This morning, I wrote the random act of poetry post at highcallingblogs.com–featuring a poem about Superman from John Poch’s new book, Dolls (also available from Orchises press directly). Go read that post if you get a chance. It is all about beauty and poetry and sports and teachin
g and how we sometimes take the joy of being playful and whimsical and childlike and professionalize our work into something competitive and mean-spirited and judgmental.
Anyway, while I was working on that post, I found a link to “one word” on Ann Voskamp’s blog. (Thanks, Ann!)
“one word” is a fun writing game disguised as a website. You click on “go” then spend the next thirty seconds writing about the word you see on your screen. Of course, I had poetry on the brain (and dead gerbils apparently), so I wrote a 60 second poem.
Here is what I came up with:
Cage
We found her curled
in the cedar chips
still warm but stiff
now she sleeps out back
under a cinder block grave
so the dogs don’t dig her up
Happy stuff. Zombies for breakfast. Gerbils for a mid-morning snack. I’m sure you can come up with something happier.
For next week’s random act of poetry at HighCallingBlogs.com, we’re asking people to do just that. Visit “one word” several times to see if you can write a good poem in 60 seconds. (Really, try to write a good one.) If you participate, just let me know–leave a link to your poem in the comments here. We’ll include you in our list of poems next Friday.
If you like poetry (you know who you are), consider ordering John Poch’s new book, Dolls.
[Also, check out the Facebook/Twitter/Disqus comment system we're testing here for HighCallingBlogs.com.]
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Wow. Nice poem period- I thought. And in 60 seconds! That's what inspiration can do for you.
http://oneword.com/2009/08/teacher/full.html
delightful poem. you never cease to impress me.
also, that book cover is giving me nightmares and i'm not even asleep yet. maybe i'll try that 60 second poem and see if inspiration hits.
hey
marcus
i like your instant poem.
the quick poem place is fun.
like cooking oats in a microwave!
quick one word is “teacher”
so i wrote
in school the main feature
is the new young teacher
Okay, I tried it.
“teacher”
pupils, come and see
what you'll learn from me
i know it to be true
i'll also learn from you.
Oooo. Nice job, Marcus. You can even write poetically about a dead pet. Impressive.
Great job nAncY and Sam, too. I'm going to try this exercise with my girls — 7 and 5 — this morning.
I tried. Word is “teacher.”
TEACHER
Never thought I'd wear this badge.
Don't know who's shaking more –
the freshmen or the one hired to give them
some bit of Truth
some bit of knowledge
I'm still a student, too.
Wearing a Teacher badge.
Hey, thanks for all the great comments everyone.
I'm glad you liked it. Thanks for the encouraging words. How did the 60
second thing work for you?
nAncY, that is a great analogy!
I like the game because it doesn't pretend to be meaty inspiration. Just
fun. Just play. I'm all for working hard, but I think it is important for us
to learn to play in our work and our hobbies again.
Good one, Carl! I like the first line: teacher rabbi friend and leader
Man, I'm impressed with you and Carl finding end rhyme in 60 seconds. I
can't do that.
Jennifer, this takes me back to my teaching days. I kind of miss those
sometimes. Especially in June and September. There is something about the
clear cycle of teaching in America.
I'd be curious to hear how it went with your kids.
heads up….
a poet to add to the list!
ed g
at
http://xtheroad.blogspot.com/2009/08/eyes-of-my...
Thanks for the link, nAncY. I'll go read ed's work.
today i wrote
i am constantly constant when someone constantly tells me to be.
guess what the word was….
that zombie surfaces again… ; )
“Constant”
Like a comment that hangs. Unexpected. But always there. Nagging. Like a burr under your skin. Dangerous. If left alone.
lance, I really like this one.
Marcus, thanks! What fun! “Cage” (and a couple of others) here:
http://mybigthree.highcallingblogs.com/2009/09/...
I drew a complete blank at the “fate,” and I won't be doing any more at oneword.com this week because we're backpacking.
Thanks again.
Now that is a picture.
Amazing talent to drum up images and memories this way.
60 seconds? Hmmm. Maybe…
Tried it. One word. One piece of awesome art. 30 seconds. (That's the Turbo option.)
my word was stereo. here's what I wrote:
voices in stereo
greet me downstairs
too much
interference
can't hear them
real clear
but I did hear this:
jump!
so
i
did
Marcus,
I played along with the one word prompts a couple of times too… Thanks for the 60-second diversions. I reckon I blankly would have stared at the screen for the whole time if I had been given “dead gerbil” for my cue.
Teacher
me
what i went to school to be
what i am as a mom
as a home school mom
as a learner of God's Word to instruct my little learner
what i am thankful for each day–those who taught and still teach me–from their heart and mind and soul
Cigarette
oh gross
you stink the air
burn my eyes
stain my clothes
and my hair
oh gag
you smudge
the sidewalk
and rest in the flower pots
I use to play around on that web-site but had forgotten all about it – thanks for the reminder!! Totally fun
I like the poem your “one-word” brought to you… and us!
Nice Post I already digged this
Man, you are post too Nice.
Thanks
Justin Kemp
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Well this is very interesting indeed.Would love to read a little more of this. Great post. Thanks for the heads-up?This blog was very informative and knowledgeable
thanks
spoach
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I will bookmark and continue reading your blog in the future! Thanks alot for the informative post!
Respect
spoach
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You seem to have got the niche from the root, Awesome work
Have a nice day
andymock
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