Day Ten. Yesterday was 30%. Somehow, though, part of me wants to think the tenth day is 30%, not the ninth day. For a guy who had once strongly considered a math major — can you believe it? — that's terrible. Yeah yeah. National Poetry Month is 33% gone. (Actually 33.33333333333%.) The great thing, though, is that there is still 67% poetry to go. (Yeah, I know Maureen Thorson's NaPoWriMo prompt: "Today I challenge you to write an abecedarian poem — a poem with a structure derived from the alphabet. There are a couple of ways of doing this. You could write a poem of 26 words, in which each word begins with a successive letter of the alphabet. You could write a poem of 26 lines, where each line begins with a successive letter." Robert Lee Brewer's PAD suggestion: "For today’s prompt, take the phrase 'How (blank),' replace the blank with a word or phrase, make the new phrase the title of your poem, and then, write your poem. Possible titles include: 'How to Write a Poem,' 'How Mechanical Pencils Work,' and 'Howling at the Moon After Midnight in the Middle of a Thunderstorm.'" "The combination of prompts today," says our friend Alan, "has led to a curious result. Maureen Thorson on her NaPoWriMo site invites participants to write abecedarian poems today, and Robert Lee Brewer on his "poem a day" site invites "how to" poems today. Naturally, a poem about how to write an abecedarian poem has to happen, and I'm offering some (likely unneeded) advice to Vince. I'm thinking a coloring book with my examples should follow next." Abecedarian Advice for Vince Gotera Thank you, Alan, for your heartfelt instructions on writing an abecedarian. Which you very complimentarily said might "likely [be] unneeded." Merging the abecedarian and "how_____" prompts also, I offer you in turnabout some advice on how to be a grouch (likely unneeded, as you said about your suggestions above). Just kidding, buddy. How to Be a Curmudgeon In the third line from the bottom, I had at one point the word "expunge," but then, Alan, I recalled your fine suggestion that there should "not [be] onomatopeia" in getting the alphabet into the poem. So who'd a-thunk it? Your advice was in fact needed, Alan. And much appreciated. Just want to clarify, friends, that I mean no offense to Alan. All completely fictional. Just trying to get through the alphabet! And now I've got a surprise guest poet. My girlfriend Kathleen Ann Lawrence rocked the abecedarian form today. She wrote three one-word-per-letter abecedarians in about a half hour. That's phenomenal!
Kathy's first serious abecederian-making is tremendous. Brava brava brava! Three bravas for three abecedarians! ヅ I particularly like the apostrophe used in place of the opening e in "exuding" to keep the alphabet use classic and clean. Friends, won't you comment, please? Love to know what you're thinking. To comment, look for a red line below that starts Posted by, then click once on the word comments in that line. If you don't find the word "comments" in that line, then look for a blue link below that says Post a comment and click it once. Thanks! Ingat, everyone. ヅ |
Wordless Wednesday: Seville
17 hours ago
5 comments:
I didn't know you were going to trot out a ringer, Vince. I bow to Kathy's affinity for abecedarians.
I liked all of these. The one on my blog was inspired by watching my granddaughter (who's not yet 2) beggining her discovery of the alphabet.
Alan, you're the ringer!! I'm surprised Vince posts all of your poems! Your talent is stunning!
Alan, Me again. Vince is worried that from my comment you won't understand that I was trying to pay you a huge compliment. :-) I was also trying to tease him that he should be jealous because you are so good. Of course, everyone that knows both of you and your poetry realizes that you each are creative geniuses in your own right. I love getting to read your work everyday in April. If only the month were a little longer.
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