Poetry Challenge #298-Chewing On a Cigar
When anyone asks about Long Island, where it is in New York, especially in proximity to Manhattan, I describe it as being a long thin cigar sticking out of its mouth. And today’s poet, Walt Whitman, known as the first writer of truly American poetry, was born and raised at the head of the cigar, on the family farm in Huntington, Long Island.
The second of nine children in a farming family, Whitman lived from May 31, 1819 -1892 and often wrote about democracy, nature, love, and friendship.
His first collection Leaves of Grass, a thin volume of poem, called a quintessential collection of American poetry, was published in 1855, not by an established publisher—because none would take it—but by friends of his Whitman strong armed. Leaves of Grass has been in print ever since.
Whitman often wrote about political figures without naming the person. “When Lilacs Last in the Dooryard Bloom’d” and “O Captain, My Captain” are both written about Abraham Lincoln. Below is just the opening of “O Captain, My Captain” and a bit more of “When Lilacs…”:
This poem goes on for 16 stanzas. Read it in its entirely at Poetry Foundation:
Poetry Challenge #298
Chewing on the Cigar
Walt Whitman often ignored the standards of rhyme and rhythm and is said to be a father of free verse.
Choose one historical person or event and write about it without naming the person/event. You can write with rhyme or not. Try to capture the feeling you have about this person/event.
Set Your Timer for 7 Minutes
Start Writing!
Don’t Think About it, Write It!
Walt Whitman’s Birthplace is now a museum, interpretive center and the start of the Walt Whitman trail, 40 miles of glorious nature trails with nary a tobacco plant to be found, with Jayne’s Hill, elevation 400 feet, the high point. Here’s a photo taken when Whitman, then 65 visited.
Cindy Faughnan and I began this 7-Minute Poetry Challenge 2400+ 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 . . .
Fin Pals ask Norman: What's Your Favorite Part of the Day?
Norman T. Goldfish answers letters from readers. Click on the link to read his reply.
Before Norman answers a question, here’s one for you:
Does Mileah’s drawing—all eyes, nose, smile and the tip of a pink tongue—bring to mind a cat? MEOW…
When Norman saw that drawing, he froze. Then he hid. And finally, he mustered his courage and swam closer. Scroll down for his response. To read Norman’s answer? Scroll down . . .
But first! Here’s a Finny:
Q: How do hurt fish get to the hospital?
Glug
Glug
Glug . . .
Finny Answer:
Q: How do hurt fish get to the hospital?
A: In a Clambulance!
Do you have a question for Norman the Goldfish—about friends, school, pets, family, life in and outside the fishbowl? Send him a letter!
Poetry Challenge #297-Jingle Jangle Morning
Do ya think Robert Allen Zimmerman of Duluth, Minnesota sounds like a fitting name for a poet? Obviously Bob Dylan didn’t think it did either.
Twenty years after his May 24, 1941 birthday, Mr. Zimmerman aka Elston Gunn aka Tedham Porterhouse aka Blind Boy Grunt aka Robert Milkwood Thomas aka Boo Wilbury aka Sergi Petrov legally changed his name to Robert Dylan (“Dylan” in honor of poet Dylan Thomas).
If he’d waited a few years Bob might have added the middle name “Woody” or “Guthrie” in honor of his mentor Woody Guthrie, who’s storytelling songster style he emulated.
While Dylan, who was awarded the Nobel Prize in Literature in 2016, is “widely recognized as one of the greatest songwriters of the 20th century,” and called by Newsweek, in 2004 “the most influential cultural figure now alive," whether or not he should be called a poet is apparently debatable.
or was . . .
Poet biographer, literary critic Christopher Ricks wrote: “Dylan's lyrics not only qualify as poetry, but that Dylan is among the finest poets of all time, on the same level as Milton, Keats, and Tennyson. He points to Dylan's mastery of rhymes that are often startling and perfectly judged. For example, this pairing from ‘Idiot Wind,’ released in 1975:
Idiot wind, blowing like a circle around my skull,
From the Grand Coulee Dam to the Capitol”
The Norton Introduction to Literature included “Mr. Tambourine Man” in the 2005 edition.” Case Closed.
Poetry Challenge #296
Jingle-Jangle Morning
Along with his talent for clever rhymes, Dylan is known for ballads. So, hello! Let’s give it a go!
A ballad is a type of poem that tells a story, is often set to music, and usually rhymes. A traditional English ballad is composed of 4-line stanzas with a rhyme scheme of ABCB.
If you’re so inclined bust out a guitar or tambourine and sing out your rhyme.
One thing’s for certain, compared to Dylan, no matter how bad your voice, you’ll jingle-jangle.
Set Your Timer for 7 Minutes
Start Writing!
Don’t Think About it, Write It!
I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again: Visit Tulsa's Bob Dylan Center.
Cindy Faughnan and I began this 7-Minute Poetry Challenge 2400+ 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 #296-Refrain for Commenting
Every romantic worth their salt knows enough of Lord Byron’s poetry to spout “She walks with beauty, like the night” blah-blah-blah…that’s a prompt for another day. For today, May 17th marks the birthday of another poet in the family, the one who, in letters, addressed Lord Byron as “Dearest Duck.” Who might that be?
His wife of course! Anne Isabella Noel Byron, 11th Baroness Wentworth and Baroness Byron (née Milbanke; 17 May 1792 – 16 May 1860), nicknamed Annabella. According to Byron’s official Britannica biography, Lady Byron was “an unimaginative and humorless wife,” who bore (a daughter) and bored him. They separated after a year. Lady Byron, by all accounts much happier away from him, became a wordsmith and mathematician to boot! Who knew? What she wrote, we’ll leave to you to discover, for although dear Annabella is listed as a poet, we couldn’t find any of her poems. And so that, dearest ducks, is that!
Poetry Challenge #296
Refrain for Commenting
Pick a wise quotation from the list below or an adage you know. Use it as your title and write a poem that uses the line 3 or 4 times. You can use it exactly the way it’s written or you can change it slightly. You can embed it in the poem, split it onto two lines, or have it sit apart from the rest of your poem. However you use it, it will become a refrain. Use the repetition to get the sound you want.
Here are a few choices. Feel free to find others.
“Never let your sense of morals prevent you from doing what is right.”
“The unexamined life is not worth living.”
“Turn your wounds into wisdom.”
“The simple things are also the most extraordinary things, and only the wise can see them.”
"When the going gets tough, the tough get going."
"Leave no stone unturned."
"Hope for the best, prepare for the worst."
"Actions speak louder than words."
"Two wrongs don't make a right."
Set Your Timer for 7 Minutes
Start Writing!
Don’t Think About it, Write It!
Now that you’re done, here’s Lory Byron’s poem, “She Walks in Beauty.” But don’t delude yourself into thinking it’s about Annabella—rumor has it the only reason they married was to squelch rumors that he was having an “incestuous relationship” with his cousin.
Cindy Faughnan and I began this 7-Minute Poetry Challenge 2500+ 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 . . .
Finpal Asks Norman "What's Your Favorite Animal?"
Norman T. Goldfish answers questions from readers. Scroll down to read his responses.
Hey Kids!
Do you have a pet? Norman does. His pet is an animal. But, it’s not his favorite animal. Can you guess what Norman’s favorite animal is?
Scroll down to read Norman’s answer to Josh . . .
But first . . . a Finny:
Q. Why are do blue gills always wear blue?
Glug
Glug
Glug . . .
This is not Norman, it’s a friend eating lunch
Finny Answer:
Q. Why are do blue gills always wear blue?
A. Because they don’t want to get caught red-flippered!
Hey Kids!
Do you have a question for Norman the Goldfish—about friends, school, pets, family, life in and outside the fishbowl? Send him a letter!
Poetry Challenge #295-This Land is Your Land
Joy Harjo is a member of the Muscogee (Creek) Nation—our first Native American Poet Laureate! She was born in Tulsa, Oklahoma on May 9, 1951, lives in Tulsa now, as she did during my years in Tulsa, and so in a way, I feel she is my personal poet.
However, after having served three terms as the 23rd Poet Laureate of the United States (from 2019-2022), for the past several years she has been all of our poet.
“I feel strongly that I have a responsibility to all the sources that I am: to all past and future ancestors, to my home country, to all places that I touch down on and that are myself, to all voices, all women, all of my tribe, all people, all earth, and beyond that to all beginnings and endings.”
-Joy Harjo
An internationally renowned performer and writer, Joy Harjo is the author of ten books of poetry, including Weaving Sundown in a Scarlet Light: Fifty Poems for Fifty Years, plays, memoires, and children’s books including a new picture book of her poem “Remember.” As a musician and performer, she has produced seven award-winning music albums including her newest, I Pray for My Enemies. She was the first Artist-in-Residence for Tulsa's Bob Dylan Center.
Poetry Challenge #295
This Land is Your Land
About her work, Poetry Foundation says: “Harjo draws on First Nation storytelling and histories, as well as feminist and social justice poetic traditions, and frequently incorporates indigenous myths, symbols, and values into her writing. Her poetry inhabits landscapes—the Southwest, Southeast, but also Alaska and Hawaii—and centers around the need for remembrance and transcendence.”
For this prompt, write a “Place” poem.
As an example, consider Harjo’s “Invisible Fish” (above) and how by using a few specific words she transports us to that dusty, desert. Try to likewise infuse your poem with symbols, myths, values specific to that place.
Set Your Timer for 7 Minutes
Start Writing!
Don’t Think About it, Write It!
Experience Joy Harjo’s Eagle Poem yourself; her words in her voice: Eagle Poem - Audio Poem of the Day | Poetry Foundation
Cindy Faughnan and I began this 7-Minute Poetry Challenge 2400+ 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 . . .
HOUSTON! Get Ready THTRB is Coming Your Way! JUNE 8-Save the Date!
Houston Friends It’s a Party and You’re Invited!
PEANUTS, POPCORN, CRACKER JACKS!
COME JOIN THE FUN AND YOU’LL NEVER LOOK BACK!
When: June 8, 5:00 pm
Where: Blue Willow Bookshop
Click to the Blue Willow Bookshop Event Link. All the details are below, too.
ONCE MORE WITH FEELING . . .
WINNER of the "WINNER-WINNER CHICKEN DINNER" April 2023 QUARTERLY GIVEAWAY IS . . .
It’s That Time Again! What Time? Time to announce the winner of the 1st Quarter of 2023 “Winner-Winner Chicken Dinner” Quarterly Give-Away at Kelly’s Fishbowl!
Wait! Before we announce the winner, huge thanks and fishbowl love to all of you who entered this quarter’s Winner’s Choice Giveaway by subscribing to my blog, “Kelly’s Fishbowl,” sending letters & drawing to Norman the Goldfish’s advice column “Ask Norman,” or sharing snapshots of “Activities” on social media.
In the interest of fairness, we wanted choosing the winner to be completely random random drawing. And in the interest of transparency, we recorded the event. As we know you’re on the edge of your seat, anxiously waiting to find out if you are IT!
Watch the Winner Selection YouTube Video! (Not showing up on your device? Click HERE!
And the winner is . . .
Not so easy…to find that out, you’ll need to watch the next video because Dylan and Aiden want to announce it themselves! Click Here for the YouTube Link!
And the winner is . . . Emily!
(If you’re that Emily, you’ll be notified by email, so check your spam folder.) Lucky Emily will win dinner with a chicken or her choice of any one of these fabulous prizes:
To all of you, There’s still next time! Enter now, enter often, even better—have your kids, students, second-cousin on your goldfish’s side enter. There is no limit to how many times you enter—or WIN the Quarterly Winner-Choice Giveaway!
