Bedtime Story

Illustration by: Henriette Willebeek Le Mair (1889-1966)

Monday's Child is a darling prompt website which features art and illustration from a bygone era.  Host BKMackenzie's intention is to inspire writers to pen a children's story.

Yesterday, I tried my hand at something new (poetically speaking) - and wrote my post using the poetic form ZaniLa Rhyme.  That form, with its sweet sing-song-y quality and repetitiveness, seemed a good choice to tell the tale of an older sister trying to get her reluctant little brother to go to bed.

Bedtime Story

Come, little brother, it’s time for bed.

You must leave your toys behind.

They’ll wait for you ‘til morning anew.

I am older, so me you must mind.

Wood horse and stuffed bunny need their sleep

so do you, and thus please come.

‘Til morning anew they’ll wait for you.

It’s now beddy-bye time, don’t be glum.

I’ll read you a tale of a small boy

who’s really a prince, disguised.

They’ll wait for you ‘til morning anew:

since your furry friends say close your eyes.

[Yawn]...once upon a time, long ago

this prince…[yawn, yawn]…well, that is…

‘Til morning anew, they’ll wait for...yooooou...

[yawn]...that’s the end…of the story…zzzzzzzzzzzzzzz…..

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May I please have the check, mate...

Image courtesy ChessKids

Sunday Scribblings' word for the week is 'Safe.'

My poem was written in the poetic form 'ZaniLa Rhyme.'  You can find out more about it at The Poets Garret.

 

 

Check It Out

Making that move might not be quite safe;

in fact, it could mean a threat.

Mistakes are made if unwisely played

moves by a chess statuette.

My advice is to think it all through

even if it might enchafe.

If unwisely played, mistakes are made

and your pieces won’t be safe.

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Dis Illusion Comes From Dat Fantasy

Artwork courtesy Artemy Lebedev

“Reality is merely an illusion, although a very persistent one.” ~Albert Einstein

Writer's Island's word of the week is 'Illusion.'  

Here's my little limerick on the subject........

Internet Date

In their texts, he was tall; she was svelte.

Yep…the best that the gene pool had dealt.

‘Til they met I.R.L. *

Then the dream did dispel.

Such a fake! each undoubtedly felt.

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* I.R.L. is the texting shorthand for 'in real life' - it is meant to distinguish Internet (or virtual) acquaintances from those folks the texter actually knows in the flesh.
*****

Phoenix Rising

Image courtesy Dusty Bee

  The Phoenix

There sits a dull grey pile of ash

created from a blazing fire
which sprung forth from a brilliant flash.

How many times can he expire

and then somehow be born again?

Still, we watch for his bright plumage.

The question is not how, but when

he’ll arise from cindered  tomb-age.

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The above Goethe Stanza poem was written in response to a prompt from Poets United Think Tank Thursday.  The theme was 'fire.'

...and you thought the red carpet was the only place to find the glamour...

...Big Tent Poetry gave a really fun prompt for this week.

The idea was to use a not-taken-by-you (the writer, that is) portrait, of which you either have the rights or is part of public domain - and then write about it from the artist/photographer point of view.  The picture I decided to use is in the public domain, but since I found it at the FunDraw.com website, I'm giving a link back to them.

Now, as soon as I saw one particular picture, I have to say. I was seriously inspired. And guess what?  The inspiration was to write a Villanelle. Yup.

And that, in turn, led me to think of Dylan Thomas. 

 

~~~

Do Not Go Gentle Onto That Good Beach

Do not go gentle onto that good beach,
at least, not in that costume which you wear;
Fashion is merely a figure of speech.

As I’m your closest friend, I must beseech
you – please do not parade in that - not there.
Do not go gentle onto that good beach.

Jersey Shore’s no place for your Jersey peach.
(Sigh.) There’s just one way to make you aware:
Fashion is merely a figure of speech.

So I guess I should practice what I preach
and photograph you in your swim suit flair.
Do not go gentle onto that good beach.

When you see my snap, I hope it will teach
you a lesson re this trendy affair.
Fashion is merely a figure of speech.

Whilst I shoot you, like a Greek chorus, each
sand and sun worshipper does thus declare,
“Do not go gentle onto that good beach!
Fashion is merely a figure of speech.”

An Odd Combination

So here's the scoop...Three Word Wednesday gave some pretty unusual words their prompt today.  They are conniption,janky and scooch. Now, I have to say, it was a 'sticky' challenge, but one that I did not have a conniption over, if you know what I mean.

A Rime Royal for the Non-Digerati

Just because the computer’s acting all janky

doesn’t give you an excuse for this conniption.

I get it why this might make you a bit cranky,

but I bet something simple’s your main ascription.

Reading the manual is the best prescription

I can think of, so scooch over and let me see:

What??? How’d peanut butter get stuck on your ‘alt’ key?

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And since it's 'Double-Shot Tuesday'...

...I'm doing a second post today.  To the left is Magpie Tales' prompt.

Hindsight and the Road Not Taken

My rearview mirror tells me perhaps I should have turned right.

It’s always 20/20 vision, at least in hindsight.

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Are We There Yet???

Okay...so I know this next entry is a bit cliché, but it was so much fun to do.  Carry On Tuesday offered up the prompt, "Are we there yet?" - which brings to mind the proverbial kid in the backseat of the car, whining those very words as the car is still backing out of the driveway.  Here's my take...

The Violet Fairy Queen

Illustration by: Anne Anderson 1930's

Monday's Child, the wonderful site which provides writing prompts utilizing antique artwork in order to capture  childhood spirit, has posted the above illustration.  I was inspired by the art to write a short piece involving a fairy goddess from Celtic mythology.

Eolande

In Old Celtic legends

she is the fairy queen

of all violet flowers. 

The full moon blows glitter

o’er her gossamer wings

like deep-hued snow showers.

If you’re a lucky child

then you might catch a glimpse

of Eolande’s flight

when the sky is mauve-blue

and the snow whirls and swirls

on a chill winter’s night.

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Oh yeah, and one other thing...the Rubliw poem from yesterday?  I just realized the form's name is 'Wilbur' spelled backwards.  I wonder if there's a connection...

Fruits and Nuts Forever

Sunday Scribblings gave their word of the week this AM - and it is 'eternity.'  So what do you do about the one thing that lasts forever?  Write a Rubliw, of course.

Up a Tree about a Future Me

                                                                                                

How qi

to be a tree

for all eternity.

Might be pleasant, to a degree:

 plenty of fruits and nuts would surround me.

Life’s already a potpourri

of such plum lunacy.

Thus, tree for me?

Not key.

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Clarity

Clarity - that's the word of the day from Writer's Island.  My post is written in the Southeast Asian poetic form Ya Du.

Clarity

To understand,

try firsthand to

expand your gaze

through that haze of

mind clouds which detour your will to love.

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A Hero - and a Shameless Plug

Graphic courtesy of True Pizza

Big Tent Poetry is all about food this week, which just happens to be one of my favorite subjects.  I decided to do a shameless plug for myself as well as post a food-related poem, so I am offering, for your epicurean delight, a true hero kind of poem.  Hero.  Get it?

Anyway...

...the following poem, along with other very 'cool beans' poems, (some of which are about food and some of which are are not) can be found in my book Mugging for the Camera.   It's a collection of quirky, oddball, humorous poems, as you probably guessed. And if you buy the book?  You will be my new favorite hero!

(It's available at Virtualbookworm.com, Amazon.com and other fine online bookshops.)

What's for Lunch?

Accents and idioms truly abound

in every state and every town.

One way to for one to manage to see

the spoken word discrepancy

is the local names we give for food.

Example?  A tube-shaped meal can include:

A sub - or the longer form, submarine

where meats and cheeses are often routine-

ly piled quite high between some bread slices,

sometimes with mayo, oil, vinegar and spices.

It can also be called a hoagie or even a grinder

and if you forget, here's another reminder

that some folks say po'boy and others say wedge

with tomato and lettuce sticking out from the edge

of the Italian or Cuban; they both taste soooo good,

along with the sarney or the famous Dagwood.

There's the bomber, the depth charge, the zep and baguette,

and I have a few more 'cause I'm not finished yet!

There's also the speidie from New York, Upstate,

you can savor the flavor - it always tastes great.

Just go to a deli and say that you need, oh...

a hamboat or roast beef foot-long torpedo!

In case you might wonder, this list's incomplete,

but it's made me quite hungry - so I think I'll go eat.

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