by Deb Scott
This week’s words were offered up by community members Joanne Johns and Neil Reid. In addition to some of the words they left in our Wordle Word Bank, I purloined an extra word from each of their blogs, grabbing just one from their last post.
To write to this prompt, pick as many (or few) of these words as you want and write a poem using them. (And if these words don’t suit you, pick your own. Just write a poem.) If you want to share some of your favorite words for an upcoming Read Write (Word) Prompt, head on over to the Wordle Word Bank, in the member site and contribute in our “General Words” forum. (Do it!)
Enjoy this week’s words, no matter whose you chose.
Deb Scott is a community director for Read Write Poem. She also co-manages the Read Write Poem Virtual Book Tour. In past lives she used to borrow her friends clothes all the time. She doesn’t do that anymore, but she does steal her husband’s dessert on occasion. Deb blogs at Stoney Moss.
Hi, Deb and Neil — I do apologize if Deb’s post today was meant to gently point out that I used the phrase “barely audible” (title of Neil’s blog) in my comment upon the last “American Life in Poetry” installment here on RWP. Reading Neil’s blog on a regular basis, I came to consider that phrase as really beautiful, and it seemed the perfect way to describe the short “a” sounds in that ALP poem. I am often influenced by the words in postings here on RWP and in members’ blogs (stealing? borrowing? I still don’t know for sure). If you, Deb & Neil, feel that I have transgressed boundaries of propriety, please do feel free to contact me directly. Of course I want to be a good member of this community, and of all my poetry communities, and you can help me do so by reinforcing your “sharing” guidelines and limits if necessary. Neil & Deb (or anyone else here on RWP): please feel free to use the title of my blog “Stowaways” in any of your future poems.
Deb Scott replied:
January 8th, 2010 at 9:15 am
Hi Therese!
I was trying to come up with a clever little title about using words and had absolutely no idea you borrowed a word or two of Neil’s, even his blog name. And while Neil is very much a regular around here (hi, Neil), the phrase is a common one.
This post is only a prompt and has no other meaning or point.
We all play off one another, and there are no limits that can be placed on the influence of our cohorts, nor do we really want to limit them, do we?
Finding a word or two, here or there, are like gleanings on a field. Nourishing. We all gain from each other. Words are everyone’s property! Even playing off someone else’s idea is fair game, as long as we are forthcoming about it. And you, my dear, are forthcoming, though in this case there is no need to apologize that I can see.
Be well.
rallentanda replied:
January 8th, 2010 at 9:55 am
Neil’s blog is ‘bearly audible’ not ‘barely
audible’.
Deb Scott replied:
January 8th, 2010 at 10:20 am
Did I mention I can’t spell? And that lately I have been misreading words?
Just yesterday: peril instead of patrol. It’s not my eyes, it’s my brain.
rallentanda replied:
January 8th, 2010 at 11:00 am
It’s not a question of spelling.The point was that Therese used the phrase ‘barely audible ‘
which is not the title of Neil’s blog so she didn’t need to worry after all.
I would never be so rude as to correct anyone’s spelling!Besides both of our English speaking countries have different spelling anyway.
Oh, well, I did think “barely audible” was the title of Neil’s blog. Homophones, at the least. Even at “barely,” it’s STILL a great title, all the more for its “double-entendre” (a word I picked up from David Moolten, I must confess!).
Therese Broderick replied:
January 8th, 2010 at 11:23 am
Typo — I meant “Even at “bearly” it’s STILL…”
I better just now be quiet.
I think I will work on a prompt using homonyms, next.
What a great word cloud! I have nabbed the words and am already contemplating what kind of poem they might fit into.
(By the way… it is so good for me to have these prompts, and this community, as I move through these early weeks of motherhood. It helps me feel as though I’m still connected with poetry and with the literary world, even though my life mostly consists of diapers and nursing right now. Thank you all so much for being here.)
Deb Scott replied:
January 8th, 2010 at 9:03 pm
We’re glad you are here, too! Enjoy the little bit of poetry time you have, now, with your wee one.
I like the word “purloined.”
Deb Scott replied:
January 8th, 2010 at 9:04 pm
It’s a great word, isn’t it?! Bonus points to everyone who uses it.
Well I seemed to have nearly missed out on this small snow flurry here! Don’t yet even really know the precise source – but no matter really.
So do you spell that Neil or Neal or Kneel? I get asked that a lot, so too my little blog “BEARLY Audible” might easily slip through with that same ambivalence of spelling. (And to a measure that little play with words is intentional. My little joke, a playful expression of myself historically put against that common phrase.) (I used to be so so shy!) (And Bear is a nickname sometimes given me. My secret revealed!)
And Deb (hi Deb!) is completely right! Words is words and here for us to use. I have no remorse at stealing (borrowing) anything I can get away with doing! Using my blog name (spelled right or not) is only flattering and amusing to me! So too Therese, whatever was writ is fine by me. Nothing, no fishhook, for you to remove or apologize for at all. I only admire and appreciate your participation here!
[...] stinkers I’m putting out! Fortunately, the RWP Poetry Mini-Challenges (here’s a link to the current one) encourage all sorts of poems to come into the world, even the stinkers (or maybe especially the [...]
Well, I’m new to this website but I think this is where you post responses, right?
http://oleacae.blogspot.com/
These words were really fun to work with, and really difficult.
Deb replied:
January 11th, 2010 at 12:41 pm
Hi, hi! We post poems Thursday, in the Get Your Poem On post.
Please be sure to read the Abouts in the About tab!
Here is mine poem from this wordie word bank. It is called “I am an enthusiast”. This was a lot of fun for me.
http://flaubert-poetrywithme.blogspot.com
Deb Scott replied:
January 11th, 2010 at 12:42 pm
Hi all the new people!
Come back Thursday and post your link then. That way more people will see it.
And be sure to read all the Abouts in the About tab, above.
I meant my. Now only if my typing would keep up with my brain, lol
Hmmmmmmmmmmmmm
I gave the prompt a try not sure how I did though.
>http://bsrpoetryjournal.blogspot.com/<
Deb Scott replied:
January 11th, 2010 at 11:32 pm
Come back Thursday, Brandy. That’s when the Get Your Poem On post runs. That’s where we leave links. (Don’t want anyone to miss out!)
Hmmmmmmmmmmm yeah
Interesting how words can trigger memories
Love
http://www.wendysmuse.blogspot.com
Deb Scott replied:
January 11th, 2010 at 12:43 pm
Come back Thursday, Wendy. That way more folks will see your response.
Great words!
[...] Process notes: Based on a wordle, with words offered up by community members Joanne Johns and Neil Reid in the Wordle Word Bank, and in addition, Deb Scott purloined an extra word from each of their blogs, grabbing just one from their last post. Read Write Poem post here. [...]
Hurray for completing my first-ever prompt! Do I get a cookie? I am open to review and gentle suggestions.
“This Question”
Sundered sugar packets spill
Granules of precious white sweetness
Across the table
While
A drawing of Hercules battling Hydra
Hangs over her shoulder
Half-hidden by her honey-hair
This question is sticky
Like the spoons spackled
To cheap paper napkins
In this elite coffee shop
Where pierced, tattooed muses
Serve up
Venti -soy -non-fat- decaf-no froth-no whip- skinny- vanilla -lattes
She twists her simple ring around her finger
The stones shining crisply
As she looks in my eyes expectantly
Knowing
Full well that I will bear the brunt
Of any fertile decisions made today
Over Formica tables stained with brown rings
Above the din of coffee enthusiasts
I clear my throat from being silent too long
And I set my cup down slowly with purpose
Intention
Staring into her face
I reach under the table and gently
Place my trembling hand upon her thigh
Beth replied:
January 12th, 2010 at 2:11 pm
D’oh. Leave it to me to miss the obvious! I already know what I’m going to be told: post this on Thursday under “Get Your Poem On”.
Sorry, Everybody…nothing to see here…
Deb Scott replied:
January 13th, 2010 at 6:56 am
What I like about using these prompts is that it forces me to expand my thinking. While the spin is always my own, the use of a set of words sometimes leads me to places I wouldn’t have gone.
Thanks to RWP for that.
[...] Poem Mini-Challenge (to write six poems about starting over in six days). It was also written for Read Write Poem Prompt #109: Beg, Borrow, Steal, which was a Wordle prompt. I managed to use a good percentage of words from the [...]
Here’s mine. I had to change a hero for a Titan to make it work:
http://keepingsecrets-karen.blogspot.com/2010/01/winter-tarry.html
Want to hear something sad? When I posted, I thought it was Thursday! Ha!
[...] * * A Read Write Wordle prompted this poem, using the words: brunt, drawing, elite, fertile, froth, enthusiast, Hercules, [...]
[...] brunt, drawing, fertile, Hercules, enthusiast, elite, froth, sundered, question, shouldered, thigh, simple, stones [...]
Hi,
I used all of the words except Hercules. The poem is called “I am an enthusiast”.
http://flaubert-poetrywithme.blogspot.com
[...] she spit a fertile froth at Hercules and watched it drip to his thigh she thought it was a waste of beer and regretted once he left she hadn't shouldered stones to the chamber where she let him question her brunts & sunder her drawings it would have been so simple to throw & then he'd never leave head tilted more elite than the sun she was no enthusiast for violence but couldn't be undone written in response to read write prompt 109: beg, borrow, steal [...]
Wow I think I left out a word or two but maybe I can get back there. That was fun along 109 too.