I had an idea earlier, just to see what happens, I tried to write a poem with the first words that came to mind around the, "5 W H," principles. The acronym we use when questioning people with, "Open questions," i.e. those that you can't answer yes or no to.

So here's my idea and if it's crap then my apologies, how many different poets could write any poem of any length based on these questions?

5WH

Who.
What.
Where.
When.
Why.
How.

Might be interesting??

(Addendum, 08/02/19. It appears we've just started a game of Poetry Tennis ?)

Here's my effort, not great but I might try another tomorrow:

Who are you?

What do you do?

Where have you travelled?

When did you unravel?

Why didn't you say?

How you'd gone astray?

This is just something I thought, a few years ago:-

"The Young Vanish" is a pub sign
in the Midlands.
It means a racehorse.
It is not a philosophical concept
- although it could be.

Really like that, I love a short succinct poem that carries way more meaning than words.?

Who made me?
What is "I"?
Where is my train of thought going?
When does it arrive?
Why is the world going round?
How come we're not all dizzy and nauseous from the trip?

Gave it a shot!

Oh I love that, best concept so far!?

Thank you Jason! I liked your version too!? Especialy the "when did you unravel?" part. Deep stuff.?

5WH (again)

"Who's that knocking at the door?"
"What did you say? He's been her before,"
"Where was the money last time he was here then?"
"When did we put the cash tin up here then?"
"Why's it so much? That seems obscene,
"How come it's so pricey to get windows clean?"

Your turn ?

J.

Oh my! Tantalising! And in rhyme!!! Well done! And to think I have to study... Ah, the hell with it!

Here goes

Who will pay?
What was so bad about it, to refer to it as "crime"?
Where is the stolen heart, have you found it yet?
When is reckoning day, my watch has stopped...
Why is everybody looking at me?
How long till the culprit's forgiven? I'm getting anxious...

Who are we to judge so many?
Why is it so hard to share one's last penny?
When did money become more important?
What has forsaken those who extorted and aborted?
Where did humanity go wrong???
How can we fix the world we all share?

Oh wow, Lisa returns the volley with a decisive forehand smash. Just brilliant.

I'm enjoying, "Poetry Tennis."?

How do we become more caring
Why are we all not so comfortable sharing
When will the rest be more daring
What is the the point if we cant act with love
Where can we hide from the man up above
Who are we to act so coldly

This is fun ?

Now that is deep! Definite backhand volley and the poetry tennis begins?

Who said poem's cant be fun
Where does is state we can not joke
When is my husband leaving the pub ,he is due a good chocking
How can he walk home in the rain, yet not arrive home f#####g soaking
What is his excuse I wonder, ill find out when I allow him in out of that thunder

Hahaha

Why can I only find one sock,
What's going on? Have I got, "Sock block?"
How can it be that I don't have a pair?
When everything tells me they should both be there,
Where oh where can the other one be?
Who on earth would hide it from me?

(Cheeky little lob I think ?)

Yep, I definitely think you are kicking my arse at the moment Lisa.?

Who took your sock sparks much conspiracy
Where did the guilty one hide it from me
When did it last see your feet
How do you now put shoes on your feet
What shall one do

Would it be more fun and challenging to continue on from previous short poem?? Just a thought ?

Wow!Awesome! So much fun this little poetry tennis indeed!
That second one there, Lisa! WOW! Deep deep stuff! And crafty! Oh sock where art thou?

Here's something more abstract?

Who are you to tell me how...?
Where were you when...?
What is what...?
When have you ever asked yourself why...?
Why do you care who...?
How can I know where...?

Good idea Lisa!

Who knows who gets to decide what and when,
And why do they know how and where to begin?

(New balls please.??)

And Mae steps back in and puts Bayliss on the back foot, she's looking strong!?

I'm not sure I can do it though...Continue on the same topic.


Who is this figure I see in your eyes?
Where is the key to unlock your lips, where the answer lies?
When did we give in to silence; are we dead or close to dead?
Why is the figure standing on its head?
What is the meaning of a plucked raven's feather?
How does your heart not break with such awful weather?


Jason I like what you're doing!!! ? ? Any comebacks?

Who do you think is gonna answer your pleas?
When have you ever said thank you or please?
What were you thinking, jumping across the railroad?
Where are you, in the valley of shadows, leaning on His rod?
Why didn't you love me enough, loved you enough?
How am I going to make it without you, I'm not all that tough...

Who is he ?..remains a surprise
Where ?.. It is written beneath one's eyes
When? one had chosen to keep hush
What ? Maybe raven lost it during that wind gush
How? Because the warmth in my heart makes the dark day's more lush

Who ? I say myself for sure
When? Always!! Its a big part of me
What!! You ask ? I would of jumped oceans
Where are you im here!!
How? Simply because you have to ?

Awe!!!!!!!

I bow before you mistress!??

How very kind of you , im not to shabby at this poem tennis but in real life I have a good swing but bad sight and always miss the ball haha..

Sorry had to go and have a drink of squash and a banana (Make a drink and start getting tea ready)

Have you two re-read your most recent rhymes, oh my word, there's some real real quality there. I'm going to have to bow out for a little while, got to get dinner ready for the whipper snappers, but maybe the 5WH concept is starting to limit maybe we could return with a Limerick??

Or just throw this concept open wide,
With short retort, you decide ?

Who is the one that knows a psyche's best kept secrets? -It might be Lisa The Fair!
Where did you meet her aquaintance? -In a haven for the wounded and bright soul.
What drew your eye towards her? Why, her indomitable flair!
Why did it take you so long to find WOL?- I live in a far away realm.
When did you realize you are nothing without your words? -I had a war to fight; a foe who anywone would overwhelm.
How did you survive without poetry so long, doll? -I have no idea, maybe I wasn't living at all.

Good Idea Jason! Toss away!!!

When I was a little one, my mom and dad
signed me up to learn how to play tennis
It was a time when this noble sport was a fad
little did my parents know that I was a menace!
I took a swing, off my racket goes flying over the court's door.
I chased every ball that came, like a disoriented Labrador.
In one aftrenoon I managed to warp my bat
and knock over my coach's hat
That was what made my parents decide
That I may not be the athletic type
and I would be better off inside!

Standing novation for mae..
the crowd is going wilddddd..

The loud feet stomping and cheers are heard from all over the globe. A true poet who has captivated the heart's of everyone who sits at the stadium watching the words fly back and forth. Word's so fragile and soft slipping trew the square holes of his racket and smaking his aponen straight in the heart and soul...

What a legend he is ??

That was absolutely amazing dude.. I now bow down to you sir ?

Thank you Lisa, for your standing ovation
thank you indeed! You deserve just as much glee!
Just allow me to make a little correction,
Mae is actually a "She" and not a "he"!

hahah???

I am so sorry mae ?
An honest mistake and I most certainly did not mean to upset or offend you in any way. Please forgive my stupidity. I send a million apologies.. I really am so sorry and now I feel like a right tool..

Hahah! Not upset or offended! I get it all the time! It's the hair and in your case the photo too!
No worries! Really! I mean it! I'm actually laughing! (And looking for a picture of me wearing earrings!) ???

If it's any constellation I think you have great hair ?

Hahaha! Thanks! I'm trying to grow them but instead of growing long they grow tall! However people say that they look better short! ?Whatever, it's just hair! Right now I'm happy just to have it on my head again!
Thank you!

You two are brilliant at this, I can't believe your ability,
Like poetry Serenas, I admire your verbal agility,
The beat of your tempo and rhythm put the rest of us in our places,
While we were having a knock around you two were serving aces.?

Truly in awe of your skill at nets?

We thank you kindly Jason! ? You had an awesome idea!

And thank you Mae and Lisa! Let us meet again at the nets!

Seriously you two are great at this ? x

Hopefully next time you'll contribute a word or two Jason! ?

Yes, my apologies, unfortunate timing with food and everything. You two hit some brilliant off the cuff rhyming stuff though, I was really enjoying it but timing beat me this time.?

What did you cook?
Where was it eaten?
How much was consumed?
When do you not eat?
why eat during a game?
Who's turn is it now?

Hahaha

Beautiful photo mae ?

Why do we submit to technology?
What are other ways in which we could be?
Where can we run in this time so glum?
When will this be done?
Who are we without technology?

Who walks grim the grass and dew
to find what left this day anew
to seek a shadow where night has placed
and why when sun and moon how breathless raced

That Devon is by far, the absolute best 5WH poem I've seen, so good.

J.

lol. Thanks man. Fun challenge to be sure. So much good stuff here!

There was a man who wandered far
Seeking what called to his heart
Where he started, not important
It's the why that kept him going.
Even when the road got rocky
he remained determined.
How I admire that man.

Oooh! here's another...I even threw in an extra W

Do you know who I am
Or what I am capable of
I am here, there, and every where
Which is why you may not know
When we finally meet
How will you be certain it is me

Both of those excellent Lisa. Both you and Devon seem to be very good at this. We started discussion called, Annie Lennox great poet? Where we've essentially been discussing the influence music has had on us all poetically. You should both have a look. It's mainly me and Mae but others have chipped in and that can only be welcomed.

J. x

One more before the days end...


Who is God
What is religion
Where exactly is the after life
Why are we here
When we die
How will we know the answers

Thanks Jason. Yes Devon and I have both been in on the music conversation....I could be there forever and ever ever

Hi! Boy am I glad this one is still on!

Devon, excellent poem indeed. Lisa, you too! Ok, Let's see...

What is it about me that's so curious?
Why can't I be just I?
and where can I go to just be-
who am I-
when I'm not quite myself?



Thank you ?
Mae

Good one, Mae. This little exercise and its limitations really push us. Thanks for the challenge Jason.

Way to weigh in, Lisa!

D

You lot are so good at this. Got to say I prefer everyone elses to mine. The restriction of a really tight theme can really bring the best out of you. Brilliant.

J. x

Who farted?
What did they eat earlier?
Where can I bury my nose?
When will a draft free me of this olfactory assault?
Why did I get on this bus?
How can I escape?

Who is the one I am thinking of
What to do without that Who
Where to go without What I need
When is the time Where stands still
Why is the When up until now
How wise are the Whys

And again really good, I like everybodies much more than I like my own efforts. Love the comedy of an inescapable bus fact, and love the callbacks in the second poem. Thought both were great concepts Jason.

J. ?

Thank you, Jason, for both the compliments and for the fun challenge!

Cool! still at it...


Who is playing this game now
What have they contributed
This is a place were opinions count
When evenly distributed
Keep on thinking, speaking and asking why
Knowledge is power when you know how to use it

To Jason Z.
sorry I had brussel sprouts for dinner last night

To Jason B.
You get ALL the credit cuz you started this!

HAHAHAHAHA.... Nice!!!