Welcome to day 3 of the October open write for educators! We are so glad you are here. Read the inspiration, process, and mentor poem below, and then scroll to the bottom to compose your poem. Please respond to at least three other poets.
Inspiration
In this time of unpredictability and unexpected events, I admit to enjoying moments that are organized and contained. We all have stories that we want to tell or topics we want to express our take on. The abecedarian form is one of my favorite forms that allows free creativity inside of a somewhat flexible frame.
Process
The abecedarian is an ancient poetic form guided by alphabetical order. Generally each line or stanza begins with the first letter of the alphabet and is followed by the successive letter, until the final letter is reached. The form was frequently used in ancient cultures for sacred compositions, such as prayers, hymns, and psalms. There are numerous examples of abecedarians in the Hebrew Bible; one of the most highly regarded is Psalm 118 (or 119 by King James numbering). It consists of twenty-two eight-line stanzas, one for each letter of the Hebrew alphabet. Chaucer’s “An ABC” is an excellent medieval example of the form. He crafted his translation of a French prayer into twenty-three eight-line stanzas that follow the alphabet (minus J, U, V, and W).
While it seems natural for them to be 26 lines–one for each letter of the alphabet, they don’t have to be. The letters can weave into however many lines work best for you (see the second example) and the lines can be short or long.
You can write about anything in an abecedarian, so let your imagination run free!
Here are some examples:
- https://poets.org/poem/hummingbird-abecedarian
- https://poets.org/poem/primer-daily-round
Cara’s Poem
A hot summer is followed
by a
cooling autumn.
Despite the greenness of Oregon,
every summer has been getting hotter,
fires have abounded, and our
green lushness is threatened.
Here in the Willamette Valley,
instead of
joyful falls full of
kaleidoscope
leaves, we are
made to breathe
noxious air, the
oxygen stuck in
poisonous sepia tones.
Questioning
rarely produces
suitable answers. Manifest
thoughts of a cleaner
universe,
veritably
worthy of scrubbing the
xanthic sky. We continue
yearning, longing for a
zephyr of change.
Your Turn
Now, scroll to the comment section below to write your own poem. (This is a public space, so you may use only your first name or initials depending on your privacy preferences.) Not ready? That’s okay. Read the poems already posted for more inspiration. Ponder your own throughout the day. Return later. And, if the prompt does not work for you, that is fine. All writing is welcome. Just write something. Also, please be sure to respond to at least three writers. Oh, and a note about drafting: Since we are writing in short bursts, we all understand (and even welcome) the typos and partial poems that remind us we are human and that writing is always becoming. If you’d like to invite other teachers to write with us, tell them to subscribe.
Our Host
Cara lives in Salem, Oregon where she is beginning her 26th year at South Salem High School. She teaches World Literature and Philosophy, Creative Writing, and remedial reading. She spends her free time with her two sons (ages 19 and 16) and Maté, her Goldendoodle.
Letters of the Lord
A is for the Authority of the most High
B is for the Bravery He sends from the sky
C is for the Confusion satan taught
D is for the Diligence the Lord brought
E is for the Exceptional guidance He gives
F is for the Faith we have in Him
G is for the Goodness He always provides
H is for the Heavenly gates that one day, we will see with our own eyez
I is for the Intelligence He gives us to survive
J is for the greatest Judge there will ever be
K is for the Kindness He instilled in we
L is for the Love that He gives … unconditionally
M is for Mary who birthed His son … biblically
N is for the Nature He created for us
O is for the Oceans because water is a must
P is for all the People who follow His teachings
Q is the Quietness we have when He is speaking
R is the Redemption He gives for us all
S is for the Sense He gives us to call
T is for Trouble that we may end up in; the Lord will hold us through thick and thin
U is for the Umbrellas we use when it rains
V is for Victory when we call on His name
W is for the Worth that we feel
X is for the X‐ray of our soulz, which helps us heal
Y is for Yaweh which is another one of His names
Z is for the voice of Zechariah when he stated his claims
Each of these letters are reflections of the Lord … and His reign
This is a new form for me. It was tough. I combined it with an observation poem I was writing for a class.
A
barren tree,
colorless, with
dry leaves barely holding onto the
edges of branches
feels lonely amidst the
green grass and trees.
Holding onto memories,
its gray branches
jostle in the wind,
keeping the rustling close,
leaves kissing before
meeting the end when
nothing can keep them together.
Old, crinkled leaves
part ways on the wind
quickly floating,
reminiscing of better days,
sinking to the ground
to be raked
until broken and bagged, a
vague remnant. Soft
whispers
exhale to the
yearly
zenith of fall.
I really enjoyed reading this! My poems usually rhyme so it was cool to read such an awesome poem.
Dear Writer,
A moment in time to
be present and
centered in a space made for
delving into written
expression.
Finding the right words that
glean a semblance of meaning.
Hoping to convey
inspiration
joy
kinship.
Looking to write something
meaningful and
not frivolous.
Often being open to simply getting words, any words, on the
page.
Questing to be a writer
requires so much patience and grace toward
self. It has to be okay to spend
time writing badly
until…
Verily, I say, bad writing is
writing; even with
x-outs and scratch-throughs.
You are a writer. So, stay in the
zone, find your space, and write.
Donnetta, this is a great piece. You should share it with your students.
Wow! I agree on this being a great piece! Your writing is exceptional! Keep it up.
Thank you, Cara, for this lovely prompt! Although it was one of those days were I felt completely uninspired, I am SO glad to have this group to lean on and to encourage me to write (especially on the tough days!)
Ode to Us Poets
At the end of a long
busy Monday, I
can hardly conjure up
dinner plans, much less an
enlightening poem.
Forgive me, I am a teacher. So
gracious and so
harebrained.
I can’t help, though, but to
jot down a few words. The
key to any habit (like writing) is to
log time each day,
make it your priority, and
never expect to be inspired.
Oh, I know this
poem will go down as
questionable. But the
real point is to build
stamina. I want
to test the limits, to try new things, to tumble, to
unite with a community of
voracious readers and
writers around the a-
xis of Earth.
You all inspire me–this
zany group of poets.
Rachelle,
I am so glad you powered through uninspired day to still find time to write. I love how you played with you X word, ingenious.
Rachelle,
Mondays ARE hard–this week especially with parent conferences looming. I would love to share this with students who feel a little blocked and give up–no, I would say, look! You just have to power through and see what can happen? An awesome poem!
…and
never expect to be inspired
What a TRUE line to remember. Just show up on the page. I’ll misquote William Stafford and say we don’t write because we have something to say; we write to discover what it is we have to say.
Thank you for this lovely gift of a poem!
I particularly love “and never expect to be inspired” – and several other lines in this poem as well, like “poem will go down questionable,” and “so gracious and harebrained.”. Its funny – you may have felt uninspired, but I think you created a pretty good poem about being uninspired!
Wow! If this is how you write, uninspired, I am looking forward to seeing some of your inspired works! Great job!
Thank you for showing up to the page. You never know what will end up on the page. Your poem was worth it.
Cara – this prompt challenged me! I don’t think I’ve ever written a poem this long! With the focus on the alphabet, I thought my topic should be my daughter’s process of learning to read!
The World is Yours
Alphabet in primary colors
bedecked her bedroom walls from the first.
Cartoon letters and silly songs she
danced to, lisping
each sound. And then
for certain a bedtime story before each
goodnight: On the Night You Were Born, and
here’s Ferdinand to fairy tales. Tonight she won’t sleep until
I read her the last chapter of Narnia’s, Prince Caspian.
Goodness knows I’ve been so eager
(knowing some never do) for her own discovery of
Love of Books: escapedreamingdiscoveringself!
Making strides with Bob Books, then
Noticing her anxieties, tears at moments!
Owning my own expectations, removing
Pressure I placed upon her.
Quite a difference to see her
Rolling on the floor over Elephant and Piggie (I
still read the hard words) Frog and
Toad, and Aunt Eater’s Mystery I’ll share
until she’s standing firm. She’s on the
verge of falling into
wide worlds that will take her far
x-ing hear and there.
Yes, my darling
zany girl: the world is yours.
Emily,
Wow! This brought back SO many memories of reading with my sons. Elephant and Piggie–one of our favorites! I love the weaving in of book titles and series and how the alphabet just fades in the reading of the words (I love that about some abecedarians). Last, I’m proud of you for going long–there were ways to shorten it up and you leaned in. Yay!
Emily,
I can just picture you sitting down to read to your daughter before bed. I love how you stated you removed your expectations and pressure. ??
Sorry Cara pushed to write 26 lines of poetry, she really is a fan of the abecedarian poetry style.
Oh, Emily…you bring back such wonderful memories for me! And this…. “escapedreamingdiscoveringself”. What a world you are giving your zany child…
This poem, to me, brought back some amazing memories of my own. Because I teach juniors and seniors (and don’t have any young children of my own), it’s humbling to remember the building blocks of learning to read.
I love the history of reading in this special poem. I would love to try this for my son and daughter.
My son just got married. His wedding was postponed from last year. I thought I’d try to write about a happy event today.
Worth the Wait
By Mo Daley 10-18-21
A breath of fresh air comes in
dreamily evoking feelings of glee—
happily imparting jubilant kisses
like meteors
navigating our planet quickly
radiant stars trace
unbelievable visibility—
a wedding for the xenogeny,
young and zany
Mo,
What a lovely tribute to your son and his betrothed. It’s one of those poems, that had you not bolded the letters, it would take a reading or two to notice the letters–and I love that. This is my favorite line:
Mo—congratulations! And thank you for those radiant stars tracing unbelievable visibility!
Mo, what fun! This is a lovely tribute to the worth the wait special day. I had to look up x, but then your x, y and z made me smile even more.
So interesting how you worked “xenogeny” into your poem! That’s an inspiration all on it’s own! Ingenious!
Cara, thanks for this prompt! I enjoyed playing around with this structure. It was really hard for me! But fun, too. I really liked your examples!
At any given second, your
Best moment
Could be just
Down the street. Or maybe
Even right in
Front of you.
Glimpses of the
Happiness that lies
In waiting.
Joyous times you’ll
Keep and
Love in your
Memory. For
Now, be
Open to new
Possibilities and
Quest for peace
Rest.
So that when
Those
Ultimately
Vivacious days come, you’ll say,
Wow. I’m ready.
XOXO,
Your
Zesty friend, Life.
OMG this is brilliant! Fun advice, honest living! I love it!
You made this look so natural and it flows perfectly!
Madison, you say this was hard for you, but your poem seems effortless and not at all forced by the constraints of the format. Wonderful!
Madison,
Like Mo, I agree, the poem seems effortless–so you won over the challenge. It has a bubbling light to it that I really like. So many great lines I can’t choose! Nice poem. 🙂
very cool!! Talking to life and living it, free!!
You made it seem effortless! The description flows from one line to the other seamlessly! I applaud you!??
Hi Cara,
Your poem is glorious and it put me at ease after I panicked from the prompt. LOL. I hate the end of the alphabet. Never could understand why more words we know and love aren’t UVWXYZ! So thank you for pushing me today.
The ABCs of Equity
All
Because
Children
Deserve
Equity
Fortified with
Generous
Healthy
Intentional
Joy
Keep their
Learning
Motivating
Not
Onerous
Pushing out
Quick
Remediation
Seldomly
Teaches
Understanding
Validate scholars
Work hard
eXamine
Yourself and be a
Zealot for equity
©Stacey L. Joy, October 18, 2021
Stacey,
Yes, I wish all teachers were zealots for equity. Thank you for sharing today.
Stacey — The kiddos you teach are so lucky to have your strong voice at their backs. You are a “zealot for equity,” and I am so grateful. This whole cohort of teacher poets is one mighty force for everything your poem says… yes, yes, yes! Thank you and thanks to all teacher poets here! Susie
PQRSTU- Preach! I get so frustrated by those who think teaching a quick mini lesson will fix everything. Your poem makes me feel seen.
Stacey,
This is amazing! Your last two stanzas–PREACH!! The end of the alphabet can be onerous (to steal your word), but you rocked it!
Yes. Yes. Yes. A zealot for equity…
Thank you, Stacey, for this beautiful primer with your patient and unrelenting voice for justice. May I continue to examine myself and be a zealot for equity.
Standing up to cheer for this!
Cara,
Thank you for this fun prompt. I know you love the abecedarian poetry style. Please note there is no coffee, Tupac, or knitting in this poem. However you will know what is is inspired by/for you when you get there.
After a
Beautiful
Crisp
Day spent
Enjoying
Falls
Glorious colors along the
Highway into the
Isolated mountain range
Just cruising along
Keeping up with traffic
Listening to
Music of
Notorious B.I.G.
Oak Ridge Boys
Panic! At the Disco and
Queen
Rushing wind blows in as the
Setting sun is peaking
Through the
Winding twists and turns until we are
Under the stars with the
Valley back in view time to
X-tricate ones self
Yest again heading in to get
Zzz…
I love the winding twists of this on the road poem agains the music of the Oak Ridge Boys. Very clever story.
Hi DeAnna,
I visualized every moment! Beautiful images. Great choice to end with zzz!
DeAnna – I love this! I particularly love that it feels like stream of consciousness – as if I were driving in a car through twists and turns with the wind in my hair – it is delightful and refreshing!
DeAnna,
It’s not like you’re forbidden from those topics… 😉
I love this. It is the perfect meandering poem soundtrack to driving the curvy mountain roads here in Northwest Oregon.
I love that I can see and hear this poem. The poem goes from some tranquil imagery like the isolated mountain range to some high-energy allusions to Notorious B.I.G. and Panic! The rushing wind blowing is refreshing!
I tried to mimic Nemerov’s sonnet! Thank you, Cara, for this fun prompt!
Airport Abecedarian
A pours absinthe, while B taps on his phone,
C checks the gate arrival time for D
While E extends to F a stick of gum
G bounces H and I upon his knee.
Yet J stares out the window, thinks of love
While K announces boarding at the gate.
L nudges M and N: it’s time to move
O gathers P and Q and sets them straight.
The R is roaring in for landing now
S sends his ETA to T by text
U ushers passengers past V somehow
And W waves “Welcome Home!” for X.
Y scours baggage claim; Z calls a Lyft
While A stares at her emerald green absinthe.
What fun to sit in the waiting room with you observing the points on of the Abcedarians! Almost makes me want to start traveling again. Have the fun was making up stories about others we see!
Allison,
I love people watching the airport is such a fun place to do that. You Airport Abecedarian poem is people watching through words. Thank you for sharing today.
This is a really cool take on that earlier examples! I like how all of the characters here are in the same place but all doing different things. I could picture the airport so easily just from these few simple descriptions!
Allison… Oh! And then you fly right back to the absinthe! Genius! Howard would’ve been so proud of this poem you’ve written. I was there at the airport, in the cellphone lot, texting…and best of all, that green absinthe! LOL! Love it! Susie
This made me giggle. Especially the gathering of P and Q. We need to set our P’s and Q’s straight! Thank for the fun.
Fantastic, Allison! This poem reminded me of a lesson my writing project leader taught where we went to a train station to take notes and find our poems hiding in the station. Wow, you nailed this with such a unique way to use the letters too.
This poem is phenomenal! You are phenomenal! Teach me!!
????????
Amen, Stacey! I agree.
Dang Allison,
You nailed it! This sounds like an alphabet party in boarding gate 26! I love that you used Nemerov as your muse, too, sonnets are your jam. 🙂
Allison, this was so enjoyable to read! I hope you also enjoyed writing it. Bravo!
Alison, what a mentor poem! I want to write an abecedarian poem now from a busy place. I love the details so much here, I can see H and I bouncing on G’s knee. It sounds like you had a long layover! That last line cracked me up.
[Cara – this was a challenge indeed, and I have to say that it was Scott’s poem that actually launched my poem. Thanks to you both! Susie]
LETTER TO LETTER TO YOU
All the letters in the alphabet,
be they Bs or Js or Xs or Qs, I
can’t help being
downright amazed, sometimes confused, that we can toss
each of them together,
fuse them with creativity,
grit, and at least shoot for sense, maybe even sensitivity.
Harmonizing our rules, guidelines
into the bucket of brains, heart, spleen,
jumbled neurons, all of which stir into a brew
keen with intent, we
lacquer them on the white space.
Macerating and reshaping letters into
nuanced ideas,
open articulations,
purpose,
quarrels in our craw, we serve them up with curried spice,
rearrange for impact,
scrape off the excess, or not, offer the potion, enticement
to others so they might deconstruct for stance,
understanding,
voice perchance.
We hope for more than chaos tossed to the wind, more than
xenotransplants from me to you without true connection,
you and I, instead, actuating, touching letter to letter,
zymosis, brewing up and fermenting our shared notions.
by Susie Morice, October 18, 2021©
“Macerating and reshaping letters into
nuanced ideas,
open articulations,
purpose,”—love this…and zymosis! (Had to look that one up!)
So much to chew on here!
“into the bucket of brains, heart, spleen”–ah, yes.
Your musician’s ear once again delivers a poem bubbling over with sounds, glorious sounds! That you are able to deliver such a rich message about the sharing of ideas while also serving up a veritable auditory buffet is nothing short of amazing!
Thank you for this epicurean delight of a poem!
Susie, you make this look easy and effortless! I was several lines in before I caught on that you were following the pattern; that’s how compelling you made this (and I, of course, love a good “meta poem”). (I’m glad my poem “helped,” but know that I use quotation marks because I think your poem was percolating inside you all along; parts of your poem today are in direct conversation with your cool poem “POOF!” from yesterday.) Two moments, specifically, that had me smiling in your poem today: “rearrange for impact,” and “scrape off the excess, or not.” Yep. Lol. Some days it’s fine tuning after fine tuning (endlessly tweaking into the night) and other days it’s, “good enough.” So true! Thank you, as always, for writing and sharing!
Susie, my goodness! How do you do what you do with these prompts? I imagine you sitting with a cup of coffee, a journal, and dawn’s early light peeking in your window. Then as soon as you pick up your pen, the poem flows nonstop on the page. Gosh, I don’t even know how you store the vocabulary for future use and just the right times. Genius. Pure genius. I could copy/paste the whole thing and say this was outstanding!
Your fan and friend,
Stacey
Susie,
The words you use are just delicious and a tribute to our versatile and sometimes frustrating alphabet. Lacquer, macerating, nuanced, articulations and more just are so much fun to say and read. Such a fun read!
Susie, wow. This is just beautiful and so clever. It took me until about letter F to remember this was also an abecedarian poem. Very clever.
You thought of so many wonder word choices! Lacquer, macerating, xenotransplants, fuse and jumbled. And the title is magical.
Thanks for this fun challenge, Cara!
Becoming
By Nancy White
I haven’t Always thought it could
Be possible
that I Could Do
Everything I wanted. But,
Fighting the Gargantuan obstacles
Has Instilled in me a
Jarring Kind of Love for Myself.
I will Never give Other things Permission to
Quietly Rob and Silence me!
Today I celebrate my Uniqueness and Value my own Wonderfulness, grateful that I’m no Xerox copy of anyone else. You be you. I’ll be me.
We can
Zip through this life together.
Nancy, the mantra at the end is so powerful! Celebrating our uniqueness and valuing our wonderfulness is a needed daily vow!
I love Zipping through this life with you, Sis! This is a strong poem.
Nancy, this struck me particularly in the person pledge to be who God created us each to be! My husband worked for Xerox Corporation and employees often complained that the company name was becoming both an adjective and a verb. In your poem you embued with meaning utilized this unique copying concept as only a poet could!
Nancy — I sure do love the strong voice in this poem. You are surely no “Xerox/copy of anyone”!!! Way to go! Susie
Take me zipping with you!!!
This is a really fun poem! I like how in some of these lines, the words with the next letters come one right after the other. “A/Jarring Kind of Love for Myself.” I love it.
Standing and clapping over here!! I’m falling in deep for any poem that speaks to me about being me! Love it!
Boom! ?
Nancy, what fun this is! I love what you did with the lines and that long line is a reminder of your own uniquely YOU perspective. If only we would all be free to be ourselves. As Anna put it, to be the person God created each to be. Your poem is beautiful
Cara, thank you for your prompt. I enjoyed reading your bio!
Wishing for Peace and Understanding
autumn breeze cradles
death
earth’s fertilizer gently
holds
infinite joys; knitted
love;
mourning—Neoma’s offspring
pray
quiet reverent sentiments
together
unwavering valiant wishes
x’sando’s
yearning zealously
Barb. I felt the quiet. Bless you for that…
Barb, you amaze me with the absolute alphabet in order here. The winds of change cradling death and the mourning that follows with the quiet, reverent sentiments is sad and hopeful all at once. You are a wondrous weaver of words.
Barb — Holy cow, you wrote such a tight piece here. The tone is so tightly “knitted” as well. When I got to “quiet reverent sentiments,” I felt a real pang of somber sorrow. You were a wordsmithing voice today! Thank you. Susie
Breathtaking poem, Barb; single words to represent each alphabet letter – wow! That is amazing. I love the layout, the shifting between three word lines, one word, back and forth…reminds me of a breeze, which opens the poem.
Barb,
I feel this poem. So many I know who are currently morning and praying for strength to go on.
Squid Game for Teachers
“A has been eliminated,” noted the calm, robotic voice.
The official failed to notice that B REPLIED ALL in the last staff memo.
If it were up to C, people who replied to D, E, and F,
but are actually communicating with G, need to have their email
privileges revoked. In fact, H made a very clever Screencastify with I
that clearly explains the process.
J once again has left a thousand copies of God-knows-what in the copier,
and failed to replace the paper that belonged to K.
They have been eliminated.
“L has been eliminated.”
They were observed heating leftover salmon in the staff room’s microwave.
M became nauseous and threw up on N.
“O has been eliminated.”
Something to do with money. They knew better.
“P has been eliminated.”
It’s not their fault. They were surplused due to budget cuts.
“Q, R, S, T, U, V, and W have been eliminated.”
Wow! So many refused the vaccine? I’m surprised.
I thought they knew better after hearing the news about X, Y, and Z.
Shaun, your poem is so reminiscent of a school’s atmosphere and all the little dramas that can be played out; especially in a teacher’s lounge or meeting. I can just imagine how many would feel about salmon being heated in the microwave. Love the “Something to do with money. They knew better”! I’m imagining you can fill in each letter with an exact name. Very fun poem!
shaun–masterful! “J once again has left a thousand copies of God-knows-what in the copier,
and failed to replace the paper that belonged to K.
They have been eliminated.”
(and that is only right!!)
Shaun, Well crafted! I love that I was LOLing up until the last stanza, then I was, like, yikes. You started with a dark conceit (that I loved, having just finished binging the show) “eliminat[ing]” teachers for common missteps in judgement (and believe me, I’m with you — people who unjustly REPLY ALL are the worst) and then you moved to something even darker (the very real threat of people “refus[ing]” to vaccinate). That end caught me by surprise. Well done! I really enjoyed this.
Shaun,
I am new to the squid game having just heard of it on a terribly disturbing Saturday Night Live skit. I am glad to have had that intro, however, so that you allusions are more meaningful to me. This is so clever,and the bolded letters are fantastic.
Sarah
Whoa, Shaun, this is really a loaded poem…alphabet or not! I love the strong voice in a poem that on the surface could just be playful…but this just rips the haunting environment at school … or the office…or any of those workplaces that hand us 26 different ways of scrambling common sense. Well done! I loved reading this several times and finding myself almost yelling the final line: “I thought they knew better”!!! Cool poem! Thank you. Susie
And they ask me,
Because I see,
Certain letters with insanity.
Defying literacy
Even conspiracy,
Forever in my memory.
Gallop for my testimony
High riding on my carnival pony.
I make sense to me, but I am lonely.
Just envision all the letters,
Keystroking them to be betters,
Laboriously, searching the correct headers.
Mocking my capabilities as a trend setter,
Negating my efforts through shredder.
Oh, I cannot accomplish a task
Push, pull, unmask,
Quick and uncapable when asked.
Relentless, I ponder the alphabet
Searching for rhymes with regret.
Tormenting my mind, rushing, I’m not done, yet.
Understanding my tethered mission,
Verses weaken my mental condition
While exposing my inhibition.
X- ray the alpha-request,
Your composition, my mind- quest.
Zero! I did not pass the test.
-Boxer
Boxer, your line “rhymes with regret” helps your reader engage in the wit of your poem. I enjoyed the rhyme and rhythm you brought to us today. Thank you for sharing.
Boxer, your poem is like a wild wide. Loved the line “While exposing my inhibition” but I felt sad by the end.
Boxer,
I am begging to hear you read this aloud. These lines especially remind me of spoken word:
But that last line has quite the punch. Lingering with me.
Sarah
Boxer Moon, your poem, whether you intended it or not, reminds me of students who are dyslexic or have issues with seeing and understanding the script used to write English. I recently became a tutor for adult English Language Learners from Myanmar (Burma) where their home language uses a different script. While you’re writing about poetry, I see these men struggling to get “our” letters to mean something to them.
Boxer,
I feel the frustration! I feel the aloneness. Your poem makes me experience the frenetic search for words, rhymes, verses.
I love this:
“I make sense to me, but I am lonely.”
Although it may feel like a zero, I’d give you ?❗️
Cara, thank you for your mentor poem today! Your prompt proved too much for me, lol. I did, however, consciously use all the letters in the alphabet, without resorting to “The quick brown fox jumped over the lazy dog.” [Side question: Why does the dog have to be lazy in that pangram? That’ll be, perhaps, the subject of another poem, lol.]
___________________________________
I sometimes
marvel
that all
the books
in my
classroom
library
were written
using
the same
26 letter
alphabet,
from House
of Leaves
by Mark Z
Danielewski
to Horrorstör
by Grady
Hendrix
to Aristotle
and Dante
Discover
the Secrets
of the Universe
by Benjamin
Alire Sáenz,
and even,
if you
stop
to think
of it, this
poem,
too,
which
means
those
26 letters
need
to be
quite
versatile.
Oh Scott, this is intelligent and witty. What a great way to include all the letters. And your question about all the books written with the 26 letters is mind-blowing when processed! Thank you for sharing.
love this! The versatility of those letters…
Love this ode to the alphabet, Scott. And the line breaks certainly made it take the shape of the counting off of the many letters with the staccato rhythm. Thank you.
Scott, it’s amazing how poems, like your evoke memories of other amazing things. For instance, I hear my children’s music teacher telling them that European music, for the most part, is composed on just seven notes! It’s the creativity of the composer that makes the music sound different!
Scott — I love that you wrote this poem today. It was the poem that really inspired me as I tackled this writing. Thank you so much for that. You remain such a master of getting your thinking to the page… I love the whole darned thing. Susie
Scott,
I enjoyed your take on the abecedarian poem. It really is interesting how 26 letters make up the words we use to express ourselves.
Such a clever poem, Scott. You have crossed all your tees and found all the x, y, and z’s in this unique abecedarian with a message. Perfect!~
Your First
By: Emily Yamasaki
As the clock ticks
By each second, minute, hour
Can you hear the flames?
Drowning out the sobs and gasps
Even your eyelashes feel the
Force of the flames
Going in, the coffin
Hits the back wall of the furnace
I
Jolt
Knowing
Life ends differently and in a
Multitude of ways
No
One
Prepared us for the
Questions we would never ask
Red eyed
Sizzling
Tears
Unable to comprehend the
Vastness of the black ashes
Won’t forget, you mark it with a
X, attending your first cremation
You’ll never forget
Zeroing in on the flames
Wow, Emily, your repetition of flames is powerful and I got lost in your words that fit so well together that I forgot the form–fabulous!
Emily, you’ve captured so many emotions in this poem. The images are powerful From the jolt to the red eyed, I feel these tears. Your ending is tremendous! Powerful stuff! Thank you!
“Tears
Unable to comprehend the
Vastness of the black ashes”
one of the many incredible phrases.
Emily! This is searing and hot! What a wonderful description of a cremation. I experienced that ceremony once in Bali. I love the “Red eyed Sizzling Tears.”
Wow. Powerful, visceral poem. Love the alliteration, force, flames, furnace, forget. I feel the loss, the tragedy. It’s overwhelming.
This is amazing–such powerful imagery. That question in the third line is like a punch to the gut and really sets the tone for the rest of the poem. Super fascinating!
Cara, I loved this challenge! Nemerov’s poem is a beauty, so very clever. Your poem, too, is amazing – such a heartbreaking testament to the urgency of dealing with climate change; thank you for sharing with us what it is like to be living in the midst of these wildfires. You weaved in the alphabet in so many great lines; I am most awed by “worthy of scrubbing the/ xanthic sky.” Wow!
Falling Apart Alphabetically
Absolutely excited to
begin home improvements, the
contractor was summoned to
develop a plan of action.
Emotionally unprepared I was
for his first question,
Goodness, why is your ceiling sagging?
How is it that we never noticed?
I have asked this many times since.
Jarringly, it is all we see now.
Knowledge is sight, I suppose.
Lamentations aside, we have
mustered courage (though
nerves and tears still rule on many days) and we’re
opening ceilings
paying for blueprints
querying engineers contractors designers websites friends
rapidly learning about beams and
structures and foundations.
Things fall apart. Yes, indeed.
Unexpected challenges and loss, it is said, may also reap
very real opportunities, silver linings, transformation –
wisdom I should print on index cards or
xerox and post everywhere, reminding, as we
yearn for this work to be done, it simply
zigs and zags, ebbs and flows, starts and stalls.
“wisdom I should print on index cards or
xerox and post everywhere, reminding, as we
yearn for this work to be done, it simply
zigs and zags, ebbs and flows, starts and stalls.”
Home improvement as a metaphor for life. beautiful!
Maureen,
I’m glad you like the prompt. 🙂 This is just such a perfect depiction of home improvement in this challenging time! I particularly like this set of lines and how they turn to the positive:
Maureen, I love the nugget of truth here:
Things fall apart. Yes, indeed.
Such a topic of stress, and you laid it out with humorous questions and a plan of action going forward. I love the idea of Xeroxing reminders on index cards to remind you to check for needed repairs once in a while!
Oh my gosh, Maureen, I just LOVE this poem. Because I am an avid fan of This Old House and DIY and all that home repair stuff (and just finished another project this weekend–new stairs off the deck…holy cow), I feel your pain with the “sagging ceiling” that went unnoticed …HA! So so easy to just not notice what doesn’t fall down on our heads. I am wishing you few “ebbs” and no “stalls.” May it all go like clockwork and come in under budget! Hugs, Susie
“Falling Apart Alphabetically” is a great title. I read about this work before, and now to see how you have transformed the process into an abecedarian poem is all the richer. I love the “zigs and zags” line; so well-stated for what happens in any remodeling effort. However, this is a big job, as you have cleverly crafted with “querying engineers”, “rapidly learning…” and “structures and foundations” and other lines. I hope your pray and yearning for it to be done will be soon.
Cara, what a challenge today! Thank you! I love the examples you shared, and I like your poem, which clearly shows you can write about anything, as you said, and use the ABC pattern for each line. Your poem brings out all the pain and horror of climate change and the fires in the west. God help us to have again:
My husband and I brainstormed some of the things we love about Bahrain and I just wrote them in this list poem.
The ABCs of Bahrain
Al Raja School and
Bahrainis, so helpful and kind,
Camping in the desert and
Doctors at American Mission Hospital,
English Language Congregation and
Freedom to worship here,
Galleries of arts and crafts and
Hummus at our favorite restaurant,
Indian food in dear ones homes and
Juices, freshly squeezed,
Karak tea at
Lumee and
Mango gelato at
Naseef,
Onions from India for thirty cents a pound and
Petrol for less than $2 a gallon,
Quality of friendships are family now,
Rava dosa with dried fruits and nuts at
Sangeetha’s,
Table crowded with friends and
Unceasing hospitality,
Vinolia and Victoria, dear friends, and
World Trade Center of Bahrain,
eXpatriates bringing their cultures here,
You, should you want to come and visit, and
Zaatar and labneh on khubz
Denise, what an ode to Bahrain! I want to jump on an airplane and see for myself! This is lovely. It is so clear that you and your husband have found much to treasure. I am particularly delighted by this line/phrasing:
Indian food in dear ones homes
I love that – “dear ones”!
so many things here I wish I could experience myself!! “You, should you want to come and visit”–oh, how I wish! (and i love this side comment within the poem!!!)
Denise,
Like the others, now I want to go to Bahrain. Your poem paints a vivid picture of a vibrant city–but I was especially intrigued by the food lines:
Now I’m hungry.
Denise, your adventures always pique my interest – – I think it’s neat that you married a list poem and an abecedarian poem to arrive at the things you count as your blessings. I particularly love
Table crowded with friends and
Unceasing hospitality
What a beautiful image!
Yeah, Kim — I agree…marrying the list poem with the Abecedarian poem is perfect! Susie
Denise, I want to go there! I feel the beauty in the traditions, the savory foods, the refreshing drinks, and most of all the love and joy of the people. Thanks for this taste of life in Bahrain! Very clever and well done!
Wow, Denise! This is sooo cool! I want you to write more of these autobiographical/geo-present poems. I think about you a lot, living so doggone far away, and this poem just brings you right to us. I get excited to even THINK about Bahrain and you being there experiencing all this great stuff. What a dandy list poem! Just really a doozy! Thank you. Susie
Okay, Cara! You got me on this one! Writing this poem brought out both angst and pride as I reflected on the games people played with my name! Yes, I had to make up word to stay with the prompt, but that one of the joys of writing poetry – poetic license. Didn’t the Bard do it, too! Thanks for the challenge today.
Anna Banana they Called me in school
They Didn’t know when they did, it never Ever sounded cool.
Forever brown, when I was around, they Got a kick out of color
How’d they know about the pigmentocracy I had to live with and not holler.
Just because it’s a rhyme, doesn’t mean it’s Kind all the time.
Living in My skin has Never ‘caused me shame
But it seemed an Out of order game to be Playing with my name
Even now, people Question why in the ’60s we’d stand in a Ring
Swaying and clapping, grinning with pride standing close in a crowd
Keeping Time with the sound of King of Swing James Brown
Stomping and singing real loud, “I’m Black and I’m Proud!”
Unless you were there, we may seem Very confused
When we stand tall and with gall, still being Xenophobicked and abused
Yes! You now can understand when we show how we feel
When we say, “Black Lives Matter!” with such glorious Zeal!
Anna, what a powerful testimony. I can see the angst and pride, as you said. The ending is also glorious:
When we stand tall and with gall, still being Xenophobicked and abused
Yes! You now can understand when we show how we feel
When we say, “Black Lives Matter!” with such glorious Zeal!
I think xenophobicked is a great word too!
(Sorry this came in two comments; I’m not sure how I posted the other early.)
Anna, this is a powerful poem!! I love how you wove such Black pride meaning into and throughout the alphabet. This line is a “ditty” to teach all children:
“Just because it’s a rhyme, doesn’t mean it’s Kind all the time.”
Woah! Such power in the words we use. Stand tall and with gall–what a wonderful goal this is!
Anna,
Wow! I love the weaving letters and the new word–it should totally be acceptable, it makes perfect sense! If you hadn’t bolded the letters, the abecedarian-ness of the poem wouldn’t even be noticed–which is one of the coolest thing about the form. You rocked it with a powerful topic.
Way to go, Anna — This is a dandy, strong voice poem that goes so far beyond any ABC business…you really gave us a piece of your fine self. I just love this. And I really loved your “Xenophobicked” term — perfect! Thank you! Susie
Cara–love this prompt, and your poem is both evocative and frightening. Thank you1
An Alphabet for Growing Old
Any person will become an elder…
By sheer quantity of years, it
cannot be avoided , The years grow heavier
despite our efforts to hold back diminution.
(Please, let me be useful!)
Eventually, we lose substance,
fading in spite of the glow we remember.
Gazing in the mirror, I see the
harbinger of the days ahead.
Indignant, I pluck hairs from places they shouldn’t grow. The
jury is in. I will grow old.job of living is journey to inconsequence will proceed.
(Please, don’t let me become invisible!)
Knowing what will come, I push back at Time.
Let me not give in, lest the years overcome too soon. I am not ready to move to the
margins of life just yet. Age is just a
number, after all.
(and isn’t 70 the new 40??)
Obscurity is not inevitable. But maybe (just maybe) I can do this.
Perhaps I can grow old with grace. I could certainly cuss less,
(probably not)
quit complaining,
(also probably not)
remember to exercise and floss
(teeth are important, especially the front ones)
stay positive and proactive and accept the reality of life,
(acceptance is unlikely)
take things as they come and tap-dance and balter, toot my horn and avoid
unpleasant people, and try to avoid becoming one of the unpleasant. I will ripen instead, be
venerable, not cranky or curmudgeonly or any of those old-woman words.
(Alright, maybe cranky, but certainly not curmudgeonly.)
What choice do I have?
This eXcursion through time is what I am stuck with, so…
Yo-heave-ho, I wander into the future, where I have not gone before,
waltZing gracefully into history
Beam me up, Scotty…
GJS October 2021
Gayle, what a stream of conscious poem you have created here! (Those parentheticals are hilarious!)
Here is some advice from you I am taking away today:
Brava, dear Gayle!
Gayle, this is so great! I adore the parentheticals – as if you are talking to yourself, talking yourself into this aging reality…these are fun! There is much wisdom in these four simple words, I think: “I will ripen instead”
the edit I missed… (darned Google!):
Indignant, I pluck hairs from places they shouldn’t grow. The
journey to inconsequence will proceed.
(Please, don’t let me become invisible!)
Gayle,
This is awesome! A friend of mine posted an article that reports the World Health Organization now declares “youth or young people” to be those 18-65, and “middle-aged” are those 66-79. Works for me! That said, I completely feel your crankiness and love this witty rendition of an abecedarian!
Gayle, I am in love with your truthful self-response voice in parentheses here
I could certainly cuss less,
(probably not)
quit complaining,
(also probably not)
remember to exercise and floss
(teeth are important, especially the front ones)
stay positive and proactive and accept the reality of life,
(acceptance is unlikely)
After receiving a temporary crown the week before fall break and having it fall out of my head within the hour and having to use PoliGrip while out of town to attempt to keep it in and trying to chew all on one side to help make it happen…..and realizing mid-way through my trip how sore I was and accepting that I’m not as young as I used to be……I so fell into the folds of truth in your poem today. Oh, and how I have plucked those wayward hormonal hairs myself, too. You simply drove it home. I was over here in the Amen corner trying not to laugh about the cussing.
Morning Z to A
I’d rather be making ZZZ’s this morning
and ignoring the Yellow sunlight
that penetrates my X’d out Windows.
It’s that Veering beam of Ultraviolet light
Teasing my
Senses away from
Rest.
Quite annoying
is that Persistent Orb
Near the earth.
Munificent Illumination Lingers and I
should be Kneeling
in Joy
Highlighting the Greatness
that comes First in Each Day
instead of Completely
Barricading myself
with Avoidance.
Susan,
I feel this poem completely this morning! I love your reverse order and creative use of Zs and X! I especially like this line:
Susan: your backwards abecedarian poem has me chuckling at some all-too-familiar truths, as in being not yet ready to be Kneeling in Joy, Highlighting the Greatness that comes in Each Day. And oh, Completely Barricading self with Avoidance! Indeed! The random capitals throughout give this poem a fun, other-century sort of feeling.
Susan, perfect topic for a Z to A poem! Starting with the zzz’s of sleep. So clever! I love this–a great reminder:
Susan, it is so clever to approach the alphabet in reverse – it emphasizes the importance of sleep! ZZZ My favorite lines are:
I started smiling with the first line, and the grin grew as I went along. Barricading with avoidance. Been there, done that!!
Susan — I liked the clever flipping of the alphabet. I had the same morning of wishing for more ZZZs…holy cow, I was exhausted. It’s fun to know I wasn’t alone in what has been a bit of a backward day. Cheers! Susie
What a challenge, Cara! Your poem is gorgeous and so full of deep truths (we do continue yearning for a zephyr of change). I, too, write of autumn – which is currently a season of major celebration in my family.
ABCs for Micah, on the Week Before Your Birth
Autumn-child: So lovely
being born amid crackled-leaf,
cider-steeped, cinnamon-spiked
days
ever-bright with
flaming color, blazing,
glittering, glowing, with first-frost grace.
Hallowed moments
infused with
joy, as I dream of
kissing your little fuzzy head, your
little newborn face,
my precious Micah.
Never doubt your Franna’s fierce love,
opal-bright, like autumn fire,
perpetual, eternal,
quietly flickering,
radiant and
sacred,
throughout all our tomorrows together.
Until your coming, Baby Girl,
veritable heart of my heart, I wait
with countless hugs (ooooo) and kisses,
(xxxxxx) all for you, Beloved, from
your Franna, so blessed with new-life
zest.
Fran,
What a beautiful tribute to an imminent arrival! You have so many rich lines of imagery, but I especially like:
Oh, Franna, (What a sweet name for you!)
I’m weepy eyed here reading this sweet poem to your new granddaughter. I believe this is not the first one I’ve read for her. I hope you will give her a whole collection someday.
I love that the m line has my and Micah, both.
I am weeping just a bit at this beautiful, heart-felt welcome. From
“being born amid crackled-leaf,
cider-steeped, cinnamon-spiked days” to
“new-life zest”. My heart floated with you.
Ooooooh, Fran, I love the way you used the Xs as kisses! You are so blessed to be having a new grandchild at this beautiful time of year. I love that you wrote the poem as a letter to your new granddaughter – a special treasured keepsake just for her! This is my favorite line: Never doubt your Franna’s fierce love
The blending of your name Fran and Nana (that’s what my grandchildren call me) is so unique and personal and endearing. I just adore this sweet gift and am so happy for your family as you celebrate the gift of new life!
Cara, thank you for this prompt today. This was fun for me yet it did sidetrack me for a bit longer than I was planning. I appreciate all the examples and connections you made to this form.
Zany poems
Yell at you
Xeroxed xamples
Work magic with
Voluptuous verbs
Ushering in
Thoughts of language
Stanzas of
Riotous fun
Quick-witted quips
Protruding
On the page
Nonsensical, yet
Make sense between
Ludicrous lines
Known as verse
Jump out, pull you
In, the power poetry
Has–have at it
Go have
Fun, flow, form
Every thought into
Dynamic poems
Come join
Backward or forward in
Abecedarian
Whoa! Stephani, this backwards abc poem about poems and language is fantastic. It flows beautifully and so captures the process and power of composing. I can see it framed on the wall of one’s writing space…
Wow, awesomely fun abecedarian, Stefani! I love the reverse order and the rhythm you create with the words–
Stefani, wow. This is amazing! It is fun to read. (I even read it backwards to see how it sounded backward or forward. It’s almost perfect that way too!)
I smiled here:
I’m sure you did have fun, and I agree with Fran. I hope you will frame it!
I am so impressed with your reversible, lyrical poem!! (and I love “Xeroxed xamples”.)
Cara, thank you for such a fun and engaging prompt today! I love that you wrote about autumn and the comforting changes it brings. You chose words that fit right in, despite those hard lettering challenges like x and z. I love this form!
Abecedoggian Mornings
A trio of
boys
cherished (now)
dogs – such
energetic members of our
family
get up at an early
hour with me, never
idle –
jumping
kneeling
leaping
moving
nudging
overshooting
pawing
quibbling
rolling
scrapping
tug-of-warring
underestimating
vaulting
wagging
X-ing out all writing solitude
yapping
zigzagging
A delightful ode to canine love, Kim – which surges up from your soul, through your very pores, and smack onto the page! (Or screen, as it were). Fabulous use of verbs and so, so clever. Love it.
Kim,
This is a spot on tribute to dogs–my own dog fits right into this fray! I love how the rapid fire one word lines imitate the frenetic energy of a happy pup!
Kim, I love how after a brief introduction, you showed the three boys’ busyness with all those verbs! It makes me tired even to read them all. I can’t imagine living with them, but I do know they are cherished members of your family. Lovely.
Kim–my fellow dog-lover! all so vivid and so true. “underestimating”–never would have applied it to dogs, but now I will!!
Kim — Once again, you’ve made me long for those doggy moments. I want the full-on alphabet of doggy love back in my routines. I’m hoping for this spring. Love reading this poem several times…it was like petting and playing with puppies. Hugs, Susie