Big and Bad

Sunday Scribblings provided the word prompt of 'big' and the March Challenge (in honor of good Samaritan Day) posted the word prompt of 'helping.'

Image courtesy of Tokyo5

Big Poem

Haiku says, “When big,

I want more lines of seven,

just like Tanka has.”

Tanka (his big sis)

tells Haiku that there are much

bigger things in life

than just seven syllables.

Haiku replies, “What? Like eight?”

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Image courtesy of freesignage

Bad Meal

The dinner was served.

It was really terrible.

No second helping.

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Science: Velocity and the Periodic Table of Elements

Greetings, Science Fans!

Today we have two very over-contrived but (more or less) scientific poems for your viewing pleasure.  The first, a 5/7/5 Haiku, is all about fruit - and matters germane to it - because the March Challenge has so prompted it, in honor of Johnny Appleseed Day.  The second poem, per the actual science prompt of Big Tent Poetry, is a Ballade, and it covers the topic of one of the most popular elements on the periodic table: ununquadium.

Image courtesy of TheVeganUprising

How Fast Can A Banana Split or a Fruit Fly Fly?

“Time flies like an arrow; fruit flies like a banana.” ~Groucho Marx

The rate of speed of

fruit flies = bananas

when they do a split.

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Image courtesy of Sonya Philips/Flickr

The Ballade[ium] of Ununquadium

With atomic number of one fourteen

there’s no use outside ‘the scientific.’

It also has zero – and yes, I mean -

zero stable isotopes.  Specific

things like boiling point are vaporific

(also, superheavy.)  Here’s a factoid:

Its name wasn’t really honorific

but this substance keeps scientists employed.

Its density’s unknown, so one can’t glean

that info.  But don’t get tenebrific*:

There have only been a few atoms seen

since production hasn’t been prolific

but neither has it been quite somnific*.

Ocean abundance?  N/A, ergo: void.

Crustal abundance? N/A.  (That’s ific)

but this substance keeps scientists employed.

I chose this topic ‘cause it’s not routine.

I’m no expert: I can’t be motific*.

Radioactivity’s not my scene  -

I just tried to be a bit lucific

re this element that’s so finific,

even if oxidation state’s devoid

or rather, unknown, to be specific;

still, this substance keeps scientists employed.

Ununquadium’s really pulsific*!

And with that I’ll add, I hope you enjoyed

my talk.  Hope it wasn’t soporific

since this substance keeps scientists employed.

*Vaporific - producing steam

Tenebrific – dark and gloomy

Somnific – sleep inducing

Iffic – iffy-ish.

Motific - a unifying idea that is a recurrent element in a literary or artistic work

Lucific – to bring light

Finific - A limiting element or quality

Pulsific - Makes one’s pulse race

Soporific - monotonous

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Random Words

Random. Words.

Today's theme is no theme, because there were so many words with which to contend.  So, instead, I went random.

Three Word Wednesday's words are "dainty, tantalize and haunting,"  We Write Poems' words are a 10-Word Wordle using words from Gordon Lightfoot's Don Quixote.  The March Challenge's word is 'exploration' in honor of the birth of Amerigo Vespucci, who (in other words) came into the world in 1454.

The first poem is a 5/7/5 Haiku, the second is - well, I don't know but it has words and it rhymes - and the third is a double Wreathed Sestet.

Image courtesy of LibHdate

Curiosity Doesn’t Always Have to End in a Bad Way for Cats or Writers

“Writing is an exploration. You start from nothing and learn as you go.” ~E.L. Doctorow

Curiosity

gets us to explore new words

as if we were cats.

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Image courtesy of Grasshopper

O Wicked Little Sirens

Dainty mini pastries

sit in a sweet box on

my kitchen counter top.

They know my name and they

tantalize me.  Haunting.

I eat them all nonstop.

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Image courtesy of spiritalchemy

Prophesy in Dreams

I dreamt I saw a saddlebag,

and this strange saddlebag was filled

with a Windmills' Tavern bar rag,

a flag, a book on hawks, distilled

ocean water (chilled) - and a tag

in the bag said, “The Prophet’s Guild.”

A drunkard from the tavern showed

out of the blue (the code of dreams)

and said, “It seems this would but bode

quite well.”  Then he strode away.  Schemes

of themes get tarnished on the road

when owed to the valley of dreams.

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Scents Sense

Today in 1912, Oreos were sold for the first time.  I did not know this until I read it on Cloaked Monk's March Challenge page.  In honor of such an auspicious and propitious event, the prompt was all about 'delicious.'

Now, for the diametrically opposed challenge (well, that's how I saw it!) - Sunday Scribblings provided the word 'raw' for the weekly writing cue.

Image courtesy of Polls Boutique

Some Sweet Stuff

Chocolate fondue, mousse,

cheesecake, Boston cream donuts,

Oreos and fudge.

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Image courtesy of nooneisreadingthis

Some Stinky Stuff

Rotten eggs, wet wool,

a litter box, diaper pails,

raw sewage and feet.

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Secret Tricks To Being Competitive

Today was definitely a unique amalgam of prompts!

The March Challenge, in honor of the start of the Iditarod Race, was looking for works about races and competition.  Writer's Island was all about secrets and Poetry Tow Truck wanted us to choose a book and then use the book itself as the writing prompt.

In the spirit of 'winning' (thank you Charlie Sheen!) and all that other good not-so-secret competitive stuff, I'm posting four poems today.  The first two are 5/7/5 Haiku.  The third is an Irish Celtic form called Debibhidhe (pronounced jay-vee) which is a poem of quatrains with rhyming couplets and lots of alliteration.  The fourth (and final) poem is an Envelope Couplet which, although employing rhyming couplets, is actually a 6-line stanza'd poem.

Image courtesy of Picture Book

Dogsled Race

It is oft said, if

you’re not the first in the pack,

the views never change.

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Image courtesy of Bravo Engraving

Tongue-in-Cheek Competitive Advice

Sure, I have advice for people starting to write. Don’t.  I don’t need the competition. ~Robert B. Parker

Think you might try?  Don’t.

Do we actually need

another poet? 

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Image courtesy of Writer's Island

Shhh!

Of course I can keep secrets.  It’s the people I tell them to that can’t keep them. ~Anthony Haden-Guest

Secrets passed and secrets sold

are two sorts of secrets told.

Clandestine?  Covert?  Nay.

Secret mysteries?  I say,

“Listen!  Lordy!  I just heard

whisperings.  Wherefore, the word

is that so-and-so did such.

Do not tell. Shhh! Thanks so much!”

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Image courtesy of Ryan D'Mello

Juggling*

Make bats and balls fly in the air.

Learn the tricks.  It’s in this quair.**

The stance and jugglespace, you’ll get.

Cascading’s also in this set.

So, one ball, two balls - tossed with flair…

make bats and balls fly in the air.

Make bats and balls fly in the air.

You’ll learn how-to; this book will share

High Throw, First Tricks, Over the Top,

Under the leg, The Snatch, The Chop.

Classic Three-Ball Tricks, you’ll dare.

Make bats and balls fly in the air.

Make bats and balls fly in the air.

Juggle clubs, rings anywhere!

With well-timed catch and great upswing,

hey - you can juggle anything!

This book can aid and help prepare -

make bats and balls fly in the air.

*This poem used the book Juggling by Stuart Ashman as its prompt.

**According to Webster’s 1913 Dictionary, a quair or a quire is a synonym for a book.

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News Flash!

Thanks to Viv in France, I just discovered another cool prompt site.  This one is the March Challenge and it is being moderated by Cloaked Monk.  In honor of Alexander Graham Bell's birthday (he was born today in 1847) the challenge today is to write about communication.  The form is 5/7/5 Haiku - and yes, the title is almost as long as the poem.

Image courtesy of The Var Guy

News Flash – Chatting With Your Friends Has Never Been Easier!

New technology

has made communication

simpler: the iCup.

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Stuff to Ponder (for no particular reason, really)

I penned a number of poems today since there were prompts practically a-poppin' out there in the blogosphere today.  F'r instance, Poetic Asides provided this one, "Better off..."  Three Word Wednesday posted, "affinity, motion and fidget," We Write Poems posited, "guardian angel," and finally (because I kind of missed it yesterday) Carry On Tuesday gave us, "Saved by the bell."  The first form is Strambotto Romagnuolo, the second is 5/7/5 Haiku, the third is a Pensee and the fourth is - well, I don't rightly know, but it rhymes.

Image courtesy of Local Point of View

Fortunate

Am I lucky?  Is it just that I’m favored?

Or is it how I look at life?  I don’t know,

but whatever it is, it’s seldom wavered

even if it’s a genuine fluke.  And so,

guardian angel, fairy godmother or cosmic aides -

a mix of all three?  I’ve got ‘em in spades.

And while I cannot say if it is fateful,

I’ll knock wood, wish on stars…and say I’m grateful.

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I Fidget

…and did I mention

I have an affinity

for perpetual...

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Image courtesy of th-primadonn

Uh…My Dog Ate My Homework?

Come on!
Ring, stupid bell!
Oh God!  Please - please don’t call on me.
I’m unprepared. Man, I'm so sunk.
Ding! Yes! Saved by the bell!

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Image courtesy of Psychology Today

Better Off...

One time, I wondered
(please don’t scoff)
if I would have been
better off
if I’d been born a boy.
How weird,
‘cause then I’d have to
shave a beard
most every day.
That sounds so blah.
I’m better off a girl.
Hurrah!

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Non-Placid Citric Acid

It's cautionary tale time.  Cautionary Magpie Tale time, that is.

Tess gave her assurances that no lemons were actually harmed in the making this rather gruesome-ish photograph, so I will have to trust her - and therefore, I'll just keep thinking those happy thoughts that it was done for dramatic effect.

Nevertheless, it doesn't hurt to keep one's guard up, because otherwise bad things could happen...

Dangerous Fruit Liaisons

This is what happens

when lemons join in cahoots  

with blood oranges.      

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There's no leap year this year, so this is my final post for February

Wow!  What a month!  It's been challenging, but a lot of fun.  And because of the hard work and generosity of all the prompt site creators out there whose word gems and thought-provoking pictures helped to spark my imagination, I've not only written a months' worth of crazy musings, but I've also gotten to (virtually) meet some extraordinarily talented poets and writers along the way.  Thank you so much.

Monday's Child posted a playful illustration by Will Terry...

Where Are We At?

Bunny, Frog, Fox and Cat

said, “We’re lost!  Where are we at?”

Fox told Cat, Frog and Bunny,

“I don’t find this very funny.”

                        

Cat made Fox, Bunny and Frog

turn the map upon the log,

which showed that they were headed west

instead of north, which seemed the best

way to find their trail back to

familiar ground – quite overdue

were they for lunch.  Still maybe they

could get a bite.  But anyway…

Frog, Cat, Bunny and Fox

went home to eat.  Goodbye, sandbox. 

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...and SiS/Few Miles provided a picture prompt that is simply full of metaphor.

 
Not the End of the Line – Train of Thought

…and then it hit me

like a steam locomotive…

I am right on track.

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I'd like to thank the Academy...

Tonight is...The Academy Awards.  

Yes, it is the night of nights when actors, directors, producers and (anyone fortunate enough to be in their entourages) get to strut the red carpet draped from head to toe in the top designers' glittering formal gowns, dashing tuxes and bejeweled formal accessories. These 'outfits' can run the gamut from the utterly brilliant and subtly elegant to (how shall I put this?) bizarre, strange and/or downright ugly. You know what I mean, right?

But then, once inside the Kodak Theatre, all those individuals in the hautest of haute couture will wait with bated breath to see 1.) if Joan Rivers will totally diss their ensembles, and 2.) if they will be the lucky (and of course, most deserving) ones to win one (or more) of the coveted awards.

So, in honor of Oscar, the famed gold statuette being awarded tonight for all the different categories of excellence in film, I am presenting two 5/7/5 haiku based on prompts from Sunday Scribblings (Fire) and SiS/Few Miles (Eternal.)

And the 'ku goes to...

Epic Red Carpet Fail

“Eternal nothingness if fine if you happen to be dressed for it.” ~Woody Allen

On the red carpet

you’ll be eternally damned

for fashion faux pas.

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…And the Oscar Goes to…

Talent is a flame.  Genius is a fire. ~Bern Williams

Which burns more brightly –

actors who win the awards

or those who shoulda?

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And on that note, with just 45 seconds allowed for acceptance speeches, I shall just say thank you - and good night.

Hazy Holidays

Image courtesy of Space.com

Yeah, I know I did the holiday thing a few days ago, but Big Tent Poetry wants to see holiday-ish (or anti-holiday-ish) writings for today.  What’s a girl to do?

Add to that the fact that SiS/Few Miles gave the hazy, crazy prompt of ‘haze,’ and you can see where this is all going.  Or maybe not, since it really is a bit hazy right now, but anyway...

So, first, I'm posting some more 5/7/5 Haiku poems (see stuff below) and then afterward, I’m gonna check out all the nice comments I’ve gotten in the last couple of days, which I haven’t been able to do due to a hectic schedule and other stuff (am I being too hazy about this?) – and then I'll do the return visit thing, too.  But in the meantime...

Haze Affirmation

The sky is filled with stars; invisible by day. ~Henry Wadsworth Longfellow

If I look beyond

the haze of the commonplace

I can see the stars.

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Now let’s tackle the holidays.  I checked my sources (see Holiday post) for weird celebrations.  Since this is the start of a weekend, I decided to list holidays for Friday, Saturday and Sunday, which means you're gonna get a 5/7/5 Haiku for each of the three days. Wow.  Just.  Wow.

Friday the 25^th

Pistol Patent Day (Samuel Colt)

Go Bowling Day

Renoir was born today in 1841

Image courtesy of Wikipedia

If Renoir painted

bowling balls, alleys would have

striking impressions.

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Saturday the 26^th

Open that Bottle Night

International Sword Swallowers Day

Carnival Day

Tell a Fairy Tale Day

Ring Finger Day

For Pete’s Sake Day

National Pistachio Day

American Birkenbeider Race (according to Birkie, it’s a mondo crazy race for outdoor fitness enthusiasts)

 Sunday the 27^th

Polar Bear Day

Flip a Pancake Day

No Brainer Day

Longfellow was born today in 1807 (and now you know why I used the quote in the Haze Haiku)

 

Image courtesy of Biomes

It’s Polar Bear Day

and if you mess with this bear

it’s No Brainer Day.

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Have a nice weekend...and celebrate!

 

Picture 'Ku

Continuing on a Haiku high, here are two more 5/7/5s, inspired by SiS/Few Miles (pencil) and Theme Thursday (lighthouse.)  Thanks for stopping by!

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Yes, we have no bananas, but we're bananas about Haiku!

Image courtesy of Kaboodle

Today's prompts are just chock full of sibilants.  Ah yes, that famous fricative 'Ssss' sound.  And what are these 'S'-ish words?  We Write Poems' prompt is Safe place, SiS/Few Miles' prompt is 'Scintillate' and Three Word Wednesday's prompt is 'figure, juicy and StreSS.

So, I decided to write a bunch of 5/7/5 Haiku for the occasion - and then I titled my post 'Bananas...' because I realized we're we're out of bananas here.  (That's what happens when you write a shopping list and a blog post at the same time.) But just so you know, this has absolutely nothing whatsoever to do with any of my poems, except I kind of went bananas with the 5/7/5 stuff.  But anyway...

The Haiku Collection of Wednesday, February 23rd, 2011

Dangerous Puddles Ahead

Way I figure it,

slipping on spilt Juicy Juice

could cause stress fractures.

Anagrams of Scintillate

Elastic Lint is

one example.  So are these:

Titanic Sell and

Lilac Tints I and

La Insect Lit.  Pretty weird

take on the prompt, huh?

Meditation

Think of warmth, comfort.

Imagine gentle voices

welcoming you home.

Cracker

Put your ear up close,

turn the dial ‘til you hear clicks,

then take out the stash.

Home Safe

He leaned off third base

waiting to hear that kerrrr-ack

which would send him home.

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A Hodge Podge of Thoughts

There really isn't any particular theme connecting the following poems posted today, except for the fact that they were all generated by Tuesday prompt sites...just some random writing.  Some are humorous, others - not so much.  To be honest, I never really know where my muse will take me, but that's a muse, by definition.  Right?

Magpie Tales provided a picture prompt ~

the puzzled pieces

of Christchurch lie in ruins

six point three is dire

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Sis/Few Miles also provided a picture prompt ~

I had a weird thought:

what if wings were a staircase

with cloud banisters?

Should one tap dance up;

slide down to the newel post

or just ponder flight?

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and finally, Carry On Tuesday provided the word/quote prompt of, "Parting is such sweet sorrow..."

Painting by Ford Maddox Brown, 1868-71

 

 

Shakespeare’s Editing Notes From Romeo and Juliet Act II, Scene 2 (as a Luc Bat)

Parting? Doth that be sweet?

Hmmm…How shalt one complete that line?

Who sayeth that?  Define!!!???

Romeo?  Nay.  Assign such speech

to… Juliet! She’d beseech

Romeo to stay  … Each goodbye

for young lovers?  To die!

(This be the crux!) And I’ll direct

them to tragic effect. 

Foreshadowing unchecked, barrow*

shalt they be to’morrow.  

Ah!  Parting is such sweet sorrow…

(*Note: barrow means a large pile of earth over an ancient grave where one or more people are buried.)

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