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napowrimo #16: a t-rex and a thesaurus

by Carolee Sherwood

Desperate just-past-the-half-way-mark-of-NaPoWriMo times call for a thesaurus. Write a poem today about a word trail. Pick a single word and play with its synonyms or mess around with its antonyms. Follow one word to another and another and then another and go with whatever poem idea emerges. Consider this a brainstorming exercise meets research project, but don’t get in too deep. There’s not a lot of time! Just have fun and loosen up and let some new words crawl into the open spaces.

You can also write about what a word conjures up, even if it’s silly. For example, I always thought that “thesaurus” sounded like a kind of dinosaur. (Is it T-rex or brontosaurus?) And “dictionary,” to me, sounds like a soft, flaky pastry. (Maybe it’s because of the word “confectionery” or maybe it’s because I have an insatiable sweet tooth; remember, it doesn’t have to make sense!)

If you prefer, you can follow a word’s perfect rhymes or pseudo-rhymes and see where they take you. “Papal” becomes “apple,” which becomes “grapple.” If you add “dabble” or “baffle,” what an interesting story you may have!

The goal is to start with a single word and see where it can take you. (Here’s a clue: The answer is “everywhere.”)

To help you on your journey, there are many versions of reference books online, such as The Free Dictionary and Write Express Online Rhyming Dictionary. Have fun!

*  *  *

A note from “admin”: This month, since we’re all trying to write every day, we’re leaving the comments open with each prompt so you can post links to your poems as you write them. So, go ahead and write your poem, post your poem (with a link to Read Write Poem and a Read Write Poem tag, if you would) and come back to this very spot and share your link with us.

Of course, if you’re a creature of habit, you can always post your links at today’s “Get Your Poem On” post. Who are we to mess around with what works for you?

And don’t forget to go read the poems of others in this wonderful writing community. We’re all in this NaPoWriMo “mess” (ha ha!) together; let’s support each other in the insanity that is writing (every day)!

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Posted by Read Write Poem under Carolee Sherwood, NaPoWriMo 2009

37 comments to napowrimo #16: a t-rex and a thesaurus

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    June 20, 2010 | 1:36 pm

    The Read Write Poem NaPoWriMo Anthology is still in production. Selection, placement, layout and copyediting are taking longer than anticipated. Thank you for your patience. I hope to have the piece completed in July. For those who have emailed asking if they can be included, the May 7 deadline for submission of work stands. Those who met that deadline will be included. Please check the post on this site listing who I received submissions from by that date. If you submitted your work by the May 7 deadline in accordance with our guidelines and your name is not listed, send an email to info (at) readwritepoem (dot) org.

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    May 5, 2010 | 3:09 pm

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    *I initially said “tomorrow,” but I meant to say “Friday.”

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