Challenge from K.A. Holt: Pick an item in the room and write some original words to describe it: dog walking boots, Timberlands, Michelin Tire Boy, Dumb and Dumber, waterproof bottoms, 7 1/2, Salvation Army $5 find, farm-perfect (I only used the word Farm in my title). Choose a poem format, and a literary device, and without using any of your original words – – write a poem about it.
Format: Etheree Poem
Literary Device: Alliteration
Funny Farm Footwear
slop
sloggers
mud muckers
feeding-time frump
goofy galoshes
whimsical wellingtons
witty wide water waders
camel-colored chicken coop cleats
her hilarious homestead hikers
frivolously funny fieldwork footwear
Fibonacci Sequence Poems are lines of poetry comprised of the total number of syllables in the preceding pair of lines, starting with 1, for a sequence of 1, 1, 2, 3, 5, 8, 13, and so on.
Doodle Doo
so
a
rooster
is too loud
in the city where
airplanes, firetrucks, sirens and trains
don’t want to be wakened so early to do their jobs?
Recycle a book by using it as a canvas for hours of fun creating Found Poetry!
infinite texts
invite me
to
get out of the house
to
cross the street
to
enter the forest
Challenge from Stacey Joy: write a poem inspired by music.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LLH49g_aQV0
Miriam
Miriam
she comes to us when we least expect it
hawks on a wire
redbirds at the feeder
wild turkeys in the yard
beeping seatbelt reminders
we were munching on popcorn
slurping cherry Icees
cocooned in our movie blankets
watching Emma
my Ansley and I
when those beloved lyrics
invoked her unticketed presence
perched right between us
arms around our shoulders
How firm a foundation, ye saints of the Lord
is laid for your faith in His excellent word
a congregational hymn at her funeral
her unwavering message to all of us
mother-daughter movies
popcorn and Icees
hymns that leave no questions
she comes to us when we least expect it
Challenge from Stacey Joy: Write a family trait poem – – modeled after Sandra Cisneros’ “Hairs.”
Traits are randomly scattered through my family – –
some are well-loved by everyone,
soft grandma-hugs no one resists
others are avoided and even shunned
barely tolerated, I’ll tell you
some stand at odd angles
gaps of uncomfortable social distances
others stand stoically shoulder-to-shoulder
in a steadfast show of solidarity and unity
some consider themselves high above others
showcased with spine tattoos that proclaim things
others are falling apart at the seams
held together by mere threads
some stick to their own homes
rarely a rendezvous, while
others venture out
wandering and visiting like dementia ward escapees,
until they are found and returned home where they belong
some have unsung talents
those obscure, never-made-popular voices that rival the famous
others drone on and on and on and on
incessantly chattering about what isn’t mattering to anyone
some speak in ambiguous code
others tell it flat like it is – like it or not
some spill all the family secrets
others disguise their own truths
“asking-for-a-friend” style, never admitting anything
some are painfully shy and soft-spoken
others lead the charge and WILL NOT! be silenced
some are well-traveled
have wined and dined and slept around with too many to count
others are pristine virgins
untouched, undesirable as yet
all have a place in the concerted chorus –
some blending,
others transcending
doing their best to cover those a bit off-key
unkempt books that fill my family shelves
some awake, vertical
others lazily dozing, horizontal
all waiting to be read and loved and accepted for who they are
Challenge: write a remade ransom poem.
Challenge from Glenda Funk: Write an Etheree poem. 10 lines, with each numbered line having that many syllables in it.
Morning Standoff
tail
wagging
beckoning
raising bottom
guarding his knot toy
chinning floor, front legs flat
cutting vicious eyes at me
daring me to move a muscle
growling an invitation to die
angels fear to tread in morning standoffs
Challenge from Glenda Funk: Write a Blitz Poem, using repeating ending words in paired lines from 1-48. Line 49 is the last word of line 48, and line 50 is the last word of line 47.
Hands of Tomorrow
Wash your face
Wash your hands
Hands that scold
Hands that hold
Hold each other
Hold our children
Children who write
Children who read
Read people
Read books
Books that inspire
Books that change
Change our world
Change our outlook
Outlook of reality
Outlook of hope
Hope that launches
Hope that heals
Heals broken lands
Heals broken people
People who suffer
People who pray
Pray for restoration
Pray for peace
Peace of mind
Peace of spirit
Spirit of humanity
Spirit of love
Love one
Love all
All who live
All who give
Give of your self
Give of your time
Time to talk
Time to listen
Listen to reason
Listen to hear
Hear our people
Hear their cries
Cries of sadness
Cries of joy
Joy for today
Joy for tomorrow
Tomorrow brings promise
Tomorrow brings unity
Unity of humankind
Humankind
Unity
Common Threads 
Alice Paul at the Seward-Belmont House:
– I chose this one because I KNOW that look! I’ve seen it too many times. And those were the looks that ultimately saved my life.
http://feminist.org/blog/wp-content/uploads/2014/09/10703760_10203183024680010_2207000059778354452_n.jpg
The Principal and the Preacher’s Daughter
Kimberly Lynn Haynes!
Why are you back here in my office again today?
Your daddy would be so ashamed of you!
Lean across that desk.
You know how this works.
Whack!
For stealing a box of chalk from Mrs. Sharpe’s class so you could play school at home.
Whack!
For ripping up Dawn Taylor’s lunch tickets and hiding them in the trash and blaming April Hudson.
Whack!
For writing a fake confession on April’s desk – in Mrs. Sharpe’s lipstick from her desk drawer.
Whack!
For daring Marvin Pirtle to pee in the soap dish and going in the boys’ bathroom to check the evidence.
Whack!
For playing a harmonica to add dramatic emphasis and trying to remain mysteriously undetected when Mrs. Myers was at the board teaching math.
Whack!
For going through Mrs. Myers’ desk to take back the harmonica she took from you when you were detected.
Whack!
For inciting a class chant for Randy Howard to “Take off your pants, Randy,” when his butt was itching because he forgot to rinse off the soap from his morning shower.
Whack!
For climbing the fence at recess and picking the kumquats from Mr. and Mrs. Gibson’s tree and then distributing the stolen goods.
Whack!
For offering to roll Karl Lewis in the tire at recess and deliberately rolling him into a tree.
Whack!
For sneaking Queenie Peavy home and finishing the class read-aloud ahead of time so you could give spoilers.
Whack!
And one for good measure. For being a preacher’s kid and not setting a better example. Let’s see if this can straighten you out for a day!