Author: kimhaynesjohnson

I’m writing my way through Kyle Vaughn’s Lightning Paths, which I began in October Now, I’m on the final stretch toward the end of the year. Today’s challenge is a one-word poem – and don’t let it fool you. It can be a bigger challenge than any other kind. It can have a title.

Christmastime

Joy

I’ve been reading Kyle Vaughn’s Lightning Paths this month, working my way through the writing exercises from cover to cover. Today’s prompt is a two-line poem.

At High Falls Campground

There was better medicine in nature
than in the 5 Covid prescriptions I was taking 

I’m reading through Kyle Vaughn’s Lightning Paths from cover to cover this month, writing my way through the exercises. Today’s challenge is a monostitch poem, or a poem of only one line. It can have a title.

Little Guy Max

who has the biggest personality on the campground?

I’ve been reading Kyle Vaughn’s Lightning Paths from cover to cover, writing my way through the daily exercises. In today’s prompt, a tiny poem is the inspiration. Writers compose a tiny poem in four to six lines – its conciseness of words is its criteria, and it could take many forms – the Haiku, the monostitch, the tanka.

The Gift of Nothing

The gift of nothing
can be
the gift of everything.

I’m reading Kyle Vaughn’s Lightning Paths from cover to cover, working my way through the writing exercises each day throughout the end of the year. Today’s inspiration is to write a beatitude, a statement of wisdom, positivity, empathy, or possibility. Many times, these begin with the words Blessed be….or Praise be….or Let there be…..

I’m writing today to celebrate my son’s necktie design that won the Save the Children art contest through Denny’s restaurant back when he was in kindergarten.

Let there be Childhood

Let there be childhood
full of reading picture books
that build healthy lives

I’ve been reading the book Lightning Paths by Kyle Vaughn and working my way from cover to cover with each of the writing exercises. Today’s challenge inspires writers to create an Epic List Poem, considering how a list form can support your writing and purpose. Words can vary on a theme or move from microscopic to macroscopic. It seeks to expand your awareness.

My Epic Christmas List of Unwrappables

Togetherness

Memories
Health
Experiences
Adventures
Time
Coziness
Laughter
Moments
Hugs
Snuggles
Wet dog noses
Cheers!
Celebrations
Mealtimes
Love
Walks
Hikes
Kayak paddles
Campfire chats
Smiles
Tickles
Foot Rubs
Bath soaks
Milkshake sharing
Stargazing Nights
Promises
Dreams
Hopes
Singing
Dancing
Christmas Tree scents

Togetherness

I’ve been reading Kyle Vaughn’s Lightning Paths and working my way through the writing exercises from cover to cover. Today’s challenge is to write a coinage poem that defines a word. I looked back to the day that Margaret Simon challenged Open Writers at http://www.ethicalela.com to write etymology poems. Here is mine from that day: I defined the word Quirky.

Meet Quirky 

Quirky was born in 1873

to the adjective family tree,

wrapped upside-down in

a blanket different from all the rest ~

peculiar, off-beat, bizarre

eccentric, outlandish and

strange in an oddly appealing way,

in the same year in the 

word hospital as bumfuzzled,

capisce, and wordsmith.  

So wear the mismatched socks.

March to your own beat. Be quirky!

I’ve been reading Kyle Vaughn’s Lightning Paths and writing through the exercises each day. Today’s exercise is a found poem, which is written by finding words and phrases in other places – from books, magazines, anywhere! and putting them together in a new arrangement. I like to use discarded books and find poems on the page. Here is one from a page of Tom Sawyer, in picture form, rewritten on a purple tulip back in April 2022 when Open Write host Amy Vetter challenged our group at http://www.ethicalela.com to write found poems.

I’ve been reading Kyle Vaughn’s Lightning Paths and working my way through the writing exercises each day, from cover to cover. Today’s prompt is Imitation of Form, in which writers write their own versions of specific other poems. I’m going back to a prompt by Travis Crowder in the Open Write on http://www.ethicalela.com in April 2019 to share an imitation of form about one of my three Schnoodles today.

This poem models Christopher Smart’s poem written in the 1700s, “For I Will Consider My Cat Jeoffry” (later mirrored by Mary Oliver in Dog Songs with her poem “For I Will Consider My Dog Percy”).

For I Will Consider My Dog Boo Radley

For I will consider my dog Boo Radley.
For he was rescued from the grief of neglect and abandonment.
For he was alone and starving and trembling in a crate in the back of a van.
For his rescue name was Einstein because of his wild and matted hair.
For he was chosen by Kim but bonded with Briar.
For he was re-named Boo Radley because he spent time behind a closed door.
For he is of the tribe of Schnoodle.
For his Schnoodlehood is a mixture of French and German.
For he is highly territorial about his pillows and blankets.
For when he is picked up, his ears sag down, but when he is put down, his ears perk up.
For he lives by a predictable routine of quirky habits and idiosyncrasies.
For one of his favorite games is glove wars.
For another of his favorite games is teasing keep-away.
For another of his favorite games is pant-leg-tug-of-war.
For he threatens wildlife ferociously but seeks protection from the ding of a cell phone.
For he merely tolerates his rescued brother Fitz.
For if he meets an admiring stranger he will chastise her harshly for cooing over him.
For he has an angel harping on one shoulder and a devil pitchforking on the other.
For when both of his humans are not home, his world gets tilted and he takes to his kennel.
For he lies on the back of the chair and rests his head on his humans’ shoulders to read their books and emails.
For he licks his lips to request his bedtime drink from a bathroom cup instead of a water dish.
For he punishes himself and assigns his own timeout in the kennel when he regrets his mischief.
For he is the bed police, Mirandizing anyone who moves a muscle.
For he keeps watch over his humans by night and sleeps by day.
For he puts his nose out the car window and breathes the exotic air when we go on safaris.
For he prances about the house like a show pony with his whale-spray tail.
For he catches popcorn.
For he gets tornadic zoomies indoors and rearranges all the furniture.
For he breakfasts upon plain yogurt and graham crackers in bed on weekends, lying like the Sphinx.
For he is now loved and cherished.
For he rules the Johnson Funny Farm.

-Kim Johnson

I’ve been reading Lightning Paths by Kyle Vaughn and writing my way through the daily writing exercises. Today’s prompt is to write an aphorism about what poetry is or what it means to be a poet.

Poetry Is

poetry: wings of 
butterflies, lilting, flitting
fluttering wordwinds