Category: Creativity

Posted on

March Open Write Day 4, Slice of Life Challenge Day 19, Stafford Challenge Day 63

Special Thanks to Two Writing Teachers

Rex Muston of Iowa is our host today for the 4th day of the March Open Write at http://www.ethicalela.com. He inspires us to use our kitchen junk drawer to inspire poetry. You can read his full prompt here.

A kitchen junk drawer is second only as frightening to me as forgetting a piece of clothing and showing up at work for everyone to see all truth. It’s downright scary except for the drawer I did clean out last weekend. I still have one to go, and it’s the worst one. An invitation to explore those quirky drawer corners is fantastic! I love that even in the oddities, the junk, there are revelations of life and memories.  

Unbanded

One junk drawer
is empty
~the middle one~
but the one
on the edge
is chock-full
of random bits
and pieces

a years’ supply
of 9V batteries
for the
smoke alarms
we change
often
because
Boo Radley shivers
at the smell of
toaster heat and
smoke alarm chirps

plus the goat ball
banding tool
and bright orange
bands
as if the
whole horrid
thing
needed a
screaming
fluorescent
proclamation
across the farm

and a vintage
unfiltered
cigarette-
sized box of
Happy Family
ceramic pigs
from England

a mama
and twin
piglets
but no daddy
there was never
even a space
for his
unbanded
self

now
from the
Funny Farm
kitchen
windowsill
Mama smiles
with a sparkle-eye
bats her eyelashes
and thinks….

freedom!
Posted on

March Open Write Day 3, Slice of Life Challenge Day 18, Stafford Challenge Day 62

Special thanks to Two Writing Teachers

Today, Wendy Everard of New York is our host for the third day of the March Open Write at http://www.ethicalela.com, inspiring us to write Double Dactyls. You can read the process of writing a dactyl and her full prompt here. I found writing dactyls to be like the bludger in Harry Potter. You hold on for the ride, hope you don’t get knocked off your broomstick as it tests your sport, and hope to make it through the game.

My husband is the Mudbog King, as I’ve come to call him. He got both of our cars stuck one Christmas morning, and I think he did it on purpose just because he loves getting stuck and calling a buddy to come help. All these boys in the country seem to live for the phone call: “I’m stuck. Bring a chain and pull me out!” The only thing better than getting that call is making it – and to get double-stuck on Christmas morning just seemed like the biggest present under the tree. Hence, my Double-Axle Double Dactyl.

Photo by Wallace Silva on Pexels.com


Double-Axle Double Dactyl

muckery-muddery
Mudbog King's stuck again!
John Deere hailed - Johnson bailed
(boys spin to win)

ecclesiastical
gospelized dirt road hymns
banjos pick - mud's still slick
(boys clog tire rims)

boys stack hay ~ then......they play!
jacked-up truck = magnet-muck
climb inside! take a ride!
(costs not one buck)

hold on tight! brace yourself!
Johnson's gon' show his stealth
mud rainbows = bumper spray
(filthy trucks = health)
Posted on

Slice of Life Challenge Day 16, Stafford Challenge Day 60, March Open Write Day 1

Special thanks to Two Writing Teachers for the magic of writing
Photo by Pixabay on Pexels.com

James Coats is our host today at http://www.ethicalela.com, where on this first day of the March Open Write, he asks us to write about the anarchist in us. You can read his full prompt here. When I was reading the prompt, my fingers were already running to the computer before the rest of me had even left the bed. I’m convinced that the most compelling poetry, and all writing really, lives in those shadows, lurks in the pain. My sympathies ahead of time to any PK parents out there and sincere apologies to any well-behaved PKs who turned out good.

When You Want to be Gryffindor But Your Slytherin Roots Say No…….. Slythindor

Okenfenokee swampland mud

plus Southern Baptist preacher’s blood

mix them and you’re bound to find

they breed an offbeat, lawless mind

this reptile in me, like Slytherin magic

broke dad’s sermons something tragic

stealing church chalk so I could play teacher

(kind of what you expect from the kid of a preacher)

I learned to smile, doodle tie in my hair

when I wanted to strike and crawl out of there

but

let me assure you, if you’ve ever wondered

there’s an upside to this P.K, life I’ve encumbered

Parseltongue’s real in this parsonage child

who early in life felt outcast and defiled

born in swampland of snakes

I was raised among serpents

now I speak both the language

of saints and insurgents

Photo by Szabu00f3 Viktor on Pexels.com
Posted on

St. Patrick’s Day Charms – The Stafford Challenge Day 59, Slice of Life Challenge Day 15

Special thanks to Two Writing Teachers for making writing magical!

Earlier this month, Margaret Simon shared a post about a book of poetry by Georgia Heard and Rebecca Kai Doltish entitled Welcome to the Wonder House. Each featured room is full of wonderful things – the room of science, the room of imagination, the room of nature, and so many more! I ordered a copy right away, and I discovered what a charming book it is…..hence, today’s visit to the Room of Charms. Thank you, Margaret, for sharing the book. Happy St. Patrick’s Day, everyone, and may all good luck and charms be with you all weekend.

Tomorrow begins the March Open Write at http://www.ethicalela.com, and I hope to see you there. James Coats will be hosting with a prompt to inspire us on Saturday morning. I like to blend all of my daily writing into one blog post that serves as a poem for the Stafford Challenge, a slice for Slice of Life, and a poem for the Open Write so that I can triple-dip into three different writing groups with one poem or slice. That’s my writing strategy when multiple writing opportunities intersect on the calendar.

Photo by RDNE Stock project on Pexels.com

Welcome to the Room of Charms

step inside this room with me ~

let's take a look at all we see

locks and keys and pretty please

pixie dust  and rosebud teas

pearls and gold in velvet case

satin masks and angel's lace

gossamer wings and sparkly things

royal flush of queens and kings

seashells with the ocean's roar

oak tree with a fairy door

talismans and amulets

spirit-filled dreamcatcher nets

poetry and chanted verse

rabbit's foot and mermaid's purse

leprechauns and unicorns

green shamrocks and capped acorns

mood rings and milagros

horseshoes and mist rainbows

 carp scales and ancient runes

crystal balls and pan flute tunes

welcome to the charming room!
Photo by Achira22 on Pexels.com

Posted on

A Sunday Well-Spent and a Poetry Invitation – Slice of Life Challenge Day 12, Stafford Challenge Day 56

Special thanks to Two Writing Teachers for inspiring writers!

Sunday was a day well-spent! We watched my dad preach in my childhood church via YouTube, and I texted my brother and his fiancee to check on them as they travel to New Orleans for the week. We had breakfast with our schnoodles by the fire, and then I painted 18 canvases to dress the Chamber of Commerce windows for National Poetry Month. Finally, we had a wonderful Zoom gathering arranged by Lainie Levin to meet other slicers face to face and enjoy conversation.

Part of my role in my school system is to oversee the L4GA Literacy grant, which offers funding for literacy events in the community. National Poetry Month is a fabulous time to plan some Open Mic nights, author poetry readings, and writing workshops. Last year, we created a progressive poetry walk around our town square, featuring a local poet’s poem he’d written about our rural town to the theme of Bloom!

For this year’s theme, Awakenings (our local Arts Council chose this year’s theme), we’re switching from a progressive poetry walk to a window dressing, thanks to our sensational Chamber of Commerce team, who has agreed to allow us to decorate the windows as a town square feature this year. These canvases will have poetry written on them in black letters.

If you are looking for a slice topic sometime this week and enjoy writing poetry, I would love to have some short poems (4-6 lines) on the theme of Awakenings. I’m curating a collection of poems on this theme by living poets to feature in our window. Some will be local poets who share readings in our coffee shop, while others will be from right here in the Slice of Life or another writing group….maybe you! I’ll change them out from week to week, so if yours is featured, I’ll share a photo of your poem on display sometime at the end of May on a Tuesday slicing day. You can add your poem in the comments on any day of my blog throughout March.

I’m sharing our palette color scheme below. 

Poetry Invitation Elfchen 

painting
bright canvases
National Poetry Month
local business window dressings
~ awakenings ~
Posted on

Huitain Graham Cracker Purity – Slice of Life Challenge Day 11, The Stafford Challenge Day 55

Special thanks to Two Writing Teachers for inspiring writers.

Our three schnoodles aren’t spoiled, but they do expect a hand-fed breakfast every morning, so my husband gives them bites of graham crackers or Teddy Grahams. As they were sitting by the fire on Sunday morning having their royal feast, I wondered about the origins of graham crackers. I was thinking that perhaps since the Huitain is a French form of poetry and poodles are a German breed but are the national dog of France, then maybe if the crackers were of French origin, I could work all of that into a poem and serve it up like a fresh-baked croissant, all buttery and warm.

It was not to be.

I learned more about graham crackers than I should know.

Boo Radley and Ollie eating graham crackers

The crackers do not have French origins, and they were not invented to feed little dogs a healthy breakfast snack. They were invented by a preacher, Reverend Graham, who baked them to dissuade physical affection. I got quite an eye-opening education about these seemingly innocent little wafers. Who knew? 

Huitain Graham Cracker Purity

three schnoodles when hungry like graham squares
breakfast with Dad inspired Mom to inquire
to see where they started, these squares and bears
***
oh my! a sermon: brimstone and hellfire! 
to repress our deepest carnal desire
crackers were baked to dissuade our urges
to keep us out of the funeral pyre
***
stay dressed! eat crackers! say NO to merges!
Posted on

Daffodil Swing Choir – The Stafford Challenge Day 54, Slice of Life Challenge Day 10

Many thanks to Two Writing Teachers for giving writers space to bud and bloom!
The earth laughs in flowers. - Ralph Waldo Emerson

Today’s poem is a triolet, inspired by Barb Edler’s post yesterday. Before Barb’s mother died, she planted daffodils, and these are Barb’s favorite flowers. I, too, lost my mother (December 2015) and miss her very much – my mother’ s favorites were wild petunias and yellow roses. When I need to count blessings and decompress, I take my keys off the hook by the door and start up my little blue Caribbean RAV4 and go riding the country roads. I look for the blooms, the rolling hills, the hawks on wires, the cows in the meadows. It puts the world back in perspective for me – – I am here but for a blink of an eye, and whatever is worrying me, too, shall pass.

Today, let’s remember our mothers who have gone before us but who still wave to us in flowers! We still see you, Moms! #flowerhugs

Daffodils on Highway 109 in Meansville, Georgia

Daffodil Swing Choir Triolet

countryside daffodils dance and smile

their friendly welcoming rural hellos

across hills and meadows, mile after mile

countryside daffodils dance and smile

swaying in their swing choir style

robed in greens and sunshine yellows

countryside daffodils dance and smile

their friendly welcoming rural hellos

#countryside charm. #daffodilsmiles. #momsstillspeak

Posted on

Tea Latte Sonnet, dedicated to Denise Krebs – The Stafford Challenge Day 53, Slice of Life Challenge Day 9

Special thanks to Two Writing Teachers for inspiring writers.

Earlier this week, I was drawn to a post by Denise Krebs, who shared her tea latte as a jumpstart to her hiking day. She inspired me to visit my local coffee shop, where they made me an oat milk tea latte. It was divine! Thank you, Denise, for introducing me to this new favorite!

dairy-free tea latte (not beer)

Tea Latte Sonnet

I heard it from a friend so dear

perfect jumpstart: tea latte

(it looks a lot like heady beer)

what a way to start the day!

stopped by the local coffee shop

ordered a lavender, dairy-free

beamed as the oat milk bubbled atop

eagerly sipped my first taste of tea

I’m sending Denise a cross-country high-five

certain I’ve found a new favorite drink

to help me hike mountains awake and alive

I’m raising a toast with cheers ~ and a wink

at first glance, it looks like this drink is naugh-tay

……..

Wait….could I get fired drinking frothy tea latte?!

Posted on

Stargazer Paint Chip Elfchen Poem – Stafford Challenge Day 52, SOLC Day 8

Many thanks to Two Writing Teachers for giving writers space and inspiration to reach for the stars.

I love to go wandering through the paint sample section of a store. I sometimes bring a fabric swatch with me to look legit, like a real painter who knows exactly what she’s doing.

Truth is, I’m a paint chip thief, I don’t know what I’m doing, and I have no remorse over any of it.

I look for the best-named paints and pocket the chips. They’re free, but this isn’t why they are the best deal in the entire store.

The names of the colors are pure gold. Even though I bought a set of Paint Chip Poetry words a few years ago with enough chips to last me a lifetime, I can’t just saunter past the paint aisle without challenging myself to a short poem using a named color when it’s there for the choosing and word-amusing.

I chip-lifted Stargazer on a recent trip to WalMart, and I went a wee bit alliterative with a paint chip elfchen poem.

Posted on

Clifton’s Cliffhanger – The Stafford Challenge Day 50, SOLC Day 6

Special thanks to Two Writing Teachers for giving writers an encouraging and safe space.

I’m borrowing a line or two from Lucille Clifton today, from her book Quilting: Poems 1987-1990, to write a borrowed line poem. This line in italics is from her poem “eyes”:
I could say so much to you
if you could understand me

Photo by Andrea Turner on Pexels.com
Resyntaxed Semantics

I could say so much to you
if you could understand me 

but the mixmaster
spun the vinyl
resyntaxed
semantics

now
I'm the one 
who doesn't 
recognize
the tune

I once knew
the original
lyrics
of
y
o
u