Margaret Simon lives on the Bayou Teche in New Iberia, Louisiana. Margaret has been an elementary school teacher for 32 years, most recently gifted ELA. She renewed her National Board Certification in 2019. Her first book of children’s poetry, Bayou Song: Creative Explorations of the South Louisiana Landscape, was published by UL Press in 2018. Margaret writes a blog regularly at http://reflectionsontheteche.com.
Inspiration
A friend of mine who knows I love poetry loaned me the book the lost words by Robert Macfarlane, illustrated by Jackie Morris. The book is oversized at 11” x 15” with amazing detailed illustrations accented with gold. Described as a “spellbook”, the poems inspire falling in love with words. I didn’t have to read many of the poems to realize that the art of acrostic is not lost. Each poem beautifully captures the word it describes. The language is sophisticated, yet accessible. For this prompt, I’m using the first poem in the book Acorn which uses analogy beginning with…
As flake is to blizzard…
as kindness is to good, so acorn is to wood.
Process
To write an acrostic, select a word and place each letter of the word going down the page, then write lines from each letter. Usually an acrostic describes the word spelled. As a challenge, use analogy in part to describe your word. Some of the analogies my students suggested are:
as star is to sun
as air is to trees
as fish is to ocean
as planets are to universe
as pebble is to rock
as lawn mower is to grass…
Choose one of these to jumpstart your poem or brainstorm a list of your own.
Margaret’s Poem
Paper is to poem as
Open is to door as
Empty is to invitation as
Memory is to melody.
Write
Your Turn
Now, scroll to the comment section below to write your own poem. (This is a public space, so you may use only your first name or initials depending on your privacy preferences.) Not ready? That’s okay. Read the poems already posted for more inspiration. Ponder your own throughout the day. Return later. And, if the prompt does not work for you, that is fine. All writing is welcome. Just write something. Also, please be sure to respond to at least three writers. Oh, and a note about drafting: Since we are writing in short bursts, we all understand (and even welcome) the typos and partial poems that remind us we are human and that writing is always becoming. If you’d like to invite other teachers to write with us, tell them to subscribe.
Someone did April, so I was inspired to write this very simple
May is to hope as
Alone is to quarantine
You are allowed out!
April : hopeful : :
November : wistful.
Alone : too long : :
Laughter : too short.
Once : twice : :
Good : great : :
You, me : us.
I love this. It’s perfect.
Thanks for introducing the punctuation that is used with analogies. I love the connections you have made here. Alone for too long hits home for me these long lonely days.
Swim
Swim is to sport as
winter is to cold nights.
Iguana is to animal as
math it to suffering
Ryan,
I agree with you, math is suffering! Great piece!
Ha! to math is suffering!
Acrostic Poem
Love is to hate as
Arriba is to abajo as
Nigro is to Black as
Guapo is to feo as
Ugly is to pretty as
Acquisition is to requisition as
Genuine is to artificial as
English is to Spanish
Melissa, your use of opposites and contrasts is clever…they start simple and common and then grow in complexity. I especially like your use of Spanish and English words…if the analogy holds true, then these languages are in contrast (or conflict)., yet your use of both languages proves the opposite in a surprising way. You weave the two harmoniously in your poem–you create a space for them to coexist. Thank you for sharing your poem with us!
Such a cool exploration of language. Thanks for playing along.
Hopeful:
Holding on for tomorrow,
Optimistic that a new day will bring new joys,
Putting away anxieties and fears,
Eager to make new mistakes and new victories in the days to come,
For even when times are difficult and uncertain,
United we are all together,
Longing for the days when we can all be together again.
I believe that this is what we need in this time of fear and panic. Hope that we will all be able to see each other once again. During these difficult time all we can do is hold on the little hope that we all have. Thank you for this poem.
Hopeful is something we all need now. Longing for days to be together again. Thanks for playing and offering such a beautiful message.
leggings
legs are to movement as
energy is to rhythm as
gams are to dancers as
games are to athletes as
it’s one and I’m still
not dressed
gotta stop worrying and realize
stretch is for comfort
This is great! My leggings collection has never been so welcome! Best line—as it’s one and I’m still not dressed!
Jamie, your choice of word–leggings–provides so many great opportunities for strong sounds (I particularly like “gams” and “games” and “gotta”). Your piece has movement and rhythm…the first 4 lines with their own meter, the rupture of “it’s one and I’m still/not dressed” creates a shift in the rhythm and the tone. A great surprise (and one I can empathize with)! Thank you for sharing your poem with us!
Jamie what a fun and sweet turn in your analogy poem with the letter i. That is so fun. You showed your attitude about rules in dress and schedules through your midway abandon of the acrostic “rules” in your poem. Well done!
I love “It’s one and I’m still not dressed.” That’s me most days! Thanks for sharing.
Acrostic Analogies
Tenacity is to Taneea as
Ask is to answer as
Nebulous is to mysterious as
Expressive is to ballads as
Exquisite is to chocolate as
Absolute is to queen.
Natural is to Nathaniel as
Athletic is to athlete as
Talent is to star as
Handsome is to face as
Aloof is to cool as
Night is to midnight as
Easy is to Sunday morning as
Luminous is to sun.
Donnetta,
I love the way you’ve personalized your acrostics and given us a peek into Taneea’s and Nathanel’s lives.
—Glenda
Donnetta, we can really see the sweet characteristics of your daughter and son here. Good idea for your analogy acrostic today.
From Tenacity queen to Natural sun (son), this poem is a gem.
Solace
Strength is to need as
Oasis is to worry as
Learning is to fear as
Acceptance is to change as
Clarity is to confusion as
Embrace is to
at last…
Thank you so much for sharing this, with all that’s going on all with the coronavirus and with all the anxiety many of us are experiencing I saw this poem as a source of comfort! Beautifully written and I love the way that each of your lines flowed into one another.
Ah, what a last sweet line of hope. At last. Yes, it gives us solace in knowing that this will pass, eventually.
At last, an embrace. How my arms long to hug my children and grandchildren. Finding some solace in nature and poems. Thanks!
Thank you, Margaret, for the stimulating prompt. I think I will re-visit this when my brain is in a better place. This is really weak. I’m hitting a bit of a wall with online teaching. I miss my students and my classroom.
Home/School
Safety is to a blanket as
Comfort is to a cup of coffee.
Hallways are to highways as
Orange markers are to sunrises.
Online learning is to fog as
Laughing is to a bubbling hot spring.
Susan,
This is a lovely acrostic. My favorite lime is “Online learning is to fog.” This is original and true. Well done.
—Glenda
Susan — SCHOOL is certainly on everyone’s mind. This is so hard. While I love the hope that comes with the last line that gives us some “laughing…bubbling,” it is the “online learning is to fog” that hits me the hardest… this is not easy what is happening to school, kids, teachers, and parents… you are connecting kids with a lifeline of familiar…it might be a weird thread, but it is important. We will all come away from this broken in some way, but the staying connected is the one thing that will help so much down the road. Your students will never ever forget this time. It is a watershed…and they’ll rise from the “fog” and remember how hard you worked and how insane this was. They’ll tell stories to their kids one day…and this will be part of the tale: SCHOOL. Thank you, Susie
You may think you are brain dead, but that “online learning” to a “bubbling hot spring” is clever.
I communicate to hundreds of people each day, but in a different way.
Maybe it’s better this way.
People may prefer becoming closer from a distance.
Right now, I’m not a fan
Of using symbols and keypads to express love, fear, concern, joy…
Virtual life isn’t life
If you can’t smell their hair or feel the texture of their sleeve as they brush past.
So we make it up as we go along,
Attempting to bridge the gap with interesting images and gamification.
Teaching online is to community as
Isolation is to sanity.
Online communities are as real as
Nothing.
Shaun — I sure do hear your voice loud and clear… FRUSTRATION. “Right now, I’m not a fan” either. The critical nature of building community with students is EVERYTHING in the classroom, and the virtual distance is, indeed, virtually lame by contrast to the “smell …hair” or “texture of their sleeve as they brush past.” It is a heartbreaking burden pressing on you right now. I hear ya! I so appreciate your frontline hard work to stay connected to your kids. I know they need you as much as you need them. Thank you for staying in these grim trenches. Susie
Right now, I’m not a fan/Of using symbols and keypads to express love, fear, concern, joy…/
Virtual life isn’t life — Well said! I totally agree. Virtual teaching is exhausting, too. “Online communities are as real as/Nothing” — packs a punch. Sometimes it really does feel like nothing is real.
Virtual isn’t life. My favorite line! However, I have to say that while many online communities are as real as nothing, this community is an exception!
Shaun,
I love your “TED Talk” acrostic analogy. I’ve read several books about social networking, virtual communities, and the implications of these platforms. These flatlands are not real in the full-blown sense of community, but I do hope they transcend all their shortcomings in this moment, because for all their faults they’re preferable to nothing. My favorite part is “Teaching online is to community as / Isolation is to sanity. / Online communities are / as real as /Nothing.” Thank you.
—Glenda
“As real as…nothing.” Virtual learning is proving to be unnatural and definitely not the way we know is best for our kids. I’m glad the prompt led you to write what’s heavy on your mind.
Alone is to isolation as
People are to distance.
Reading is to free-time as
Internet is to wasted hours.
Lonely is April.
Very interesting – I hadn’t read your poem, but the themes of our poems are similar. I think many of us are experiencing the same emotions right now. We’ll never forget April 2020.
Lauryl,
I loved the tone of your piece, like Shaun said we can all relate to feeling those feelings. Thank you for sharing!
Lonely is April will be my mantra for this month of isolation. I feel the longing in your short poem.
Calm is to you as
Wordiness is to me
Safety is to you as
Uncertainty is to me
Confidence is to you as
Self-doubt is to me
Happiness it you too as
Sadness is to me
You is to me as
Me is to you
I really enjoyed the juxtaposition of these ideas. It is interesting how people can perceive things so differently. I connected to your lines: “Uncertainty is to me. Confidence is to you”
Naydeen,
This is a nice poem to read. It flows and shows your self-doubting emotion. It makes the reader wonder who ‘you’ is. But the last two lines are so true–You is to me as / Me is to you. Even in all our differences and doubts, we are connected one to another. Bless you.
I feel your uncertainty in the not so “wordiness” of your poem.
Distance
Distance is to the heart as
A thorn to a rose
Separation is to family as
A star is to Earth
Bonds are to love as
A name carved in stone
Closeness is to us as
A newborn to their mother
I can’t decide which moves me more: “separation is to family as a star is to earth” or “bonds are to love as a name carved in stone”. Such simple language but through how you’ve decided to put words together, we feel the massive distance and everlasting bond that will never be erased. Love it.
I enjoyed the first two lines reminded me of the song every rose has its thorns. I like how you painted a scene in the first line then connected it back to human emotion. Thank you for this poem
I really like the separation at the beginning of this followed by the togetherness at the end and the contrast between the fragility of a newborn but the strength of that connection.
This distance we are all experiencing is difficult for us to grasp as your poem leads me to that strong emotion of a newborn with its mother.
Forever
Forever is a prison
Out of which no one escapes
Revere the marching on of time
Explore the world it shapes
Virtue is to age as
Eternity to all
Relish in forever as you take the endless fall
I am intrigued by the last line—I tried out both definitions of “fall”—the season and the action. Both work; both signal an end. I like the ambiguity.
I liked how you have this view of forever being a thing that is like a prison then make the turn at the end for people who are reading this to enjoy this forever and relish in it. Thank you for this poem
Those first two lines are so powerful. We can move in space but not in time. Wow!
ALOE
As the fleshy leaf is to burns as
Laughter is to solitude as
Oatmeal is to sluggish mornings (and sunburns) as
Experts are to uncertainties–a salve
Betsy — I love the way that your poem actually sounds like a salve…it has those oooo and “u” sounds … “burns…soliTUDE… sLUGGish” — aloe … a perfect idea for the time we are facing…”expert are to uncertainties–a salve” — yes, indeed. Lovely. Thank you! Susie
Ooh this is beautiful! I love the middle two lines: “as / Laughter is to solitude as / Oatmeal is to sluggish mornings.” Both of these definitely speak to me!! I also love the explanation you give as your last two words. They tie everything in the poem together perfectly.
Betsy,
I love the way you have constructed your acrostic leading to “salve” and the way each line gives an example of a salve. Very clever. Thank you.
—Glenda
As experts are to uncertainties—a salve. What a marvelous truth. Sums our lives up right now perfectly.
I’m still thinking about your last line – the first three lines are more sensory and so the last one causes us to shift to receive it. I like the unexpected.
Betsy,
I loved what you did with ALOE, “oatmeal is to sluggish mornings”, I had never thought of oatmeal like this and it really makes sense. Thank you for sharing.
Inevitable
By Donna Russ, 4-15-2020
Inevitable is to it’s happening as
Night into day as
East is to meet west as
Venturing is to cause play as
Idle is to unproductive as
Truth is to rely as
Always is to never as
Being is to die as
Life is to death as
Everyone is to It’s happening
Thank you for sharing! The lines “Venturing is to cause play as/Idle is unproductive” really struck me because during quarantine I find myself pressuring myself to be productive and not be idle. It’s a delicate balance.
Donna,
Inevitable is actually my favorite word in the English dictionary so naturally, I love this poem. “Being is to die as Life is to death” is such a powerful statement. Really great job with this. Thank you for sharing.
Donna, after a busy day, sitting with my feet up, I see your lines,
“Idle is to unproductive as” and start to feel guilty. Then wonder, is being idle unproductive if one is recuperating. I hope so, ’cause I’m too tired to be weighted with guilt tonight. 🙂
MOVEMENT
Music is to humanity as
Obbligato is to disparate voices as
Venturing is to nomads as
Eclipses are to moon flowers as
Memoir is to history as
Eruptions are to lava as
Night is to tomorrow as
Thirst is to water.
by Susie Morice©
Susie, your language is so descriptive! I can really imagine each example vividly. And the “Eclipses are to moon flowers” line was really magical.
I was very moved by the final lines “Night is to tomorrow/as thirst is to water”. It inspired me to remember with each night will come a new day. Thank you for sharing!
Susie,
Every line emphasizes “movement,” and I find the totality of each line comforting sin its emphasis on our movement through time. This too will pass. Favorite words: “obligato, disparate, eruptions.” And the image of a moonflower is lovely. Thank you.
—Glenda
Susie, your line, “Memoir is to history as” is interesting. to me with so many folks self-publishing memoirs. Who should we believe? The historians or memoir writers. Are they opposites, or just looking at events through different lenses? Hmmm. Do the memoirs create eruptions to our thinking when we study primary sources during our research about the lava flows historical events?
Susie, you’re making me think!
each line could lead to a different poem, each line creates a unique idea, you move your reader from one place to another
Obbligato is my new favorite word!
In each line, you have selected melodic words to capture the relationships. Humanity needs music.
Disparate voices must have the obbligato.
Nomads must wander
Mood flowers long for the eclipse
Lava needs to erupt
There is no tomorrow without night
Water is thirst’s savior.
As I examine the relationships I see a pattern of need, or one element completing the other.
Beautiful.
Thanks
Thanks is to happiness as
Hope is to perseverance as
Anchor is to strength as an
Necessity is to change as
Kindness is to love as
Spirituality is to peace
I really liked your line “Necessity is to change” because I often associate change with being difficult or something I do not want however, here you point out how change is necessary. Thank you for sharing!
My favorite line was “anchor is to strength” – I love the image of the anchor and the thoughts it drew forth in me about holding steady, standing firm. <3
Here and now, we
Overcome the adversity
Mentioned on the news as
Everyone stays at home!
Jordy,
I enjoyed this sweet little poem. No matter the chaos outside at least there is still home. Great job! Thank you for sharing.
I love this. Quick, positive, and on point. I like the positivity.
Silence
Silence is loss as
Infinitely icy as a tomb
Longing for warmth where
Every day is mute
Never is reality
Countless words unspoken
Eternity of soundless grief
Barb Edler
April 15, 2020
Woah, Barb! “Infinitely icy as a tomb” Wow, that is some line. To think of the sort of silence that has the connotation of ice, that chill, and to think about the being who icy silence has “longing” — and then I think about people who want to change but do not know how to speak…and then, I get to the end, and this is grief. So moving.
Sarah
Barb — You really pull the power of silence through with this acrostic. Silence is so brutal…you capture that with “loss” and “icy…tomb” and “mute” and “words unspoken.” It makes me ponder over Paul Simon’s words in “The Sounds of Silence”… there’s a real haunting in silence…especially when voices need to be heard. Thanks! Susie
Barb, your poem has such a strong mood of loneliness without ever using the word. You’ve examined silence in its cold and empty form- powerful. I love a poem that can make feel strong emotions in so few words.
Thank you, Margaret. I liked this idea today. I knew my word right away because Time is my word for 2020. Little did I know that I would have time to do a lot of thinking about the time on my hands and how I spend it. Thanks!
Today is to tomorrow as
Ice is to water as
Moments are to eons as
Ephemerals are to the eternal
I keep thinking about your lines “Today is to tomorrow as / Ice is to water.” There is so much meaning and emotion packed in to those few words! We’re learning again and again how hard it is to hold on to our expectations of tomorrow. Beautiful thoughts!
Stupefy is to stunning as
Protego is to protecting as
Expelliarmus is to disarming as
Lumos is to lighting as
Leviosa (Wingardium) is to levitating as
Scourgify is to cleaning.
Souce: http://www.mtv.com/news/1914360/harry-potter-spell-ranked-by-usefulness/
Thank you for supplying the link. I never knew much about Harry Potter spells, especially that there were so many! I love what you did, and even though when I first read it I didn’t understand those words, I enjoyed deciphering the familiar word parts. The alliteration is very effective too. Well done.
Haha I love it!!! I love how you made “Leviosa (Wingardium)” work for your L. And that link was awesome. I might have to go read some Harry Potter now 🙂
This was definitely a fun acrostic! Thank you also for supplying a link to definitions, but reading it without knowing what it meant was still fun to guess what it could mean!
Katrina,
Yes! I love Harry Potter and this really made my day. Such a fun poem to read and remember all the times the characters did these spells in the books and movies. Really great. Thank you for sharing!
April
Air is breath as
Purpose is change as
Remembrance is to clarity as
Intuition is sixth sense as
Love is to life
Happy April, Tammi. Lovely images. I wonder what are the special events and people of April for you.
Tammi, what a perfectly delivered message to share at this time. The sequence is so smooth. I struggled with this process and here you display it so effortlessly. “Love is to life” is so poignant! Love it!
Tammi, thank you for sharing this. I love this description of April and I think it is a great reminder of what April and months to come will bring to us even in times so uncertain! It brought life to my world today.
Breathe
as Ball is to a child’s hand
as Rest is to enlightenment
as Emergencies are to sweet simple sentimentalized boredom
as Arcs are to Noah’s surfboards
as Trump is to national crises
as Homo sapiens are to the end of the world
so Endings are to American optimists.
Alex, the title of your poem and subject is exquisite. The last two lines really carried a punch! Well done!
Alex,
Visually, this is so beautiful — to see the single, neat line of “as” leading into so. The capital letters alongside each are stunning in their confidence, and then the contrast of phrases leads me to contemplate such a range of ideas here. Wow.
Sarah
This poem is for the staff and students who want to learn and teach more and be at school! Today feels yucky!
Teach Heart
By Stacey L. Joy, ©April 15, 2020
Teach is to inspire as
Education is to inquire
Academics are to be second when
Children’s needs are to be first
Heart matters more than
Having scores rise or fall
Everyone is to quarantine
As no one is to gather
Remote learning is to active engagement as
Teaching from home is to a call and silent response
Thank you for your reflection and insight with today’s acrostic and analogy, Stacey. You lead us gently to the final, culminating line: “Teaching from home is to a call and silent response.” I have been navigating this with my own students, and last night asked them to complete an anonymous google form asking what they need from me to support them in our final three weeks together. In these silences, I want to continue to invite voices as I know you continue to do with your young students. You always put “children’s needs” first.
Peace,
Sarah
I like the sass in this. It’s true and it’s pointed and the message works! Rock on.
Your poem speaks to my feelings…I’ve had enough of the quarantine, yet it’s nowhere near the ending. And it’s been so much more of a challenge to connect with kids remotely. Thank you!
Hearts matter more than/Having scores rise or fall — this is truth. So many of our students just need –us. The connections we make each day as teachers are so important. Thanks for sharing this inspiring poem and reminding us of why we teach.
Thank you for this reminder to put relationships (even at a safe distance) first. I know I am so thrilled when I hear from a student. (I hope they are thrilled to hear from me).
Hey, Stacey — Here you are with your voice slamming loud and clear through that “yucky” day. I love the T E A C H commitments to why we ever decided to do this! The H E A R T really echoes the frustrations of trying so hard when the odds in “quarantine” and “remote” realities are brutal. The image of “call and silent response” is a powerhouse ending line. It lets me sit with my empty toolbox, knowing this is a truly “yucky” day. I love the heart in this…you have a big ol’ teacher’s heart, and every poem shows it. If I had a kiddo, I’d sure as heck want that little monster to have you as a teacher someday. You are on the frontlines, my friend, and I am grateful you are there for the kids who will never ever forgot this. Hugs, Susie
All That?
Grown as your gramma? I don’t think so.
Ready for responsibility? I hope so.
Outgoing enough to get a teaching job? Who me?
Willing to accept responsibility? I guess so.
Now is to never. What? It’s my turn? Do I have to?
The question and answer, back and forth give this poem a rhythm. Now? Yes, it’s your turn. Thanks!
Anna, this is a great wake-up call for those on the brink – – a foot in adolescence and a foot in early adulthood. What an awakening that is! I love your questions and your word choice – and your title!
Love this message to graduating teachers moving into the world to find work. There are lots of jobs in Oklahoma!
I love your final analogy, “Now is to never.” I feel like you can unpack that in many, many ways. Following it with “Do I have to?” I sure can relate to that!
Love the question and answer. It feel so alive and interactive!
Anna — I love the word you selected. The series of questions are so spot-on. Stepping into the world comes across with all its “yikes!! Me?” emotion. And a title that fits just dandy! Cool poem! Thanks, Susie
Anna,
I love the question-answer format. This poem has a coming of age quality to it.
—Glenda
Anna—love this—the alliteration, the question and answer, the doubts. Excellent!
Margaret, I loved every line of your POEM ; I particularly like “open is to door.” This acrostic and analogy combination was challenging for me, but fun!
Children
Cherish is to children,
Hope is to dreams,
Imagine is to journeys,
Light is to sunrise,
Dare is to mountains,
Roads are to guardrails,
Explore is to wilderness,
Nurture is to next.
“Dare is to mountains and Roads are to guardrails” are my favorite to ponder. The courage to step out of the lane and climb a new mountain is what we hope for all children.
Roads are to guardrails- – that expression is so telling about how we feel as parents when we try to protect our children. This is lovely, Maureen. My favorite line is the first: Cherish is to children. I love them all, but that’s my favorite!
Maureen — Well, doggone, if these aren’t the words of a teacher, then nothing is! How lovely to know that kids are in your hands. My favorite is the “roads are to guardrails” — that really is so much of the experience…opening all those doors and “dreams” and having that inconspicuous “guardrail.” Sweet. Thank you for being this kind of teacher! Susie
Maureen,
I love the way this poem celebrates children and radiates their light. I love every line. I’ve tried to choose a favorite and can’t, so I’ll choose favorite words: “light, cherish, Hope, guardrail.” Thank you.
—Glenda
Best line—roads are to guardrails. Our children—born and taught—need the road and the rails.
Give is to receive
Rain is to cleanse
Abundance is to share
Care is to love
Even is to balance
Oh, this is precious – a beautiful definition of grace. Loved this. Especially, “rain is to cleanse.”
Grace is one of my favorite words. I love “rain is to cleanse.” As grace is what cleanses and releases that ever present guilt.
Emily, I love that you chose this word. I strive, strive for grace in my being and actions, but, alas, always fail to embody this “Abundance” — love the imagery of rain and cleansing; this is forgiveness.
That word – Grace – something we all need more of, along with mercy. My favorite part is the line Rain is to cleanse. Like a blank slate of forgiveness – – something undeserved that happens anyway. Refreshing and uplifting words!
I love everything about this poem. Reading it was calming, just like feeling Grace.
So much grace shown here! Each phrase flows right into the other one, effortlessly. I, especially, loved the line, “Abundance is to share”. We can all learn about grace from this poem. Thanks for sharing.♥️
Emily,
Your poem is so appropriate to my day. We have cleansing rain. It comforts me. Your poem is a lovely expression of grace. Thank you.
—Glenda
Happiness is to a person as
Air is to breathe
People need water like
Positivity is needed in life a
Youthful like happiness is imperative
Happiness is like air, necessary and alive, but sometimes difficult to hold on to. Thanks.
Happiness is to a person as air is to breathe……..I love the sense of pursuit of the love of life and what sustains it. Nice analogy, Kole!
Wood is to fire as
Anchors are to ships as
Thread is to clothing as
Ears are to music as
Reading is to quarantine.
I really enjoyed your last line, I have found myself becoming an avid reader during these interesting times!
Quarantine has taken on new meaning these days. I hope you are reading some good books.
Reading is the key! (Also writing – like the writing we are doing here). 🙂
If, only, it was true about, “reading is to quarantine”! Alas, I fear it is more like, quarantine is to channel surfing! Everyone says that they have watched so much television that their eyes are crossed! Let’s keep hope alive that some kids are taking this time to read!?
Rachel, mI love the way each line focuses on something held by another thing or person. Sadly, my reading life has suffered during quarantine, but I’m thrilled yours has not. Thank you.
—Glenda
I like the relationships you create in your analogies, each supports the other
Builder is to building as
Octopus is to ink-screen escape as
Dog is to loyalty as
You are to me.
Ooo I like “ink-screen escape” lovely. And “you are to me” 🙂 Short but super creative. I was focusing on the word to connect everything and didn’t even notice that you don’t start with “body” but are focusing on what different bodies can provide or supply. Nice.
I’ve been exercising more with the stay home order. I hope your body remains dependable to you and you stay healthy.
Laura, I absolutely love the way you took something completely unexpected and made it fit right into the scheme of the poem. It’s like E.T. hiding in the closet among the stuffed animals. I wasn’t expecting an octopus and an ink-screen escape, and it’s that pop of surprise that adds to the delight of the dog and the you and me ending. Like a purple flower on a red dress. This sparkles!
I like how simple and short your poem is, the connection between “Body” and the last line, “You are to me.” I enjoy the sweet shared sentiment there!
Laura,
This is lovely. “ “Octopus is to ink-screen escape” is so original. I think of Candice Fleming’s “Giant Octopus” when reading that line. It draws me in. And the last line is a hug. Thank you.
—Glenda
Good morning Margaret,
What fun! Looking forward to writing and reading from today’s prompt. Love the added spin on it. I would love to try it with my students. Ho-hum with #remotelearning. Anyway, “empty is to invitation” suits your poem to perfection. As much as we may feel “invited” to write, the “memory of melody” triggers the real writing. Beautiful! I love poems about poetry.
Before I retired, I taught argument from analogy in my dual credit speech classes. In addition to teaching the features of analogies, I taught students to test their analogies, so I decided to compose a poem and name two similarities while illustrating ways a comparison of “like” can fail these tests. I have also constructed an acrostic, but it’s effected by line length limitations.
“Two Men”
Two men stand on the dais
Reviled is the One, a vacuous,
Unhinged, inelegant, narcissistic,
Mediocre man child, a simpleton, a quack
Pretender leader, aged man as the other, his antithesis.
Fearless, this second man on the dais, he
Acquiesces to the first. A humble servant,
Undeterred by onslaughts to his integrity,
Committed to a cure, selfless healer, leader.
Intelligent, elegant, articulate trusted mender.
—Glenda Funk
Pretender leader is my absolute favorite from this, closely followed by trusted mender. The use of capitals on One emphasizes the singularity and self-imposed importance. (I will forever see the image of the second man covering his face at the first when I pair these two.) I very much like how you used the idea of argument through analogies as a test – you are all so much smarter than I!
Very creative – I like how you say “aged man as the other, his antithesis” – saying they are the same but different in the same line! Nice two acrostics in one!
Good morning Glenda,
Here it is, nutball in a nutshell!
“Unhinged, inelegant, narcissistic,
Mediocre man child…”
Accurate as ever!
Love the gentleness of part 2. It brings me back from the darkness of part 1. You hit the nail on the head with
“Acquiesces to the first. A humble servant…”
It pained me to watch that happen, knowing that he’s a
“ Committed to a cure, selfless healer, leader.”
This poem hits the moving target! Thank you. I’ll sit with the hope of a “trusted mender.”
Hi, Glenda,
I had to look up “dais” and listen to the pronunciation as I don’t think I have ever included that word in my own writing: a low platform for a lectern, seats of honor, or a throne. “Mediocre man child” resonates, feels familiar, huh? And then we move to the second man, and this “humble servant” makes me think of teachers who are “undeterred” who are “selfless healer, leader” and, my favorite phrase, “trusted mender.”
Stunning.
Sarah
Glenda,
This is so cathartic to read. Thank you for sharing. I also resonate with “trusted mender.” Definitely brings hope to what feels like a darker than necessary time due to the first half of your poem….I also like your rhythm made up of statements dotted with lists of adjectives. Thanks for sharing.
Brilliant! Pretender is so true, as if we are all part of some play. Mediocre is kind. The contrast captures Fauci as his total opposite as a selfless healer, trusted mender. You nailed this poem!
Glenda, you’ve outdone yourself!!
My favorite lines are “pretender, leader…. his antithesis…a humble servant… committed to a cure”
Thank you for the inspiration.
Your poem is astounding! This idea of “argument from analogy” is so clear here – two so much the same, two so very different… The painful truth of “vacuous, unhinged” versus “selfless healer.” Poetic that they both have five letter last names – and this means you delivered a powerful, incisive acrostic in just ten lines. Thank you for this! Wow.
I’m on my feet. I’m maniacally whistling and clapping and dancing in a circle. Yes! I know these two. Let me see…..favorite words: unhinged, narcissistic, pretender……and then after the shift: humble,undeterred, committed, selfless, intelligent, articulate. Like Jennifer, I will also forever see the face-covering of the intelligent one as well. Glorious, Glenda!!!
Glenda, this is so powerful! The words you choose make it so “unhinged, vacuous, narcissistic” and “undeterred, articulate, fearless”….plus the whole dais imagery surely sets the stage well! Kudos!
Thank you for exhibiting the courage it takes to post this. One quality I look for in people and even more so in leaders is teachability. I just do not see that in Mr. Trump.
Oh, my goodness! Thank God for poems like this and sanity in the world. Your poem is healing and hopeful. The list of descriptions for that first “man” are so accurate and so many. It is amazing there are so many powerful words to describe him. The words and their placement gives the poem such nice flow like in this section: “a vacuous, / Unhinged, inelegant, narcissistic, / Mediocre man child, a simpleton, a quack”
Thank you, Glenda!
Oh yes, Glenda — Brilliant! I love the whole idea of letting us see two strikingly different individuals stand naked before us…and you hang on the clothes so accurately. I love that out loud, the first half of the poem hisses…so appropriate for the snake-like effect! Every time I see Dr. F on the news, I want to go kiss the TV. But I don’t, of course, because Dr. F has warned us that soc. dist. is the “wave” of the future. My favorite words: “vacuous” and “unhinged” and “trusted mender.” This is a doozy! Thank you! Susie
I love the juxtaposition (reminds me of Day 14), and the use of words with such heavy connotations paints the perfect picture.
Glenda, I so appreciate this poem. Boy, you’ve nailed the differences between these two. “Undeterred by onslaughts,” and “committed to a cure” are my favorite lines.
Oh, yes, Glenda. Intelligent, elegant, articulate, trusted mender. I love the line and the man!
Margaret, Poem is the perfect choice to play with today, in this environment, within this experience. It’s truly a toss-up as to which line spoke to me the most, but I love the idea of the open door. Thanks for twisting our minds a bit today – such a good challenge for students too.
LOVE
Love is to first sight as
Over (your head) is to heels as
Valentine is to invitation as
Each is to her own.
LOL to Over (your head) is to heels…Such a wonderful snippet to Love!
Jennifer,
Love the clever use of parenthesis. “Valentine is to invitation” is my favorite line. A valentine can be explicit as well as implicit in its meaning. Love this subtlety.
—Glenda
Jennifer,
I love the brevity here in the number of lines but the complexity within. Great use of parentheses with “Over (your head) is to heels as”. There is a sense of self love in the final line that I love. I read this as an invitation to love yourself.
Sarah
Jennifer, I love the way that you play with these phrases. What a fun puzzle of a poem!
I do love those parentheses too, for the emphasis on the double meaning – – especially with the heels! And Each is to her own……like how beauty is in the eye of the beholder and we are all free to love the person we choose. That’s a beautiful ending.
First: I adore The Lost Words and have it sitting just four feet away as I write! So much inspiration in that gorgeous book. What a challenge this acrostic-analogy is, Margaret. I love “POEM” – it perfectly encapsulates what a poem is and does and how it comes to be. Okay, I’ll give this a whirl …
Child
Courage is to character as
Hope is to heart as
Imagination is to idea as
Love is to life as
Discovery is to dazzling
The child that uses imagination to lead to discovery. Makes me miss the children in my life. The whiny cat is just not doing it for me. Thanks for taking the challenge.
Such hopeful words here to describe child – imagination, idea, discovery – and all so bright and optimistic – hope, heart, dazzling. I absolutely love “courage is the character.” There’s something about childhood that requires courage, even when discovery and imagination disguise it.
Fran,
Love the alliteration of “courage, character,” “Hope, heart,” “love, life, and “discovery, dazzling.” These describe children in all their wonder.
I loved what you wrote, it makes me think that I could use a little more hope and imagination in my life!
Fran, thank you for sharing your poem. I love the youthful inspiration this poem brings.
Fran, all of your words illustrate CHILD – courage, hope, imagination (wild ones!), love, and discovery. I love discovery and imagination here most, because there seems to be this dividing line between children who do this so naturally and then as they grow up it seems to take far more effort to have those imaginations and discoveries……
Closed within, chain
light on, I burrow my body
onto sneakers, cuddling
shirts slipped from hangers
evading witching hour
titans until Dawn opens
the doors.
Sarah, thanks for showing us how to deviate from the form. This poem leaves us in the safety of the closet wondering what’s out there! Thanks for playing along with your own style!
Sarah,
Love the riddle-like quality of your analogy as well as the movement of opening and closing a door compared to the opening and closing of dawn. The sun is rising as I read your poem, giving it an added layer of lovely light. Thank you.
—Glenda
The placement of “chain” on the first line next to “closed within” gives us something bigger to ponder along with the enjambment that follows it. Lovely word choices here: burrow, cuddling, evading.
What is it about closets and chain light switches? I don’t miss those much. I’m glad the dawn comes because the first part is truly frightening!
Sarah—I am closeted there with you! I burrow my body onto sneakers, cuddling shirts slipped from hangers. The image is so vivid. Thank you!
Ooooh, word play at its finest! What fun. “Empty is to invitation” is so lovely in this poem.
Since I’ve been working on water poems this month, I selected a water word from my brainstorm list.
Groundwater
Gravity is to force as
Rock is to heavy-
Ordinary is to as plain as
Under is hidden.
Natural is to vital as
Drink is to down.
Well is to deep, deep, hole as
Artesian is to geology as
Topography is to land as
Ecology is to preservation and
Reservoir is to reserve.
I love your choice here. Groundwater is not one we usually think about when thinking about water, but as you said so eloquently, “Natural is to vital” all the way to the wonderful word play of preservation, reservoir, and reserve.
Linda,
Groundwater is a wonderful choice. Those of us who live in deserts, as I do here in Idaho, learn how vital groundwater is to our lives. The Snake River Aquifer is the main source of our water, so it’s an important part of each child’s education. “Artesian is geology” is my favorite comparison. Thank you.
—Glenda
Linda,
Great word choices and I like how you used “deep, deep, hole” for emphasis.
Amazing – first to think of that word and then these fabulous analogies. I may love “well as to deep. deep hole” best … all in all, so impressive.
Artesian – a favorite word here as it evokes a homespun, more natural sort of well (it probably doesn’t to those in the know, but the connotation has always leaned favorably in that direction for me – maybe because of its close sound to artistry). I’m appreciating how the second half of these analogies read on their own as well, the connections between words (force/heavy, plain/hidden, vital/down/hole, geology/land, preservation/reserve).
Love that every line, every analogy is related to water – beautifully poetic. Love “drink is to down” – made me smile; thinking, in the midst of technical terms, let’s not forget how simple and essential water is!
I love the deep, deep hole to draw back up to Under is hidden. Groundwater is a beautiful choice for today – – the quarantined/reservoired water has life-sustaining qualities!
Margaret, I love the analogy acrostics! They definitely give an added dimension of mind-wringing word choice! I love that you used something as all-encompassing as a poem so that your words were all part of poetic possibility! My poem today was inspired by Shakespeare in his line, “The readiness is all!”
READY
Ready is to revival as
Eager is to experience as
Able is to adventure as
Doing is to destiny as
Yearning is to you
I love how you added in the element of acrostic within the poem as well. These poems really make you think! Yearning is to you! A great end line!
super! what great connections. “yearning is to you” is the best. I’m sure WS himself would agree.
Kim,
I love that your acrostic analogy is inspired by Shakespeare. “Doing is to destiny” is my favorite line.
—Glenda
Kim,
I like how you’ve used a intangible concept as your acrostic topic and the words you use work well in making it attainable!
How well you show “readiness is all!” The word choices and analogies are all so knitted to “ready” and every line invites so many possibilities …
I am ready for this – a revival, an experience, definitely an adventure! Perfect for spring and our current predicament. I love the word revival.
Kim,
I love the possibility of this poem. When I allow myself to wonder about future adventures, I feel the same tug that I get as I read this poem; that last line really sums it up!
Kim, this is such a beautiful poem! Yearning is to you! This poem inspires me and I’m so glad I read it this morning to get me going.
Every line of this is energizing…which we need, if we are ready. Loved the way this sounded when I read it aloud…flows beautifully. Thank you!
Kim, there is a such a hope-filled readiness about this poem. “Yearning is to you” is my favorite line. Thank you. Admirable analogous alliterative acrostic.
Softness is to Strength as
Novelty is to Needless as
Opulent is to Ornery as
Winter is to…Where is spring?
Love your ending question….and opulent. Opulent IS ornery, isn’t it? I never thought of that word that way before.
Ha! Are you getting tired of the snow? Ornery is such a great word choice.
Stefani,
Ha! That last line, “Where is spring” cracks me up. Love the twist on analogy here. Thanks for the smile.
—Glenda
Lovely and fun. I find the analogy of softness to strength to be so appealing and true … and YEAH, where IS spring?! 🙂
We awakened to snow here today too. And it just started to snow again. Such is Michigan weather! It’s interesting to see how the prompts throughout the week influence how we think (as both readers and writers) about these poems. I see glimpses of yesterday’s mirror poems and seeing the two sides here. Love the word choices AND that you used SNOW on both sides of the analogy, adding to the challenge.
Hmmm. Stefani, don’t ask me why this line jumps out at me, “Opulent is to Ornery as/Winter is to….”. True it’s snowing here in Western Michigan…in April! 🙂
Stefani, my favorite line is Winter is to….where is spring? It gives me the feeling of “Squirrel!” Which is really what we’re wanting to see as spring emerges. Winter wittiness of distraction there in that line – – I love it!
Student is to teacher as
Truth is to relationship as
Universe is to me as
Dreams were for King as
Energy is to machine as
Nature is to artist as even
Teacher is to student.
Oh, that ending is perfect! Well done. Great words in here.
That nice twist of phrase from student to teacher. I am so missing that element of relationship these days.
Angie, I like the use of “me” in this, it captures the personal nature of your topic.
Moving between student and teacher then teacher to student creates the perfect reflection and analogies – this is a symbiotic relationship and we learn much, maybe even more, from students. I like this idea of expansion and retraction.
Beautiful circular acrostic … I love every line and truth/relationship, nature/artist really capture me as does universe/me. I have thought a lot lately about not just being in the universe but the universe being within me. Tying it all to all to teachers and student … masterful.
Angie, thank you for sharing this poem! I love the way it comes full circle at the end.