"Age, like distance lends a double charm."
- Oliver Herford
"Be grateful for luck. Pay the thunder no mind - listen to the birds. And don't hate nobody." - Eubie Blake
"Friends are not made, but recognized."
- Carl Rakosi
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Showing posts with label writing prompts. Show all posts
Showing posts with label writing prompts. Show all posts
Tuesday, February 22, 2011
Monday, October 4, 2010
Monday.. Monday.. Please Hurry By!
"Every moment must be first known and then savored."
"None of us really changes over time. We only become more fully what we are."
"To write something you have to risk making a fool of yourself."
****************************************************
Mouse sat in the pumpkin patch
and shed a weary tear..
How she had hoped and prayed
for pumpkin pie this year..
Farmer John had left her none
the pumpkins were all gone..
Packed into big boxes
shipped to parts unknown..
Mother mouse headed home
her belly gave growl..
Suddenly she turned and ran
for she thought was cat's meow..
She ran into a jagged hole
it almost appeared an eye
Suddenly she saw the truth
and knew she'd have a pie..
Pockets filled she hurried home
to bake a pastry shell..
Feasting on pumpkin pie
before Hallowed darkness fell...
"None of us really changes over time. We only become more fully what we are."
"To write something you have to risk making a fool of yourself."
All by Anne Rice.. who was born Howard Allen O'Brien in New Orleans.. Louisiana on this day in 1941... On her first day of school a nun asked her name and she replied "Anne"... Her mother who had stuck her with her father's name didn't correct her... In 1955 her mother died and her father moved with his two girls to Richardson.. Texas... Graduating from Richardson High School she then attended two Texas colleges and finished her B.A. at San Francisco State University before marrying Stan Rice... Her first book.. Interview with a Vampire was published in 1976.. the first of ten books in the Vampire Chronicles series... She also wrote about twenty other novels.. Her books have sold nearly 100 million copies, making her one of the most widely read authors in modern history... I personally own a few of her books and have enjoyed them all..
****************************************************
Microfiction Monday #51~ 
two apples and a carrot
paid to fly so high
she held to him tightly
the beast took to the sky
he shuddered- she sighed
***********
.. ~ This is my very first try at micro-fiction.. I had a very hard time with the count of 140 characters.. I will be trying this again as I love working with small word counts.. you should try it too..
two apples and a carrot
paid to fly so high
she held to him tightly
the beast took to the sky
he shuddered- she sighed
***********
.. ~ This is my very first try at micro-fiction.. I had a very hard time with the count of 140 characters.. I will be trying this again as I love working with small word counts.. you should try it too..
*************
-The Treat-
Mouse sat in the pumpkin patch
and shed a weary tear..
How she had hoped and prayed
for pumpkin pie this year..
Farmer John had left her none
the pumpkins were all gone..
Packed into big boxes
shipped to parts unknown..
Mother mouse headed home
her belly gave growl..
Suddenly she turned and ran
for she thought was cat's meow..
She ran into a jagged hole
it almost appeared an eye
Suddenly she saw the truth
and knew she'd have a pie..
Pockets filled she hurried home
to bake a pastry shell..
Feasting on pumpkin pie
before Hallowed darkness fell...
Written By: Patricia Sawyer
10-4-2010
*****
This week we were given a picture to write by instead of our usual phrase.. since most pumpkins are carved into decorations for the Halloween porch I decided to write something along that theme.. tonight must not be my night for writing small.. I had a hard time fitting this into the one hundred words allowed.. It must be because it's Monday!.. At least that's going to be my story and I'm sticking to it!
I thank you for stopping by my world today.. At least it is cooler than it has been.. I hope you enjoyed your visit here.. I welcome both comments and followers.. Have a great day!
Patsy
Saturday, August 7, 2010
Saturday.. Is Hindsight Really 20/20??
"Poetry may make us from time to time a little more aware of the deeper, unnamed feelings which form the substratum of our being, to which we rarely penetrate; for our lives are mostly a constant evasion of ourselves."
~T. S. Eliot
"Inside my empty bottle I was constructing a lighthouse while all the others were making ships." ~ Charles Simic
"Traditional scientific method has always been at the very best, 20 - 20 hindsight. It's good for seeing where you've been. It's good for testing the truth of what you think you know, but it can't tell you where you ought to go."
~ Robert M. Pirsig
* * * * * * * * * *
~ National Lighthouse Day:
National Lighthouse Day honors and commemorates a beacon of light that symbolizes safety and
security for boats at sea.
~ Hunting Island Lighthouse..
On August 7, 1789, the Federal Government took over responsibility for building and operating our nation's lighthouses.. Recognizing the importance to ships at sea to find safe harbor during fog and storms... Through the years.. lighthouses have saved many ships.. and many lives. Lighthouses have shined their powerful, sweeping lights.. Guiding ships of all kinds to find their way to port during stormy weather. With the new technology of radar and GPS.. lighthouses have taken a back seat in guiding ships to port. However, they remain the universal symbol of safe harbor to ships and communities that rely upon the sea for their livelihood... Though I have only climbed to the top of one Lighthouse so far in my life.. I think that they are very beautiful.. and that the light keepers .. and their families.. who tended them through the darkest of nights were truly hero's..
* * * * * * * * * *
Saturday Centus #14- This weeks prompt is.. ~Objects in the rear view mirror are closer than they appear...
This is my first try at this Meme.. we are given a word or phrase and asked to write something one hundred words long from the prompt.. the prompt words are not counted.. we are then asked to leave our link on their blog and to PLEASE! visit the blogs of others who have also left their links... I hope you enjoy my Poem.. How wonderful is our view.. from hindsight...
Sometimes I wonder if Hindsight is really 20/20?
~T. S. Eliot
"Inside my empty bottle I was constructing a lighthouse while all the others were making ships." ~ Charles Simic
"Traditional scientific method has always been at the very best, 20 - 20 hindsight. It's good for seeing where you've been. It's good for testing the truth of what you think you know, but it can't tell you where you ought to go."
~ Robert M. Pirsig
* * * * * * * * * *
~ National Lighthouse Day:
National Lighthouse Day honors and commemorates a beacon of light that symbolizes safety and
security for boats at sea.
~ Hunting Island Lighthouse..On August 7, 1789, the Federal Government took over responsibility for building and operating our nation's lighthouses.. Recognizing the importance to ships at sea to find safe harbor during fog and storms... Through the years.. lighthouses have saved many ships.. and many lives. Lighthouses have shined their powerful, sweeping lights.. Guiding ships of all kinds to find their way to port during stormy weather. With the new technology of radar and GPS.. lighthouses have taken a back seat in guiding ships to port. However, they remain the universal symbol of safe harbor to ships and communities that rely upon the sea for their livelihood... Though I have only climbed to the top of one Lighthouse so far in my life.. I think that they are very beautiful.. and that the light keepers .. and their families.. who tended them through the darkest of nights were truly hero's..
* * * * * * * * * *
Saturday Centus #14- This weeks prompt is.. ~Objects in the rear view mirror are closer than they appear...
This is my first try at this Meme.. we are given a word or phrase and asked to write something one hundred words long from the prompt.. the prompt words are not counted.. we are then asked to leave our link on their blog and to PLEASE! visit the blogs of others who have also left their links... I hope you enjoy my Poem.. How wonderful is our view.. from hindsight...
Sometimes I wonder if Hindsight is really 20/20?
Hindsight~
dust and bones.. diamonds and rust
lovers and heroes.. hearts that have gone bust
treasures buried.. promises un-kept
laughter we shared .. tears we have wept
selfish indifference.. well honed through the years
Objects in the rear view mirror are closer than they appear
the past runs behind us.. a quickened foot race
running and ruining.. our hearts can't keep pace
in foresight the lovers.. where friends once had been
then not even lovers.. and all friendship ends
ignoring.. uncaring.. till blue eyes cried dry
just waiting on better .. as decades fly by
with words and looks.. pierced to the bone
she's praying that hindsight.. won't find you alone...
Written By: Patricia Sawyer
8-7-2010
Tuesday, June 22, 2010
Just Another Day!?!
"Love thy neighbour as yourself, but choose your neighbourhood."
~ Louise Beal
"We see what we believe rather than believe what we see."
~ Alan Watts
"God is a comedian playing to an audience too afraid to laugh."
~ Voltaire
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This week has started out rather slowly.. waking up this morning I was sure that this week has already been three months long.. by my figuring it should be August or September by now and it's only Tuesday!! I wonder why time does that to us some days.. It's as if it stops and lets us stew in our own juices for a few hours or even sometimes days.. and even stranger is the fact that even though today was three years long.. I haven't had enough time to accomplish any of the things I needed to do.. Maybe I am moving in slow motion to match the days?... Thankfully I did find time.. in between dog walking and laundry.. to write a few words..
~ A Picture is worth a thousand words.. or so we have been told.. this meme is one of my Favorites.. I am hoping that they will be back in the swing of things soon with new photo prompts.. but in the meantime they have a lot of great prompts in their Archives.. Today I wrote a haiku from one of their prompts.... I love this great photo by PJOnori... as I looked at the man in the photo I wondered what troubles held him still on the polished pew.. what burdens caused him to seek
~ Louise Beal
"We see what we believe rather than believe what we see."
~ Alan Watts
"God is a comedian playing to an audience too afraid to laugh."
~ Voltaire
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
This week has started out rather slowly.. waking up this morning I was sure that this week has already been three months long.. by my figuring it should be August or September by now and it's only Tuesday!! I wonder why time does that to us some days.. It's as if it stops and lets us stew in our own juices for a few hours or even sometimes days.. and even stranger is the fact that even though today was three years long.. I haven't had enough time to accomplish any of the things I needed to do.. Maybe I am moving in slow motion to match the days?... Thankfully I did find time.. in between dog walking and laundry.. to write a few words..
~ A Picture is worth a thousand words.. or so we have been told.. this meme is one of my Favorites.. I am hoping that they will be back in the swing of things soon with new photo prompts.. but in the meantime they have a lot of great prompts in their Archives.. Today I wrote a haiku from one of their prompts.... I love this great photo by PJOnori... as I looked at the man in the photo I wondered what troubles held him still on the polished pew.. what burdens caused him to seek refuge there?.. were his silent prayers answered?.... 
Lost in Thought
silently sitting
pleading prayers unspoken
palms kneed sycamore
written By: Patricia Sawyer
6-22-2010
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I have also been learning to write another type of poem.. I am always amazed that there are so many different types.. I am always searching to try to find a new type to share with my poetry club.. These are really very simple to write.. I am talking about a Sentu.. A Syntu is a special type of short poem that originated in Japan... Syntus are special to me because they are written about the earth. I love the earth and complain loudly about all the things mankind does that harms it.. I am planning to challenge each member of the poetry club to write their own "earth poem".. As with most poetry.. There are certain rules for writing a syntu. Writing such a poem is one way of describing something and telling your feelings about it. Syntus have 5 lines and the following are the rules for writing each line:
Line 1. One word only- the name of the geological feature you are writing about.
Line 2. A scientific observation about line 1, using only one of your senses (sight, touch, hearing, taste, smell).
Line 3. A thought, feeling, or evaluation about line 1.
Line 4. Another observation about line 1, using a different sense from the one you used in line 2.
Line 5. A one-word meaning for line 1.
Line 1. One word only- the name of the geological feature you are writing about.
Line 2. A scientific observation about line 1, using only one of your senses (sight, touch, hearing, taste, smell).
Line 3. A thought, feeling, or evaluation about line 1.
Line 4. Another observation about line 1, using a different sense from the one you used in line 2.
Line 5. A one-word meaning for line 1.
Though I have just began to learn about these special poems I have written a few.. These are my own Sentu...
vacation~
ocean
crashing waves crest untamed
mysterious, tumultuous, inspiring, vast
barefoot footprints, castle, relaxed peace
sea
Written By: Patricia Sawyer
6-15-2010
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salt marsh~
marsh
hear the rattle of the clapper rail
buffer of strong seas
grassy refuge of the great egret
wetlands
written by: Patricia Sawyer
6-15-2010
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
Underground~
cave
dark tunnels
formations of magnitude and beauty
voices echo
grotto
Written By: Patricia Sawyer
6-15-2010
vacation~
ocean
crashing waves crest untamed
mysterious, tumultuous, inspiring, vast
barefoot footprints, castle, relaxed peace
sea
Written By: Patricia Sawyer
6-15-2010
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
salt marsh~
marsh
hear the rattle of the clapper rail
buffer of strong seas
grassy refuge of the great egret
wetlands
written by: Patricia Sawyer
6-15-2010
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
Underground~
cave
dark tunnels
formations of magnitude and beauty
voices echo
grotto
Written By: Patricia Sawyer
6-15-2010
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
I hope you have enjoyed your visit to my blog today! Feel free to leave me a comment .. Have a wonderful day!
Patsy
Friday, October 30, 2009
It's Hard to pass a Word Prompt!
"My advice is to consult the lives of other men, as we would a looking glass, and from thence fetch examples of our own imitation."
~ Terence
"One ought, every day at least, to hear a little song, read a good poem, see a fine picture, and if it were possible, speak a few reasonable words."
~ Johann Wolfgang von Goethe
"Don't give cherries to a pig; don't give advice to a fool."
~ Irish Proverb
This week SIMPLY SNICKERS poetry prompt asks that we write a short poem that includes these key words: know, now
Also This week .. Simply Snickers celebrates the birthday of British painter Edward Wadsworth, who was born on October 29, 1889.
To honor this artist, they offer samples of this artist’s work to accompany this week’s prompt.
Above:
Looking at this image I get an idea of a broken mirror reflecting sad images of shattered dreams..
Shattered Dreams
knowing not your needs
my own wants.. demanded
I now stand alone
a broken soul.. with
reflections of dreams denied
scattered at my feet.
Written BY: Patricia sawyer
10-30-2009
and some thoughts on this wild and crazy.. busy..week~
this week I have been very busy trying to teach an old dog.. me.. a new trick... I wanted to be able to make slide-show DVD's for family and friends.. as a way to enjoy old photographs and to share them in a format that would be easy for the youngest and the oldest to enjoy.. I had seen a few before.. I really liked them..photographs flashing on the television screen.. set to music that seemed to match the mood of the Photo's or the person featured in the show.. My son's Father-in-Law~ Bob~ had the first set and still my favorite set.. I ever saw...he had photo's of ancestors for many.. many.. years back... and up to current day.. they looked simple enough to do.. I figured that I wouldn't pay to have mine done.. everybody knows I'm cheap.. I would do my own.. Let me tell you that my first attempt was a flop.. so being me and stubborn as I am often told that I am.. I would not give up... I had no idea just how time consuming these things are to make.. there are a bazillion( at least that many!!) programs out there that say they write Dvd's "simply and quickly"... my box says that too.. The box doesn't tell you that every photo has to be in a certain format... I figured that out soon enough since it said I had NO photo's on my computer.. so I had to change the ones I had or scan new ones to that format.. I did a little of each... and I tried again and again.. and yesterday I tried yet again.. I made an pretty good video.. it played perfectly well in my computer.. but it was a no go in the DVD player.. So I tried a different Program.. and I made one that would play in both the computer and in the DVD player.. but some of us had no heads and some of us had no legs.. one of us was just a rib cage.. I was almost ready to give up and pay someone else to do this crazy work.. then I spotted a button on the screen that I hadn't clicked yet.. I clicked it and it said to me.. " no photo has been selected to re-size... please make a selection and try again.." I re-sized and re-sized and then I re-ordered and transitioned.. I set effects and listened to music samples.. music samples are awful for this kind of thing.. unless you want elevator bong bong rap on your Video... I didn't ...so I searched for a CD that I liked.... I uploaded and previewed and re-sized twice more.. and at 5am this morning I watched my very first installment of Patsy's World DVDs on my Television.. WOW! who knew these things were so EASY to make!! I know what y'all are getting for Christmas!!
Have a great night..
Patsy
Wednesday, October 28, 2009
Three Words ~ One Haiku
"Suit the action to the word, the word to the action." ~ William Shakespeare
"Be true to your work, your word, and your friend"
~ Henry David Thoreau
"The best way to keep one's word is not to give it." ~Napoleon Bonaparte
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Three Word Wednesday gives us three words each week.. We are then asked to think the words over and write something from those three words.. I am a nut for words.. I like to try and put together something from as few words as I can.. there are no set rules for what we must write.. I think it can be a story or a poem or even just a regular everyday post...Next we are asked to link our work to them by commenting and to link them to us..either by Button or by a link as I have above... finally we are asked to visit the web sights of others who have also written something and to comment and share our thoughts with other writers..
Tonight's three words were~
Incubate~ To develop and hatch
Nightmares~ vivid, frightening dreams
Vanity~ inflated pride in oneself or one's appearance
this is my haiku! please enjoy!
Patsy
~Tales Around the Fire~
nightmares incubate
as vanity chokes on fear ~
I roast marshmallows
Written By: Patricia Sawyer
10-28-2009
"Be true to your work, your word, and your friend"
~ Henry David Thoreau
"The best way to keep one's word is not to give it." ~Napoleon Bonaparte
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Three Word Wednesday gives us three words each week.. We are then asked to think the words over and write something from those three words.. I am a nut for words.. I like to try and put together something from as few words as I can.. there are no set rules for what we must write.. I think it can be a story or a poem or even just a regular everyday post...Next we are asked to link our work to them by commenting and to link them to us..either by Button or by a link as I have above... finally we are asked to visit the web sights of others who have also written something and to comment and share our thoughts with other writers..
Tonight's three words were~
Incubate~ To develop and hatch
Nightmares~ vivid, frightening dreams
Vanity~ inflated pride in oneself or one's appearance
this is my haiku! please enjoy!
Patsy
~Tales Around the Fire~
nightmares incubate
as vanity chokes on fear ~
I roast marshmallows
Written By: Patricia Sawyer
10-28-2009
Monday, October 19, 2009
A Short Story.. The Vandal
“When a man wantonly destroys one of the works of man we call him a vandal. When he destroys one of the works of god we call him a sportsman.”
~ Joseph Wood Krutch
"Vandalism happens in almost all cemeteries around the world.. It has for hundreds of years.. Young people seem to be addicted to it."
~ Terry Page
"Vandalism costs... cover items such as graffiti removal, broken swings, burned equipment and broken equipment in general."
~ Bob Ferguson
Weekend Wordsmith gave the word vandal for it's weekend prompt this week.. I have no excuse for not posting it before tonight.. I could give a few but the truth is that I was simply tired and didn't take the time to type it up.. I write all in one sitting so it's not like I could have asked someone else to type it for me.. Maybe you will enjoy it enough to forgive it's being posted on Monday! Have a great night!
Patsy
The Vandal
The old mansion sat way back on its lot.. Creepy.. old..oak trees with twisted..reaching arms hanging with Spanish moss.. sheltered it from the main road.. Settled into the deep shadows..It appeared abandoned and empty...its front shutters hung split and lopsided....the hand carved frame of a screen door banged and slammed with the slightest breeze.. It was the perfect spot for a brave.. budding young artist to paint his newest mural.. Spray cans in every pocket the lone despoiler crawled through the old gates and slipped silently along the cobblestone path in the dark.. Unaware that he was not alone... he knew no fear.. The lust to create singing through his veins.. he was elated to have found such a wonderful new canvas.. Mapping the huge mansion in his minds eye.. he imagined room after room of his art.. It would be his own gallery and he intended to fill it with his best works..
Shana shook her hair back from her eyes.. and stepped from the sting of the hot shower.. she had been practicing her invisibility spell when the young hoodlum had suddenly stepped boldly into her house.. lighting a few stubby candles... he had began spraying everything in his path with purple and green paint.. She had been forced to stand silent and still as he painted her and the ball room wall with can after can of bright colors.. Hours and hours he had worked on his masterpiece.. sometimes stepping back and surveying his art from many different angles.. Shana had been totally drained by the time he had looked at his time piece and gathered up his empty cans.... he had walked around the room and mumbled to himself about the depth and shading of his graffiti before finally stepping up to the wall to run his rough palms over the images there.... letting his hang linger on her left breast as if he could feel her heartbeat hidden beneath his painting.. as soon as he had disappeared down the path with a contented whistle.. she had leaped from the painting and ran for the shower .. hoping to wash away his paint and his touch.... Had he looked back he would have been surprised to see the bright lights shining from the tower rooms...
Dressed in a warm sweat shirt and old jeans.. with a cup of peppermint tea to replenish her spirit.. Shana leaned against the doorway to the ballroom and surveyed the mural on the farthermost wall.. with the exception of the blank spot in the shape of her outline.. the painting of the dragon was quiet good.. It actually looked as if the body of a woman had stepped from the creatures heart.. Shana was impressed.. bending low she sought a name.. she had long ago learned that almost all artists sign their work in some way.. She couldn't believe it!! Was it even possible..? Her Granny May would have been elated!! YES!!.. It said... Newton Blue..
Running for the kitchen Shana snapped her fingers and fanned away dust as the large.... leather bound.. spell book struck the work table with a thump.. turning the pages of Granny May's old book with a slight flick of the fingers she hoped she had remembered right.. The rarest ingredient.. the most sought after...long lost.. and then she found it... an ingredients list... one frog leg.. one bat wing.. an ants breath and the eye of a Newt--blue...
With a snap of her fingers and a toss of her head Shana was tucked into her tower room bed.. her cat.. wisdom.. was snuggled next to her feet and her new dress hung on the closet door.. She had to get up early tomorrow morning.. She had a hunt to begin.. she had conjured up the uniform she would need to attend the fancy private school.. She allowed herself one shiver as she thought about the earlier touch of the hooligan.. She would feel no pity.. She would capture the rarest ingredient.. She would make Granny May proud.. Tomorrow she would zip herself into the ugly plaid uniform dress and carry a navy blue backpack.. her hair would shine and her eyes would sparkle with a youthful glow.... she would even have a tiny wiggle in her walk.. Tomorrow she would be a new girl.. lost and confused in a new school.. Tomorrow she would catch the most sought after ingredient.. Tomorrow... she would capture the eye of Newt!..
Written By: Patricia Sawyer
10-19-2009
Saturday, September 12, 2009
Early Saturday Morning!
“Write without pay until somebody offers to pay” ~ Mark Twain“Writing is thinking on paper.” ~ William Zinsser
"All of us learn to write in the second grade. Most of us go on to greater things." ~ Bobby Knight
Good Morning friends.. I won't hold you here long.. just a quick hello and a post for Weekend Wordsmith.. I had a hard time thinking of a way to write about Pallid.. I know what it means.. pale and washed out.. wan.. like the face of a very sick person.. or maybe a frightened child.. sometimes it isn't enough to know what a word means.. sometimes you have to know what it feels like too.. I know someone out there is scratching his or her head and saying.. "well there she goes with that crazy talk again.." But I have felt shaken and weak.. pale many times after a fright or after a nightmare.. Let me know what you think of my offering for the weekend wordsmith word Pallid.. ( it is acrostic as well.. Pallid spelled down the left side!)
Have a great day!
Patsy
A Nightmare
pale moon rises in vermilion skies
ashes and screams erupt from the pyre
lusterless eyes beseech me to join their throng
lifeless hands stretch forth from the fire
imploring me to cast off my innocence
daylight rips me from the delusion ~ pallid and afraid
written By: Patricia Sawyer
9-12-2009
Sunday, November 9, 2008
How Many Words?
"Poetry is boned with ideas, nerved and blooded with emotions, all held together by the delicate, tough skin of words." ~ Paul Engle
"Poetry is an orphan of silence. The words never quite equal the experience behind them."
~ Charles Simic
"A poet who makes use of a worse word instead of a better, because the former fits the rhyme or the measure, though it weakens the sense, is like a jeweler, who cuts a diamond into a brilliant, and diminishes the weight to make it shine more." ~ Horace Walpole
How many words does it take to say what I want to say? How many does it take to say all I need to say? I always thought that you should use lots of flowing flowery words to "dress up" any story or poem that you wrote. I even thought that you had to use a certain amount of fancy words just to make it look good. I was recently informed that I was wrong about that. I had always known about word counts. Years ago when I took one of those by the mail writing courses, that were so popular back then, they talked about word counts a lot. Of course they had to set limits because the story did have to actually fit into their magazine with lots of space for the other writers stories and articles too. Not to mention the classifieds and pictures required to make a good magazine.
But word count in poetry? My dark poetry teacher called it the extra word law. He said take out every single word you can! Then read it over a few times to make sure you got them all. But to start out knowing you can only use a set amount, and a small amount at that, of words is often scary. I have tried to entice my poetry club into trying it. So far they all say I am limiting them too much. It is new to them and they can't imagine saying anything with less than a page full of words. I will eventually woo them over to at least try it I hope!
Today's poems were all written by prompts. Each of them gave a one or two word prompt plus a word count limit. So that we not only knew how many words we could use, but also the subject of our poem. However we are always able to interpret the word or words or even sometimes, pictures, in our own way. Maybe some of you have a word in mind and want to send me a word and a word count. Maybe you have a picture you'd like me to try and write something from. Just remember that some subjects require a few more words than others. But being me, I'll give almost anything a try. I hope you enjoy these poems. Have a great day!
Patsy
#1) PROMPTS: spiral, malleable, stranded ~ use one, two or all three.. your choice. 30 (thirty) words. ~ Emma
Behind a Wall
Hammers of your words
strike again and again.
My soul spirals downward
uncontrolled. My malleable
heart forever twisted by
wicked words. My Love stranded
behind an unbreakable wall of Pain.
written By: Patricia Sawyer
10-21-2008
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#2)PROMPTS: surreal, sunset; use both or use just one. you decide. ENTER♥
~ mesmerized--x
Sunset
Old gray heron
wades knee deep
along ponds edge.
Feeding.
Fiery reflections dance
across still waters.
Bass leaps through
sunset.
written By: Patricia Sawyer
10-20-2008
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
#3) 35 words or less. no rhyme. anger and unrest found in the youth of the worlds cities today.
~ Norman
Pieces Of Me
On City sidewalk corners
stands anger, Desperation and Pain.
Buyers, Sellers, Pushers!
BANG! BANG! BANG!
Stop; Look around
faceless stranger lays dead.
I calmly walk away.
Pieces of me dripping
into the river of unrest.
Written By: Patricia Sawyer
10-28-2008
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#4) Prompt: Manhattan chill - 30-40 words -Brevity and imagination are the key
~autumn gypsy
A Long Way Up
Big city socialites
Barely there dresses.
Midnight chill kept off
their shoulders by thick
chinchilla fur. Champagne
filled bellies.Strutting their stuff.
A wiggle in their midnight walk.
Frozen smile. Eyes as dead as the
animal about their skinny neck.
written By: Patricia Sawyer
10-30-2008
"Poetry is an orphan of silence. The words never quite equal the experience behind them."
~ Charles Simic
"A poet who makes use of a worse word instead of a better, because the former fits the rhyme or the measure, though it weakens the sense, is like a jeweler, who cuts a diamond into a brilliant, and diminishes the weight to make it shine more." ~ Horace Walpole
How many words does it take to say what I want to say? How many does it take to say all I need to say? I always thought that you should use lots of flowing flowery words to "dress up" any story or poem that you wrote. I even thought that you had to use a certain amount of fancy words just to make it look good. I was recently informed that I was wrong about that. I had always known about word counts. Years ago when I took one of those by the mail writing courses, that were so popular back then, they talked about word counts a lot. Of course they had to set limits because the story did have to actually fit into their magazine with lots of space for the other writers stories and articles too. Not to mention the classifieds and pictures required to make a good magazine.
But word count in poetry? My dark poetry teacher called it the extra word law. He said take out every single word you can! Then read it over a few times to make sure you got them all. But to start out knowing you can only use a set amount, and a small amount at that, of words is often scary. I have tried to entice my poetry club into trying it. So far they all say I am limiting them too much. It is new to them and they can't imagine saying anything with less than a page full of words. I will eventually woo them over to at least try it I hope!
Today's poems were all written by prompts. Each of them gave a one or two word prompt plus a word count limit. So that we not only knew how many words we could use, but also the subject of our poem. However we are always able to interpret the word or words or even sometimes, pictures, in our own way. Maybe some of you have a word in mind and want to send me a word and a word count. Maybe you have a picture you'd like me to try and write something from. Just remember that some subjects require a few more words than others. But being me, I'll give almost anything a try. I hope you enjoy these poems. Have a great day!
Patsy
#1) PROMPTS: spiral, malleable, stranded ~ use one, two or all three.. your choice. 30 (thirty) words. ~ Emma
Behind a Wall
Hammers of your words
strike again and again.
My soul spirals downward
uncontrolled. My malleable
heart forever twisted by
wicked words. My Love stranded
behind an unbreakable wall of Pain.
written By: Patricia Sawyer
10-21-2008
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
#2)PROMPTS: surreal, sunset; use both or use just one. you decide. ENTER♥
~ mesmerized--x
Sunset
Old gray heron
wades knee deep
along ponds edge.
Feeding.
Fiery reflections dance
across still waters.
Bass leaps through
sunset.
written By: Patricia Sawyer
10-20-2008
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
#3) 35 words or less. no rhyme. anger and unrest found in the youth of the worlds cities today.
~ Norman
Pieces Of Me
On City sidewalk corners
stands anger, Desperation and Pain.
Buyers, Sellers, Pushers!
BANG! BANG! BANG!
Stop; Look around
faceless stranger lays dead.
I calmly walk away.
Pieces of me dripping
into the river of unrest.
Written By: Patricia Sawyer
10-28-2008
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
#4) Prompt: Manhattan chill - 30-40 words -Brevity and imagination are the key
~autumn gypsy
A Long Way Up
Big city socialites
Barely there dresses.
Midnight chill kept off
their shoulders by thick
chinchilla fur. Champagne
filled bellies.Strutting their stuff.
A wiggle in their midnight walk.
Frozen smile. Eyes as dead as the
animal about their skinny neck.
written By: Patricia Sawyer
10-30-2008
Saturday, November 8, 2008
Etheree Who?
"Poetry is plucking at the heartstrings, and making music with them." ~Dennis Gabor
"Poetry is truth in its Sunday clothes." ~ Joseph Roux
How to write your own Etheree! ~An etheree is a ten-lined poem whose structure is based on the number of syllables in each line. The first line has one syllable, the second line has two, etcetera, until you reach the tenth line with ten syllables. ~ What do I want this etheree to be about? ~Think of your longer words related to your topic. They will be much more difficult than coming up with your shorter lines. ~Write each line carefully, making sure to count your syllables. If they are not the right quantity, it is not an etheree. ~ Read it through a few times to make sure it makes sense. ~Title it!
When I first started back to writing every day, I decided to learn as much as I could about different forms of poetry. I was amazed at how many different forms there are. Even now I learn of new forms almost every day. I get e-mailed prompts that will tell me what type I am to write each day.. Of course as usual for me I signed up for every prompt I could find so I will be getting way more than I could possibly write each day! But it does give me lots of choices!
One form that I had never heard of but liked right away was the Etheree. The first time I was trying to write one I got a phone call right in the middle of it and when I told my friend I was writing an Etheree she said, "Etheree who?" I laughed because it does almost sound like a woman's name. Today's poems are all Etheree. They are much harder to write than you would think. Extra syllabels will sneak up on you if you don't count them closely. I hope you all enjoy these poems of mine today. Have a great day!!
Patsy
Etheree Who?
Who?
Not Who.
Etheree?
Yes, Etheree!
A poetry form.
Are you sure? She's Foreign?
What country is she from then?
No Not foreign. A poem Type.
Oh I can't type either. She can type?
I'll call you back when Etheree leaves then!
written BY: Patricia Sawyer
11-8-2008
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Oh Happy day!
How
Many
words does one
Person need to
say Goodbye to you?
The soul mate who has strayed.
No Begging allowed you see.
Just goodbye and you leave us four.
Like the years never touched your heart.
I bid a stranger goodbye this happy day.
written By: Patricia Sawyer
10-28-2008
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The Gypsy Camp
Brass
bells ring
along swamps
shadowy edge.
Children running free;
flutes echoing laughter;
cimmerian eyed beauty
hips swaying to an earthy beat.
Simple suppers roast over fire.
Welcoming the despised plebeians home.
an Etheree
Written By: Patricia Sawyer
11-4-2008
"Poetry is truth in its Sunday clothes." ~ Joseph Roux
How to write your own Etheree! ~An etheree is a ten-lined poem whose structure is based on the number of syllables in each line. The first line has one syllable, the second line has two, etcetera, until you reach the tenth line with ten syllables. ~ What do I want this etheree to be about? ~Think of your longer words related to your topic. They will be much more difficult than coming up with your shorter lines. ~Write each line carefully, making sure to count your syllables. If they are not the right quantity, it is not an etheree. ~ Read it through a few times to make sure it makes sense. ~Title it!
When I first started back to writing every day, I decided to learn as much as I could about different forms of poetry. I was amazed at how many different forms there are. Even now I learn of new forms almost every day. I get e-mailed prompts that will tell me what type I am to write each day.. Of course as usual for me I signed up for every prompt I could find so I will be getting way more than I could possibly write each day! But it does give me lots of choices!
One form that I had never heard of but liked right away was the Etheree. The first time I was trying to write one I got a phone call right in the middle of it and when I told my friend I was writing an Etheree she said, "Etheree who?" I laughed because it does almost sound like a woman's name. Today's poems are all Etheree. They are much harder to write than you would think. Extra syllabels will sneak up on you if you don't count them closely. I hope you all enjoy these poems of mine today. Have a great day!!
Patsy
Etheree Who?
Who?
Not Who.
Etheree?
Yes, Etheree!
A poetry form.
Are you sure? She's Foreign?
What country is she from then?
No Not foreign. A poem Type.
Oh I can't type either. She can type?
I'll call you back when Etheree leaves then!
written BY: Patricia Sawyer
11-8-2008
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Oh Happy day!
How
Many
words does one
Person need to
say Goodbye to you?
The soul mate who has strayed.
No Begging allowed you see.
Just goodbye and you leave us four.
Like the years never touched your heart.
I bid a stranger goodbye this happy day.
written By: Patricia Sawyer
10-28-2008
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The Gypsy Camp
Brass
bells ring
along swamps
shadowy edge.
Children running free;
flutes echoing laughter;
cimmerian eyed beauty
hips swaying to an earthy beat.
Simple suppers roast over fire.
Welcoming the despised plebeians home.
an Etheree
Written By: Patricia Sawyer
11-4-2008
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