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Wheeeeeeeee.......August!
Heidi is hosting this week's round-up at my juicy little universe. Go there to enjoy lots more poetry AND to learn the poetic form she's invented. It's called ...
DEFINITO
A definito is a free verse poem of 8-12 lines aimed at readers 8-12 years old. This form highlights word play as it demonstrates the meaning of a less common word which always ends the poem. Heidi's inviting us to write definitos along with her.
Definitos I've Written
I'd love to know which one is your favorite.
Let me know in the comments. Thanks!
Lollygag
Time to get dressed,
I day-dream on my bed…
Pick up the pace, Mom says
Stop dilly dallying, Dad shakes his head.
My cereal milk an ocean, my spoon a ship
C’mon brother urges…don’t waste time. Let’s go!
If I could slow time to fit my speed needs, delay
plod along,
lag behind,
tarry…
All day long I’d lollygag.
(c) Linda Mitchell
Allude
Come play with meaning
Hint at the game--but not the rules
Refer to fun with a mention
Suggest a name
Imply who goes first
If it goes wrong, insinuate blame
Have a mysterious attitude
Make others guess the name of the game
which just maybe is ALLUDE
(c) Linda Mitchell
Quintessence
If the perfect expression of red...apple
and an ideal of white...snow
Typical talk for go now is green
as a firefly conjures up glow
A symbol of peace is a dove
A Valentine’s heart equals love
Each is an attempt
To show the essential
complete
total
purest form of all...quintessence.
(c) Linda Mitchell
Vulnerable
First day at a new school
where I don’t know a single
other kid.
I wish I’d hidden
under a blanket
behind my clothes
in my closet.
Who will laugh at me
Who will help or be a friend?
Who will see my
timid, unsure, sitting duck stare?
I’m totally vulnerable.
(c) Linda Mitchell
Commercial
Think of merch
Think of value
Think of getting both
Think of payout
Think of profit
You bank the growth
When there’s a buyer and a seller
and money moves, it’s commercial.
Think of value
Think of getting both
Think of payout
Think of profit
You bank the growth
When there’s a buyer and a seller
and money moves, it’s commercial.
(c) Linda Mitchell
Something to love in each one of these, Linda! But this line: "Who will see my/
ReplyDeletetimid, unsure, sitting duck stare?" is my favorite, so I guess I'd have to pick "Vulnerable." You all have come up with some terrific poems! :0)
Gosh, it's hard to pick a favorite. I like them all. If I had to pick one, I guess it would be Quintessence--you've capture the essence of it, for sure! I also really like Malleable--and like how you played with the fonts to make it visually interesting, too.
ReplyDeleteLollygag (though the reference to lollies may make me biased ... and I DO think you need a handful of lollies to accompany it😉😋) and Malleable! Love the presentation of 'it'. These sure are fun.
ReplyDeleteThese are wonderful, Linda, and I'm hard pressed to pick a favorite! I love what you did with the fonts for malleable and lollygag is just an awesome word. You know I love the line: "My cereal milk an ocean, my spoon a ship". I also have a soft spot for vulnerability and that sweet, timid kid. You knocked this challenge out of the park!! Well done!
ReplyDeleteLinda, you really cranked these out! I love what you did with "malleable," but my favorite is "*uintessence" for all its helpful cliches--when you put them all together they teach a really great lesson about symbols. Thanks so much for encouragingly playing along!
ReplyDeleteWow, I liked every one, Linda. I love the subtle ending of "allude": "which just maybe" & it feels like kids will love learning about "lollygag", that time they love, but so often cannot have. All great wordplay!
ReplyDeleteI don't know if I can pick a favorite. I love lollygag--and it matches my state of being this week. That vulnerable kid touches my heart. Malleable is so playful. And I love the rules for allude. I can't wait to try writing one of my own--you make it look easy, but I suspect it will provide a challenge.
ReplyDeleteMy favorites are Malleable because you managed to use IT in a poem in a new and meaningful way, and Quintessence because each line gets me closer to understanding the abstract meaning.
ReplyDeleteThis is addictive, but I think you beat us all (except Heidi) in the number of poems you wrote. I do want to write more. And I can't wait to try it with kids.
Vulnerable is my favorite because it tells a story/paints a picture instead of just giving synonyms.
ReplyDeleteGosh... these are all terrific but I'm going with Quintessence. These are so rich!
ReplyDeleteHard to pick just one Linda, they all allude to the quintessence of the poems word so powerfully–though Vulnerable and Malleable stand out to me!
ReplyDeleteHolly smokes. I love "allude" the best! "Commercial" is also super clever. These are all wonderful:>)
ReplyDeleteWow— such a collection! You make it look easy, Linda. My favorite is vulnerable. Although possibly the least "clever" of the poems, it's effective because you didn't only tell us what the word meant, the character of your poem showed us how it FEELS.
ReplyDeleteI agree with Michelle that these defintos make a great collection. I enjoyed reading your work and while I liked them all, vulnerable is the one that resonates with me the most. There are so many children who for whatever reason feel timid and unsure. The words "timid duck stare" are just right for this poem. Great job, Linda. I read this the other night but we have been moving so fast in the four days we were away that I just got home and sat down to read PF posts.
ReplyDelete