Anagram Poems with Fran Haley
Welcome to Day 4 of the June Open Write. If you have written with us before, welcome back. If you are joining us for the first time, you are in the kind, capable hands of today’s host, so just read prompt below and then, when you are ready, write in the comment section below. We do ask that if you write that, in the spirit of reciprocity, you respond to three or more writers. To learn more about the Open Write, click here.
Fran Haley is a K-12 literacy educator, wife, mom, and Franna of two little girls. She savors the pastoral life just outside of Raleigh, North Carolina. Writing is her favorite thing to do; she loves helping people of all ages fall in love with the craft. She authors the blog Lit Bits and Pieces: Snippets of Learning and Life.
Inspiration
Sometimes there’s a need for words when the words won’t come. Sometimes in naming the emotion we open ourselves to finding our words and our way.
As the events in Uvalde unfolded on May 24th, I couldn’t encapsulate my thoughts or my feelings. No words seemed appropriate or meaningful enough.
One word kept resurfacing: heartbroken. I finally resorted to examining its anagrams.
Those became a poem.
Process
What are you feeling today? What are you grappling with or celebrating? What words or phrases might you explore with anagrams to express your sorrow, fear, or joy? You can type your word or expression in this Anagram Generator to get phrases. For example, if you type POETRY BLISS in the generator and select “Anagrams” instead of “Words,” 10,0000 phrases appear, including best prosily, blip oysters, blistery sop, priestly sob, and sibyl tropes, not to mention bless or pity. Tap into your feelings, type in your words (maybe not too many!) and see what comes. Weave the anagrams of your choosing into your own meaningful expression any way you like.
I left my anagram poem simple and stark. It’s what I needed to say.
Fran’s Poem
May 24th by Fran Haley
broken hater
broken Earth
broken heart
heartbroken
Uvalde
valued
Your Turn
Now, scroll to the comment section below to write your own poem. (This is a public space, so you may choose to 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.
This was a challenging prompt! Thank you, Fran. I chose “beginnings” because this prompt landed on the summer solstice, a great time of year to reset intentions and focus.
Beginnings
letting go of
sinning
leaving behind
the negs
sprinkling ginseng
on my outlook
using my nib
to declare,
sign
my intent
to sing
Fran,
‘Preciate the Anagram generator, which is new to me. I too have struggled finding words sufficient to Uvalde, but I’m glad to see others speaking out about the failures of that day in May.
wanderlust
sunward, let
wand rustle
(as)
turns wield,
wend lustra
(as)
dawn lustre
trawled sun
—Glenda Funk
6-21-22
In a word, Glenda: gorgeous. You’ve wielded your poetic wand with magical result yet again. I am hard-put to say which line I think is loveliest!
Beautiful language and imagery, Glenda: magical. ❤️
I appreciate your finding such great phrasing, Glenda. What the heck – wend lustra! I just love the way that sounds. At the close of the poem, the image in my mind was of my father going fishing in his little motorboat at dawn – the “trawled” sun makes me think of fishing poles. Thank you for that. He’s been gone some eight years now, and I appreciate the positive reminder. Funny, isn’t it, how a poem can conjure up such unique magical memories and connections for each of us?
Glenda, enjoy your latest trip. What a great phrase for you to add to the anagram generator. You have woven then together beautifully. Those first lines make me feel I’m on the road with you. “let / wand rustle / (as) / turns wield” I can picture this country road…
I enjoyed wending my way through this lovely poem, Glenda!
Thank you for the prompt today, Fran. I still cannot comprehend what happened in Uvalde. I refuse to read any more stories because the new revelations make me angry. I don’t pretend it didn’t happen, I just can accept what is left.
I resonated with your lines “broken heart, heartbroken” because this is the tone of our world today.
This is something new to me and although I want to add a few more words to make it make more sense, I think the lack of words makes it even more meaningful. I will definitely be trying this with my students this school year. I needed a break from what I was doing because I am currently experiencing a word overload. I had planned on reading a few chapters of my book, but I think my brain might explode!
Word Overload
adorer old vow
love road word
arrow do loved
a do lover word
a do over world
Jessica,
Ehat a clever poet you are. Your poem captures how I felt today sending my way through anagram words.
Wow Glenda, I can definitely relate! I had to stop myself after I scrolled a few times. So…many…phrases!
Jessica, thank you for your words…the weight of Uvalde remains heavy. I am inclined to agree that the spareness of words in a poem – in your poem here – amplifies meaning. What you have done here is stunning! Every line sings and that last one – bam. It really strikes on a deep level. So powerful.
You’re welcome Fran, and yes! I just had to use that last line. It provided the most punch!
Jessica, the last line had particular weight and gravity as it echoed the feel of Fran’s words. Loved this.
I agree Wendy. I was excited when I found that line. I’m glad I was able to capture the mood.
Thanks for this unique prompt. It was a tough one for me so I extended my creative licence starting with ‘Forever Grateful’
Forever grateful
So I am not a great fool
I may get an earful
Never fretful
Not forgetful,
Tearful.
Or regretful
Just forever grateful
Ada, ‘forever grateful’ is a profound expression, and what you’ve pulled from it here is so beautiful! I love these reminders – thank you.
I smiled so big at the end of reading this, Ada. It is indeed a good kind of ‘mantra’ for ourselves at times when we feel some of these others – tearful, regretful, fretful. Putting gratefulness first in our hearts and minds can help resolve so much. Often when I hear people grumbling about this or that, my response is to see the upside of it or to offer that more positive perspective. “I may get an earful” – indeed – but I rarely give one back! I enjoyed this. Thank you!
Glycolipids are a class of lipids containing carbohydrate residues and are usually the major lipids of bacterial and fungal walls.
That
is a direct quote from sciencedirect.com
an anagram for
the Republic of Gilead.
How can we survive the
anti-science
anti-intellectual
anti-education
fume engulfing our
fragile democracy?
Today the U.S. Supreme Court
ruled
that
the wall
between
church
—————-
state
is not
really a wall
at all.
Who can
think about Glycolipids
as we sink in the tide?
Republic of Gilead
needs no anagram.
Oh Allison, this is wonderful! I admit that I had a crazy day and haven’t even glanced at the news–now I need to go look and be frustrated by the prevailing winds of politics. Your first stanza is very close to my heart–how indeed? So good!
Allison,
Preach! That rogue SCOTUS is hell bent on destroying public education and every right women have. Amy Barrett is Aunt Lydia. She’s pure evil. J6 failed but the coup lives on in the current SCOTUS.
Allison, so much powerful metaphor here… yet the Glycolipids fit. I continue to ponder the brokenness of things…
I get so caught up in these issues, I have to remind myself (as I tell my students every semester I teach mythology) about what a very tiny dot our existence is on the timeline of all of history. (And the “Galaxy Song” by Monty Python.) We should still do our part, participate in the row, but keep the perspective of our place in time. I feel like I have been nothing but disappointed in our culture for a long time now. I’m not sure what, if anything, could change this in my lifetime. Everything I had once hoped might happen seems far beyond our grasp, or, for small victories, there seem to be even greater backlashes. Sigh. Okay, that said, I LOVE seeing STEM concepts brought into ELA. That’s a wall I love to break down and show how wonderful it can be to explore STEM concepts in poetry. Very cool, Allison. Props to you on that!
Denise, thank you for the tiny-dot reminder. There is comfort in that. And hope that this (very long) arc will bend toward justice. <3 I’m with you.
Fran, what a fun prompt! Your poem was powerful—heartbroken and broken heart. Each word, each letter was intentional. Thank you.
I did try out a few phrases/words until I had some juicy anagrams. It was a puzzle to put the words together. I went with something more light tonight:
hummingbirds
bug grub brings
dim bird din
in brush
hiding
drumming
rushing
humming
humming
humming
Rachelle,
I like the rhythm you got from this–kind of like the beat of their tiny little wings. The sparseness is also perfect for our speedy tiny friends. 🙂
Oh Rachelle, I loved this! Your playful appreciation of hummingbirds magnified the potential of the anagram prompt! I think my students will love this!
Great reminder that we can do more with what we have – like the hummingbird that can do more than other birds can. Thank you.
Rachelle, I really enjoyed your repetition at the end (and the continuation of the “-ing” present participle phrases in the middle stanza). Thanks for writing and sharing this!
This is so sweet Rachelle. I only see hummingbirds on nature shows, so for you to capture this beauty in flight through words is awesome! “Hiding drumming rushing” are verbs that definitely describe these colored, miniature zips of color.
Rachelle, your poem is pure delight! It so captures the essence of hummingbirds. You’re right about it being a puzzle to put the words together – but here you created a perfect sense of these endearing, ethereal creatures.
Oh, wow, Fran. Before I write my poem, I need to say two things: My daughter will be moving to Wake Forest in August, putting Raleigh at the center of my radar. We might have to meet up for coffee when I start jaunting to NC!
Second, I LOVE this prompt and the powerful mentor poem you shared. Uvalde=Valued. I am heartbroken with you. (Back after I anagram my word (phrase) of the day: Republic of Gilead.)
This is exciting news, Allison! Would love to meet up for coffee. I will check back on your anagram (it may be morning, but I’ll come back). So glad you’re enjoying – I so enjoyed each of your rich prompts this week. Those poems have stayed with me.
Wow–this was impossibly hard! Today, on my wedding anniversary and the longest day of the year, I put the word wedding into the anagram/word generator. Here’s what I made of it.
On This Longest Day
Wedding
Wined
Dined
Widen (families)
Dig in
(for the long run)
New (forever)
End (less)
Win
We
@kd0602
Kim, this turned out fine! “Wined, dined, widen” seems to be the perfect trio for “wedding”. Of course the final stanza suggests that the widening still is working!
Oh my word. I adore how you added parentheticals for clarification. Your ending is spot on. <3
Oh but Kim – your anagrams came out beautifully, to commemorate your day! I celebrate the power of your commitment in both the relationship and this verse, seeing it through. Well-done – and happy, happy anniversary! You DO win. And what a beautiful day it’s been:).
Kim, this made me wish I had picked this word. I like how your poem started with longer words and tunneled to shorter words. The final word “we” is the perfect way to punctuate this poem.
Congratulations on your Wedding Anniversary Kim. Nice poem. And yes – you will win!!! Thanks for sharing
First of all, Happy Anniversary Kim! Second of all, how perfect is this?! I loved how you used parentheses to expand some of the lines. My favorite lines are “Win We” because your partner is supposed to be one of the most significant persons you chose to be with. Y’all win together!
This is a lovely picture of a marriage, Kim!
This was a fun one! With all due respect to Def Leppard, I came up with this one.
Be violets
bet olives
(ie lbs veto)
bet I solve
(ie lbs vote)
so tel vibe
bet is love
Evie bolts
I lob Steve
ie lobs vet
bites love
et evil sob
bet so vile…
love bites.
Rex, it’s all got a sort of an ee cummings vibe. I think part of it’s the repetition of words (‘bet’) along with phrases and beats. There’s definitely a sense of wagering here (why isn’t ‘bet so vile’ a lyric in a song somewhere? Maybe it is-). What an entertaining, motley crew (crue) of words – sorry. Remnants of yesterday’s word associations… so glad you enjoyed the anagram play.
Rex, I love how you embraced the (crazy) anagrams. “Evil sob, bet so vile, love bites” redeems “I lob Steve” and “so tell vibe.”
I want to say “Be violets. Bet olives” the next time anyone asks for advice!
You are the real deal.
Well organized, Rex. It starts off cute “violets” “olives” and then turns toward the end “evil” “vile”. It all funnels to the finale “love bites”. Thank you for sharing today!
I appreciate seeing how you made it fun, Rex! I struggled to find words/phrases that ‘made sense’ – and even then, I wondered if they only made sense in my head. Who cares?! I love the playful rollicking fun of rambling through something like this line by line. Even better is reading it out loud! Thanks for the smile this morning!
Prayerful Anticipation – the italics is my actual anagram. I added a few more words for my own peace of mind today.
Action plan:
yearn for an
African plate.
Fear not, for thou art with thee.
Certainly, I am with you.
Seana, this is beautiful, my friend! He never leaves us nor forsakes us.
❤️
Amen, faith over fear because He is with us.
Seana, your poem is so full of grace, encouragement, reassurance. Those anagrams are beautifully arranged – your verse shines!
I love how the shorter poems can carry the power of a mustard seed…
Lovely ons Serena. Thank you for the reminder too.
To go with my poem below.
I had a little orange butterfly flitting about while I did yardwork yesterday.
butterflies
flute tribes
befit luster
blest if true
Cara, I love how these words fit. Butterflies befit luster. Beautiful!
Cara, all of these lines befit butterflies – almost like haiku! The image of that little orange one flitting about while you worked is clear in my mind… like a bright spark of inspiration. Just lovely.
Beautiful poetry that emerged! Flute tribes…
Cara, I love the inspiration for this poem (yardwork inspired my anagram word for today too!). The last line “blest if true” particularly stood out to me. Thank you for sharing 🙂
This process was very new to me! My poem is very abstract, probably not understandable to most, yet it was meaningful for me to write!
Deconstructing and Metamorphosis
By Nancy White
Always scuttering about,
I’m unwinding, unresting, uncoding,
—massive constrict—
—nudge—
Must Move!
Stretch!
Breathe!
Yet, sometimes transformation seems
as slow as
tectonic plates shifting.
Imposters arise,
Oaths perish.
Ashes of shame hamper me,
Make me stammer,
How dare they impose?
My heart roams for shores that shimmer,
Streams that soothe as I process change.
(I notice my theism survives a major restamping!)
I dream of roses and arts of all kinds,
I am looking to moor my steamship
somewhere between the primates
and the seraphim.
Nancy, I sense deep power in your lines, born of powerful words and concepts – massive constrict, slow as tectonic plates shifting, oaths perishing, ashes of shame. But deconstructing and metamorphosis ARE powerful. I long for those shimmering shores and streams that soothe, too – such gorgeous sonics with the s- and sh- repetitions. Those ending lines are just extraordinary – dreaming of roses and arts and that safe harbor. I also sense a key in “my theism survives a major restamping.” What a mighty work of anagram art – thank you.
Thank YOU, Fran!
Nancy, this is wonderful! I do understand each line and love your ending to be somewhere between the primates and the seraphim.
I sense the urge to move, grow, learn and change.
You get me. We must be related! Thanks, Susan! ?
Nancy,
My heart roams for shores that shimmer, made me think of “The Passing of Arthur.” I loved the rhythm!
Nancy,
I love your approach to this, weaving the words into a greater meaning. I wish I had done that! Lines that spoke to me are “sometimes transformation seems / as slow as \ tectonic plates shifting” and “I dream of roses and arts of all kinds.” Nicely done.
This was so much fun, Fran. I was on the anagram site for over an hour just playing with words. What could be better?
Anagram Poem 1:
Grateful Heart
Gather tearful,
Earth grateful,
After laughter,
Heart grateful.
Anagram Poem 2:
This poem came about because I know that you and Scout have sunflower pjs and I thought of the word- sunflower. Then Margaret Simon wrote a poem yesterday, which had the wonderful line: Hydrangea hopeful, so I put together SUNFLOWER HOPEFUL and got this.
Sunflower Hopeful
Orpheus, fun fellow –
Flow hopeful rune:
Fleur hopeful sown,
Fleur hopeful owns,
Fleur hopeful snow,
Fleur hopefuls now,
Fleur hopefuls won,
Sunflowerful hope.
Fran-
This exercise really made me think and puzzle. Thank you!
Joanne,
I love how you are sharing the inspirations across poets and tools to honor the sources that made possible this lovely poem of “fleur” with so much hope in the letters of s-o-w-n-s, which in this order show the way ideas are seeds we sow and sew!
Peace,
Sarah
Joanne – oh, these are gorgeous. Grateful Heart tells the story of us all, does it not, in its shifting letters, in the way you’ve arranged them here. I adore the fittingly lighthearted lines of Sunflower Hopeful – even beckoning Orpheus, with his link to music and poetry! I loved walking this fleur-garden and, above all, this: ‘sunflowerful hope’. That is indeed what my & Scout’s pjs represented, as we wore them for the first time when she stayed with me on the night her sister was born. HOPE. Your creativity and loving heart amaze me – thank you for these. My heart is grateful that you enjoyed the playing!
Thank you, Fran. You have given so much to me in the last couple of years – even though we don’t know each other. I’m so grateful to get a glimpse into your world: Denis, Scout, Micah, and your whole loving brood! Have a wonderful day. Write more poems!
JoAnne, the “Grateful Heart” speaks volumes! I am particularly moved by your blending of “the heart and the earth”. Without either life would be miserable.
Thanks for sharing this way to show gratitude.
Thanks, Fran. Fun prompt. I don’t have too much time because we came to the hospital at 2 in the morning! Labor is progressing slowly. I hope we’ll have a baby today!
Baaing Baas Vary Him
Ya Brim Abash Vagina
Via Babyish Anagram
Aha Baby Raving Aims
Maria’s having a baby
Sociably Best
Acolytes Bibs
Basic Boy, Lets
Solstice Baby
Denise!! These anagrams!! They’re unbelievable! Speaking of truths (!!). Above all: Congratulations on your solstice baby and I hope’s he’s safely here soon – prayers for him and for Maria. Keep us posted <3
Denise, good luck! I hope Maria and the baby — “Sociably Best,” “Solstice Baby” — are happy and healthy! Thank you for sharing with us!
Happy Baby Solstice, Denise! Congratulations. Poems while waiting for a grandchild – true poetic dedication!
Yay, Denise! I am sending comfort and support to your family in the hours of labor.
So striking to me how the word “vagina” gives me all the feels. Reminds me of when my sisters and I went to Vagina Monologues and then thought deeply about how we all made it into the world. This is so fun to say, “Maria’s having a baby” and all the wonderful ways the “abash Vagina” with a capital makes it possible.
Cheers!
Sarah
This is a great poem!
My daughter is not a solstice baby, but Solstice is her middle name ?
I hope everyone is doing well.
What a glorious name, Solstice.
Denise, what a beautiful day to have a baby! Right on the Summer Solstice when the sun shines long and the warmth is strong. I’m so happy for you and love all your anagram creativity in this one today!
Denise!! So very happy to hear this and thinking about this sweet new baby…I know you are over the moon. This anagram line has be laughing “Ya Brim Abash Vagina” !!
Denise,
What a special way to welcome a new child in to this world!
Happy birthday to the family! Whenever the wee one arrives!
Enjoy!
Congratulations on your baby Denise!
Denise,
Ehat a perfect solstice gift. Happy grandmaing!
Well, we didn’t get the expected solstice baby, and we’re still waiting. Thank you, all, for the glorious wishes.
Fran, your poem is heartbreakingly sad; such beautiful anagram poetry. I found this prompt quite challenging…had several false starts and landed finally on a playful word; each line does not necessarily use all the letters, but definitely uses a subset of the letters. I think anagram poetry is good for the brain – creating within very real limits. Thanks!
playground
playground
pound
upon
ground
run
around
glad
pound
glory
pound
go
pound
young
pound
play
along
play
long
do gnarly up
go
upon
ground
run lap
lap run
drag only up
drop rung
gulp
lug
go
go
go
drag
drag
drag
playground
Unfortunately, none of my formatting stayed! I had the words ‘running’ about, frolicking line by line, to show some movement. Ah, well!
I guess using the word ‘playground’ invited the words to play too – pun intended. Thanks for sharing.
Maureen, even without the frolicking formatting (how lyrical a phrase!), I follow your words in the rhythms of a small child’s thoughts and movements on the playground. I adore this poem for that reason: for a few seconds, I WAS the child. Love the unexpected pleasure of ‘do gnarly up’ and imagining what it means. Love all the play – thank you!
This anagram poem works perfectly. You really captured the feeling of the playground running without having to worry about the formatting.
Super!
Oh – such great rhythm. Love this. I can hear kids chanting this.
Maureen,
Such a wonderful use of line breaks and play with our eyes moving down to the ground level of the poem/page. I have such strong memories of playground from my youth and even today watching youth on the pavement — such a scary place sometimes, which I found your drag, drop, gulp, lug. So hard to find the play in all the gnarly. I prefer the play with letters in poetry! Love this.
Sarah
Maureen,
This is a frolicking, fun poem. Snap a photo of your formatted poem and attach it.
Maureen, what fun! I can imagine the words running about on the page. So sweet! I loved these images of pounding around the playground:
Fran, you opened the door for speaking the truth. Today is tough for our family. The first message I saw on my phone this morning announced the transition of our brother-in-law. This comes the day after we celebrated with such glee, my birthday.
UP and DOWN
This has been a tough week
Tears now roll down my cheek.
Yesterday was my birthday
Brother died this morning; brother went his way.
We’re not young; we knew it was coming
That doesn’t keep my heart from thrumming.
Then remembering the times on the run
And wonder if the afterlife will be fun.
Then the wet cheeks start to shimmer
Thoughts of friends here make the fresh thoughts glimmer
I may be older, he may be gone
But friends here will help me sing the song
Gone, but not forgotten
Is a good thought even when I’m feeling rotten.
Writing about the feelings keeps me from reeling.
Good thoughts to you I now send.
Writing to you will help me mend.
Thanks for being here my friend.
Anna, I’m so sorry for your loss. (And the day after your birthday – belated wishes for this!) I hope you have many dear memories to hold onto; I hope it is true that
“Writing to you will help me mend.”
Be well.
Dear Anna: All the story of life is here in your poem. Happy birthday one day late – I am picturing your family’s loving and gleeful celebration just before the loss of your brother-in-law. Sending up prayers of love and comfort to your family. Joy and pain…you have captured it all, the truth, as you said, even the wonderings of the afterlife and the gratitude for for friends who are here beside you with open hearts and arms. “Writing about feelings keeps me from reeling” – oh, indeed. This is why I write! Thank you for sharing your heart today. Peace to you and yours. – Fran
This poem and letter to all of us is moving and shows the love you have for your brother and all of us. I am sorry to hear the news of your loss. I hope we, as friends, can help dry up those tears running down your cheek. In our Lord’s care, I know you will mend.
Oh Anna, you have my deepest sympathy. I know your brother is still with you – in your heart, in the memories you share. Writing is always healing, write on!
Oh, Anna!
My deepest condolences to you and your family. Is this the brother about whom you wrote a poem once or twice? I recall a photo of you two at some point. I wish I could be there to dry “the wet cheeks start to shimmer” and home the songs and thoughts bring positive glimmers.
Peace,
Sarah
Thanks, everyone. A point of clarification. This is my brother-in-law who passed, not the brother about whom we wrote poems a few April’s ago.
What a blessing to be able to share such feelings with such an empathetic cadre of friends … many of whom I only know through our poetry. Ain’t it great to be able to write together.
Anna, I’m saddened to hear this. Oh how life can change so drastically from one day to the next. My condolences to you and your dear family. Sending lots of love your way.
Anna, I’m so sorry about your brother-in-law’s death, and so grateful for the good times you shared and the promise of Heaven. My mother in law died the day after my father in law’s birthday last year, so we also smiled and celebrated one day and cried and mourned the next. I wish peace and comfort for your family in the coming days.
Aww…hugs from here. Thank you for sharing Ms. Anna. May God comfort you and yours.
Hi Fran! Wow, this took me on a wild ride but it was fun. I decided to write 3 short poems for my mom’s birthday (rest in peace) and for summer solstice. I felt the pain in your poem and we definitely need to heal our broken earth and broken hearts. ❤️?
Summer Solstice
Costume smilers
You know, the sundresses
And sandals, and sunscreen
Mother’s Love
Love mothers
You know, it will always BE
Like breath and beauty
Happy Birthday, Mom
Birth-day-happy Mom
You know, in heaven
Celebrating eternal life
© Stacey L. Joy, June 21, 2022
Such a special combination of celebrations – summer, Mom, birthday, love. Sweet poems!
Stacey, the anagrams peppered throughout your verses are endearing – costume smilers (love that!), Love mothers, Birth-day-happy Mom. And oh – that photo – she’s so beautiful. That “I miss you” placed there pierces my heart. I love that your trio of poem is celebratory and commemorative. Love the refrain of ‘you know’ throughout. A very quiet intentionality that sinks in a little deeper with each verse.
Happy birthday to your mom, beautiful woman. Loved the line: Like breath and beauty.
Stacey, what a beautiful way to remember your mother today. I think we think a lot alike about our moms, wondering at any given moment what they’re doing right then up there Heaven. Singing, feasting, praising, feeling the joy that is so suppressed until we all get to Heaven. She was a beautiful lady, and she raised a strong, beautiful daughter.
Really fun and a challenge to make sense of all these words. I had to giggle.
Anticipation
(anagram poem)
citation pain
a inaction tip
a citation nip
catnip lain to
Pacino Titian
a nit optician
ciao, paint tin
inaction pita
coin it patina
I paint action!
What a fabulous last line for your poem!! Oh my!! Yes, these anagram poems are like a foreign language I think. “Citation pain” is pretty awesome, too. Great thinking, here!
Susan, there really is a zip and zing to these anagrams – I, too, had to giggle at a few and what they might mean (Pacino Titian – a nit optician – inaction pita… hmmm!). Love the power of ‘I paint action!’ and ‘coin it patina’ conjures an image of an old water fountain in a village where people have thrown coins and made wishes. These are the places my mind goes. Love these playful phrases all born of ‘anticipation.’ Great word choice!
Fun ride, aren’t those anagrams. Makes your mind swirl: citation, catnip, ciao, patina, I paint action – love these associations.
I love the ending…I paint action!
Fran, what a fun new way to play with anagrams and poetry — especially to explore emotions and thoughts we might be struggling with. I’ll have to remember this one. I appreciated how you built to the word heart broken in your own poem. It captured a lot of my own feelings.
Here is my poem:
For a Tired Teacher
You call us professionals
calluses far poisonously
alike tie trust
treat us like it!
Your hatred recite:
career tithed.
I am a cheated trier,
chide & retreat,
detach & retire:
Oh Tired teacher,
attired cheer
try, try again.
Erica, you wove your anagrams together so deftly and beautifully here. I am reminded of chapters in Barbara Kingsolver’s The Poisonwood Bible in which a character thinks in anagrams akin to your lines. So expressive and arresting, making the brain perceive on different levels. ‘Calluses far poisionousl’, ‘a cheated trier’, ‘chide and retreat’..,such a wealth of truth revealed here. I applaud you – and thank you!
Wow, Erica! Nicely done. You’ve structured your lines perfectly. I really like “I am a cheated trier.” I feel that one.
Erica, this is really extraordinary – such precious anagrams, such a testament to this teaching year. I am in particular awe of:
You’ve done an outstanding job here! Wow, I’m in awe of the way your poem speaks to me “Oh, Tired teacher” and how perfect your anagrams are.
♥️
This is wonderfully woven and deeply felt, Erica. Oh Tired Teacher – I hear you. I understand.
Oh, I feel this. “Attired cheer/try, try again” says it perfectly. Finally, I retired! Thanks for sharing these feelings. They needed to be said and heard.
I can’t stop writing about my vacation trip- sorry, not sorry. I’ve been mesmerized by the Lupines since I set foot in New Brunswick. And now I’m addicted to a new poetic format. Thanks, Fran!
Lupines
by Mo Daley 6/21/22
Isle pun
Lineups
Lie spun
In pulse
Pile sun
Lines up
I lens up
Mo – this worked incredibly and gorgeously well to summarize your ongoing love of the Lupines! I especially love pondering ‘in pulse’ and “I lens up’ – capturing those magnificent images. So well-done…glad you like the anagram-play!
Oh dear Lupines! I lens up when I see them as well. Make sure you read Miss Rumphius by Barbara Cooney!
My kids read that in first grade! What a sweet story!
Absolutely adore “in pulse” in reference to lupines – this line makes me feel the thrill you feel /felt being surrounded by these beauties of nature. Just gorgeous!
Oh so cool. Love lupines – Lines up/ I lens up – ingenious! Thanks, Mo!
Love the line “I lens up” (and who doesn’t love lupines?)
Fran, thank you for this fun prompt! It wasn’t as easy as I thought it might be — my initial phrasing did not produce viable options.
So, I turned to my recent family vacation for inspiration.
Alone wrens
Ensnarl woe
Leaner snow
No renewals
New Orleans
Mow raptus
Paw tumors
Spout warm
Swamp tour
Avian commuters
Caveman tourism
Mum vacationers
Summer vacation
I thought this image was attached ?
:O
gloat lair
gall ratio
-gorilla, ta
alligator
!!!!
Fran, so fun!
Believe it or not, this girl was enticed by a marshmellow ?
Jennifer, love the images and events that your phrases evoked: and your picture was terrifying: Where was he climbing?? XD
Wendy, this beauty was climbing up onto the airboat we were in. She was being lured in by a marshmellow ?
Spout warm and Swamp tour are such great descriptors for what we are experiencing weather wise here in the south — I can only imagine what New Orleans is like right now. I also love the phrase you found: “caveman tourism.” Because I’m trying to figure out what it means, but all I’m picturing is that feeling from long travel and you can’t articulate well so you kind of just grunt and nod whenever someone asks you a question! Good stuff.
Jennifer, as I’ve played with the anagram generator, I’ve learned that sometimes it’s a dead end and I have to try again with another word or two, as you did. Kind of symbolic of the writing process itself… but whoa, what you did here with your vacation words is astounding! No renewals, spout warm, avian commuters (darling birds) – all in all I have a sense of being in each place. Never ceases to fill me with awe, the way these things reveal themselves. Your anagram poem is fascinating!
Jennifer, Your final stanza is perfect. I can’t quite reason out why, but I read all four of those lines and go, yep, this checks out. Lol. And the “No renewals / New Orleans” in conjunction with your picture just made me smile. Thank you for writing and sharing this!
You were in my neck of the woods! Definitely spouting warm these days!
This is a new type of writing for me so here goes. So I received a booster vaccine yesterday. I am getting ready to travel and thought this would be helpful. Well, today I am experiencing those side effects. The biggest one this time seems to be a fogginess to my thoughts. Making tea even seemed difficult this morning. My foggy mind blanketed all of my other emotions this morning because it was hard to think.
FYI going MD.
Find moggy….
foggy id mn.
Ding!
Fog my…
Foggy mind.
Cathy, i know what you mean about this being a new kind of writing. Since I played with it the first time, it’s led me in interesting directions…kind of like cracking a code to see what hidden messages lies within. Here you capture a foggy mind perfectly! I especially love ‘Ding!’ That’s so how it it is, waiting for one’s thoughts to scroll up… well-done and I do hope the booster-fog lifts soon for your adventures that await. Safe and joyous travels-
Cathy, I hope your symptoms abate before you travel.
What a great poem you created from Foggy Mind.
Enjoy your trip.
Jennifer
Cathy, first of all I hope you feel better and all brain fog dissipates soon. I love what you did with your fog though, it really worked!
Fran, talk about rabbit holes! What fun is this! Your poem is perfection, each line exactly placed to process and affirm all that Uvalde encompasses.
Exploration: A Series of (True)Anagrams
Explorations
Explain roots
Eloping Rx:
Exploring
Explore, Ex loper!
Explore, x eloper!
Exploring = longer pix
Leave no stone unturned.
(notes nut under one vale)
Under one vale, note: stun
Oh the places you’ll go!
Cheap hotels, ugly loo!
The journey not the arrival matters.
June theory: north varietals matter
June theory: to smart air travel then
Jennifer, this was so fun to read — the lovely and unexpected language and images made me laugh aloud (“ugly loo!”). Your punctuation really made it. Nice job! 🙂
My linear brain is so very impressed with your verse! Such fun
Jennifer,
I felt like I was on this journey with you. “The journey not the arrival matters” — Truth!
Jennifer, an amazing series of true anagrams! The cheap and ugly hotels-!! I am in awe of “explain roots” – a worthy exploration, indeed, on so many levels. Family roots, roots of problems… and the stone and journey quotes invite smiles as well as deep contemplation. I loved exploring the meanings and turns of your poet-mind here.
This was a fun poem to read. Great anagram pairings. I love it!
Jennifer
Who the heck thinks of these kinds of things like an anagram generator?! Because they’re a genius! I had WAY too much fun trying out a bazillion ideas today. Settled on this. Thank you, Fran!
determined
item redden
What happened?!
din metered
Assess the damage.
it remended
Find a way to fix it.
minder teed
Obstacle after obstacle.
deter mined
Channel frustration into solution.
end merited
Success!
Love the creative direction you took with the structure, Denise! 🙂
Denise, your poem evokes every thought I had as I was trying to concoct a poem of anagrams! The italicized lines are like the stages of anagram writing. Determined is the perfect word choice for today’s challenge. I love everything about this!
Denise — This poem was fun to read. Love your italicized internal thoughts. They really showed the meaning of determination.
Each stanza truly reflects the emotions that are gone through when dealing with an obstacle- initial – what happened through channeling frustration. My favorite is the ending- end merited- Success! Such positivity at the end!
Denise, it’s incredible what you did here with the anagrams of ‘determined’. I was laughing at the outset with “item redden” (um – what item, and exactly what DID happen?!) and I marveled with every subsequent line and interpretation. The ending is just magnificent, how it links back to the original word. Absolutely love this- oh and so true: Imagine inventing an anagram generator! Mind-blowing!
Denise,
I love they way you engaged with your anagrams! Bravo ?
Jennifer
Denise!! I love this. It reminds me of when my sis and I send nonsense texts just to get a laugh but your poem makes perfect sense!
????????
Fran, I just loved the beautiful simplicity and compassion of your poem. Thank you.
Anyone else’s daughter taking their Geometry Regents this morning? My daughter inspired me today, and the poem’s title is my anagram phrase. I cheated a little and lifted words from the anagram list that was generated to give the poem its backbone, but fleshed it out with words of my own:
Math Final
A filth man
Had to create this.
A hit man.
F in math?
A flim flam.
A half truth.
Him,
A flat film.
Hint of a man.
Her:
A hailstorm of faith
In morning’s half-light.
Her future:
Fat with promise,
Fanned out before her.
Math? Fah. Fin.
Hello, artist:
Tip your hat.
Wendy, this is so clever. And it’s full of truths. The mental journey you create as a means of processing your daughter’s challenge of Geometry Regents is (and I imagine you both traversed each of these thoughts) is a delight.
This poem resonated with me. My daughter is now a junior in college but I remember her taking her math regents and it was stressful. My daughter is an artist and math is not her thing so you last stanza sums up that so well. I hope your daughter does well!
Wendy — Love the personification of math and art and these lines especially
Her:
A hailstorm of faith
In morning’s half-light.
Whoa, Wendy – this is profound work! I am ceaselessly amazed by things anagrams reveal, and here with ‘math final’ so many truths – half-truths, at that. A howl: A filth man, hint of a man… and oh, those lines on a hailstorm of faith in morning’s half-light, indicating how hard your daughter is working, and yes indeed to tipping my hat to the artist and the artist’s mom who has such a prophetic eye and poetic ear. Love, love, love this poem. Here’s celebrating the successful end to that test-
I love the line “a hailstorm of faith” — what a powerful phrase! I appreciated the combat against math and how, in the end, it worked out for her as an artist. A tip of the hat indeed.
I love how you can create a bit of tension, and really establish the contrast between the filth man and your daughter!
Fran, “Uvalde valued” is such a wonderful coincidence of letters.
I am visiting my mother who has early Alzheimer’s. Yesterday she had an anxiety attack. I chose the word compassion because we gathered around her, gave her a pill, and my brother played her keyboard and sang, a compassionate moment.
Moon moves
the mosaic
of compassion
to the dark side
under a quilt of my father’s shirts.
She cries in cosmos pain–
incomprehensible
and raw.
Margaret, this broke my heart. What a beautiful poem. So sorry that she is suffering, and my heart goes out to you and your family. <3
Margaret, you have created beauty in such hard words and during such an impossible time. This is moving. And vivid. And heartbreaking. Powerful.
I am wordless on how to respond to this poem because it expresses so much in a few words. Mosaic, compassion, darkside, cosmos pain, raw. Wow! And then the connection to family and your father’s shirts. Exquisite!
Stunning phrasing born of compassion, Margaret – I am in awe of both the beauty and the rawness of it all. The imagery is just searing. I feel the moving of the moon, the mosaic of compassion and the rising of the dark side…the togetherness is so vital. You and your family remain in my thoughts. Thank you for this staggering offering today.
Your choices and placement of these words are perfect. I’m tearing up as I read and reread this. Powerful and visceral poem.
Margaret, despite the pain of the moment, you captured it so vividly – – I think the word incomprehensible is perfect here. My mother had Lewy Body Dementia with Parkinson’s, and incomprehensible is a word that resonates with me in this poem. That dark side they slip over to in their minds, the thief of all memory and joy, comfort and security, is the incomprehensible – oh, my heart goes out to you, my friend, as you comfort your mother and show compassion.
Wow Fran, the power of your slim word choice is powerful. Thank you for sharing and guiding us today.
cite
sols
eco
slits
cite
loss
eco
lists
lost
ice
sit
sol
is
silo
is
sot
solstice
Well, my formatting didn’t publish as I had hoped, I attempted a curved sun pattern. Happy summer solstice to everyone!
This is brilliant – pun intended! And I can image the shape poem would add to the brilliance!
I can imagine the shape for this concrete poem. Interesting list of words from solstice.
Ah, I wondered if anyone would write about summer – and here it is, the magical solstice moving as mysteriously in words as it does in actuality. Even if the formatting isn’t as you hoped, the arc is traceable. In addition, reading aloud adds to the sense of enchantment, all those beguiling sss sounds. It seems to echo time. Thank you for this, Stefani!
Stefani, you took this day and honored it beautifully. I can see the curved pattern despite the lack of formatting you mention. The longest day of the year – – here we are now – – isn’t this also the day of Shirley Jackson’s Lottery, too? Seems like I remember it being the summer solstice. I love the power of the day and the creative flair with words.
Band Names from the ‘90s
Or Deep Philosophical Understandings
Loftier Yipes
Lefties Rip Yo
Profile Yetis
Ripely Softie
Sole Typifier
Eerily If Stop
Elite If Prosy
Life Rise Typo
Life Riots Yep
Lose Pity Rife
Poetry Is Life
_________________________________________
Thank you for your prompt and mentor poem today, Fran! You’re Uvalde poem was very poignant and powerful. Those “Uvalde / valued” lines were everything. (And thank you for the link to Inge’s Anagram Generator. That was fun!)
Ha, this is entertaining–I think I would pick “Life Rise Typo” for my band name.
Epic names, and my favorite may be “Elite if Prosy.” XD
What fun! Yes poetry is life. My band would be Sole Typifer.
Ok, this is fun! I’m drawn to Profile Yetis and Sole Typifier. I can imagine their sound.
Scott, I love the title as much as the poem, alluding to deep philosophical understandings of ’90s brand names. Too much fun – poetry IS life! You know, I think you could have a line of pseudo-vintage acid-washed T-shirts emblazoned with these names. Am I wrong in wanting to order one with with Elite If Prosy? I can envision Eerily if Stop as a novel…a movie… just sayin’… and thank you for playing!
“Lefties rip yo” has got to be my favorite line. Great 90’s band name, or title of a hit rap song. Love your clever ideas.
Scott, that last line illuminates how much is held in poetry. You are so witty and clever and creative – I am laughing at Profile Yetis. Yes!
I too read your anagram post on the day you wrote it and was struck by the power of few words. There was little to be said but much to say and your poem captured that so beautifully and gracefully.
I struggled with this at first – trying to make my words make sense – But once I let that go I was giggling along with the nonsense of my words much like I would giggle with my topic! Thanks for the early morning laughs at and with myself.
Grandchildren
Drenching lard
Rich lend gland
Darn herd cling
Gild ranch nerd
Darling drench
Children grand
Darn here cling! Oh my goodness, what a great choice to anagram with such delightful words – darling drench. These are fabulous and that darn herd cling is going to stay with me. Umbilical cord = rich lend gland. Having the baby= Drenching lard. Adoring the baby = darling drench. Five kids later at Disney World = darn herd cling. I love this!!
Oh my – I must now adapt my original! I love this idea! You’re brillliant
Christine, I love your poem – such rich language pulled from grandchildren. And Kim’s additions are too funny!
This is sweet Christine, the words: herd, drench, and darling all work so well within this topic. Thank you for writing today.
Christine, what cool and thought-provoking lines! Loved this!
This choice of Grandchildren as anagram turned out fun and full of humor at the chores of being a grandmother.
Christine, your anagram-verse is so much fun – I couldn’t help laughing at “darn herd cling” because it’s so true on so many literal and metaphorical levels. Children ARE grand, especially grandchildren, the joy of my own life… nothing gives me more pleasure this day than thinking of you over there giggling over the nonsensical nature of the words. Play, after, all is so important (as we grandparents know!).
Christine, this is too much fun! I admire what you selected because the message is perfectly suited for grandchildren!
I chuckled:
Fran, I read with wonder your anagram the day it was on your blog and shared it with family – we were all so touched with the message of truth and the last line particularly. Those babies were cherished. valued. Loved. What a tribute! Thank you for hosting us today.
Here in the Deep South, sweet tea came to mind. We drink it syrupy. What a fun challenge! I think of our rural farmland and the equivalent of sweet tea for little lambs, too (I just thought I should explain the second line). Mine makes absolutely no sense, but I had fun and will be on the lookout to try more anagrams when I see the swatches and pieces play out!
wee state
ewe teats
wet tease
we set tea
eat sweet
sweet tea!
I like a slight diversion like this into a bit of insanity with words … 🙂
Kim, what fun! Yes a wet tease and eat sweet. My mouth is now watering and craving this delightful beverage.
Ahh, there should be a cocktail named the wet tease–sweet tea and bourbon maybe? Hmm, although typing that out, it sounds a bit dirty and not as clean as sweet tea on a Sunday afternoon. Thank you for sharing today.
This was hilarious. Loved, it, Kim!
”Wet tease” is so true about sweet tea. The first time I visited the Deep South I could not get enough of this. It was a tease to my tastebuds. That line is going to stick with me.
Kim, you know my own southern roots are deep and steeped in sweet tea…wrote about that yesterday with word associations as that’s where ‘pitcher’ led me. And by sweet, yeah, we mean SWEET, none of that artificial stuff. As in, half the pitcher full of sugar before adding the brew (!!) I adore what you did with the anagrams here, and I learned something: there’s actually a thing called Texas Tea that’s a liquid vitamin for show stock. There you go, baby lambs-! Finding hidden messages with anagrams fascinates me – thank you for yours.
(fun to try this one and even more challenging to have it make any sort of sense … Kevin)
(A) Composition (of Anagrams)
in sonic topics
(with) moist moon potions
(add) soot spit pots
on top/stop/
oops: omit – omit – omit –
moot point position
Kevin, I too was challenged by attempting to make sense of it all. Loved the omit omit omit line, and how you still managed to compose a poem that carried great meaning.
Wow. You always amaze me with your ability to make such sense and take on a tough challenge. I like oops: omit-omit-omit. That’s been the nature of my days here as I wind down to a brief summer break….omit. I love what you did here!
I like how your use of parenthesis, dashes, etc. adds meaning to this all as well. Thank you for writing up to the challenge today.
This made me laugh out loud: loved, especially, the last two lines, but “moist moon potions” pretty much captures writing. 🙂
Kevin, I am so struck by ‘moot point position’ – I just feel that’s kinda rampant out there in the world today. Love the playfulness of your format and your lines, especially the repetition of omit (oops, truth-alas) and the visual of ‘soot spit pots’ – recalls my father’s stories of his grandmother’s snuff spittoons (!!)
Like others, I was struck by “omit — omit — omit.” Sounds like me on the backspace key when I type fast. Also sounds like me needing to bite my tongue more often.