by Jessica Fox-Wilson
How did those words serve you? Did you create a masterpiece? Did you veer off into unknown territory? Were you able to use them all? Share your work with our lovely 13 words in the comments section of this post. I can’t wait to see what you all came up with!
Please read this page to find out how the Get Your Poem On and Read Write Prompt posts work.
Remember that work linked from this post is shared in precisely that spirit: sharing, as opposed to critiquing. .
If you haven’t done so already, please read all the pages under About in the navigation bar.
If you participate in a Read Write Prompt, we ask that you link back here in your posts, either with a link to Read Write Poem or by using the Read Write Poem badge in your post. Sidebar links are great but it helps others find the site when you link in every post you contribute to the project. It’s not a lot to ask in acknowledgment of the work everyone is doing in providing prompts for members to use.
Jessica Fox-Wilson is a senior contributor and columnist for Read Write Poem. Her work includes the Read Write (Word) Prompts every month and the Just One (Book) Thing column. Visit her at her blog, Everything Feeds Process.
Loading ...
I really enjoyed the word combinations for this prompt.
Scofflaw Christ
[Reply]
I had a lot of fun with this one. Step right up…
[Reply]
Keep hold of your grandmothers! Sweet Shot
[Reply]
I enjoyed this one – A rich plum – although a few words were ignored this time ’round.
[Reply]
I used all 13 words.
Blondes Do Best in any Age
Blondel got the plum job at court
no longer a scofflaw working for a pittance
this hip little minstrel was in clover
all he had to do was conform, play some tinkle tunes on the harp sleep late and eat confection
to his heart’s content, that is until Richard got himself captured (eating roast chicken and wearing an emerald ring is a dead giveaway if you’re doing a poor pilgrim impersonation) Brother John the knave ruled in his place a mere husk compared to the lionheart insisting on dawn reveille and the banning of bon bons
Poor Blondel traumatised by these changes had to extend himself to remedy the catastrophe by setting out to rescue the king on his plump
piebald pony clippety clop clippety clop
well, at least he could look forward to some limelight in his life basking in the acclaim of the adoring multitude if he succeeded or with luck even rate a mention in the history books
[Reply]
rallentanda replied:
September 17th, 2009 at 1:04 am
This originally was a poem until I posted it . Because of the line allocation(not mine) it now looks likes an attempt at semi literate prose.
[Reply]
Derrick replied:
September 17th, 2009 at 6:40 am
Well, it’s enjoyable, whatever you call it Rallentanda! I like Richard’s lionheart compared to John’s husk!
[Reply]
ravenswingpoetry replied:
September 17th, 2009 at 9:48 am
Agreed with Derrick. I liked your narrative retelling of history — and good use of the words too.
-Nicole
[Reply]
Therese L. Broderick replied:
September 17th, 2009 at 10:42 am
Rallentanda–This blonde minstrel playing tunes on a harp for the king sounds to me like a court poet. Such a contrast between those poets whose fate was bound to one patron, and we poets on the Internet bound to no centralized authority!
[Reply]
Rallentanda replied:
September 17th, 2009 at 10:59 am
Blondel de Nesle was King Richard
the Lionheart’s minstrel and is credited with finding the king by singing a song that only
he and Richard knew.
[Reply]
Cynthia Short replied:
September 17th, 2009 at 3:34 pm
Oh, now it makes even more sense…I really liked this one, but of course I like all your work. You manage to come up with a very unique take on any subject. “This hip little minstrel was in clover” was a great line.
Barbara replied:
September 17th, 2009 at 3:00 pm
Formatting can be a bother, but the sounds come across, and it’s a good telling
[Reply]
David Moolten replied:
September 17th, 2009 at 3:17 pm
I like the minstrel press-ganged into a knight errant/crusader. I saw poets, at least “establishment” (i.e. court poets) poets subtly indicted for their lack of courage/imagination, in addition to the biographical details wittily rendered about the real blondel.
[Reply]
Rallentanda replied:
September 17th, 2009 at 8:26 pm
Touche!
[Reply]
Linda Fraser replied:
September 17th, 2009 at 6:12 pm
I love the way you brought Robin Hood to the new millennium. Well done! I agree with Cynthia, that the “hip little minstrel” line was very cool. Thank you.
[Reply]
Mallery replied:
September 17th, 2009 at 6:31 pm
Rallentanda, I wonder if you set out to write this poem and then decided to incorporate the words after seeing the prompt, or if the words actually gave you the idea for this poem? I’m impressed either way.
[Reply]
Rallentanda replied:
September 17th, 2009 at 8:31 pm
Purely serendipitous,Mallery.I was reading
English history at the time.I tend to roll with the tide.Nothing planned too much.
[Reply]
lizenslin replied:
September 17th, 2009 at 10:36 pm
I enjoyed this poetic take on history. “This hip little minstrel was in clover” is a great line.
[Reply]
Nathan replied:
September 19th, 2009 at 4:06 pm
Wonderful use of this week’s words!
[Reply]
Here is mine.
Field Notes
[Reply]
A biographical poem,
Versace
[Reply]
Mine-
http://conversationsinmid-air.blogspot.com/2009/09/something-in-between-my-matresses-feels.html
It’s interesting how 4 out of the 6 poems above are something about a Scofflaw… Probably the most exotic word of the lot and hence, became the most used…
[Reply]
Here is mine using all of the words
Preacher Of Wall Street
http://www.waynepitchko.blogspot.com
[Reply]
For the Departed, All
[Reply]
You’ll find mine here:
http://beyondtheblog.wordpress.com/2009/09/14/inspiration-2
[Reply]
http://hummingbunny.wordpress.com/2009/09/16/stolen-in-broad-daylight/
I wouldn’t exactly call it a masterpiece.
[Reply]
http://poemsotherwise.blogspot.com/2009/09/flying-plums.html
[Reply]
Mine is a rough draft:
http://firmlyrooted.blogspot.com/2009/09/for-pittance-you-buy-that-confection.html
[Reply]
lizenslin replied:
September 18th, 2009 at 10:29 pm
Gautami – For some reason, my slow connection doesn’t let me leave comments on blogspot, so I’m leaving them here instead.
Compelling images in our poem. I especially like what this line evokes -
“I extend my arm towards you
on second thought place it on my hip”
[Reply]
A biographical poem,
Versace
[Reply]
Plum trees
And thankfully, I went blind before seeing that missing word, scofflaw!
[Reply]
Here’s mine. I wimped out and used only one word…
Remedy
[Reply]
Hi everyone,
This week, I used just the one word that I had never heard of for my inspiration.
http://melrosemusings.blogspot.com/2009/09/scofflaw.html
[Reply]
Rallentanda replied:
September 17th, 2009 at 7:54 am
So Derek not averse to a wee dram? I like the full blown panoply approach to life.Nice poem.
[Reply]
Derrick replied:
September 17th, 2009 at 11:14 am
Thanks, R. I may have been known to sample the odd one!
[Reply]
Cynthia Short replied:
September 17th, 2009 at 4:02 pm
I would hope so! Single malt and all that…
Gosh, you guys must get up so early in the morning over there! It’s 6:40 PM Thursday here, so I’ve been waiting all day to post mine. (-:
Here it is: Conformity
I’ll read everyone else’s tomorrow morning–my honey just finished making dinner!
[Reply]
lots of fun with this word grouping and looking forward to reading everyone’s writing!
http://beatnikprose.blogspot.com/2009/09/estranged.html
-lawrence
[Reply]
“On the Spectrum”
http://theresebroderick.wordpress.com/
[Reply]
I enjoyed using the Wordle. Here is my poem.
Living In The Eastern Woodlands. My poem is The Green Party Party
[Reply]
It was a lot of fun – don’t know how it started, but flowed and ended well (I think)
Used all the 13 words… great set of words, thank you!
http://monthofapril2008.blogspot.com/2009/09/life-stage.html
[Reply]
I’ve searched in caves
and hidden crevasses,
Across deserts of sand
to snowy mountain passes,
Trudged through the swamps
of unknown dark places,
Run life’s footrace in fear
from men with painted faces.
In search of what I knew not
until in a dawn storm it occurred,
Thunder roared the question,
“Is there a perfect word?”
[Reply]
Well, that worked great!
“Is there a perfect word?”
[Reply]
I worked four of these words into this week’s offering:
Release
http://velveteenrabbi.blogs.com/blog/2009/09/read-write-prompt-92-release.html
[Reply]
A recipe for relaxation
The scent of white clover sweetens
The air. A remedy that removes the
Sorry husk of day, a confection that
Conforms to the brightly charged
Life in the limelight and when the
Lights grow dim and laughter has
Turned to bitter scofflaws, only a
Pittance of this perfume will induce
The arrival of comfort.
The hip adulations of the multitudes
linger less than the glow of fire-flies
and offers only tempory relief.. Suck deeply
The juices from life’s sweetest plums
Then let untroubled sleep overtake us all.
[Reply]
Rallentanda replied:
September 17th, 2009 at 8:06 am
Very impressive use of the 13 words. Lovely
Shakespearean quality in the second stanza.
Reminiscent of’our little life is rounded with a sleep’ Lovely poem .Chapeau!
[Reply]
Cynthia Short replied:
September 17th, 2009 at 4:16 pm
this was lovely, the last two lines were a complete poem unto themselves…
[Reply]
Nathan replied:
September 20th, 2009 at 6:14 pm
You handle the words wonderfully. I really like “the hip adulations of the multitudes / linger less than the glow of fire-flies.”
[Reply]
My offering this morning…warning: it is LONG! Get yourself a cup of tea as you read:
Lost Man, River Town
And oh — I’ma let you finish, but Read Write Poem is the greatest poetry site of all time! *evil cackle* I hope y’all forgive my sense of humour today — the caffeine is hitting me major big time this morning.
[Reply]
A sonnet for your troubles?
Mary, Mary
[Reply]
These were some interesting words that took my mind to a very ugly place – the life of a celebrity. I call it “STARLET”
Cynthia
http://cynthiashort.blogspot.com
[Reply]
Mine’s a wee poem, so I’ve used just a few words:
Draft of the Week, #7
[Reply]
Several words:
Confection
[Reply]
[...] be sure to read other poets’ responses to this [...]
Here’s mine:
http://intothewoode.blogspot.com/2009/09/readwritepoem-wordle-prompt-92.html
[Reply]
Rallentanda replied:
September 18th, 2009 at 12:38 am
A breezy languid summer poem reminiscent of
‘Puck’s Song’
‘I must go seek some dew drops here
And hang a pearl in every cowslip’s ear’
Beautiful poem
[Reply]
Mine is about a Torch Singer
[Reply]
Reply to Donald Harbour
Is there a perfect word?
Yes
[Reply]
Donald Harbour replied:
September 17th, 2009 at 10:33 am
Knowing this, you possess that which was lost but is now found.
[Reply]
[...] http://readwritepoem.org/blog/2009/09/17/get-your-poem-on-92/?utm_source=microblog&utm_medium=s... a few seconds ago from web [...]
Wow!! Look at all these poets posting their words! How exciting!
Here is mine to add to the word mix:
http://juliejordanscott.typepad.com/jjspoetry/2009/09/for-later-rwp-prompt-92.html
[Reply]
My first offering for this prompt is “ÍDE”, a departure from my usual prose.
http://zouxzoux.wordpress.com/2009/09/17/ide/
[Reply]
[...] The words I chose from the prompt are in italics. Thanks to Jessica for these inspiring words. You may read other poet’s offerings here. [...]
My draft for this week – “Instructions for Sleep”
http://djvorreyer.wordpress.com/2009/09/17/readwritepoem-prompt-92-wordle-madness/
After 9/21, please use the password readwritepoem to view and comment. Thanks.
[Reply]
These words were exactly what I needed for…
Omens on my Forty-Ninth Birthday
[Reply]
I was given two small hips by my parents
Slowly growing round
Now I’m older and they are broken down
Medicine men examined them
In two and three dimensions
black and white rays of x
the imagination of magnetic resonance
Soon I’ll sleep
While surgeons cut confections of bone and gristle
Separating and reconstructing parts
Femur husks and sockets
So hips can recall their swing
Yesterday’s limelight puckered this sour body
A profession that rubbed bones sashimi raw
Even so
today’s pain is a pittance
in exchange
for the freedom
sweat
and airborne fantasies
of a dancer
now past her prime
Hope knows the choreography
She’s rehearsed a thousand times
She’s prepared to tango
This foreboding duet
An unfortunate encore
Just me
and mortality’s unforgiving embrace
[Reply]
Here are my humble mumblings for Prompt #92. http://shimshonaword.wordpress.com/
We will read and be read I guess…Its my first time trying to reach across on this site. Look forward to it. ;o)
[Reply]
Dana Guthrie Martin replied:
September 17th, 2009 at 11:55 pm
You’re doing it all just right. Let us know if you have any questions. And check out the About and Help tabs in the navigation bar.
[Reply]
These words were just what I needed for…
Omens on my Forty-Ninth Birthday
(Forgot to sign in on earlier post, so this is a repeat in case it doesn’t show)
[Reply]
Here’s mine:
The Crow’s Lesson
[Reply]
All 13 words used (if you count the title): What Remedy?
[Reply]
First time here – hope I played right!
Hip Hip Hooray
[Reply]
lizenslin replied:
September 18th, 2009 at 9:26 am
(Had trouble leaving a comment on your blog, so I’ll put it here)
I enjoyed your witty use of the words “husk of “human, “picked piker’s plum.” It was an engaging read. Thanks
[Reply]
The Lap Dancer
[Reply]
With all the managing and whatnot of the site, I actually forgot to participate in the prompt this week. Second week in a row. I’m sad about that — but extremely excited to see such a large turnout!
[Reply]
Fun one – I think I used all but two of the words.
Poem is here – http://bluehookah.blogspot.com/2009/09/wordle-prompt.html
now off to browse…
[Reply]
A little late in the game, but here’s mine: http://disorder1313.wordpress.com/2009/09/18/two-poems/
[Reply]
Hi. First-timer, delurking.
[Reply]
Sorry I’m so late, I have the flu…
Confectioners Insurance
[Reply]
I, too, had the flu! I’m afraid I never got to last week’s prompt, but reworked and reposted an older poem of mine. I’ll be reading everyone’s poems later this evening!
http://freckledwriter.blogspot.com/2009/09/autumnal-relief.html
[Reply]
Here is my post – "regarding the head"
[Reply]
[...] This is the result of staring at the word list from Read Write Prompt #92: Word Gems. I think I used them all. Go here to see what others made of the same list. [...]