Pages

Friday 5 October 2012

Rhymes From The funEverse

By Maureen lynas

Say hi to more funEverse poets

I'm so lucky to be working with these people. They're funny, they're talented, and they care deeply about kids and want to make them laugh. 

And where else would I have discussions on whether it's appropriate to have a character trapped in a sumo wrestler's bum crack! (That was not one of my poems!)

Introducing:

Rebecca Colby



I blame Dr. Seuss for my love of rhyme. When I was six years old, I checked ‘The Lorax’ out of the library and became lost in its magical, sing-song rhyme. I loved it! Not wanting to give it back, I promptly hid it under my bed, hoping my mother wouldn’t find it. She didn’t. Not for months anyway, by which time she must have paid for it several times over in library fines. 
I also blame Robert Frost, although the story there isn’t half as interesting. He wrote poems I could relate to—poems that brought the rural environment of my childhood in New Hampshire to life in verse.   
It has taken me years to learn how to rhyme well—and some might argue that I still haven’t achieved that ability. One of my attempts follows:

ON RHYMING
I love to write in rhyming text,
although sometimes I get perplexed
when my iambic metered lines
all end in slant, imperfect rhymes.
And counting syllables to excess
can cause unnecessary stress,
so sometimes I don’t worry about rhyme or meter at all and I just go with the flow! 
©Rebecca Colby 2012

 Lesley Moss


 
Why poetry? Why not?
I like playing with words. I had early publication success with a poem
about a cat and a rat, and would like to repeat the experience. 



For me, a poem is words condensed, like a tin of milk. Distilled, like rose water. Intense as vanilla extract .. you see where I’m going with
this  ..

EATING MY WORDS
Pick summer words from the Poet Tree,
some for you and some for me,
ripe and juicy, shrivelled and thin,
cut right through to the essence within.
Words with vinegar, words with butter,
words to make a cold heart flutter,
pickled, dried or baked in pies -
each word explodes with fresh surprise.
Words to whet the appetite,
words with zest and words with bite.
Pick summer words from the Poet Tree:
store for winter’s memory.
©Lesley Moss 2012


Alex Craggs


Why do I write in verse?

 Words can be bland
They need to stand
UP
Stand out
Take a chance
Run about
Run free
Be fast
Or slow
But dance
Hang loose
Choose to shake words
Make words
rattle and roll them
Let them have fun
Try it
Take one
Give it time
Find another
Bang!
Rhyme
 ©Alex Craggs 2012

I am so lucky to be working with these talented people... and there's more

Tomorrow I introduce 

Georgina Kirk 


And 

Mo O'Hara


12 comments:

  1. There once was a poet called Kathryn
    Who was practically dying of flu
    But she stoically reached for the aspirin
    And dropped in to say How d'you do.

    Hello poets! Since the day I wrote 'I am a volcanoe' I've known I was destined to be a poet. Indeed, since that edition of 'St Judes Primary School Project On Italy' went out of print some years ago, I feel I am due for a come back.


    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I would love to read that!

      Sorry to hear you have the flu,
      Am sending lots of hugs to you.

      Delete
  2. I've said in once, and I'll say it again, it's ALWAYS appropriate for your main character to get stuck in a sumo's bum crack. Wouldn't you agree Rebecca?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I now live in fear that we may encourage each other into an excess of daftness.

      Delete
    2. Definitely, George! Like minds! I'm surprised more writers haven't thought of using a scene like this in their work.

      Delete
  3. Three cheers for our poor stricken Kathryn
    In bed with the worst dreaded flu
    She is truly a poetic trooper,
    Writing poems between her Ah-chooooooos!

    Hope you feel better soon.
    Hi to you all.
    Very excited to see all the poems going up on the blog.
    : )

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Well, that should make her feel better Mo.
      I'm finding it exciting too, can't wait until we go 'properly public!'

      Delete
  4. Thanks guys. Really looking forward to following the website and let me know how our school can get involved. Sounds great. Really enjoyed reading your poems! And Rebecca, I blame Robert Frost and Dr Seuss for my love of rhymes, too (and a few others). I've got 'Stopping By Woods on a Snowy Evening' typed out and up in my office next to my desk so I can read it whenever I like.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I'll get in touch after our first school has appeared Clare because I'll have a better idea of how things should go by then. The first one's a bit of an experiment.

      Delete
    2. You're a writer after my own heart, Clare--love that poem!

      Delete
  5. So impressed, rhyming is haaaard. I think i must have missed Funeverse 1 so off to check it out.

    ReplyDelete

Comments are the heart and soul of the Slushpile community, thank you! We may periodically turn on comments approval when trolls appear.