Poe Poe Me: Once upon a time, I was ravin' about writer's block...

Image courtesy of EBSQ

Once Upon a Keyboard

Once upon a keyboard, weary, while I pondered word-string theory,
Over verb and adverb pairings, I thought, “What a crashing bore!”
Still I typed, fairly quickly: suddenly I felt quite sickly,
As if something went a-missing, dissing at me, so I swore.
`’Tis distraction,’ thus I muttered, `snapping, ‘cause I sure was sore -
Only this, and nothing more.’

Ah, distinctly I recalled it – it was writer’s block: Work stalled. (It
sucks!) And so my sentence structure wrought its ghost like ‘crime-fic’ gore.
Justified, I sought appeal; vainly I had thought to steal
From some books or other store – of vast knowledge (Could I score?)
For my new, ingenious novel – which my agent will ignore…
Nameless now for evermore.

###

Notes: The form is parody.  And it is a obviously a parody of Poe's The Raven.  For Robert Lee Brewer's Poetic Asides November PAD Chapbook competition, the prompt for today was 'Once upon a _____.'  As soon as I saw the prompt, I knew I had to go in this particular direction.  And guess what?  No writer's block happened either.  I just sat down and wrote the Poem. 

Sneezing, Shakespeare and Schlimmbesserung*

Art source unknown

Dose Piercing

I’t’would appear tha’

piercing your dose wi’ a cold

i’snot a good thing.

###

Image courtesy of Free Vector Ku

Brush With Fame

I am such a fan.

Blush!  I wish my heart-beats would

return to normal

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Image courtesy of Open Source Shakespeare

Sonnet CI - Lurking is the New Normal

O truant Muse what shall be thy amends
For thy neglect of truth just ain’t normal!
Both truth and beauty on my love depends;
But I need your help to write poems formal.
Make answer Muse: can we not then return…
'Truth needs no colour, and beauty’s not fixed;
Else, who could write Ode to a Grecian Urn;
But best is best, if never intermixed?
Because…what is normal and what is not?
Anymore, I can’t say with certainty.
Sounds to me like a ‘word’ Gordian knot,
which leaves me frustrated, I guarantee.
So, c’mon, Muse; let’s both get back to work:

In the background, kindly cease to just lurk. 

###

Notes:  The first poem is a 5/7/5 Haiku.  It was inspired by the prompt from 3 Word Wednesday: appear/dose/pierce.  The second and third poems were based on Robert Lee Brewer's Poetic Asides prompt of 'Normal/Return to Normal.  The second poem is a 5/7/5 Haiku and the third is a parody of one of Shakespeare's Sonnets.

*Schlimmbesserung - per Worthless Word for the Day:  making something worse through an attempt to make it better.

Told ya I'd be back to being quirky today.  ☼

Sonnet XX!!!

Photographic image courtesy of Miss_Robot

Today, Writer's Island gave the prompt of "Courage."

Yesterday, Poetic Asides posted an informative discussion on the subject of the poetic form, sonnet.

I decided to try and combine the two for my post today.

So, the first thing I did was Google  - sorry...I know, it's a banned, trite word, but necessary, nonetheless - 'Shakespearean sonnets about courage.' From the results, I chose one sonnet in particular (Sonnet XXIII) which I thought might work (with a bit of tweaking here and there) with a couple of quotes I found when I also Googled 'humorous courage quotes'.

Sonnet XX!!!

I'm not funny.  What I am is brave.  ~Lucille Ball

Read what my medal says: "Courage". Ain't it the truth? Ain't it the truth? ~The Cowardly Lion

As an unperfect actor on life’s stage,
I sometimes fear I’ve forgotten my part.,
Where is the green room?  Can I disengage

myself from the scene?  I need a kick start.
So I think of those things that I must say

even if difficult, to make it right.
And in that moment, my fears go away

and then I know I’ve conquered my stage fright.

The Cowardly Lion and Lucille Ball

each found courage with a word or a deed.

It’s not yet time for the last curtain call

so I have to 'just do it' to succeed.

   Even if nerve has departed, forsooth,         

   I can be courageous.  Ain’t it the truth.

###

O December!

Sunday Scribblings has a prompt up and that prompt is (ta-da!) December.  My response to this is to write a play on a venerable old Christmas song.  Ready?  Here goes...

Oh December! (sung to the tune of Jingle Bells)

Dashing through the snow,

with ice down in my boots.

Jack Frost and Sir Chilblains

are really in cahoots.

The wind is howling so

my hat has blown away.

I feel as if the weather gods

have put me in squeeze play.

*

(Chorus #1)

O winter’s hell

and I’d rebel

if I could manage it.

The sleet may come

to make me numb.

December, I’m unfit

to deal with chill.

I’m sounding shrill

but what can you expect?

My spirit’s lame

it’s such a shame.

My halls aren’t even decked.

*

I went out to the mall

which was a crowded mess.

The things I thought I’d buy –

Sold Out!  (but I digress…)

I tried to order gifts

from online stores but they

won’t even start to ship them out

‘til after New Year’s Day!

(Chorus #2)

O shopping sucks

and costs big bucks

for what you really get.

They’re outta stock

and I’m in hock

but I’m not finished yet!

O Jingle Bells

I’m on eggshells

but still I’ll find some cheer.

I’m grateful since

December (wince!)

comes only once a year!

###

Happy Holidays!