Day 30 - Final Day of the Poetry Challenge

Day 30 - Last Day of National Poetry Month 

Well, this month has been quite amazing – for one, I actually posted on my blog EVERY day for 30 days in a row. That has GOT to be some kind of a record; especially for the A.D.D. poster queen that I am. I’m pretty pleased about that. However, my greatest satisfaction comes from seeing what these posts prompted others to create. Amazing!! 

If you’ve been following on the blog, you have seen the work of only 2 or 3 brave souls who have posted here, but I’ve also made this poetry challenge part of two email groups I belong to and the poems there just kept coming and they have been remarkable! So, for today, the last day of National Poetry Month – I’d like to hear your comments on what this has brought to you. What have you learned? What did you love? What frustrated you (if anything)? Did you discover you were a poet and didn’t even know it? 

I hope you have had fun and please post your comments (which I would love to read) here ON MY BLOG ~ even if you never wrote a poem, but enjoyed reading the poems others wrote.

LAST DAY POEM ~ please feel free to create any style poem you have enjoyed. Or you might try summing up your feelings in a poem. Thanks for taking this journey with me. See ya’ next year for Poetry Month. But please stick around as I have other things you might enjoy reading about coming up on my blog. 

Today, I’m going to a pancake breakfast this morning (my sweet gluten-free friend, Kathy, is seeing to it that there are pancakes we can eat there) and then I’m off to Day 2 of a really interesting workshop on grieving, but more importantly, awakening. It’s been pretty fascinating so far. Take care!!

Here’s MY poem for the last day of National Poetry Month, a cinquain poem, (pattern 1) – I’ll post the pattern here to remind you:

1^st line ~ two syllables – the subject (or title) or your poem

2^nd line ~ four syllables that describe the title/subject

3^rd line ~ six syllables that express action

4^th line ~ eight syllables that express a thought or feeling

5^th line ~ two syllables synonym for title (restates your subject using a different word)

Poems

Feelings expressed

From down deep in my heart

So you know who I am I’ll sing

Word Songs

                    © 2011 Stephanie Abney

Enjoy!! YOUR TURN!!

Day 29 – Let's Write a 5 W’s Poem

Day 29 – 5 W’s Poem 

This is an obvious poem, but can be a sweet one, or a silly one, or a serious one, depending on what you fill in. This poem answers the 5 W’s: Who, What, Where, When & Why.

I suggest you go to the Instant Poetry Maker on this one (it will include your punctuation for you when you click on the box “Create My Instant 5W Poem Now!” button. 

(Tomorrow is our last day)

Here is the link: Instant 5W poem creator  (it also has an example)

Below is the one I wrote inspired by a Christmas I will never forget for so many reasons. Christmas was my mom’s all-time favorite holiday and we lost her to pancreatic cancer exactly one week before Christmas of 1998. I was in California all month with my mom, dad and sister. (The rest of the family joined us for the funeral and we buried mom 2 days before Christmas). Back in Mesa, while I was gone, BJ didn’t have any money but wanted to make me a gift. I collect nativities so he decided to make one, from scratch, without a pattern, except for the vision in his head. He had leukemia and was given a freestanding woodworking workshop with electricity and power tools as his wish from “Make-A-Wish” and so he set out to create the most memorable nativity of my collection of about 50 nativities. It is so precious, as was he. Two years later, BJ lost his battle with cancer too. I cherish every reminder of who he was, what he stood for and how he loved. This one is most precious.

Brian James Abney
Made his mom a wooden nativity,
In his "Make-A-Wish" woodworking workshop,
For Christmas in 1998 when he was 14 years old,
Because he loved his mom and she collects them.

                            © 2011 Stephanie Abney

MORE on Day 28 - MY example of a Clerihew Poem

Day 28 - Clerihew Poem

OK, folks - here's mine 

(if you missed the instructions for today, just look at the post below).

 

They say Jim Abney is one of the good ol’ boys,

To make him happy, just share your toys.

He likes to wrestle, laugh and leap,

But by afternoon, he falls asleep!

                  © 2011 Stephanie Abney

Day 28 ~ Let's Write a Clerihew Poem

Day 28 - How to write a Clerihew Poem

A clerihew is a four line long poem.

1. They are four lines long.

2. The first and second lines rhyme with each other, and the third and fourth lines rhyme with each other.

3. The first line names a person, and the second line ends with something that rhymes with the name of the person.

4. A clerihew should be funny.

Example:

When Pollyanna came to town

all the people wore a frown.

She spread gladness, hope, and cheer

and kicked their grumpies in the rear.

© 2008 Katy Jones as found in Highlights of Homeschooling “30 Forms of Poetry About Girls in Literature”

YOUR TURN!! 

Day 27 ~ Let's Write a Lantern Poem

Day 27 ~How to Write a  Lantern Poem

OK, We are nearing the end of our challenge. Sorry this got posted later than 5am - life happens. So it's after 9 am AZ time, but we're doing a simple little Japanese poetry form today, a "Lantern Poem."

A lantern is a five line poem in the shape of a Japanese lantern. 

The Pattern is:

Line 1: noun (one syllable)

Line 2: describe the noun (two syllables)

Line 3: describe the noun (three syllables

Line 4: describe the noun (four syllables)

Line 5: synonym for noun in line one (one syllable)

Example:

Sword

weapon

straight-edged steel

deadly saber

Blade

      © 2008 Sally Clark

(Example from “The Highlights of Homeschooling: How to Write 30 Forms of Poetry – The American Revolution” by Teresa Ives Lilly, poetry by Sally Clark)

YOUR TURN!! :)

Day 26 - Let's Write an "If You Were" Poem

Day 26 - If You Were Poem

On day 17 we did an “If I Were” Poem – today we will do one very similar called “If YOU Were”

This is a fun little poem that is actually a quatrain (4 lines) in which the last sound of lines 2 and 4 rhyme. It also has two metaphors (remember, a “metaphor” is a figure of speech in which a term or phrase is applied to something to which it is not literally applicable in order to draw a comparison). It is not the same as a simile. A simile uses the word like or as in order to make a comparison, whereas metaphors use is or are. So if you say “If I were” or “If you were” and named the thing (noun), it is a metaphor.

A simile: Your hair is like golden flax.

A metaphor: Your hair is golden flax.

So, there’s a little grammar lesson for ya’ – sorry, it’s the teacher in me. OK, back to the instructions: one metaphor is for the “I” part of the poem and the other metaphor is for the “you” part of the poem.

Here are some instructions taken from Charles Ghinga’s site (with his permission – I suggest you GO TO HIS SITE for more details and other fun stuff pertaining to poetry:

Instructions: Think of a person you like. Compare that person to some thing (inanimate object). Now compare yourself to some thing associated with the first object.

Giggle poetry class for kids by Charles Ghinga ~ Great site on fun poetry, for all ages, especially for kids from Charles Ghigna

 Example:

If you were a candle

And I was a match,

I’d light your wick brightly

And some shadows we’d catch.

                                © 2001 Stephanie Abney

Yeah, not great, but you get the idea.

YOUR TURN!!!

Day 25 ~ Let's Write a Quinzaine Poem

Day 25 - How to write a Quinzaine Poem

OK, back to specific poems with patterns. Having to fit your thoughts into patterns is good practice for learning to express yourself. This one is VERY short and VERY specific in the pattern to follow. Try it out:

A quinzaine is an unrhymed three line poem that contains 15 syllables.

The pattern is:

The first line has 7 syllables

The second line has 5 syllables

The third line has 3 syllables

The first line makes a statement and the next two lines ask a question about the subject.

Example:

Spunky, brave young heroines.

Why are so many

orphaned girls?

      © 2008 Katy Jones as found in Highlights of Homeschooling “30 Forms of Poetry About Girls in Literature”

Here's a couple I came up with:

We're on earth to serve others.

Why is finding time

hard to do?

     © 2011 Stephanie Abney

God sees us as we can be.

Can’t we see others

that way too?

      © 2011 Stephanie Abney

YOUR TURN!!

PLEASE REMEMBER ~ any poetry found on this blog, written by me, is my personal property and may not be used without my permission, other than sharing it as an example in a lesson or to read it to someone. The same goes for any poems that are shared in the comments of this blog or elsewhere online as a result of this challenge. They are the creative property of the person who writes them. These poems are their original work and no one may use them without their permission. It is understood that they own the copyright to them as soon as they post them. Thanks so much!

Also, if you choose to post your poems on your own blog ~ that’s awesome. But PLEASE don’t just copy and paste my daily instructions, but rather post your poem on your blog or your FB wall or wherever AND LINK BACK TO THIS BLOG POST for others to come here to read the instructions. I’ve spent considerable time researching the poetry forms and writing them up to share with you. Thanks for respecting my work.

Day 24 ~ EASTER SUNDAY ~ Free Verse

OK, this is my last day at our family reunion and it is also Easter Sunday. I've suggested all weekend you write any poem of your choice, any style or no style at all, "free verse." (I just scheduled today and Sunday to post automatically each day).

Just come up with our own theme. It might be nice to focus on Easter, the Resurrection, family, blessings, springtime, renewal, baby animals, whatever comes to mind.

Feel free to post here or if you are participating with me through email, do that. 

I'll be back this afternoon. See ya'

Day 23 ~ More Free Verse Poetry

OK, as I said, I'm at a family reunion right now - so I'm just suggesting all weekend you write any poem of your choice, any style or no style at all, "free verse." (I just scheduled today and Sunday to post automatically each day).

Just come up with our own theme. It might be nice to focus on Easter, the Resurrection, family, blessings, springtime, renewal, baby animals, whatever comes to mind.

Feel free to post here or if you are participating with me through email, do that. 

Just so you know, THIS message will repeat on Sunday. I'll be back that afternoon. See ya'

Day 22 ~ Earth Day or Good Friday Poem

~ FREE VERSE POETRY ~ for the entire weekend (Friday [also Earth Day & Good Friday], Saturday, Easter Sunday)

OK - looks like we'll be having several free-verse poems coming up that only have a prompt to them, due to Easter Weekend.

Well, you can pretty much write it any way you want.

If you are checking here to find poetry, you may not see too many. I continue to get most of my responses (newly created poetry) via email through my ANWA Writers Group and an online friend group called LDS Forever Friends. Only a couple of people seem to be using this blog to respond on. Which is fine. Fewer people see your work, but the whole idea was to celebrate National Poetry Month. Even if all that has happened for you is to have been thinking about it or just enjoying reading what others are writing, that's great. Mission accomplished. If you are writing your own poems, I hope you have created a document file to keep them in. It will mean a lot to you and your family even if you never publish or submit them anywhere.

OK, rules (or NOT) for Free Verse:
A poem that is written without a pattern or rhyme. The possibilities are limitless. Give it a shot.

So, today is "Earth Day" - there are lots of mixed and even strong emotions on this one, but how about writing a poem (any style so far or just use free verse) about what the earth means to you. 

Or, since today is also "Good Friday" you could use that for your prompt. Or anything about Easter, particularly of a spiritual nature.

Both topics could easily lend themselves to the idea of renewal, spring, growth, etc. See what you come up with. 

Enjoy!!

Day 21 - Let's Write a Rictameter Poem

Day 21 ~ Let’s Write a Rictameter Poem

 

OK, another poem that focuses on the number of syllables per line. It doesn't matter if they rhyme of not. The rictameter form of poetry was created in the early 1990s by two cousins, Jason D. Wilkins and Richard W. Lunsford, Jr., both poets who were inspired by the Robin Williams' movie, "Dead Poet's Society."
 

A rictameter is a nine line poetry form. The 1st and last lines are the same with the syllable count as follows:

• line 1 - 2 syllables - same as line 9
• line 2 - 4 syllables
• line 3 - 6 syllables
• line 4 - 8 syllables
• line 5 - 10 syllables
• line 6 - 8 syllables
• line 7 - 6 syllables
• line 8 - 4 syllables
• line 9 - 2 syllables - same as line 1 

~~~~~~ For a sample I wrote a simple little rictameter poem about my son, BJ, who passed away at the age of 16, after a 5 1/2 year battle with leukemia in 2000 ~~~~~~~

On Missing My Son

 Happy

Joy in each day

What great times we all had

Getting through the good and the bad

And then, my happiness was gone, like you

Your body too weak for this world

Until we meet again

Never to part

Happy

© 2011 Stephanie Abney

Here's a link those of you who are getting serious about writing poetry might enjoy:
Poetry Dances ~ Popular Poetry Styles

OK, YOUR TURN!!!

Day 20 - Rhyming Poetry (a-b-a-b pattern)

Day 20 - Rhyming Poetry  (a-b-a-b pattern)

Here’s a couple of resources you can use to find rhyming words – just type in the word in the box, click and poof ~ a rhyming word appears:

Rhymer - instant rhyme site

Rhyme Zone - instant rhyming site 

Rhyming schemes: the use of end rhymes – last sound of the end word in one line of poetry rhyming with the last sound of the end word in another line of poetry.

There are several rhyming schemes in poetry but we are going to start with the most common:

a – b – a – b

This is where the words at the end of the first and third lines rhyme and the words at the end of the second and fourth line rhyme.

You should also try to keep the meters of lines ‘a’ the same as each other and the meters of line ‘b’ the same as each other. This can be done by counting syllables. In the little 4 line example I made up, you can see the end words in the first and third lines rhyme and they both have 5 beats (5 syllables). The end words in the second and fourth lines rhyme and they both have 6 beats (6 syllables).

I went to the store

To buy a loaf of bread.
I found something more
“So typical,” I said. 
                      © Stephanie Abney 2011
                  (seems silly to copyright such a simple little sample verse but there you have it)

You can just do four lines or you can create a longer poem by making several stanzas of four lines each. Also, note that often times the very last stanza can vary, or not, but all previous stanzas should follow the pattern.

Your turn! Have fun!

Day 19 ~ Let's Write an Alliteration Poem!

Day 19 ~ Alliteration Poem

This is a fun poem to work on. It can be profound, but most are basically nonsense. Many children’s nursery rhymes and tongue twisters use alliteration.

Alliteration is the recurring repetition of at the same consonant sound presented in a sequence of words that are close to each other. It is typically found at the beginning of a word to give stress to its syllable. It is the sound, not the letter that is important. Candy and cereal do not alliterate but ‘cool’ and ‘kick’ do; also ‘fine’ and ‘phase.’

It helps to brainstorm up a list of words that have the same beginning sound. Choose a letter to practice alliteration.  Open a doc, type the letter and then type as many words as you can that start with the letter you chose. This will help you when you start to create your poem.

Example from Mother Goose:

Betty Botter

by Mother Goose

Betty Botter bought some butter,
but, she said, the butter’s bitter;
if I put it in my batter
it will make my batter bitter,
but a bit of better butter
will make my batter better.
So she bought a bit of butter
better than her bitter butter,
and she put it in her batter
and the batter was not bitter.
So ’twas better Betty Botter
bought a bit of better butter.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

So, here’s my ridiculous, nonsensical, pointless alliteration poem. I know you can do better.

Freedom From Big Hips

(No, I’m NOT putting my name to this silliness).

Frank’s friends fried fish and fries for Friday’s fanfare.

First, fair fellows followed Frank forward,

From front and far afield,

Filling frozen fake fairy figures with fizzing frothy fruit.

Footloose and fancy-free,

Forever factual fiction folks forgot their forks.

Fun facts frequented their fast-flapping lips.

“Forget the forks, forget the food,” featherweights forbade.

“Fooling with fried, fancy fare fails to free friends from big hips.”

YOUR TURN!!!