A week or two ago blogger Tangled Lou posted a challenge. It sparked my interest but, admittedly, I pushed it away. In my head, I whined about insufficient time and insufficient talent. But then Tangled Lou's challenge reappeared today on Masked Mom's blog and the challenge to myself was on. *
The challenge comes from The Practice of Poetry: Writing Exercises From Poets Who Teach. The idea is to write ten lines in ten minutes using five out of eight specific words and incorporating an adage or familiar quote that you have in some way altered.
What got me was the beauty of Masked Mom's lyrical prose. She did such a terrific job of incorporating the words and effectively touching the hearts of her readers (just check out the comments). I wanted to try it. It was an interesting exercise. Makes me want to check out the book.
Clouds break over my mind.
They conceal the sun.
They make it cold in here.
The walls lock me up.
I can be so small.
Small enough to be the eye of a needle.
I am the disappear-er.
I can edge to the cliff.
I can fly.
Every day I can be scared and I can be alive.
("Do one thing every day that scares you". Eleanor Roosevelt)
* Besides the title of Masked Mom's entry was "All The Cool Kids Are Doin' It" and, lord knows, I gotta be cool......
Nice Job, JT. I like your effort today. Very telling, very real. Doing something each day that frightens us, what a great goal, one that I'll have to incorporate into my life. And I thought I was doing well to try and do something different each day, not to mention scary! Pushing the boundaries of our comfort zone, right? Good job!
ReplyDeleteHeya, Matt --for me, doing something different each day can be scary enough. In theory, I applaud the goal to push the boundaries but there is another part of me that says, why bother?
DeleteLove it! This has been so much fun to see how everyone has taken the same words and come up with vastly different poems. If it's all right with you, I plan to do a post with all of these sometime this week. Linked and credited, of course.
ReplyDeleteYou've got to be kidding - this is childish and mediocre but it was done in ten minutes, per the directions! :)
DeleteI look forward to the post that you create from the poems - knowing full well that I am NO poet (although I love to read poetry).
Good for you! I like and relate to the first stanza. And my goal should be the last line.
ReplyDeleteAs far as poetry, I wouldn't even know where to begin.
But you did.....How was that?
DeleteBreathtaking. My heart is pounding!
ReplyDeleteThank you, Melanie - I get scared easily but I hide that too....
DeleteI really love this and can identify with it as well. It's fantastic and I'm so glad you took the challenge, too. Isn't it nice to have someone like TangledLou around to encourage us to stretch our brains? :)
ReplyDeleteYes on the TL part but yes also on having you and your engaging and inspiring posts too!
DeleteOh, wow. I love this!
ReplyDeleteThank you, Michelle - I am not sure exactly from where it came but it was fast and real.
DeleteMe like! This was truly great! And Eleanor Roosevelt was amazing.
ReplyDeleteWasn't she? I have read several biographies about her and I am in awe of who she was and what she did in the world. Thanks for reading my silly stuff!
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