Things You Can Do with an Orange with Allison Berryhill
Welcome to Day 1 of the June Open Write. If you have written with us before, welcome back. If you are joining us for the first time, you are in the kind, capable hands of today’s host, so just read prompt below and then, when you are ready, write in the comment section below. To learn more about the Open Write, click here.
Allison Berryhill lives in Iowa where she advises the journalism program, teaches English, and hosts a weekly Creative Writing club at Atlantic High School. She is active with the Iowa Council of Teachers of English, the Iowa High School Press Association, and the Iowa Poetry Association where she serves as teacher liaison. Allison is a runner, an accordion player, and a wedding officiant. Follow her at @allisonberryhil for photos of #IowaSky and schoolblazing.blogspot.com for random musings.
Inspiration
Hello, and welcome! The Ethical ELA monthly Open Write invites/inspires/motivates me to come to the page for five consecutive days each month. By participating in Open Write, I know I will write no fewer than 60 poems a year. I’m beginning my fourth year here, which means I’ve written almost 200 poems in this space. It adds up!
—–
Once when I was volunteering at my son’s preschool, he put an empty toy container on his head. The teacher told him to stop. It was a box, not a hat. I struggled in that moment as my child’s exploration of metaphor (box / hat) was snuffed out as wrong.
I remembered the box vs. hat episode when reading “Things You Can Do with an Orange” (by Ally Visser, first published in Lyrical Iowa 2017). One of my students found the poem on our classroom poetry shelf this spring. She showed it to me with delight.
Today I’m sharing the prompt we built off the “Things You Can Do with an Orange” poem during our next Creative Writing club meeting.
As each student entered the room, I asked them for a noun, which I then posted on a randomizing pick-a-name wheel. We then each spun the wheel to pick our word, then took off on a furious 15 minutes of free association resembling a poem. We had so much fun!
Poetry prompts can set you loose–in whatever direction feels right. The prompt is merely a nudge.
Process
- Read the mentor poem (by Ally Visser, Dort College, published in the 2017 Lyrical Iowa.)
- Consider a second approach: I spun the lucky word “toilet” and turned it into something that, towards the end, was old-lady rap-ish!
- One of my freshman poets landed on the word “bra” and wrote a stunning poem. I’m offering it as a third mentor text.
After reading these three very different poems, spin the wheel here: https://wheelofnames.com/bdd-vun
(Or choose a noun of your own!) Play with ideas, play with sounds, possibilities…enjoy! Then share your delight in fellow poets’ experimentation with “Things You Can Do…” by responding to their efforts!
| Things You Can Do with an Orange –Ally Visser Dort College Lyrical Iowa 2017 | Things You Can Do with a Toilet –Allison Berryhill | things you can do with a bra –Josie Handlos Grade 9 |
| paint make perfume eat it for a snack peel it squish it rip it all apart then try to put it back turn it into art smash it on the ground roll it like a ball use it as a hacky-sack and never let it down use it as a face mask a smoothie or some juice pretend it’s your new smile try to give it some roots ask it where it came from set it down and stare note its porous texture its scent its peel its hue ask it where it came from see what it says to you | #1: Yes, you can do that– and #2 as well. Butt (yes, two ts) You can also pause contemplate the purpose of life listen to the tinkle, tinkle Bury your goldfish give Fido a drinkle Perch and preen Sprinkle, sprinkle Read the paper Crinkle, crinkle Reflect the mirror twinkle twinkle Sit for years like Rip Van Winkle | you can make a blindfold so that you do not see when you play hide and seek you can wear it so that you can feel all grown up you can feel grown up, maybe too much too soon you can wish yours was a different size and criticize your mirror’s unfiltered reflection you can show it because he asked you to you can have it taken off of you you’re really grown up now, aren’t you? you can make a blindfold so that you do not see while you hide, and he seeks |
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.
I’m new to Open Write and so excited to join in! I spun “garden hose” as my noun. 🙂
Things You Can Do With a Garden Hose
celebrate
for summer is here
time to
unwind
let loose
release the kinks
time to
quench
the lawn
the flowers
the garden
your thirst and your soul
time to
slip and slide
sprint through the sprinkler
splash a sibling
time to
fill a bucket
a baby pool
water balloons
and celebrate
for summer is here
Love the way water hose became a metaphor for summer through your poem. My favorite line…”time to unwind let loose release the kinks…”
Hi Allison!
This was a fun prompt and I thought it would be so simple! I spun twice and could not get inspired by my words. I gave it some time but nothing came to me so I am back this morning to write about a word (well, phrase) that has played a big role in my end of school year life — and at home.
Things You Can Do With a Weeded Book
Put that back on the shelf!
Okay, okay…we need the room for something new.
Sigh, it’s hard to let it go.
Repurpose those pages…
Create found poetry
Build a book porcupine, just add bookmarks
Shred those pages. Can others guess the title?
Turn the cover into a purse.
Pass it on…
Bernie’s Book Bank takes K-6 books
Little Free Libraries can give a second life
It’s a favorite? Gift to someone who needs it.
Weeding books is so hard!
Sharing book love makes it easier.
© Jennifer Kowaczek June 2022
Thinking about oranges brought back a sweet childhood memory for me. Mama would sometimes cut a hole in the top of an orange for us to suck out the juice. Delicious and fresh as you could get it! If you’ve never tried it, it’s not too late!?
Juicebox
Summer hot might be the day-
But soon we’d hear my mama say,
“Whoo, it’s loud in here,
Y’all need to go outside and play!”
So we ran loose
Free as a goose
Dancing with mischief
As tho ‘twere a noose.
“A drink!” we cried
As we tumbled inside
The old screen door
Flapping wide.
A stab of the knife
Gave a new life
To that little orange orb
Of juicy delight.
We pursed our lips
To suck up the drips
With greedy squeezes
From little fingertips.
The method was sticky
A little bit tricky
But the juice was sweet
and we weren’t picky!
Then with smiles on our faces
We resumed our places
As warriors of play
In the wide outdoor spaces.
Forging memories just as sweet
As were those
Of that juicy orange treat.
Kathy! Such fun, you brought back some of my own childhood memories, and those with my own child (now a teen).
Thank you for sharing!
Aww Kathy, this sounds so sweet (pun unintended) 🙂 Thanks for sharing
Allison, thank you for such a fun way to begin this month’s Open Write. As a good student, I spinner the wheel and got “knife.”
So here it is:
Things You Can Do with a Knife
Cut a Birthday cake to share
with all people about whom you care.
Slice bread for breakfast
to have energy for getting around fast.
Chop some onions, celery, and bell pepper
for Cajun gumbo special prepping.
Do whatever else needs paring,
mincing, cubing, or wedging.
Turn it into a helpful tool: pumpkin carver,
Screwdriver, mini-shovel, or scraper.
You can do with it lots of things
but be careful—
Please, don’t hurt anyone!
I also got knife, Leiyla (as did several others), and I love seeing how different our approaches are. I can see ALL of these uses – myself having done them all – and I always love to see a mention of The Holy Trinity – onions, celery, and bell pepper! I’m like Pavlov’s dog to that! The poem is filled with so much good tooling that a knife can offer, but I appreciate that closing remark, because – yeah, that’s the flip side of the knife, right?
Leilya, I love how you start with the obvious and then move into the unconventional. The number of times my mom used a butter knife as a screwdriver …. I’m pretty sure I truly believed that was it’s intended use 🙂
Thank you for sharing,
Jennifer
This was such a fun way to start, Allison! Josie’s poem was a gut punch to me, as I felt that she was expressing reluctance to engage in the “grown up” behavior “he” is asking of her.
The first noun that popped into my mind when reading the introduction was “slug,” because they are the nemesis of Pacific Northwest USA gardens, especially during years like this, when cool, wet weather lingers. I spent several hours in the garden today, and dispatched quite a number of them.
Things you can do with a slug
sprinkle salt on it
chop it in pieces with a spade
feed it some beer
or sourdough starter
invite snakes
and frogs
and songbirds
into your garden
to dine on it
surround plants
with copper bands
to zap it
but ultimately
slug is here to stay
and so am I
Charlene, I love the resolve you have in beating these pests. “slug is here, and so am I” is masterful. I especially like all the critters who are welcome in the garden to dine on the slugs.
Hiya, Charlene! I lived in the Portland area for a few years, and have DISTINCT memories of running in the morning and encountering numerous slug trails. DANGER DANGER to runners! Made me laugh to read this. In Michigan, we have grubs. Not as big and gross as slugs, but still gross. And we try all the same tricks! The closing line is the humble truth, they are just as valid a creature on this earth as we are. (It still won’t stop me from chucking them out into the street for the birds to eat!)
Charlene,
This was a super fun poem. Way to embrace a creature most of us call pest!
Jennifer
I loved this. There’s something so delicate about the word “sprinkle” in the very beginning that gives us this sense of restraint and then BOOM, by line two, you’re chopping it to pieces. I appreciate the ending, too. I’ve been thinking a lot about Nancie Atwell’s “Rule of So What?” and that last stanza is tight and clear and beautifully messaged. Made me think about all of the slug-like things with which I have to coexist be it white flies lingering around my tomato plants or the backpack of anxiety that I can’t seem to unload.
Charlene–I can’t help feeling a little sorry for the slugs, although beer and sourdough starter don’t sound too ominous (for people, I guess)! Love the ending where you come to terms with both the slugs and you being here to stay!
Allison, thank you for the wonderful prompt. All three of the model poems were delightful and provided a unique direction for them poem. When I was at AHS, I taught Rip Van Winkle during American Lit. Thanks for taking me back in your poem hehe 🙂
things you can do with a word
write it read it
speak it hear it
sing it mean it
string it with another for
hymns & policy
recipes & comedy
obits & anthologies
love poems & apologies
but you can never
un-write un-read
un-speak un-hear
un-sing un-mean
a word
another has
heard or read
once it is out
of your head
Rachelle,
So much truth here! I love that you ended with absolute law of once a word is said, it cannot be undone. Beautiful!
‘OH MY, RACHELLE!
I love meeting with you in this space. Oregon’s gain is Iowa’s loss.
Your poem tonight is such a wonderful blend of sound and feeling and thought:
“string it with another for
hymns & policy
recipes & comedy
obits & anthologies
love poems & apologies”
Your closing message is powerful. Thank you for this poem (and all the rest).
Ooooh, I love this shift to what you can’t do with it! Very effective way to show the power of word presence!
Rachelle, what poetic truth you weave here. I love the rhyming and the message. I like the italicized “mean” as well.
I thought writing about a word, Rachelle, but you did it much better. I love short, precise lines packed with action. Thank you!
Your piece churned an idea for me. Would love to ask kids to think about the things they can do with a word. Especially loved “sing it mean it” because without that, our words are empty. Makes me think about the yearning for sincerity in people’s words. Also loved the stanza of genre possibilities and all those places we can tuck our words for them to shine and wield meaning.
Rachelle,
As a middle school educator and a mom to an incoming 8th grader….
there is so much in your poem.
Thank you for sharing this.
things to do with a hammer
hang a picture
and if you are lucky find the right
place the first time
build a bookshelf
just a step above the cinder block
bookshelves you built in college
though they served their purpose
for years
drive a nail head into a surface
and wonder how the nail head
manages to rise out and snag the sweater
you’re wearing as you move beside the surface
pound a finger often your thumb
when you meant to hit a nail
sure the nail head is small
though you were certain you had your eye
on it
hang lights on your porch
add a festive touch make sure the spacing
works for the space and add the ambiance
you’ve always dreamed of
Jamie — I love the visuals provided in your poem. The juxtaposition between hitting the thumb in the penultimate stanza to hanging the dreamy porch lights in the last stanza demonstrate that sometimes beauty is pain!
Hello Jamie! I’m so happy to find you in this place tonight! I loved this:
“and if you are lucky find the right
place the first time”
Each image/story that unfolded in your poem brought me into your experience. That sweater snagging was spot on. Perfect.
Hitting the finger – yes, that is what happens to me. Some of us have no business using power tools and at least one of us has no business using ancient tools. Me.
Thank you, Jamie! I love the imagery your poem creates. The final stanza reminds me of a holiday season, joyful and festive.
Love this fun prompt. Thanks, Allison! Your examples were wonderful and yours made me laugh. I spun the wheel…
Things You Can Do with a Pork Chop
By Nancy White
A pork chop, you say?
Let me count the ways.
Nancy– Wonderful poem! I could smell and taste this poem. As someone from the midwest, it really does mean pure comfort and delight for me too. It reminds me of the county fair–there is always a stand for a pork chop in a glove.
I read “ beckons”as bacon the first time! Also a craving. Love the light hearted, hunger producing poem!
Oh, Nancy! You took me on such a delightful sensory/memory journey.YES! I want one now!
Your “let me count the ways” invitation was irresistible. LOVED IT!
it would be so good right now….when we go see a movie we have popcorn for dinner and get hungry at midnight. A pork chop sounds great! I agree – let’s eat!
I love the flitting from thought to thought in this poem, Nancy, and the sense of nostalgia. I’m also game for a pork chop pretty well anytime. 🙂
Nancy, it looks like you had fun spinning “pork chop”! So many thoughts came from this noun. I love the rhyming and the flawless movement from one idea to the next. A puppy name is my favorite use of pork chop today.
Things You Can Do with a Star
you can put it upon thar
and feel chosen
or not
you can see them in
a loved one’s eyes or
shine your own
sparkling gaze
at your beloved
you can mark something
with it to make sure you
remember
or put stickers on papers
that are just so excellent
sometimes they’re used
on ceilings and glow
in patterns or shapes
or for no reason at all
they can designate
a person’s status
as “special,”
but aren’t we all
in our own unique ways?
in winter time they
top evergreen trees
celebrating another
from long long ago
whatever their purpose
whatever their design
they help to call attention
to all that we need
or want to be seen
Cara, this stanza especially stood out to me “you can mark something / with it to make sure you / remember” because it’s something I do daily. Everything all came together nicely in that last stanza. I like how you’re able to turn something so mundane, like stars on a list, into something special through your poetry.
Oh my word, Cara. You took me into so many places. I may never think of a “star” again as just a star! LOVED THIS! “Just so excellent” gave me a needed pause. Thank you.
I honestly cannot imagine coming up with so many of these ideas, and yet, I can relate to each and every one of them! I had those glow stars on my ceiling! I like the kind of sassy tone in these two lines, “or put stickers on papers / that are just so excellent.” It’s the “just so excellent” that resonates with me – like, ‘lookie here what this student did!’ – yet in a way, it reflects on our excellence as teachers, too! Not that we ‘did it,’ but to foster an environment in which a student can excel, and we can recognize and acknowledge that growth. Those two lines are my favorite. They say so much! Love the end lines as well, the practicality of the star, “to all that we need / or want to be seen.” Lovely.
Thank you, Allison! The idea for my subject came to me after I saw an article in the New Yorker about the famous surfer, Kai Lenny.
Things you can do with a wave
Imagine it.
Predict it.
Sway with it.
Ride upon it.
Dive into it.
Imitate it.
Paint it in shades of blue.
Call out to it.
Curse it.
Yield to it.
Overcome it – no
Tame it – never.
Katrina, as a former surfer I can say you picked the perfect words for a wave. In my case, “Curse it” is the most apt as I seemed to spend more time under the waves rather than actually riding them. ?
You captured it all, Katrina. I love the sway of a wave, the coolness I feel when diving into it and the shades of blue I can use to paint it. It is everlasting and never tamed. A wonderful poem paying homage to a wave.
Ohhh, I really like the twist to the negative at the end here, Katrina. I would even try adding that to the form if it can work. For so many of these ideas we created, there are those alternative perspectives that could be addressed in unique ways by negating them. Stereotypes or misperceptions or something just simply not being possible. Love it!
Hi Katrina. I also picked wave as my word. I love the short lines beginning with action evoking the pure power each wave carries.
Allison, I love the prompt. Props to your student. Her poem is a major WOW!
things you can do with a star
look up high
in night sky
make a wish
to star bright
read dark sky’s
star-painted
patterns, our
constellations
let star guide
your dreams
like sailors
exploring seas
visit a star-
shaped fort &
honor silver
star heroes
soak up star
sun rays on
a warm
summer day
twist & turn
your body to
star-gazer pose
ooh and aah as
you immerse your
soul in Van Gogh’s
Starry Night
stroll the Hollywood
walk of fame to
see names of
movie stars
see *regions of
the inhabited
world* in an
Egyptian pentagram
put star of Bethlehem
atop a Christmas tree
learn Star of David history
give star ratings
as you travel &
adorn your body
with star-shaped baubles
salute 50 stars
sprinkled on
Betsy Ross’s
royal blue background
from ancient days
to modern times
no shape twinkles
quite like a star
—Glenda Funk
June 18, 2022
Glenda,
I got “star,” too! I like your more historical approach to the word. Your first few stanzas about navigating are my favorites–I didn’t think about that when writing mine. Isn’t it cool how poems can be about the same thing and yet so different? Nice job!!
Glenda — This is a marvelous Learning Poem… I learned stuff or thought about stars in ways that were different from what I expected. Betsy’s flag, the heroes…and who doesn’t love Starry Night?! Wonderful! You are such a whiz kid. I love that! Hugs, Susie
Glenda, so many stars in your poem! I love the short clips lines and rhymes dancing throughout. You have challenged us to learn more, and now I’m off to look up some star history. Nice!
Bravo, Glenda! I love the ‘star journey’ in your poem. The stars guiding dreamers are closest to my heart ?
Glenda, wow, you’ve captured so much in this poem and I think your poem reveals your traveling experiences. I loved your format and your end is the perfect description of a star. Loved the concept of soaking up star sun rays. Magnificent poem!
Glenda, I had the word “star,” too – you have given it a much deeper, more rounded view, here. The use of three and four syllable lines is captivating. I love how you work your many travels into these magic words; I especially love the nod to Van Gogh –
Allison,
You have some amazing mentor poems there. My goodness. Thank you for this prompt with endless possibilities. “Pretend it’s your new smile” face me smile! I loved the “rap” you did de especially the last line…
“Sit for years like
Rip Van Winkle”
Your student’s poem was funny too. The diffeent meanings of the first and last stanzas are so different, and startling at the end. Powerful.
I enjoyed using the spinner!
Things that Happen When Looking at the Horizon
Feel blessed
Find rest
Less stress
Less
Yes
Denise, I love the simplicity of this and agree with each line. I feel rested by just reading it,
Denise,
I love the soothing /s/ sounds and the drifting structure of your poem.
Short and sweet and soothing. Needed this tonight,..
Denise, this is gentle and sweet! I love the softness of all the “ess” rhymes…yes!
So this as a struggle for me. I hit on hymnal the first time, cheated and rolled again, came up with another I didn’t like, cheated again, and landed (again) on hymnal. I was committed against my will. The gods (lower case g) had spoken. Fate.
What To Do With a Hymnal
At one time,
it would have been
simple.
Open it up.
Find the page.
Settle into the pew,
enter into the harmony,
find the alto line.
Hold up the middle,
leave the soar to the sopranos.
The songs are embedded in me.
What a friend we have in Jesus,
there is joy in the morning,
precious memories,
praise God for from whom all blessings flow,
Jesus loves me this I know.
Does He?
Love me?
I am a non-member
of the un-churched.
There is no one to sing with.
So what should I do
with this
Hymnal?
I think
I shall return it to its shelf.
It will be comfortable there,
even if I am not.
GJSands
6-18-22
Oh, Gayle…you capture the emotions of being in a church as an unchurched person so well. Those last four lines…wow.
Gayle,
I love the layers of meaning and history you put into this. I feel the conflicted emotions and totally relate. Beautiful poem.
I appreciate this perspective, Gayle. You had me at ‘lower case g.’ I love that you ‘cheated,’ but wait – no one said we couldn’t spin more than once! I didn’t want “knife,” and guess what I got? I can wholly relate to this poem. I was raised Roman Catholic and can remember way back to the chalkboard at the front that listed out which songs we would be singing and thumbing ahead to check the songs. I was also very much the alto, and mostly the lipsyncher if Mom or Dad weren’t really listening. It is funny how, even decades after leaving that behind me, those songs, those lyrics, stay with me. I can still do the mass by heart (well, what it was then; I know they change it up) and sing each of those songs through to the end. Indelible. They are, indeed, their own literature, their own poetry. They once came from someone’s heart and head to express something that, really, words cannot. So, for that, I do appreciate their craft. But, yeah, back onto the shelf with you!
Gayle, I love the reflections embedded within this poem, how you go back in time with sweet memories of different hymns, share your doubt, and move steadily forth. I appreciate this description of you:
Allison–what a fun way to start a Saturday! I eagerly read this morning and then headed out to the beach for a low-tide walk and a local surf contest while a poem began to brew. It’s still a first draft–but it was such fun to play with words today. Thanks for the inspiration!
Things you can do with a wave
Ride it like a pony
up white-topped salt water mountains
and down into
deep cerulean valleys
Swim like a dolphin
holding your breath
exploring the depths
noticing another world
under the water
until you rise into
the matching blue sky
and breathe deeply once again
Hear its music
whoosh and patter
with the thunder of pebbles
rolling with the bass
Tumble and turn
feelings earth’s energy
in the cool saltiness
Imitate the shore birds
as they stomp and splash
Let the pinks and oranges and red
crown you each evening
as day gives way to darkness
paint the world with hope
and start anew tomorrow
@kd0602
Kim, I am envious of your ability to go be up close and personal with waves. You bring all of the sensory images to life. I especially like the dive you take “down into deep cerulean valleys.”
Kim, wow. You found some inspiration today at the surf contest. That are so many gorgeous images here. I love the sunset description you wrote and how it signals a starting afresh of tomorrow. So lovely.
I love how you capture the many emotions being in the ocean evokes, Kim. The Southern California Pacific ocean and beaches are the best!
Hi Kim! It’s so fun to find you here. I just loved this. What a way to bring us in, too! The metaphor of wave as mountain…I found myself out of the water and on that pony and marveled that you were able to take something wet and foaming and make it wildly land-like. I also find this poem meaningful, for how many pictures have you taken over the years on your beloved beach walks. You bring us to your ocean, ushering us into a beautiful riot of imagery–from it’s unwieldy whoosh and tumble and thunder to that calming sky that “crowns” it. Stunning, Kim.
Allison—how much do I love this prompt and your poignant poem?! But (butt?) how can I follow up something so intense? I will try…
Thank you Allison for this inspiration and clever wheel. I really enjoyed getting back to some poetry writing. Yipee!
If I Had A Star
If I had a star
I would hold it in my hand and feel it’s pointy edges.
I would make duplicates and paste them on my school papers
and decorate my clothes.
I would wear them in my hair
and I would sparkle!
If I had a star
I would never let it hide under a blanket of clouds.
I would let it lead me in dreams
and on adventures of hope.
If I had a star
I would stare it’s a place in the sky
until my eyes watered
to see it with starry neighbors
organized as Orion’s Belt, the Big Dipper and Pegasus.
If I had a star
it would navigate me through history and time
and with divine guidance
point me towards Bethlehem.
So many wonderful and varied images, Susan! I really don’t think you’ve missed any possibilities. Your pointy edges really made me smile.
Susan, what a hope-filled beauty! I especially loved this image:
We should all be free to sparkle! ?✨?
Susan—this is so beautiful—we all need to sparkle. Adventures of hope—love this.
I love this, Susan! Stars really are hopeful, aren’t they? I loved “I would sparkle”. Made me want some sparkle right now. And the image of Bethlehem star, the star that points to live and hope and all things good!
each of your four stanzas take a different perspective on a star – 4 different things you would do with a star – hold it in your hand, never let it hide beneath the clouds, stare its place in the sky, and navigate
things you can do with a coffee cup saucer
add a dozen cups & saucers
from Crate & Barrel or holster
the scanner altogether
rest a Walmart basil plant
upon the saucer & follow
the “water from the bottom”
to “enjoy everyday” which
means a couple weeks
until claustrophobic stalks
wither altogether
set your engagement ring
in the saucer’s bed for when
your finger de-swells &
the idea of any band on
your body sounds good to
you once again
toss paperclips & sticky
notes onto the surface or
use it as a paper weight–
wait, maybe paper is out of
date, so lip balm & lotion
to look hydrated for Zoom
or just a small plate to catch
the remains of linguini, crumbs
of a cookie, overseeped tea bags,
or any attempt to portion-control
snacks when you really want
the whole bag or box or sleeve
so glad we registered for saucers
to enjoy the ways small plates
populate altogether the spaces
of our home
Just posted mine, Sarah, and came to yours. I had more than one laugh. Thank you! I loved the lines “until claustrophobic stalks wither altogether” because that just happened to my rhubarb plant. So true!
Then the swelled fingers! All so true and so clever!
Thank you for seeing me. This is my first poem since April, and I almost didn’t write one today because I was feeling all kinds of ways about life. I’m so grateful to have you as a witness to this silly poem and to my existence, which feels a bit dramatic to say but is also very true.
I don’t know what I like more- the claustrophobic withering stalks or looking hydrated for Zoom, which you always do, by the way! I adore the thought of the small plates populating your home.
The claustrophobic withering stalks resonated in my soul! So glad you chose to enter the fray here. This made me smile throughout—the portion control, the paper clips, the lip gloss. All the detritus of our lives. Perfection.
Sarah, so much to enjoy here! I agree with all the uses you’ve shared and have to wonder if maybe I should place a saucer on my desk tomorrow (without the cup) and see what decides to make a home there.
Loved those lines because I found myself thinking about the restraints of bands, all kinds of bands, but never once had I thought about the wedding band. Love it!
Dr. Donovan, I love the utility, versatility, and humility of your saucers. (I am glad to learn your secret for growing basil. It looks so healthy when I buy it, but it is downhill from there). You bring polysyndeton to life with your “whole bag or box or sleeve.” Thank you!
lovely images, many so easy to relate to, the basil plant, the ring, paperclips and sticky nots, a tiny snack – what could we do without them!
Things to do with a word
tuck a word tenderly into your front pocket
or place it next to your heart inside a locket
savor a word’s flavor; admire its perfect glow
paint it on a rainbow banner and hear it flow
measure its weight; the fearsome power it wields
cherish its beauty; hold it close like a shield
use it to cultivate peace, hope, and love
to waken awareness; spirits above
Barb Edler
18 June 2022
Allison, thank you so much for sharing your very humorous poem today along with your student’s poem and classroom experience. I was sorry your son’s creativity was stifled. I remember my middle son always wearing a tupperware bowl and some other things like it like a hat all the time. Anyway, you have provided a bright place and happy memory for my heart today:)
Barb, there are so many great lines/images here! “[S]avor a word’s flavor; admire its perfect glow.” And I love that you highlight that words should be “use[d] … to cultivate peace, hope, and love.” Thank you!
Barb – The choice of WORD is just perfect. I wish I’d written this. The sense of a word in my pocket…it’s having flavor…measuring its weight (love that especially)…it all speaks to the power of words. You started the month perfectly with WORD. Happy summer hugs to you! Susie
Barb,
This is beautiful, powerful and gentle, a celebration of all the ways we can use words to craft a better world.
Barb, this is gorgeous – such a testament to the power of words. I particularly love this couplet –
A word holds so very much!
I haven’t written poetry in a while, so this is quite refreshing. Thank you for hosting Allison. This was a fun prompt and I’m definitely going to use the website for my classroom. I enjoyed all mentor poems, but Josie’s was my favorite.Her line “you can wear it so that you can feel all grown up” resonated with me. I don’t know why bras are like a right of passage. I guess it’s the growing up thing, but as a grown up, I can’t wait to fling it across the room. Ahhhh liberation! I was given the word “foot”. So, here goes!
Things You Can Do With Your Foot
Plant them one
by one firmly on the floor, thanking
God for another day.
Walk to the kitchen, for the 50-11th time,
trying to fight that fix. Press it to the pedal,
but then abruptly hit the brake when a person stops traffic
to catch a baby turtle.Tap impatiently as you wait
for the website
to load. Kiss hot pavement
to quickly roll up the car window as scattered showers
hiss, sensing more humidity. Slip
on that warm and fuzzy socks
because it brings you
comfort. Paint the toenails so they can
be “summer ready”. Tip on the toes to grab the container,
slightly out of reach. Prop them up on the couch
as you enjoy your favorite book and snack,
not Cheetos. Click the one heel to the other and recite
“There’s no place like home” and hope to be there.
Not, but wishful thinking.
Jessica, I love your mix of sensory appeal and how one moment moves effortlessly into the next just as our daily lives do. The allusion to the Wizard of Oz had me smiling along with someone trying to save a turtle and kissing hot pavement. Awesome poem! Thank you!
Thank you Barb! These were the thoughts that just came to my mind and I didn’t delete anything, lol. And that turtle story was true! That lady almost hurt herself darting out in traffic, but I guess for the love of animals. It was a cute turtle.
Hi Jessica! Love what you did with your word, foot! I was hoping to find you here. Please share your email so I can send you and Katlyn some of the poems my students wrote from your April prompt.
I love this:
Now I want a snack!?
Hi Stacey, thank you so much! I didn’t have any direction so I just went where my foot and brain led me, lol. I just had some burnt popcorn, so I was really craving Cheetos! And sure, I can DM on Twitter. ?
Great to see you again, Jessica! I have never characterized my own foot before, but by dang if our feet don’t have a lot in common! “fight that fix” is one I know all to well – and why do my feet keep returning me to the kitchen? The stop-and-go in the car, our feet reflexing to save our lives as well as propel them forward. I enjoyed your play on words with “Tip on the toes” – oh yeah! It reads like it feels to do that movement. And, hey – cheers to Cheetos! Snacks I refuse to keep in the house because, well, my feet would insist on that 50-11th trip to the kitchen in one day! So fun. Thanks!
Thank you Denise! You had me laughing all the way through your comments. Who knew feet were so interesting? Lol.
So we’ll done, Jessica! You’ve captured so much in this short poem. That baby turtle hit me today.
Thank you Mo! We must save the baby turtles. I don’t think I would’ve stopped my vehicle, but I definitely would’ve driven around it.
“Not Cheetos”—that made me chuckle. There are so many moments in here—click the heel, stop for the turtle, and on and on. Thank you for this!
Thank you for reading Gail! Can you tell I love food?
Hi Jessica! What a fun adventure to read your poem this evening! I enjoyed it so much, thinking of those moments through the day that are frustrating, yet the ones that are full of soothing spaces and places.
Thank you Dixie! My best memory of my feet is I get to prop them up after a long day because they’re always on the go, lol!
THINGS I CAN DO WITH KEENS
When I took out that mortgage
and bought Keen
hiking boots,
I was prepared,
like one of those skinny REI catalog girls —
leg cocked up on a big granite boulder
in the middle of the Himalayas,
looking like I’d already climbed Annapurna
twice –
armed for rugged,
shod for grit, sass, and spit.
The laces, in that smart two-color twist,
looped hooks, eyelets, holes,
strapping in and totally sold
for any climb
I dared to mount;
the tread, impressively deep-grooved
and gripping,
promised pluck
and sheer can-do.
But SNAP,
wake up,
keen on my Keens
I doubled-knotted my tidy bows,
grabbed the pink leash,
hooked up my walking buddy,
and tootled around the block.
We scuffed along the sidewalk,
pausing for poops,
(not mine),
sniffs and quick phone pics
of the morning’s oddities:
penis-shaped mushrooms,
leaves of extraordinary purple,
flowers in perfect bloom.
Keens, not unlike GMC’s Sierra Denali,
are way more than any right person needs,
but ooooh, what a statement,
what a fit,
what workhorses,
but in reality,
dog-walkers,
I must admit!
And now,
Keen’s grizzled with years,
hang by knotted laces,
tossed over handlebars
of the Canondale,
on the garage wall;
serving up
reminders
of hikes
I don’t take,
trails I’ve yet to tromp,
passing judgment
on my hours in the AC,
glued to screens
and turning pages,
tapping keys
into poems,
entirely too willing
to loll as a mind
disengages.
Keens,
honestly,
you don’t need my feet?
I’ll plump you up
with loamy dirt,
poke in Echinacea
or Angelonia
douse you to your soles,
turn you to the sun;
then lean back
and feel a smile
crease across
my face.
by Susie Morice, June 18, 2022©
Susie,
I loved this walk with you and your Keens from the catalog or advertisement to the dog walk to the handlebars. I can see, so vividly these reminders in the “grizzled” way. The direct address in the final stanza brings alive the conversations. I am stuck on that question mark, a symbol of doubt where you could have inserted a period and said your goodbyes. That question marks holds possibilities.
Peace,
Sarah
Susie, your poem is like an adventure in itself. I love the imagery of your imagination and “armed for rugged,
shod for grit, sass, and spit.” Your tootling experience had me smiling broadly…thank god the poops were not your own because that would be rather embarrassing. I especially love how you close your poem and the smile that creases your face at the end. Absolutely gorgeous poem full of all your sassy, fun spirit to show all a Keen can do, has done, and what you can do for them. Delightful poem! Warm hugs, Barb
Susie, I loved this! Keens can be so judgy! (“passing judgment / on my hours in the AC”) Lol. I’ll add them to the list of “statement footwear” that I know: Chuck Taylors, Birkenstocks, Doc Martens, Uggs, and Louboutin’s red-soled heels. That’s about it; I’m not up on my “shoe game.” And, please, continue “tapping keys / into poems”!
Yes! How appropriate and creative to take us on a trip with you, your dog, and your Keens! I loved this:
And all the shifts at the end, really giving good options for those darn shoes!
Brilliant! ☀️
Bahahahaha! OMG! I laughed at so many lines in here! “pausing for poops (not mine)” – are you kidding me! I laughed through the whole next stanza after that! I’m also a fan of Keens (and Salomons) and know precisely the lace you mean, the way we can literally wear these shoes into the ground, and then simply move them over to become “gardening shoes.” Even in their stillness, slung over the bike handlebars, they are symbolic – all through this, is what your life is, not just the shoes. It’s what you have lived, still do, and will do – Oh, if only our shoes could talk. And here, they have! Lovely Susie! Lovely.
Susie, the power of advertising stands tall in your poem – I want to have hiked the Himalayas in these boots too! I hope that every time you put them on, your daily dog walks feel like an adventure. Their grizzled appearance testifies to their long durability. Keens are a favorite and I’ll travel anywhere with them.
Susie—shod for grit, sass, and spit—loved the journey of you and your Keens. And I am glad to hear that it was the dog that pooped… 🙂
Susie,
You and your Keens can traverse w/ me any day. Both the imaginative hikes and real walks have me wanting to move my feet. I wear my fancy hiking sneakers to scoop poop (not mine), too. I splurged on a pair of Brooks for the trip I’m on now. Money well spent, I tell you. Wonderful poem.
Allison – I totally loved both your poem and your student’s poem. Josie’s bra poem had so much truth to it… the sophisticated examination of what a bra means…doggone good stuff…so real! And Allison, you made me laugh out loud… as a good toilet poem ought! Wonderful to see you here this morning after out hiatus! Hugs, Susie
Allison! What a fun way to start the month of June! Here’s my silly poem for today,
A Pear Can Make a Pair
Things you can do with a pear
Are so numerous.
Will you take the dare?
Or will you just there and stare?
Things you can do with a pear.
Cut it in half and you have a pair.
Share with a friend sitting on the stair,
Or will you just sit there and stare?
Things you can do with a pear.
Pare the pear for a pie or turnovers.
Use crispy pie crust for a pie cover.
Or will you just sit there and stare?
Things you can do with a pear.
Take it for a walk
Bite out a big hunk and folks will gawk
“Look at that nut over there!”
Maybe they’ll just stand and stare.
I prefer with that guy to share
Even I have just half of a pear.
Sharing will make me a pair
With that handsome guy over there.
Oh, just, let ‘em stare!
Anna,
After reading the first line, I found myself hoping for a series of rhymes and puns with pear, and you delivered. I think the lines that brought me the most joy are these:
Bite out a big hunk and folks will gawk
“Look at that nut over there!”
Just fun, and so appreciated.
Peace,
Sarah:
Ana, I love your pair of pears! This line made me laugh “Look at that nut over there!” My husband loves pairs, so I didn’t imagine all of the wonderful things you can do with them, besides putting them in a lovely pastry. Thank you for sharing!
I stopped up at your post immediately, Alison, because – given the image – I KNEW you would help make me smile today, and you delivered! I love your playful imagination and way you juggle words and their meanings, but also the kind of smart sassy diction that comes across. I can always sense an “attitude” in the voice in your fun poems like this that I can both identify with and find a kind of comfort in. I especially appreciate your commentary on sharing – that sharing helps us to make a pair with others. That’s a beautiful sentiment. Thank you! You made my day!
Sorry – ANNA! not Alison! D’oh! Too many names in my head at once!
Dense, Apology accepted! We also make quite a pair when we compare the times we’ve accidentally typed the wrong name. Are we the same?
Anna — I totally enjoyed the playfulness of the pair/pear. This…including the pair of pears… is just a kid’s book waiting for publication. The moral lesson of sharing…just really sweet
Yep – I agree with you Susie
Aww…what a lovely poem and a lovely picture too Ms Anna. Looks like a candidate for one of your books…or maybe one of mine – eventually?
Lessons from oranges
Oranges are juicy and remind me of hugs
Getting the juice out requires a squeeze
And hugs also require a squeeze
To get the ‘juice’ as you hug
The squeeze, not a tug, is done with ease
And just as hugs should not cease
Seize every opportunity to give some a loving squeeze.
Oranges are also the same colour as they are
And that makes me wonder who am I
Am I the same inside and out
An orange is true to itself
And to be my best self
I must stay true to myself
By being the same person inside and out
Ada,
Love these lessons from oranges and the way you, ahem, squeezed out every ounce. I loved the turn toward, inward in the second stanza that welcomes self-reflection in the “Am I the same inside and out” and then the invitation to readers to ponder the ways “true to self” can mean for us.
Peace,
Sarah
Thank you for your kind comments Sarah. Thank you for the invitation to participate; I’m so delighted to be here. And many thanks to Ms Anna for letting me know about this.
Ada, I found your poem so relatable as I do love a great hug. Your connections are spot on and I adore “An orange is true to itself/And to be my best self/I must stay true to myself” Sensational poem! Thank you!
Thank you Barbara. Yep, I’m a hugger – and only ‘apologize’ about it after I give someone a good squeeze.
Ada, fun visuals came to me! I saw myself giving juicy squeezes to my great niece who’s only 19 months old. I pictured the juice of a delicious orange trickling down my chin! And I turned inward to see me, and wondered if I am sharing my fruity center or my tough exterior.
Thank you for this sweet treat!??
Aww how sweet of you Ms Stacey. I’m sure your great-niece appreciates every hug from you. You’re welcome.
Ada, How you get in a moral lesson on love and authenticity in the same poem! Gentle squeeze and your poem gives us both! Thanks.
Oh my!!! Thank you Ms Anna for your kind comment…and thank you for inviting me to this platform.
What to Do with a Book
by Mo Daley 6/18/22
Let it sit,
Lonely and anxiously
Waiting to be chosen
From the precariously tall
TBR stack
Tuck it in your suitcase pocket
And drag it 1,100 miles
From the comfort of its home
Read it in the car
And constantly irritate your husband with,
“Honey, did you know…” and
“Can you believe…”
Chew on it
Digest it
Get furious about it
Leave it in a
Little Free Library
As an emotional roller coaster for someone else
Mo, I love the idea of you dragging a book ‘from the comfort of its home,’ as if it preferred to sit unread…there are personalities like this, for sure! This stanza intrigues me so, making me wonder what you were reading,
and I love that you have given away this mysterious treasure in the end, letting someone else be as intrigued by it.
I’ll finish up Black Birds in the Sky today. It’s so frustrating!
Yes, Mo! How fun! I started thinking of the ways we each might choose a word that resonates with our life’s work and you’ve most definitely done just that. Beautiful and loving!
??
Mo,
My eyes and heart are drawn to this line in particular today: “Waiting to be chosen” and then the ending call to consider the ways the book exists for different readers…”emotional roller coaster for someone else”.
Peace,
Sarah
Hi Mo, I love the many ideas of what you can do with a book. This stanza resonated with me:”Tuck it in your suitcase pocket
And drag it 1,100 miles
From the comfort of its home”
This was me a few days ago on my flight back home with a backpack full of books. I lvoe your verbs of chew, digest, and “get furious” because books can definitely make you react! Thank you for sharing this and giving me even more reason to keep reading!
Great job Mo
I like how you started out…and it took my mind to my TBR stack. I wonder which of those books is most anxious.
I wonder if the TBR or my hands are its comfort zone. What do you think?
Your hands, for sure! ♥️
Mo, Yes, you’ve perfectly captured all a book can do. I especially enjoyed “And drag it 1,100 miles/From the comfort of its home. I love how you share so many of your books with others. The Little Free Library at the end along with the emotional roller coaster ride was exquisite!
So many bits here—books are so much a part of our lives, aren’t they? An emotional roller coaster for someone els..perfection!
How thoughtful of you to suggest that we pass along a book that has made us furious! How generous that we share the roller coaster of a read!
I opted for my own noun because I was recently talking to a friend about the fun we had in the past. I spun the wheel and got “your foot” and my first thought was I can stick my foot up the ass of the past. LOL, but here’s my poem. Thanks again, Allison! I am not a fan of wheel of names for selecting students (the typical use) but I will definitely use it for selecting something other than students. Great idea!
Things You Can Do with the Past
Find the lesson
and learn it
Lose the pain
and heal
Embrace the joy
and renew it
Give it time
and grow
Write the poem
and speak it
Post the picture
and smile
© Stacey L. Joy, June 18, 2022
Stacey, could lines be any truer than these about the past?? I love the acknowledgment of lessons and pain but more importantly the wisdom and hope that lead to peace, with these verbs being specific stepping-stones in that path: lose, heal, embrace, joy, renew, give, grow, write, speak, post, smile. A beautiful celebration of life.
Yes – so true Fran
Amen! Such an awesome approach to time. We often smile at our past- because it is our “live” book. Thanks for the creativity and perspective.
Boxer
Stacey, such beautiful truisms about the past, all about cultivating a better perspective on it. I adore
as we all look forward to doing, here!!
And, how you made me laugh with your inspiration from the word foot, “I can stick my foot up the ass of the past,” which shows how poets write what they need to write, I think!
The perfect noun for this prompt! “Write the poem and speak it”
I just love this!
Stacey,
You crack me up with the foot response, but I love how you spun it to the past and stirred in us a reflection of our own. So appreciate the wisdom to “Lose the pain/and heal” and then, especially the “Give it time/and grow.” Such wisdom that I am not sure how you know I needed today — thank you.
Peace,
Sarah
Nice one Stacey. Indeed sometimes we need to take the time to locate the lesson as that’s the only gain despite the pain that may come with it.
Oh, Stacey, your poem is a priceless piece of advice. Love your end “Post the picture/and smile”. Beautiful!
Stacey — Hey there! So much truth here! You bet! And as always, I love the theme of joy in this “past-ing”… I’m smiling. Hugs, Susie
I love that thought of what to do with our past – learn the past, embrace the joy, write a poem
Stacey,
Love this approach. I try to learn from the past and write it, but damn it’s hard.
Greetings Allison and everyone here in our beloved community! I don’t know if I’m excited because I’ve missed being here or if I’m excited because this first June prompt is a pure delight.
I love the idea of “things you can do with…” and never thought to try that so thank you, Allison. All of the mentor texts offered encourage and inspire me so let’s see what comes.
I adore this:
Beyond thrilled to be back and thank you, Allison!
?
Things You Can Do with Your Foot
It can be lead or clay,
hot or cold.
You could kick a can,
an ass, a habit, a bucket.
You could measure a
Subway sandwich, a
standard ruler, 12
paper clips, 12 thumbs,
175 quarters, or 2 Bic pens.
You could foot the bill,
open your mouth and
insert it or (if you’d rather)
get it in the door, which
could lead to dragging
your heels or shooting
yourself in the foot, which,
of course, would cause
you to lose your foothold
and make you considerably
less fleet of foot.
Me? I’d rather trip the light
fantastic and be footloose
and fancy free (although
at times, it seems that
I sometimes have two left
feet, the shoe can also,
sometimes,
be on the other
foot).
_________________________________________
Thanks, Allison, for your mentor poems and your fun prompt. Josie’s was very good, very insightful, commenting on the societal pressures of “growing up” and “criticiz[ing] [the] mirror’s unfiltered / reflection.” (And yours, of course, was a lot of fun. I may start using the word “drinkle” in my everyday life now.) And thank you for the “wheel of nouns.” It got me started on the right foot.
Oh, Scott, what a trippingly delightful tiptoe through…over…under…around the FOOT! Each stanza took me to a new place–so clever and fun. (175 quarters! Trip the light fantastic!) Bravo! Also thank you for your kind words.
Scott, BRAVO!!! I also selected “your foot” when I tried spinning the wheel but opted out.
After reading your poem, I thought about Laura Shovan’s February 2022 challenge that focused on time. Your poem is a fantastic example of what might come if she focused an entire month on feet. I just love what you did!
My fave:
Scott, this is so playful and clever. I love all the metaphors for foot (“dragging your heels” – yes!) I’ve never really stopped to think about these.
Scott,
As always, you are genius at unveiling all many spins on a word.
I am amazed at the list of ways to use your foot! I always enjoy your humor and cleverness with words in the poems you write. Also the refreshing structure in these “footloose and fancy free” poems.
OMGosh, Scott…you had sooooo much fun footing this poem. It is just a total giggle. All that wordplay… what a great way to launch back into our poem-ing. While you might be less “fleet of foot,” your poems are NOT. You da man! Wonderful! Susie
Hello fellow writers, and thank you Allison for this wonderful creative writing prompt. Love the idea of spinning the wheel… I got Garden Hose which is so appropriate for summer. Here goes my attempt…
With a garden hose you can…
Pull it and yank it
Trying to get the kink out
until the water flows freely,
Like solving a real world problem.
Roll it back into a coil
Twisting and turning it into the shape of a snake (why does it always want to go the wrong way?)
Reach it across to the garden, giving life
to the beautiful flowers that greet me with a smile on sun-filled mornings.
Spray your friends
as they run across the lawn
screaming and giggling
on a hot summer day.
A garden hose is full of projects waiting to happen…
Ready to fill a bucket to wash your neglected car,
or to clean up those sticky messes that are part of everyday life.
A garden hose in use is an indication that summer is finally here!
Judy, I laughed out loud at “like solving a real world problem”! Your ode to the garden hose and the physicality of projects/garden/work reminded me of Marge Piercy’s wonderful poem “To Be of Use.” https://www.poetryfoundation.org/poems/57673/to-be-of-use Yes: A garden hose is full of projects waiting to happen! <3
Judy, I love all the hidden possibilities of a hose – this idea that “A garden hose is full of projects waiting to happen…” That is lovely!!
Judy,
Your first stanza is beauty!
Things You Can Do With a Hammer
Pry the cork from the champagne
crush flour from grain
something crimson splattered insane
or restrain and abstain,
earworm your brain arcane refrains.
Strike a thing
deeper into something
channel your inner Mickey Spillane
smack the spikes,
secure the rails for the train
earworm your brain arcane refrains.
Teach the holding thumb of pain
secure the poster for the campaign
clap and slap a Queen refrain
embrace the nail and board mundane
hold it passively,
and scream for Shane,
earworm your brain arcane refrains
or something more…
germane.
Oh, Rex, this was a JAUNT! The overall design felt like I was spinning faster and faster, rhymes billowing, bubbling over! So many favorite lines here, but these are a few:
“Pry the cork from the champagne
crush flour from grain”
“smack the spikes,
secure the rails for the train”
“Teach the holding thumb of pain”. YES< YES< YES!
Rex, you have woven so many awesome rhymes, one after another, and all legitimately connected to hammering (though I am intrigued by its use for champagne)…the repetition of “earworm your brain arcane refrains” is so spot on funny…these words are still ringing in my head as I type now.
Rex, I see so many interesting allusions in your poem. I kept hearing “Shane, come back” Very fun poem with tons of interesting images and uses for a hammer.
Rex, I really liked the simplicity of the line, “Strike a thing / deeper into something.” And I smiled at the unexpected line “channel your inner Mickey Spillane.” Thanks for this!
Wonderful, Allison–thank you so much!
Things You Can Do With a Hymnal
Let it prop a door open
Make it a base for a statue
Decorate an organ or piano
Let it represent your virtue.
Stack it with others as part of an obstacle course
Balance it on your head and walk down an aisle
Turn it into a Reader’s Digest doll
Fan out the pages to give it style.
Or read it for musical history
To appreciate the songs of devotion on Sunday
Let its rhythms roll through your day
On Thursday, Tuesday, or Monday.
Balm of Gilead–O Holy Night–What a Friend We Have in Jesus
In the Garden, He walks with me and He talks with me
A Mighty Fortress is Our God–How Great Thou Art
Blessed Assurance–Amazing Grace
Sing the songs and let It be well with your soul.
–Dixie K. Keyes
Dixie, the image of a “Reader’s Digest doll” has fascinated me! A flashback to the past! Love how the poem begins with suggestion of a simple prop for a door and builds naming hymns so that you might “Sing the songs and let It be well with your soul.”
Dixie, Your poem brought back memories of our son, Bob, and the way he preferred to use books, in our case, rather than the hymnal in your poem. We bought our kids a set of encyclopedias. What did Bob do with them? Did he open and read? Nope? He built castles, forts, and bridges. Then, he’d bring in his mini-cars and toy animals to live, defend or drive across them. Now that I think of his use of the encyclopedia as a metaphor, I see that’s what we do with books, too. We use them to go live in the places our authors create; use books to defend our stances on controversial issues, and/or we encourage others to read as a way to build bridges of understanding and considering the “other side.”
Thanks for the evocative memory and provocative thought starter.
Exactly, Dixie! I was actually hoping I would get this word because of all the ways I know we ‘used’ these books when I was a child – outside of church! It speaks to the way in which such a sacred text could become a part of the weave of our daily lives, and yet, still hold – as at the end of your poem – to its original intent. What the reader is ready for when they are ready for it, as we say. I appreciate the quick specific details that bring forth such vivid images and memories. Thank you for this!
This is fun and will get my school mind into summer! Thank you!
Things you can do with a Match
Rip it off its protective booklet,
Lift it from it’s simple sliding box,
Strike it –
Watch it spark
and burn.
Strike it again,
Set newspaper ablaze,
Then dry twigs,
Then old logs,
Make a bonfire.
Smoke billowing up
To the black sky,
Logs crackle,
Sparks rise,
Float among the stars.
One small match,
One tiny flame,
Watch it grow –
Watch it consume the air,
Let it burn.
Joanne, such a sense of power and purging emanate from your lines – I can feel the building and billowing. I hear the crackling and the popping of sparks…this burning will last a while and as imagine the blaze wrought by the one little match, I am also seeing how the bonfire illuminates the dark night. An image inviting contemplation- thank you.
Joanne, so many gorgeous observations of what actually transpires when you light a match – I found myself wondering if you were lighting matches as you wrote. This stanza is particularly beautiful, I think –
I found myself thinking, all that we do, leads to the stars…
Joanne—
you have some great images for sure, but I love the rhythm of your lines the most.
Oh my goodness! Such power in the little match. You created a lovely description of color and sound along with the magic of floating among the stars. I can feel the heat of the flame and the strength of your last line “Let it burn.”
Joanne this is a powerful poem! The brevity of the lines with your vivid sensory details bring a punch and fire! There’s also a feeling I get that I should learn from the power of ONE.
Beautiful!
??
Allison, thank you for bringing this prompt to us this summer. I appreciated the three mentor poems as they gave me a lot of ideas to pull from before I started my own. I was especially surprised by the layers of meaning in Josie’s poem and how it dealt with mature ideas while skimming the edge of childhood innocence with that particular item of clothing. Just wow!
I spun the offered wheel and received the word: OAR. Here’s what I came up with.
“Things You Can Do with an Oar”
You can push away from the shore,
gently skimming the water for a smooth glide
letting you row, row, row your boat
gently down the stream.
An oar can be used for décor,
the nautical themed bedroom of your dreams.
After all, merrily, merrily, merrily
that’s what life is…
But in nightmares, your oar can take out monsters:
serial killers, zombies, or creatures from the deep
whatever comes for you
from below or from the shore.
TWACK!
You can also smack it against the water
to get the attention of someone who needs to wake up!
Love the merrily, merrily, merrily, – mingled with the nightmares and sound TWACK!
Oars are very handy tools, indeed!
I love how you have a stanza that uses the oar as a vanquishing tool to defeat the things that go bump in the night…I see it being held aloft from the Lady of the Lake!
Erica, I could feel myself merrily rowing on the water. I love how this line rolls off the tongue, with its simple rhyme -“An oar can be used for décor”.
Erica, this is such a fun take on the prompt and the familiar song. I love it!
I like the use of TWACK to really wake the reader up! Especially after a smooth, gentle start.
Happy June! Happy to be back writing poetry with you! Allison, this is a great prompt to “get the juices flowing.” I laughed out loud at your lines “read the paper, crinkle, crinkle” – you made a merry little poem about toilet.
I really enjoyed the “free association” that popped up for me when I selected the word “star” – I immediately imagined being with my young granddaughters
things you can do with a star
inside
stickers stickers stickers
use your fingers stick your nail in there peel them off and
put them everywhere
on the table
on the floor
on your forehead
you’re a star
try to draw
first make an A
but let that horizontal line flow ———–
then make a line from one end of this line
and touch the opposite toe
it’s a yoga A
it’s a star
you’re a star
stand with legs spread out
arms faced upward
make a yoga starfish
can you do it on your side,
one foot down one hand down
others up in the sky
you’re a star
outside
in the dark
look up look up look up
let’s lie on the ground
like starfish
count the stars
find a star
make a wish
dream
twinkle
hope
promise
who do you love?
find a star for them
know
stars shine in darkness
you’re a star
This poem makes me shine like a Star – filled with good thoughts and happy vibes!
Oh my gosh – that made me feel so good inside. The imagery and the rhythm were so upbeat. I think we all needed this poem today. Stop and imagine yourself as a star.
Thank you!
Maureen, you’ve captured the magic of stars and the positivity of being a star. This is a perfect poem for children, I think. Love the idea of the real beauty of stars and how it translates to an individual being a star. Lovely poem indeed!
Maureen — There’s a glow through this whole poem. The “twinkle” and the optimistic, upbeat sense of being a star…uplifting. My fave is the sense that stars are all the better because that shift the dark. Fun! Susie
Maureen,
I spun star, too. You took a more playful approach than I, which feels so right and wonderful. I wanted to stick those stars but couldn’t think how. Glad I didn’t do that because you’ve stuck them perfectly.
I love how this twists and turns and looks at stars in different ways!
Gosh, Allison. That poem by Josie brought me right back to a memory, and the repetition of “you can make a blindfold” has so many layers of meaning for me. Whoa!
Allison, what a fun way to start off our five days! I will be using this right away in my classroom this fall. I love the cheekiness of your poem today and the insight from Josie.
Things You Can Do With A Match
Light it up and
Set the world on fire
Or burn it all down
Enter a cave and
Make discoveries
Or cook a brontosaur
Make pairs
Of people
Then set the mood
Ignite fireworks and
Spangle the night
Then ooh and aah
Sing happy birthday
On an 85th
Set off smoke alarms
Find an adversary
Equal or not
Game, set, win
Jennifer — I enjoyed the variety you brought to this poem using the word match. You balanced good events and bad. I especially loved your play on words like “Spangle the night” and “Game, set, win.” because I thought your use of the words in those line was so clever.
Hi Jennifer! I chose MATCH too. I love that we have very different takes on the same word. I love the imagery and “spangle” as a verb. Ooh and Aah!:)
Jennifer I loved the simplicity yet depth of your poem. You captured so many positive uses for a match and especially loved the reference to fireworks and the beautiful analogy of setting the world on fire. Thanks for this fun poem!
Jennifer, I like your shifting beyond the flame aspect, and how you blend them together. My dad just turned 83 recently, so the smoke alarm reference really hits home!
Cook a brontosaur-! Love the way you can turn phrases, Jennifer. Ignite…/spangle the night…find an adversary/equal or not…I love following your sparkling thread of thought struck by “match” in its various forms.
That unity candle flame has me smiling! I love your adventure with a match. Going in a cave, cooking a dinosaur. Wow! And I thought just visiting different cities and riding on the hop on hop off bus was fun. I never would have thought on waking today that I would have found myself thinking of cooking a brontosaurus. I like your style of adventure and it makes me long for a writers’ retreat to write a brontosaurus cookbook and all of us in aprons and chef hats writing them in hieroglyphics.
Jennifer,
You sure hit on some fantastic things that the match can do—some significant and some more menial, showing the contrasts.
Jennifer — Fun wordplay here… as always. I would not have even thought about a match…but this is worth the journey! My favorite line is “spangle the night”… love that! As I finish out a very long day, I’m glad to land on the upbeat vibe of the match! Hugs, Susie
Allison, I failed to thank you for your inspiration! And what a clever use of the wheel of names! I will definitely be using that! Your toilet poem was perfection – tinkling and considering life is oh so true!
I judge I got the luck of the draw with my winning spin of “star.” A star is born below?
Things You Can Do with a Star
You can make a wish
upon it – especially if it’s the
first one you see
Or watch it shoot across the sky
leaving its tail flash so brilliantly
You can sunbath in the
light of the biggest one – sun
Or aim your goals high
and reach for one
You can watch it twinkle
up above the world so high
Or dance with one on TV
in hopes you’ll win a prize
You can catch a falling one
saving in your pocket for a rainy day
Or you can fly to the moon with Frank and among them you can play
And when you’re ready…
You can sit back and consider they’re holes in the sky
where our loved ones peer down
gleaming and glistening so bright
letting us know they are around
Christine, what a beautiful poem of things we can do with a star. I like the last one the best – – I like to think my loved ones are taking on the overwhelming task of keeping tabs on me and keeping me in line, urging me to behave when I’m tempted to do otherwise. Such beauty in the dark sky, and I love catching a falling one. Rich imagery in my imaginings!
Christine,
I love all the ways you explored the star’s use and didn’t limit yourself to just stars in the night sky, but made sure to appreciate all the versions of that word. I especially liked all the allusions to other poems/rhymes/songs that have featured stars.
Love this – especially the last stanza. You can often find me at night looking up at the stars and talking to my mother. There is peace in that. Thank you.
Chrstine,
I like how you elevate the last stanza a bit more with the “And when you’re ready…” It felt like a shifting to a deeper level.
Christine, so many starry layers here, all light and sparkling, and I love none better than the idea of them as holes in the sky for loved ones “glistening so bright” to peer down on us. Although playing among them on the wings of Frank’s lyrics on flying to the moon is a fun second! Your verse is both literally and figuratively uplifting!
I love the reminder that the sun is a star! I often think of stars at night but our sun is starlight all day.
Thank you for sharing all three mentor poems. I enjoy this prompt greatly. I spun the wheel and got the word KNIFE.
Things You Can Do with a Knife
You can
cut the cheese,
the mustard,
the cake.
You can cut the fog,
the tension,
the crap.
Cut the strings,
the cord,
the ties,
and a path.
Cut loose.
Cut your losses.
Set yourself free.
Stick it in a back.
Then twist it.
Pull it from your own back.
Carry on.
You can do the thing
that all the best things
are compared to— slice bread
and then you can slather butter like it’s your love language.
You can carve your name,
your initials, a heart—
show the world your love,
leave your mark,
prove you were here.
You. Were. Here.
OH MY GOSH, that ending. Stacy, it took my breath, punctuated so perfectly. All the things you can do with this knife – the good, the bad, and the loving. Those initials in trees bring back such memories, and they linger on for the next generations to see. This is beautiful. Yes, yes to the slathering of butter as a love language.
Stacy,
The stanza that made me utter the word, “Niiiiiice” aloud:
“Stick it in a back.
Then twist it.
Pull it from your own back.
Carry on.”
Loved the power in this poem. And love the last line.
Wow! This poem gave me chills! The images are so effective going from negative to positive. Just love that and love this line: and then you can slather butter like it’s your love language. Last stanza wraps it all up – You. Were. Here. BRILLIANT! Thank you!
Stacy,
It is hard not to love anything with slather. I loved the abbreviated permanence of the last line. It captures the essence of carving in.
Stacy, great! You and I were on the same wavelength today. I really enjoyed the “slice[d] bread” stanza (especially the line “you can slather butter like it’s your love language.”) Thanks for writing and sharing this!
Oooo, Stacey — I LOVE this. That listing is super, and you hit knives in ways that really stabbed me. 🙂 The line “pull it from you own back” is a really kick-butt line. And today, absolutely, You. Were. Here. And we are better because of it. Hugs! Susie
Oops, sorry for the misspelling, Stacy! Susie
OH MY WORD!
“Stick it in a back.
Then twist it.
Pull it from your own back.
Carry on.”
and then…
“slice bread
and then you can slather butter like it’s your love language”
and then…
“You can carve your name,
your initials, a heart?
I think I pretty much quoted your entire poem back to you! This is my way of saying yes, Yes, YES.
Are you kidding me?! Wheel of Names – what?! I love how many supercool new things I learn from this group! Thank you, Alison, because THIS is going to be in my classroom this fall! I especially appreciate the range of mentor poems – and am stupidly shocked that a 9th grader could know so much of life already. Wow. Pow-er-ful. When I saw the wheel, I said, “Oh, please, not knife…” Yup.
Things You Can Do With a Knife
Why does “murder” come first to mind?
Well, let’s all just say it and get out t’way.
Mostly, I think of how it can split and separate.
But some knives can help bring together
like that scattering of peas or errant flakes of fish
gathered up by the gentle swoop
of a table knife.
Or how the butter knife can so perfectly
spread its topping across bread
joining flavors together.
And then there was Grandpa’s jackknife
which Dad carried around in his pocket.
How we’d squeal at the click of it
when he came at us – to help
dislodge a sliver from our tender fingers.
We all joke now that we each bear
a sliver scar from Grandpa’s jackknife
how he dug it in to separate wood from flesh.
But in the silence that follows such
laughter of memory, we each
touch that place, drawn together
of being close to Dad
held in his loving embrace.
Denise, what a fine example of a word picking a writer to have its heart and voice heard. I love how you took on this challenge even though you didn’t want that word – -and look what you did with this, friend! You gave a nod to the obvious connotation and then brought the heart and essence of a knife – the flakes of errant fish, the buttered toast, and the splinters. Oh, those splinters. Must have been a grandpa thing of the 1960s and 1970s, because mine did that too, mostly because we insisted on going everywhere barefoot and climbing fences and trees. This brings back such memories. Thank you, thank you, thank you. I hear that click and smile instead of gasping.
Your imagery drew me in – scattering of peas, errant flakes of fish, squeal at the click of it, dislodge a sliver from our tender fingers. Knives – cut and cure. Essential, aren’t they? I love that the knife connects to this memory of your father as being a loving healer.
Denise, I hardly know where to begin. Maybe I’ll start with this: I wish I could be a student in your class this fall. <3
You moved so deftly from the (predictable) act of a knife separating to the (fresh, unconsidered, poetic) act of a knife bringing (things) together. Brilliant. I slid right along that knife’s edge into your story.
Your return to “drawn together” to echo the “gathered peas” in the final stanza made my heart thump. I love that. <3
My heart leaped to be back in this space this morning. Allison, you always come up with the most clever inspirations. This one most definitely has great application to the classroom. I love the spinning wheel and the kids will, too. I spun the wheel and got the word KEY. So, I went with it. I love how you shared the mentor text, your original poem, and a student version. Yours definitely has a rap feel to it. Love it!
Things You Can Do with a Key
Keys let us in
Unlock a door.
Start your car.
Open a safe.
They are the key (wink, wink)
to many things.
your lover’s heart
to success
to world peace
Really, like many things,
keys are becoming archaic.
I don’t even own one to my house.
I have a fob to enter my classroom
A face recognition pad grants access to our safe.
Keys are ancient, invented B.C.
Progress leads to change and evolution
making things better, more efficient, easier.
Right?
Technology trying to outsmart wisdom
But sometimes it’s simple . . .
a key is the key.
~Susan Ahlbrand
18 June 2022
And Musical Keys sing our songs!
🙂
Kevin
Love the wordplay and winks, Susan – and what a line: “Technology trying to outsmart wisdom.” That in itself speaks volumes! Your last lines are mighty in their simplicity – I think of keys to interpreting, understanding, finding answers.
Susan, if only we kept things simple! I’m all for a simple life. Those early inventions solved problems before technology stepped in (love that line). I’m trying to imagine my house without a key (not sure my comfort level is there yet).
Susan, you are singing on key! The simplest ancient tool is being replaced – by imperfect technology that can fail, where a sure enough key doesn’t goof up its reading of fingerprints or lose its charge.
Love your train of thought and play on words. Thank you.
Oh, Susan! You took me far, far from my first image of “key.” WOW. This is precisely what I want a poem to do to me. (“DO” to me!) You made me think, feel, and consider connections. I loved this.
Allison,
Oh, those poems! Loved the first poem, your toilet poem made me chuckle, and — wow — that poem from Josie!! Lots of wisdom from a 9th grader, so very impressive.
Today I’m officially done with grading (but not school, quite yet…). 47 degree weather is keeping me from the lake, but I’m indulging in some wishful thinking with my word, “oar”:
Things You Can Do with an O[a]r
Plunge it into the water.
Row fast and far.
Feel your muscles working
under your skin.
Rest it, cross-wise,
when blisters begin
to bloom, softly,
on the fleshy underside
of your thumbs.
Then, watch:
Tiny geese
paddle furiously after mothers.
Water sparkles like
diamond-starred nights.
Is there a more
profound peace?
Wendy, such striking imagery in your verse – first the transition from work to rest and recuperation, to be take literally (those vivid, tender blisters-ouch) and metaphorically (your current yearning, school not yet done), and oh, the paddling baby geese and diamond-sparkling water…profound peace, indeed, I am there, savoring to the fullest, just being. What a glorious balm for the soul!
This poem is so smart— I love the little journey it took me on, the comparison, the imagery. Beautiful.
Wendy, you may not quite be at the lake yet, but your words take us there! That last stanza is beautiful – the tiny paddlers are such a fun image. Somehow, you’ve made even the blisters more tolerable as they “bloom, softly.” Peace indeed!
Wendy, these water sparkles with no greater peace are simply the moment of joy! I picked the last flake of a blister from between my thumb and forefinger just this morning, from kayaking Memorial Day weekend in rushing waters and rapids (water sparkles flying everywhere but peace only in short sections) – – so that middle stanza spoke directly to me. Beautiful! I need more of those water birds and their tranquility. I love what you did here!
Kim, your response could be a poem, itself! 🙂
I have been to the place of your poem. Thank you for bringing me back. Peaceful. Ready for summer!
Wendy, you had me from O[a]r. Such a generous invitation to consider possibilities! All the O[a]rs!
Then…”the muscles working under your skin” will be my refrain during tomorrow’s morning run. I loved it.
Then “blisters begin
to bloom, softly,
on the fleshy underside
of your thumbs” and I was ALL IN. I love it when poems help me see my life anew. Blisters blooming did just that.
Thank you for writing in this space <3.
By the way, where ARE you that the temperature is 47 and you’re not done with school?!
This is such a great prompt. I spun the spinner and got the word “hymnal”. A just right word for me.
Things you can do with a Hymnal
There’re the obvious things
like open up and sing,
but I like to think of my hymnal
as a living thing.
I can rewrite the words to sing something funny,
“Hail Thee, Vegetable Day!”
Tear out a page for torn paper collage,
greeting card, or origami.
Write on the page for “Fairest Lord Jesus”
This is my favorite hymn,
especially when
sung by children.
Collect bookmarks with quotes
from Bible verses:
“Sing and make music from your heart
to the Lord.” Ephesians 5:10
Place a collection on a shelf
to remind yourself
to always praise,
praise, sing praise.
So beautiful, Margaret, especially thinking of a hymnal as a living thing and always (in all things) singing praise. Song is a gift and so are your words.
Aw, man! I wish I had read this poem earlier this week. We cleaned out a shelf at the office and found an old Celebration Hymnal, and I took it to the Little Free Library with so many books – and now I see new ideas. Your ideas are fabulous – – I never thought of rewriting the words to hymns with substitutions or making bookmarks or collages. Margaret, you have me heading out for coffee and to go back and see if it’s still there…..I’m going hymnal hunting this morning to catch the fish I threw back. Perfect!
Margaret, this was lovely! The thing I loved most about it was how it progressed from irreverent to reverent: how every clever that was. The tone shift was striking, and the last stanza was almost climactic with its lovely repetition. Beautiful poem!
That last stanza is quite powerful, Margaret
Kevin
I love this especially all the ideas of how to creatively use a hymnal – my favorite is your last verse where you call us to praise, sing praise always!
Hymnal – would have been a hard word for me to make a poem from. You use it so beautifully and weave it with wonder into this gorgeous poem. Sing and make music from your heart – indeed!
Margaret, I am a book (ab)user. I write in them, break their spines, set coffee cups on them. I need to FEEL them (“a living thing”)! That is what your hymnal poem brought to mind for me. My favorite stanza was this:
“Write on the page for ‘Fairest Lord Jesus’
This is my favorite hymn,
especially when
sung by children.”
One of the things I enjoy most about writing poetry is the invitation to think deeply and look closely at a moment/image/item. I could FEEL you doing this with your hymnal! Lovely!
This really spoke to me, Margaret. I’m in the process of creating a memory book/journal for one of my brothers and am including hymnal and Bible pages, so that struck a chord. And “Fairest Lord Jesus” has such a beautiful melody!
Allison, this is delightful! I love your topic, your rhymes (especially Fido a drinkle, ’cause let’s face it – – they love that water)! Sitting for years like Rip Van Winkle had me laughing – what a great way to end! I loved the bra poem, too. Revealing. I spun the spinner and ended up with Oar, and it brought back memories of chaperoning a youth trip. Closest I have ever in my life come to murdering someone.
Things You Can Do With An Oar
you can dream about it
you can dream about it
and let loose about
that one time
you went canoeing
down the Flint River
from Sprewell Bluff
to Highway 18
in Thomaston, Georgia
and ended up in the
same boat
with Randy
who’d tried to sing
like Burl Ives
it was a church youth
trip and you were
both chaperones
otherwise you’d have
had better sense
on an ordinary day
than to row with Randy
Randy was an expert
and you were blessed
to be paired with him
and his skill set
Randy thought he was a chief
and you his squaw
as he sat on the floor of
the canoe on his knees
giving you directions
on the roles of the rowers
when you tried to tell him
the boat was backwards
he waved his hand at you
dismissing your words
until you showed him the
fanny cutout
on the bench
how it was rounded at the
back and fannies
did not fit this way
he acted perplexed
scratched his head
you know, I think they
Installed those wrong
you rolled your eyes
kept rowing
as Chief got all quiet
like he was preparing to
come up on some
tribal camp
catching them by
surprise with a
peace pipe
(weren’t no peace pipe in this boat)
teenagers on the trip
were noticing and whispering
about this strange man
you just stared at your
gold flip flops
and prayed these
three hours to the
landing would fly by
and that Jesus kept
control of your tongue
on this church outing
until Chief lost his knee balance
in this backward boat
and flipped the canoe
one gold flip flop
lost forevermore
and in this dream
you can go back to that
moment
and pretend that Jesus
himself walked on water
handed you back your oar
and asked you what you
thought you could do
with an oar
and looked the other way
long enough
for you to do it
-KIM! Incredible story-poem, start to finish! So vivid that I was seeing the gold flip-flops (alas) glinting in the sun and the fanny-curve on the bench, not to mention the increasing irritation with this Randy… heavens, poetic justice, shall we say, with one thing you could do with an oar at the conclusion… I gotta say that may favorite line of all is the parenthetical ‘weren’t no peace pipe on this boat’. All in all, brilliant writing!
Kim, this was epic. LOL. This, in particfular, made me laugh out loud, in both delight (at your retelling) and indignation:
“he acted perplexed
scratched his head
you know, I think they
Installed those wrong”
And that last stanza also elicited a guffaw. You had me hooked from beginning to end. Loved it.
The way this prompt brought this poem into existence and allowed you to share this memory and delight your readers is the magic I am here for. I will be cackling over the ending for days. Brilliant!
OMG Kim! This is snort/laugh-worthy! I was with you from start to finish of this aggravating adventure. And I need this Jesus in my life. I don’t know how you managed to keep it together with “Chief” Randy. I wonder what he’s doing now and if he’s had some epiphany about his position in the world.
The ending of this poem definitely made me laugh Kim! I love your unconventional approach to this word as clearly there was a story here that you were needing to tell. I got the same word and ended up with a very different poem — but I think that’s half the fun of Open Write, right? I loved your use of details and imagery to help us connect to the moments in this poem like your frustrations and struggles to remain calm despite the “expert” advice.
Kim, I admire your restraint- I may have knocked him accidentally in the water! But justice did prevail, unfortunately at the expense of your beloved gold sandal. I love how this poem flows and tells quite the story – and making me relive so many young adult tales of my years long ago!
Lovely memory. Just wonderful to be with you in that canoe – even if it tipped over. Love this stanza: and that Jesus kept
control of your tongue
on this church outing
Thanks, Kim!
Kim, your poem is absolutely mesmerizing. I love how you focus on your attempts to correct the waywardness of Randy, the lost flip flop, and your internal thoughts. I especially enjoyed “(weren’t no peace pipe in this boat)”. LOL! Your ending was especially moving. Outstanding poem! Thank you for taking me down this river on this especially interesting canoe ride!
I am right there with you on this journey because of all the details and humor. Awesome response to the prompt.
Let me know if you get that hymnal back. Today I bought a card that had a page of music with a watercolor bird painted on it.
OH I’M LAUGHING OUT LOUD! Your poem reminded me of Billy Collins’ poem “The Lanyard”–how a single word took you back and the story unfurled! Yes, Jesus, please look the other way for just a moment! SO much to love here!
This was delightful, Kim! I especially loved the ending,
“and pretend that Jesus
himself walked on water
handed you back your oar
and asked you what you
thought you could do
with an oar
and looked the other way
long enough
for you to do it”
As a reader, I can think of a number of un-Jesus-ly things to do with the oar!
Allison, thanks for kicking things off with such creativity! The mentor texts are superb, each compelling in unique ways, moving us from play to humor to searing moments…
So, I was tempted to pull “pork chop” off the Wheel of Names to see where that might lead but something else crowded into my head instead. Here goes and thanks again-
Things You Can Do with Crayons
admire the colors
gold silver and copper
aren’t the only metallics
anymore
now there’s glitter
neon
and glow-in-the-dark
admire the names:
Macaroni and Cheese
Inchworm
Robin’s Egg Blue
Purple Mountains’ Majesty
Bluetiful
Mauvelous
—such poetic pun
arrange your favorites
in the shape of your initial
or anything you want
glue them down
in a shadow-box
or on canvas
—drat, broke one
—wait, don’t throw it away
anymore
make something new
instead
break more
on purpose (!!)
slice ‘em
into dots
for a mosaic
shave ‘em
spice up
your homemade slime
melt ‘em
and not just for candles
pour the running colors
into molds
make Legos
build anything
you can think of
oh and
once in a while
just color
make a scribble-scrabble
if you don’t like it
scrape it off
with your fingernail
and start over
smell ‘em
remember
your childhood
Fran, I love the part where you make something new with the broken crayon. As a teacher, I have a hard time throwing away a crayon in any shape or form. Love this list.
Fran, I love everywhere your mind went on this one! So much fun, and I see you and your granddaughter doing some of these things with crayons that are so much better-named than the beginner sets we had when we were her age. Crayons were how I learned to write my first word other than my name – – I copied the word Red into the front cover of my favorite book and it all started right there in a Crayola box, the basic 8 box, probably, since a box with a built in sharpener was a dream many years in the future. Perfect! Simply perfect!
Fran,
Loved, loved, loved your sensory detail: I could feel, see, and smell every one. (I may have even tasted a crayon or two in my younger years — who knows?). Love how the colors of crayons do lend themselves to poetry. And loved the break for internal monologuing in the midst of your description:
“—drat, broke one
—wait, don’t throw it away
anymore
make something new
instead
break more
on purpose (!!)”
The punctuation really was the icing on the cake in this section. 🙂
So fun to read this morning — thanks!
Fran, wouldn’t naming crayon colors be such fun? Your words carry me back to childhood. I’m trying to get over the idea that only brand new crayons are good for coloring – once that tip is worn… (even from an early age, this was a preference). You offer so many upcycling possibilities! I feel like going to play with crayons today!
Fran, what a perfect choice! I have to admit that I haven’t bought a new box of crayons in a long time so was amazed at the names of the colors – amazing and surprising me. I love these new names! And while the names have changed from long ago boring red, green, blue titles, I appreciate that the aroma sticks around and can still transport one back to the age of six!
Fran – I knew I was in for a treat when I saw you spun – CRAYONS. Love what you did here and especially loved the lines: if you don’t like it
scrape it off
with your fingernail
and start over
That’s how I feel about this school year – scrape it off – start over! THANK YOU!
Fran, you made me realize I have not spent enough time with Crayons recently! The names reminded me of a prompt we did in this space awhile back where we went to (online) paint-chip sites and used the paint names as our impetus. I love what you’ve done with this prompt–such a joyful, playful feel. And the ending–I smell ’em! <3
And this: “arrange your favorites
in the shape of your initial”! I want to do this now.
Things You Might Do With a Single Match
Ignite it, for sure,
with scratching friction
that scorches wood
and bone and earth
or turn it into
an imaginary friend,
with a phosphorous head
and single-footed body
or hold it up at deepest night,
a firefly levitating in darkness
off outstretched finger,
painting ink-light on air
or place it back, gentle,
into the book from which it came,
where fellow stories wait at rest
for the chapter to close
— Kevin
PS — I am combining this prompt with another one-word prompt elsewhere that I have been using for writing (the word today was “scorch”)
Gorgeous imagery and associations – isn’t it amazing how things come together in living the poetic life?
Your specificity made this idea come to life. I can imagine hopping a match around the table with its phosphorous head.
🙂
As I thought more about your comment, I went into the poem and added a line about dancing on the tabletop … thanks
Kevin, that firefly levitating in darkness is an amazing metaphor – – I was happy to see these little matches all lit up across the yard and in the trees last night here in Georgia…..and there were still some lingering, partying on into the wee hours of today early this morning as I walked the dogs. Your way with words is rich with imagery today, as always.
I loved the personification in this poem. <3
This imagery captivated me, especially the last 2 stanzas. Powerful and thought-provoking.
Kevin, love that last stanza, such a gentle ending. Awaiting more stories from you.
I spun MATCH too! I love that your match is an imaginary friend with a phosphorous head
and single-footed body. Wonderful imagery. Thank you, Kevin.
Ohh such beauty and vivid details come from this poem, Kevin.
I want to hold this in my mind’s eye forever. Thank you!
Kevin, I was tickled to find this linked to Twitter this morning. It is lovely. The sounds of “scratching friction
that scorches” pulled me right in, and I loved the playful thought of the one-footed phosphorous-headed friend. “painting ink-light on air” was another line that grabbed me. Lovely work. Thank you.
Kevin, I love the image of “ink light on air.” It’s magical. I also love the possibilities that come with your gentle ending of replacing the match in the matchbook.
As always, Kevin, your imagery was spectacular.