Poetry Challenge #144-Global Garbage Collector Day
Boy howdy, where would we be without those garbage trucks to roll down the street gobbling up trash! Buried under piles heaps mounds of smelly yuck is where. Pee-yew!
It’s not easy or safe being a garbage collector. In fact, it’s one of the “Deadliest jobs in America”—and that was before CoVid struck.
An “average” garbage day in NYC
One fella, John D. Arwood, (Pres. of Arwood Waste), knowing what a smelly world this could be, designated June 17th as Global Garbage Collector Day, in honor of the hard-working, under-appreciated trash collectors who keep our communities clean. Let’s join in the celebration!
Poetry Challenge #144
Hip-Hip-Hooray! It’s Global Garbage Collector Day
Write a garbage poem—it can be about a garbage truck, garbage collector or kinds of garbage. Toss in as many words that include the letter g as you can. And, at least one onomatopoeia.
Can you make your poem sound like a garbage truck roaring down the street?
Set your timer for 7 minutes
Start writing!
Don’t think about it too much; just do it!
For extra fun, read Trashy Town by Andrea Zimmerman & David Clemesha, illustrated by Dan Yacarrinao. Here’s a link to the Trashy Town Read-aloud.
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 #143-Click My Bic
There’s a saying that “Necessity is the mother of invention.” Before ballpoint pens, people used fountain pens—pens that needed to be dipped or refilled with ink and whose sharp points worked only on paper. If you wanted to write on any other surface (wood, coarse wrapping paper, leather) you were out of luck.
The first patent for the ballpoint pen was issued in 1888 to John J. Loud, a leather tanner who often needed to write on the leather. This pen had a metal ball for the point (where it got its name!) that couldn’t fall out or in but rolled on the surface. It worked well on leather but was pretty messy on paper. Many years passed before the Biro brothers found a solution for a new sharper point.
June 10, 1943, recognized as National Ballpoint Pen Day is actually the date Laszlo Brio applied for a fresh patent for their ballpoint pen design. What made it fly was the British Government bought the licensing rights for the war effort as they needed a pen that would not leak at higher altitudes. It wasn’t until many leaky pen efforts later, in 1954, when Parker Parker Pens introduced “the Jotter,” that ballpoint pens became popular.
Poetry Challenge #143
All I Do Is Click My Bic!
In honor of Ballpoint Pen Day and inventions, write a poem about your favorite pen (and if possible, use your favorite pen to “pen it!”)
Is your favorite pen a ballpoint? Or some other kind? What does it feel like? What does it look like? What color does it write? What’s the best thing it has ever written?
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 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 #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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Life in the Time of CoVid-Day 42 Lockdown: Hello Sunshine!
Thursday, May 7, 2020: SA Lockdown Day 42; C&K Home at Last!
In his daily report, NY Gov. Cuomo heralded “The Season” starting: “Now, through August 12th, sunsets will be 8 p.m. or later.” Change is in the air: bulbs are bobbing, birds are chirping, trees are blooming. Speaking of trees: check out my baby apple tree! The kids gave it to us 3 years ago and see my tree/how big it’s grown/well friends…take Bobby! Really, how could I resist?)
NY: Number of new COVid-19 hospitalizations continues to fall; yesterday [only] 601, down from 659 the day before. Total hospitalizations fell to [only] 9,179 from 9,600 the day before; 232 deaths.
With spring comes restlessness—and hope. Hope that CoVid 19 goes the way of the Spanish Flu here in the Northern Hemisphere, that with warmer weather and longer days, incidents of infection will continue to decline. “Still,” Cuomo pointed out, “As the weather gets warmer, we must continue our vigilance and practice social distancing.”
Yeah right… People are over it.
SA: 7,808 known cases of CoVid-19; 153 people are dead; 279,379 people have been tested.
Cuomo is trying hard to mix highlights with the horrors in his daily reports. To that end, each evening he singles out one positive/generous act. He calls these "Deep Breath Moments” Who knew?
“When Ireland was in need during the potato famine in 1847, the Choctaw Nation was there to help, digging deep in their pockets to send donations to the stricken country. Now, 173 years later, hundreds of Irish people are repaying the act of kindness by sending donations to help Native American tribes during the Coronavirus pandemic.” Click over to read “Irish Return an Old Favor, Helping Native Americans Battling the Virus.” I was glad I did.
Here’s something else I just discovered that has my theatre-loving toes tapping: Broadway on Utube! Yes! TodayTix (which, with Broadway being dark has renamed itself TomorrowTix is still my go-to place for info on all things theatre—everything streaming.
And best, they’ve created a guide of Theatre from Around the World including the Broadway Streaming (with is offering a month’s free trial with $8.99 after that.) If we’re lucky that will be all we need before Live Theatre Lives again! Until then, we can Watch Theatre From Around the World in Our Home!
We will cope. And we can hope. And for those of us with plenty to eat, time to type and means to keep the Internet buzzing, hopes that the optimistic outcome in Tom Foolery’s bedtime read-aloud: The Great Realization: Hindsight 2020.
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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.