Wednesday, June 25, 2014

CALL ME MAYBE--SUMMER STRETCH


By Janie Reinart

We all need to warm up before we sing, exercise or write! We will be sharing ideas here to help you “work out” your writing muscles. Take a deep cleansing breath and stretch! For more writing inspiration share your stretches with us. We will be happy to post them.

Haiku and Tanka are poetry forms that use a certain number of syllables per line.  Try your hand at writing a poem using your phone number.

Write your phone number vertically in a column. Each number suggests the number of syllables per line. Zeroes equal 10 syllables. Title your poem. Here is an example. 

                         SUMMER

2      Heat wave
1      melts
6     candy coated ice cream  
4      lickity-split
1      quick
5      sticky faced baby
3      wants a hug
4     kisses so sweet
3     everything
7   is better with chocolate

Share your phone number poems in the comment section. (Please do not post your phone number, just the poem. Thank you.)

24 comments:

  1. Replies
    1. Darlene, It is quick and fun. Please share your stretch :)

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  2. Very creative idea, Janie! I can't try it right now, but sometime later!

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  3. Hi Tina, Glad you like it! Don't forget to post your stretch . :)

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  4. cool! on my "try this" list for next week. Gotta survive the WOW week of writing nonfic picture books first.

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    1. Sue, don't forget to share when you try this. I am struggling with writing my nonfic picture books ms for WOW. Not coming together as fast as I would like.

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  5. Missionary Mother's Biography

    0 what happens when you read an old letter
    4 sometimes you laugh
    4 sometimes you cry
    3 you wonder
    0 what she really did in those days gone by
    5 how did she manage
    1 when
    3 illness struck
    4 her money gone
    0 her trust in God shone through all her trials

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  6. Alenqvist, wow! A very poignant story.

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  7. Fun idea, Janie! I'll give it a try.

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    1. Yeah, Patricia. Looking forward to your stretch.

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  8. Summer is here; why do I sleep?

    Morning sunrise

    You call out to me at dawn

    A night owl instead

    I burn the night oil

    Movies transfix me

    I escape in their plot twists and surprises

    And yet I miss waking with the birds

    Drinking coffee on the porch with you

    Maybe tomorrow we'll try again.

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    Replies
    1. This was really fun. Thank you!

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    2. Aah, the somewhat slower pace of summer without the school bell ringing. Great poem, Todd.

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    3. Love it! Todd --favorite line-and yet I miss waking with the birds-- also the personification of the sunrise!! Well done!

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    4. Janie, the night keeps winning! Thanks for your kind words and great inspiration!

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  9. That is a great idea! :D I'll try it! :D

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    Replies
    1. Glad you like it! Please share your stretch :) Happy Summer!

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  10. Summertime

    on

    the Illinois prairie is so special.

    Please come with me and you will see.

    Grab a fishing pole!

    Hand in hand we skip to the fishing pond.

    What a big catch!

    Pa, this is such a fun day!

    Wait!

    The sun has not set. Time to read a book.
    ~Suzy Leopold

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  11. Suzy this is so cool! Makes me think of present time and the pioneers!

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  12. Ice Cream

    Cold and sticky on my fingers,
    my ice cream cone
    melts away in the summer sunshine.
    Sitting atop
    the cone,
    the ice cream
    begins to slowly slip
    to one side and drip
    all over the cone and down
    my hands til I lick them clean again.

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  13. Kristi thanks for sharing! Especially like the lines--begins to slowly slip
    to one side and drip all over :) Happy summer writing!

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  14. This is so simple & huge fun.

    Various workshops & critique groups & blogs have brought me other memorable writing prompts & this is a keeper to share far & wide.

    And look at the grand poems you've been midwife to!

    I luv this Janie, thank you!

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  15. Yeah, Jan! Have fun with it!

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