Poetry Friday -- Last day in August

Friday already? I was encouraged by the response to last week's post and my entertaining an idea to create more nonfiction poetry. I've put a few books on hold at the library for research and in the meantime thinking about ideas for a possible PB about beaks/or other appendages and maybe a collection of poems on a broader topic. So thanks to you guys for the extra motivation :)

In looking at the craft, I'm trying to keep my eye out for texts that may be useful in exploring aspects of writing poetry. With a little bit of money coming in for my birthday last weekend it's tempting to spend it on books! Any recommendations?

This week's poem was inspired by when I had chicken pox in the 5th grade. My dad stayed home with me during the day and I remember calamine lotion, taking oatmeal baths to alleviate the itching and just hanging out in bed watching old TV programs.

Chicken Pox Rox 

Itchy dots on my back.

Splotchy pink,

Crust and crack.

Powdered donuts in the bed

Watching Matlock once again.

Out of school

Hideaway

Don't want homework

Go away!

Royal treatment like the Queen.

Can I have some more soup, please?

Chicken pox is so much fun. 

Want to try?

Anyone?

© 2018 e. mauger

Speaking of youth, I was watching something the other day and they had a story on now 13-year-old Solli Raphael, who last year was named the youngest slam poetry champion at the National Australian Poetry Slam Championships. Imagine having to compete against 1,000 other poets! Here's a recent clip of him from TEDxSydney.

This week's Poetry Friday is kindly hosted by Robyn at Life on the Deckle Edge. Check it out and share in the poetry goodness.

Poetry Friday - Bird Brain

Usually when I have the mundane chore of washing dishes in the afternoon and my son is distracted by kids songs on YouTube, I try to find a podcast to get me thinking. Recently on diyMFA the host interviewed author and poet David L. Harrison about writing science poetry for kids. Pretty timely considering last week's Poetry Friday host challenged those participating to write a poem about birds. I tried to do a small amount of reading on some aspect of birds and starting drafting a poem about different kinds of beaks. I couldn't get my act together for last week so I'm posting it now.

Beaks are Neat 

Though some have points
and some have hooks,
the beaks of birds
aren't just for looks.

A woodpecker chips
away at bark
to find insects --
hey, that's smart!

Owls have beaks
for eating meat,
and hummingbirds drink
their nectar sweet.

Some use their beaks
to find a mate,
feed their young,
make their nests look great.

There's so many things
a beak can do
There's probably more,
can you name one, too?

- e. mauger (c.) 2018

One of these days I'd be interested in giving my own non-fiction poetry project a go. Is anyone else working on or contemplating their next poetry project?

This week's PF is hosted by Margaret at Reflections on the Teche. Go check out some poetry for your final weekend in August.

Poetry Friday - On Shakespeare

Welcome back for another week. I was finally getting over the cold I caught while on holiday, when last night I noticed another one coming on. Maybe my strange hours and random eating habits have caught up to me.

Anywho - I was scrolling through Facebook and saw a post listing phrases popularised or coined by Shakespeare and thought about using a few of them to compose a poem. It reminded me of last week's offering by Mary Lee who cooked us up a blitz poem. This isn't quite that but it's kind of a fun exercise to see how you can arrange something instead of having to come up with something completely new.

Untitled

Knock knock!

Who’s there?

It was a brave new world calling,

And in one fell 

swoop

its eaten me out of house and home.

Well,

good riddance!

The old world was cold comfort at best,

like the devil incarnate.

But, let's give the devil his due.

Inside he does have a heart of gold

When he kills, 

he only kills with kindness.

This week Molly Hogan is hosting PF. Go on over and say hi! 

Poetry Friday -- Birds of a Feather

It's been about a week since coming back from holiday in Perth. We're all finally at the tail end of the colds we caught while away. Thankfully my toddler was asleep when we landed back in Adelaide, as my own head was doing me in because of the congestion!

Despite all of that the change of scenery was good. The winter rain made everything green. I loved the Mediterranean type climate, the Indian Ocean (which I forgot actually does extend to this side of the world) and even the little things like going to the usual supermarket and seeing slightly different things on offer. On the other hand, it didn't always seem far enough away - not with regular access to phones and emails creeping in more than you'd like. Such is the modern dilemma.

Beachy sunsets

This week I was struggling again to get in the mood to write or figure out what to share. Despite the blog being such a casual space, sometimes doubt creeps in and blocks progress. But I was saved by a small hit of inspiration as I looked outside to see a couple of regular visitors to our yard - a pair of Rosellas. Today's little poem is for them.

Rosellas

One bright pair

'neath an olive tree.

Red heads, round bellies

foraging.  

From my window, 

such a sight.

I watch till they,

at last,

take flight. 

- e. mauger

Take a look at the rest of the Poetry Friday round up over at A Year of Reading. 😊 Merry weekend.