7-Minute Poetry Challenge at least 2900 days ago. We now take turns creating our own prompts to share with you. If you join us in the 7-Minute Poetry Challenge let us know by posting the title, a note, or if you want, the whole dang poem. Scroll down and click on the comments!
Want the 7-Minute Poetry Challenge sent to your email? 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 #40-Kodochrome
When I think back on all the @#$! I learned in college* a disturbing experiment I learned about in PR 101 floats up: Subliminal Advertising.
(Okay, yes, maybe it came to mind because I’m feeling a tad guilty and extremely bloated after devouring— by the fistfuls—more than my half of the movie popcorn last night.)
Raise our popcorn buckets to naughty James Vicary (who may have falsified results.)
Short History Lesson: This idea of Subliminal Advertising came from a 1957 study by James Vicary, a market researcher who inserted the words "Eat Popcorn" and "Drink Coca-Cola" into a movie.
“The words appeared for a single frame, allegedly long enough for the subconscious to pick up, but too short for the viewer to be aware of it.”
The subliminal ads supposedly created an 18.1% increase in Coke sales and a 57.8% increase in popcorn sales.” This 2011 article from Business Insider, however, reported that the results Vicary reported were falsified. But the idea of Subliminal Advertising, that images and words can and do subconsciously influence us, is widely regarded as true.
Assuming it is, let the mind-bending commence:
Poetry Challenge #39
Kodachrome
Begin with some Words of Wisdom: select a quotation or adage from a book, the wall, or the Internet—or make up your own. For example:
“The Chief enemy of creativity is good sense.”—Pablo Picasso.
”All cats look grey at night”—Ben Franklin
”The only way to do great work is to love what you do. If you haven’t found it yet, keep looking.”—Steve Jobs”
In a blatant effort to subliminally impact readers—and maybe ourselves—let's hide those words of wisdom within the body of the poem. The trick is to insert the kernels of “wisdom” so deftly your reader doesn’t notice them. How?
Take out an unused piece of paper.
Working top to bottom, write the quotation down the center of the paper—one word to a line. As we are not creating an Acrostic poem, vary the position of the word on the lines.
Now write a poem around the words, thus "hiding" your message in a poem.
Set the timer for 7 minutes.
Start writing!
Don’t think about it too much; just do it.
My turn! Below is my not-so-subliminal message to YOU!
*Nod to Paul Simon’s Kodachrome (click and listen).
Cindy Faughnan and I began this 7-Minute Poetry Challenge at least 2900 days ago. We now take turns creating our own prompts to share with you. If you join us in the 7-Minute Poetry Challenge let us know by posting the title, a note, or if you want, the whole dang poem. Scroll down and click on the comments!
Want the 7-Minute Poetry Challenge sent to your email? 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 #39-SMILE!
What’s the most popular emoji?
If you answered “smiley face” you win! In fact, in a recent list of the “150 Most Popular Emoji” some variation of the smiley face dominates.
What you may not know is:
Harvey Ball, a commercial artist from Worcester, Massachusetts created the smiley face in 1963.
That image went on to become the most recognizable symbol of good will and good cheer on the planet.
Don't smile...don't even move...
As the years passed Harvey Ball became concerned about the over-commercialization of his symbol, and how its original meaning and intent had become lost in the constant repetition of the marketplace. Out of that concern came his idea for World Smile Day®.
Harvey thought that we, all of us, should devote one day each year to smiles and kind acts throughout the world. The smiley face knows no politics, no geography and no religion. Harvey’s idea was that for at least one day each year, neither should we. He declared that the first Friday in October each year would henceforth be World Smile Day®.
After Harvey died in 2001, the Harvey Ball World Smile Foundation was created to honor his name and memory. The Foundation continues as the official sponsor of World Smile Day® each year.
“A smile is the light in the window of your face that tells people you’re at home.”
“A smile is a frown turned upside down.”
Most children get 20 baby teeth, 10 on top, and 10 on the bottom. After those fall out, adult teeth grow in.
How many teeth do most adults have—or start out with, anyway?
Thirty-two. This includes 8 incisors, 4 cuspids, 8 bicuspids, and 8 molars and 4 wisdom teeth*
With that in mind, here’s a prompt to chew on:
Poetry Challenge #39
SMILE!
What makes you smile? How do you feel when someone smiles at you? What are some different kinds of smiles? Or what does a certain someone’s smile look like?
With smiles in mind, write a poem. But not just any poem, let’s stretch really wide for this one. Using bright white toofers as inspiration, write a 5-line poem with an 8-4-8-8-4 pattern: The first line will have eight syllables or words (your choice); the second, 4; the third, 8; the fourth, 8, the last 4—On the subject of smiles
And if you’re feeling creative, turn your Smile poem into a concrete poem by arranging the words so they look like a smile.
After all: “Life is more worthwhile when you smile!”
Set the timer for 7 minutes.
Start writing!
Don’t think about it too much; just do it.
“Smile: It's Free Therapy”—Douglas Horton. If that’s not enough reason to smile, here are 185 Adages about Smiles! Say Cheese!
Cindy Faughnan and I began this 7-Minute Poetry Challenge at least 2900 days ago. We now take turns creating our own prompts to share with you. If you join us in the 7-Minute Poetry Challenge let us know by posting the title, a note, or if you want, the whole dang poem. Scroll down and click on the comments!
Want the 7-Minute Poetry Challenge sent to your email? 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 #38-Picture This. . .
Joan of Arc’s was the face that launched a thousand ships:
Google "Joan of Arc" and 6,886 images pop up on one site. This one by an "unspecified" artist: Joan of Arc (Saint Joan c1412-1431) French national heroine during the Hundred Years' War between France and England. Joan entering Orleans in triumph, 1429. Nineteenth century Trade Card Chromolithograph'
Moving on…
In a 1910 promotion selling ads on trolly cars, Fred R Barnard wrote “A picture is worth a thousand words.”
And, in the immortal words of Rod Stewart and Ronnie Woods, “Every picture tells a story, don’t it?” Hmmmmm Let’s see . . .
Poetry Challenge #38
Picture This . . .
Find a picture. It can be of anything. Look at the picture. Study it. Notice not just the main subject, but the background, the colors, the feelings.
Now write about the picture. In other words, write an Ekphrastic Poem. It could be thoughts from one of the people or objects in the photo. It could be description. It could be a story.
So what ever else you do, be sure to use vivid details.
If you’re missing the picture, The New York Times has a resource with pictures to use as prompts. Here’s the link to NY Times Picture Prompts.
Set the timer for 7 minutes.
Start writing!
Don’t think about it too much; just do it.
If you enjoyed this prompt, try your pen at Rattle.com Each month the Rattle team post an Ekphrastic Challenge—and they publish the winner (and pay) This is the September image. Here’s the link:
Cindy Faughnan and I began this 7-Minute Poetry Challenge at least 2900 days ago. We now take turns creating our own prompts to share with you. If you join us in the 7-Minute Poetry Challenge let us know by posting the title, a note, or if you want, the whole dang poem. Scroll down and click on the comments!
Want the 7-Minute Poetry Challenge sent to your email? 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 #37-Put Me In Coach!
It’s football season. At my house, chill winds blow in from the North, fog blankets float over from the ocean to the south, and come fall, coaches whistle, early morning band practice, drill team sergeant barking waft in from the East on the football wind.
No wonder I’m having cravings for my all-time favorite football movie, Brian’s Song.
The “Kansas Comet,” Gayle Sayers, considered “one of the greatest players in NFL history,” was born on May 30, 1943. (I don’t recall ever actually seeing Gayle Sayers play. In my mind he’s Billy D. Williams from the 1971 movie Brian’s Song.)
Sayer, who played for the Chicago Bears, said,
“I had a style all my own. The way I ran, lurchy, herky-jerky, I kept people off-guard…”
“Lurchy, herky-jerky” works! Football fans take note: For the record, Sayer piled up “4,956 yards rushing in his 68-game career and was voted to four Pro Bowls. Sayers scored 22 touchdowns and 132 points in his first season, both then-rookie records.”
Poetry Challenge #37
Put Me in Coach
Write a poem to the “Coach” of your imagination asking to be “Put in” to something you really, really, really want.
Set the timer for 7 minutes.
Start writing!
Don’t think about it too much; just do it.
After poeming, reward yourself with a movie date. Brian’s Song! If you haven’t seen it, you should—bring tissues.
Cindy Faughnan and I began this 7-Minute Poetry Challenge at least 2900 days ago. We now take turns creating our own prompts to share with you. If you join us in the 7-Minute Poetry Challenge let us know by posting the title, a note, or if you want, the whole dang poem. Scroll down and click on the comments!
Want the 7-Minute Poetry Challenge sent to your email? 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 #36-In Memory of Bees
Today as I was walking through the backyards, I noticed bees drunk with happiness, rolling on the golden yellow dandelions. So many flowers! So much nectar! So many bees!
I was about ten years old when I experienced my first bee sting. I stepped (barefoot) on a bee in the driveway, jumped with the surprise and ouch of the sting on my toe, and my leg swelled up above my knee!
I remember earlier bees than that, too:
The bees that chased my next door neighbor when she poked a stick into their ground nest;
The little boy from down the street who rode his bike through a swarm of bees and ran into our house to get away from them.
So many memories, so many stories, all from one word: BEES.
Poetry Challenge #36
In Memory of Bees
Now it’s your turn. What do you think of when you think of bees? Is it an experience you had with them? A lazy, buzzing, summer day? A fascination with the way they live?
Write a poem/story about bees. You might try to write a paragraph first, and then cut away the golden tidbits for use in a poem.
Maybe cut it by half the words. Then another half.
Add a few words too, so it makes sense. Play with rhythm and maybe rhyme.
Get BUZZZZZY!
Set the timer for 7 minutes.
Start writing!
Don’t think about it too much; just do it.
Wishing for more bee time? Can’t go wrong with a Fleming-Rohmann collaboration like Honeybee. Here’s the link to the read aloud: HONEYBEE THE BUSY LIFE OF APIS MELLIFERA with great info at the back.
And if you want be read more, here's a list of excellent Children's books about Bees!
Cindy Faughnan and I began this 7-Minute Poetry Challenge at least 2900 days ago. We now take turns creating our own prompts to share with you. If you join us in the 7-Minute Poetry Challenge let us know by posting the title, a note, or if you want, the whole dang poem. Scroll down and click on the comments!
Want the 7-Minute Poetry Challenge sent to your email? 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 #35-Riffing Rhyming it So!
It’s raining where I live. It rained yesterday. And the day before. And guess what? Tomorrow is forecasted to be another dreary. Rainy. Blucky day.
Yes, I know rain is good for the flowers, but it’s been raining so much, even the zinnias are drooping. And zinnia are the perkiest flowers of all!
Is there any better raining blues song than Rainy Night in Georgia? To listen, click on the album cover.
Channeling Brook Benton:
“Feel’s like it’s rainin’ all over the world…”
I’m trying to change that. Remember that nursery rhyme, “Rain, Rain go away”? I’m singing it today, just as we used to sing it when I was a kid. And dang if it didn’t work…sometimes.
(Even when it didn’t, just singing it made us feel sunny.)
Let’s give it a try:
Poetry Challenge #35
Riffing Rhyming it So!
Let’s begin with the old nursery rhyme, Rain-Rain-Go-Away. Here are 3 stanzas—it can continue . . . as long as the rain falls.
Rain, rain, go away
Come again another day
Little Johnny wants to play
Rain, rain go away.
Rain, rain go away
Come again another day
Crazy Kelly wants to play
Rain, rain go away.
Rain, rain, go away
Come again another day
Big Brother wants to play
Rain, rain, go away . . .
Now, think of something you’d like to go away. If it’s not rain, something else—whatever you would like to go away. Begin by substituting what you want to go away for the word “Rain” every time it appears. (It works best if your “go away” thing is only 1 or two syllables; if it has a long name you’ll have to abbreviate it.)
Next, skip to line 3 and substitute your name for “Little Johnny.” Notice mine is “Crazy Kelly”—cause the rain is driving me CraZy!
Now, you have a choice. Do you want to riff the easy way? Or the harder way?
Easy way: Notice how every line in the original ends in a rhyme: Away, Day, Play? If what you’d like to do is “play” or rhymes with play, you’re on easy street. Simply substitute what you’d like to do for “play” throughout the nursery rhyme. Easy as that, you’ve created a new chant. Or . . .
Harder way: If you’re ready to really riff, think of some similes for the phrase “Go Away.” Here are a few to get you started. (Because I am still hoping this chant works, I’m sticking with rain.):
Rain, Rain, hit the road . . .
Rain, Rain, take a hike . . .
Rain, rain, wave bye-bye . . .
Crack open that rhyming dictionary again because you need to come up with WHAT you’d do if whatever you want to go away, really did do just that—and it must rhyme!
Now put it all together. Feel free to change other words, mess with the pattern . . . heck, skip rhyming all together if you want. After all, it’s your riff. Here’s mine:
Rain, Rain take a hike,
Curtis wants to ride his bike.
Rain, rain wave bye-bye,
I’m sick and tired of staying inside!
Rain, rain, hit the road,
Or Crazy Kelly might EXPLODE!
Wha-lah! Just like that we have created our own nursery rhyme. If we’re lucky it might even work!
Set the 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 at least 2900 days ago. We now take turns creating our own prompts to share with you. If you join us in the 7-Minute Poetry Challenge let us know by posting the title, a note, or if you want, the whole dang poem. Scroll down and click on the comments!
Want the 7-Minute Poetry Challenge sent to your email? 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 #34-I Have Never Ever…
Truth time.
I’ve done a lot of things in my life—a few I’m not proud of. Ahem….
There are many things I’ve never done. I’ve never pet a tiger although I had a stuffed one growing up.
Make it stand out
I’ve never eaten snails or octopus. I’ve never run a marathon . . .
or climbed a mountain over 3000 feet tall.
What about YOU?
We all have “I Have Nevers” if we didn’t there’d be no need for bucket lists.
Poetry Challenge #34
I Have Never _____________
Make a list of some things you’ve never done.
Try dividing your list into sections: things you’ve never done and never want to do, things you’d like to do but haven’t done yet, and things that seem impossible.
Write a poem using some of these. It could be a list poem or it could be about one of these things. Maybe it’s a wish poem of things you want to do.
Set the 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 at least 2900 days ago. We now take turns creating our own prompts to share with you. If you join us in the 7-Minute Poetry Challenge let us know by posting the title, a note, or if you want, the whole dang poem. Scroll down and click on the comments!
Want the 7-Minute Poetry Challenge sent to your email? 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 . . .