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Monday, May 12, 2008

Original Poem - Six Words

I know I just posted this week's poetry stretch this morning, but I was inspired while scribbling away during a LONG meeting today. I began by doing some word association to see how I might use the seemingly six unconnected words in a poem. When I was reminded of one of my favorite childhood summer activities, the words began to spill out onto the page. These are the moments when I am reminded of just how magical writing poetry can be. (Now, don't go equating magic with ease. I've already revised five times, and it's not finished yet! The magic came in making these wonderful memories concrete.)

Here are the words: hole, friend, candle, ocean, snake, and scarecrow.
Here is the poem.
Swimming in an ocean of corn,
stalks straight and tall,
we run,
carving paths that snake
between the rows,
avoiding the gaze of
a watchful scarecrow,
defending the far end of the field.

Arriving somewhere in the middle,
we make a hole,
a circular fort where
two friends whisper secrets,
until the candles of evening
flicker and flame.

5 comments:

  1. Tricia,

    Great poem! It's funny how inspiration can take hold of us. I find that sometimes a poem seems to write itself...that I don't know where the words are coming from--they just seem to spill out onto the page.

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  2. Isn't it fun when the poem just pops out rich with memories? I will see what I can do with these 6 words. I had a class try the 3 word prompt which I posted on Friday. Hope the post card arrived.

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  3. I love it. I particularly like "Swimming in an ocean of corn" because it puts me right in the middle of that field in July with the stalks way over my head.

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  4. This is great! It brings back memories of running around the corn field with my brothers. I was always afraid of getting lost and coming out on the other side not knowing where we were. It wasn't our corn field but a farm of a friend of my parents. You did a great job with these words.

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  5. Tricia,

    I've tagged you for a meme. Here's the URL of my Meme of Five post:

    http://wildrosereader.blogspot.com/2008/05/meme-of-five.html

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