Poetry Challenge #115-Knit Wits
Can you name the book?
Think “knitting” and an image of the “quiet old lady whispering ‘hush’” springs to many a mind. But that’s bunk. All sort of folks knit. All ages and stages. And it’s not just about yarn (although yarns are told.)
Knitting is such a useful word. In the same way yarn becomes sweaters, wounds knit back together. Families are closely knit. Brows knit in consternation or contemplation. Thoughts knit together become ideas, just as words knit together can be poetry.
In Merriam-Webster speak, knitting is “a series of connected loops,” so that’s where we’ll begin.
Classic Knit-One, Purl-Two pattern
Poetry Challenge #115
Knit Wits
Close your eyes and write down the first word that pops into your mind. One word. That word will be the title of your poem.
Next, quickly list words that you associate with your word. From that list, choose the best five.
Take a moment to reorder those five words into a sort of pattern that makes sense to you.
Let’s use our wits to knit those words together to create a poem.
For our first effort, we’ll use a simple knit one, purl two pattern. Consider those five words to be your “knit” stitches. The “purl” part of our poem will be modifiers. Let’s get knitting!
Write your first “knit” word. Below it “purl” two modifiers. Below that purl, write your next “knit” word, then “purl” two; continue in this knit one-purl two pattern until you come to the end of your word list. Just like that you’ve knitted a 10-line poem.
Set your timer for 7 minutes
Don’t think about it too much; just do it!
Start writing!
*Cindy Faughnan and I began this 7-Minute Poetry Challenge more than eight years ago. We now take turns creating our own prompts to share with you. If you join us in the 7-Minute Poetry Challenge let us know by posting the title, a note, or if you want, the whole poem in the comments.
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Poetry Challenge #114-User Error
User Error is such a useful term. At one and the same time it blames and forgives:
“Yes, I did it, but it wasn’t my fault.”
Poetry Challenge #114
User Error
Think back on a time when you’ve had a system malfunction? A SNAFU? A mess up? A day, event, moment when you dropped the ball: BONG BONG BONG (If you haven’t ever had one on those times, make one up.)
Take a moment to dreg up all the miserable, embarrassing, nauseating, gut-wrenching details. Allow yourself to wallow in the misery for one more minute.
Write a poem about that time. Try not to rhyme. Not to spell correctly. Not to sound pleasant. Let it be harsh and raw—try breaking the lines in odd places. It other words: write a lousy poem.
End it with those two huge words: USER ERROR!
Set your timer for 7 minutes
Don’t think about it too much; just do it!
Start writing!
*Cindy Faughnan and I began this 7-Minute Poetry Challenge….dang, I forget how long ago. We now take turns creating our own prompts to share with you. If you join us in the 7-Minute Poetry Challenge let us know by posting the title, a note, or if you want, the whole poem in the comments.
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Poetry Challenge #111-One Dark and Stormy . . . Yikes!
Back in my sleep-over camp-out nights, with the campfire crackling and tossing spooky shadows, the wind howling and tree branches scraping on the tent, we used to make scary spookier still with a game called
Yikes!
Things that go bump in the night. . . Scary, right?
Scary how a simple bump sound—in the right setting at the right time—sends tingles, quivers, hair-raising heebie-jeebies shivers chasing up our spines.
Oooooohhhhh CREAK
SCRATCH EEK
EEK YOWL
HOWL
Mwahaha
SCREECH SCRITCH
WHAT’S THAT NOISE . . .
Thump THWACK
thwaaaaaaaaaa
It is said that everyone fears the same thing—the Unknown. Thus, the secret to writing scary is not what you write—but what you leave out.
“Readers will imagine the rest, filling in the gaps with whatever scares them most,” noted Nocturium in a post**.
Which takes me right back to those spine-tingling sounds. Let’s give it a Gooo—GH!
Poetry Challenge #111
One Dark and Storm . . . YIKES!
Write a scary poem.
Now, make it even scarier still by replacing specifics with sounds words.
Set the timer for 7 minutes.
Don’t think about it too much;
See if you can scare yourself silly!
**For more spooky stuff here’s a great post: How to Write a Scary Story on the Nocturim
*Cindy Faughnan and I began this 7-Minute Poetry Challenge a terrifying number of days ago. We now take turns creating our own prompts to share with you. If you join us in the 7-Minute Poetry Challenge let us know by posting the title, a note, or if you want, the whole poem in the comments.
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Poetry Challenge #110-Boston Creme Pie...Oh My!
What’s the deal with Boston Creme Pie anyway? It’s not “pie.” There is no crust involved—flaky, graham, cookie or otherwise. It’s cake. So why call it pie? In the same way Boston Creme Donuts don’t pretend to be something they are not. Why am I harping on Boston Creme Pie, now anyway. Because I have a hankering for something sweet. And…
… because the last time I was in Boston—determined to taste the original for myself— I went all over town to try to find a restaurant with Boston Creme Pie on the menu. stand out
The closest I came was the frozen-food section of a take-away shop.
That’s not all I have to say on the subject:
It is said that the Boston Cream Pie was invented in Boston—hence the name. More specifically, “In 1856, at Boston’s Parker House Hotel, French chef Monsieur Augustine Francois Anezin created this pudding and cake combination.” It was declared the official dessert of Massachusetts in 1996. (In case you need cause to celebrate, Oct 23rd is National Boston Creme Pie Day!)
Poetry Challenge #110
Boston Creme Pie . . . Oh My!
I don’t live in Boston or in Massachusetts. And I can’t say whether I love Boston Cream Pie. But from the looks of it, I think I might—I do love Boston Cream donuts—And looking at those yellow cake layers, that creamy custard y-pudding filling, the smooth chocolate icing. Yum!
What might the official dessert of your town be if YOU got to name it?
Write a poem describing your dessert. Make our mouths water just thinking about it!
Set the timer for 7 minutes.
Start writing!
Don’t think about it too much; just do it!
Afterwards, celebrate with Boston Creme Pie! Here’s a recipe.
P.S. I looked it up. For what it’s worth, the chef who created the first Boston Creme whatever, baked it in a pie tin, so that’s why he called it a pie.
*Cindy Faughnan and I began this 7-Minute Poetry Challenge more than 8-years of dessert ago. We now take turns creating our own prompts to share with you. If you join us in the 7-Minute Poetry Challenge let us know by posting the title, a note, or if you want, the whole poem in the comments.
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Poetry Challenge #108-Where’s Teddy?
“Wait! Where’s my Noy-Noy?”
Where have all the teddys gone?/Long time passing./Where have all the teddys gone/mums have tossed them, everyone….
Pete Seeger, forgive me for riffing off your heartful song, but it’s true. I can not recall the last time I saw a kiddle cuddling a teddy.
How many of us had a favorite Teddy—by “Teddy” I mean that bunny, stuffie, blankie, lovie, bear or otherwise you loved as a child? Mine was named “Noy-Noy.” All these years later I still recall times when it seemed Noy-Noy was my only friend.
Likewise, how many of us recall being teased about that beloved Teddy? Or having been shamed into leaving it behind? Bernard Waber’s Ira Sleeps Over immediately comes to mind.
For that matter, how many of us have discarded, lost, ignored, stuffed into a box, closet, attic, under the bed . . . that beloved Teddy?
What about Me?
Poetry Challenge #108
This One’s for Teddy!
Climb into your attic (metaphoric or otherwise) take out your beloved Teddy, dust it off and give it a big hug—in the form of a poem.
Begin by taking a moment to recall your Teddy (substitute the appropriate moniker).
What does it look like? What did it feel like? And more, what did holding it make you feel?
Did you and your Teddy go on adventures together?
Can you think of a recent time you wish you had Teddy?
Drawing on these moments, write Teddy a poem. Let your Teddy’s name be the title of the poem.
Give Your “Teddy” a mental (or real-time) hug
Set the timer for 7 Minutes
Start Writing!
Jack with his dragon from Deb Pilutti
Let’s Here it for Teddy Picture Book List:
Ira Sleeps Over by Bernard Waber
The Velveteen Rabbit by Margery Williams
Knuffle Bunny: A Cautionary Tale by Mo Willems
The Secrets of Ninja School by Deb Pilutti
41 Books with Stuffed Animals at Their Heart blog post
*Cindy Faughnan and I began this 7-Minute Poetry Challenge eons ago. We now take turns creating our own prompts to share with you. If you join us in the 7-Minute Poetry Challenge let us know by posting the title, a note, or if you want, the whole poem in the comments.
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Poetry Challenge #106-Rock Lobster
World’s Lobster in Shediac, New Brunswick
This time of year, after months of dry heat and dry weather, I’m a lobster—literally
But in my mind, with my collar turned up and a towel wrapped around my head like a stiff beehive updo…
I’m Kate Pierson or Cindy Wilson of the B52’s
Guitar please: dur-dur-dur dah-dah duh-da-duh-duh Oooh-ahhhh….
Rock Lobster!
What comes to mind when you think of a lobster?
Is it the cola-guzzling lobster in Erin Moulton’s funny, heartful Tracing the Stars?
Diane Keaton’s lobster scene from Annie Hall?
Pilgrimage to the world’s largest lobster?
Or, like me, a rockin’ red lobster?
Poetry Challenge #106
Lobster Day
Drawing on that lobster experience (or one imagined), list seven words, one beginning with each letter of the word lobster.
Use that list to craft a seven-line lobster poem.
In addition, the poem might include: a sound, a smell, a location, a texture, and the word “ruckus”.
Set the timer for 7 minutes.
Start writing!
Don’t think about it too much; just get cracking!
* There is actually a National Lobster Day! (But why wait until Sept. 25th to celebrate?)
**Cindy Faughnan and I began this 7-Minute Poetry Challenge more days ago that I can count. We now take turns creating our own prompts to share with you. If you join us in the 7-Minute Poetry Challenge let us know by posting the title, a note, or if you want, the whole poem in the comments.
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Poetry Challenge #105-Happy Birthday to You-Know Whoo ever!
Happy Birthday! Every day is somebody’s birthday! Who do you know who has a birthday coming up soon?
If it’s YOU then, according to A.I. Astrology, you are:
The zodiac sign is Aquarius (♒︎), the Water-Bearer, an Air sign ruling from roughly January 20th to February 19th, known for being innovative, intellectual, humanitarian, independent, and sometimes rebellious
Poetry Challenge #105
Happy Birthday to You-Know-Who!!!!
Can you write a poem to that person telling them why they’re special or what they mean to you?
Work on it until every word is exactly the one you want.
Do you want your poem to rhyme?
Do you want it to have a certain number of syllables on a line?
Is it a list poem or a story? You get to decide.
You can even give it to the person as a birthday gift!
Set the timer for 7 minutes.
Start writing!
Don’t think about it too much; just do it.
Wouldn’t be much of a birthday without a song. Here Goes: YOU SAY IT’S YOUR BIRTHDAY by the Beatles
*Cindy Faughnan and I began this 7-Minute Poetry Challenge more than 3200+days ago. We now take turns creating our own prompts to share with you. If you join us in the 7-Minute Poetry Challenge let us know by posting the title, a note, or if you want, the whole poem in the comments.
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Poetry Challenge #104-Prince Day
Do not ask me why: It’s not raining. The oldies station isn’t playing. And there is not a speck of glitter, wild hair, lace or feathered boa in sight. Still, for whatever reason, Prince’s* classic “Purple Rain” is stuck in my head…on replay.
Not the whole song either. Just the part everybody knows. And I do mean EVERYBODY. Sing with me:
Purple rain, purple rain
Purple rain, purple rain
Purple rain, purple rain
Blah-blah blah-blah la-la la-la in the purple rain...
“Prince’s definitive power ballad “Purple Rain” peaked at #2 on the Hot 100 on November 17, 1984 behind Wham’s “Wake Me Up Before You Go Go”. It was the title track of the album and namesake of a film in which Prince plays “The Kid” who has nostalgic yearning for a pure love.... Perhaps appropriately, it was the last song Prince ever played live, closing out his concert in Atlanta on April 14, 2016.”
Oh my word, we must have watched that movie seventy times (back then HBO featured movies for a month). But I digress:
Poetry Challenge #104
Purple Rain
If Prince could do it—and create a classic and make zillions in the process, then we can too. In the inimitable style of Prince:
Choose one concrete noun (Rain for instance, but not rain).
Choose one color (purple is off limits).
Put them together in whichever order pleases you. Use those words to begin a poem.
If you are feeling lazy, copy the pattern of “Purple Rain” (then you’ll only have to invent that last line.)
Hopefully the two words you’ve chose will fire up your inner the rock star!
Set the timer for 7 minutes.
Start writing!
Don’t think about it too much; do it! Rock OUT!
*And no it’s not his birthday. Prince Roger Nelson, aka “Prince” was born June 7, 1958, he died April 21, 2016. But his music lives on! 
Click to hear Prince tell why…I’m with him!