The challenge this month was to write to the word ponderous or the image of a hippo. I decided to play around with an old quick write prompt issued by Nikki Grimes at Kate Messner's blog way back in 2014. Based on the examples she shared, I decided I wanted to begin a poem with "Hippo is a __ word." Here's where my poem went.
Hippo is a ponderous word
a barrel-shaped word
a semi-aquatic,
unable to swim word
a yawning, wide open word
a gregarious, booming word
an aggressive and unpredictable word
Keep your hands in the boat
while you float downriver,
observing a bloat of
hippopotamuses and hippopotami
half-submerged
ears twitching, eyes watching
keeping the crocodiles at bay.
Poem ©Tricia Stohr-Hunt, 2020. All rights reserved.
You can read the pieces written by my Poetry Sisters at the links below. As usual, life has gotten in the way for some folks, but they'll be back for other challenges.
- Tanita Davis
- Rebecca Holmes
- Sara Lewis Holmes
- Kelly Ramsdell
- Laura Purdie Salas
- Liz Garton Scanlon
- Andi Sibley
If you’d like to write with us next month, the challenge is to write a naani poem with the theme of foresight, or autumn, or both. We will be posting on the last Friday of the month (October 30th) and would love to have you join us.
I do hope you'll take some time to check out all the wonderful poetic things being shared and collected today by Jone MacCulloch. Happy poetry Friday friends!