Pick 10 people who have been important in your life: an amazing teacher, a popstar you emulated when your were a toddler, the noisy nieghbour you want dead, etc.
Write a stanza about each, each stanza must be exactly 5 words long.
Perform the resulting poem at an event without giving the audience any explanation as to why and how you wrote it.
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<Deleted User> (8335)
Wed 9th Jun 2010 20:12
No teachers, No Mentor Hero..
Only an unfulfilled slip stream
Life, given yet taken away
Woken with fear every day
Passed the baton, on your way
Cheated with an extra word, but hey it took all of ten secs to write
Hi Jackie
I've had a go but have to agree with others that this is a difficult formula to write anything half-decent in, and I can't imagine performing it. But it certainly made me think so Ta very much.
Rachel Bond
Sat 5th Jun 2010 23:05
well it was interesting to think of important people but to only give five words to each?? mine just didnt make any sense andd was disjointed. i think its a good way to come up with choice phrases to use elsewhere.
I wouldnt read this out.
I do like the way kath hewit as utilized the exercise to produce something meaningful in its whole...very skilful thing to do.
I do enjoy trying out different writing exercises though so keep em coming...
ill blog one it would be very interesting to see everyones take on it:)
No - I think mine will stay on a page also Carole. Because of the subject matter, the poem jumps about left, right and centre. An audience really wouldn't get it - so what's the point inflicting it on them?
ok , dont know about the event thing though , its not what i usually do
Tee hee - why don't you bend the rules a little and write a poem that is 10 lines long, 5 words each line, all about Cilla Black...
I'm just about to post mine now. It is a hideously restrictive form of writing and one that I won't repeat in a long, time, if ever - but it has been fun - of sorts - a bit like pulling your own poetic toe nails out...
I used to think I was my own worst enemy.But I wasn't sure. So I decided to view the matter scientifically,gather the facts, look at the evidence impartially. Turned out it was Cilla Black, she's my worst enemy.I'm only in 5th place.But does she really mean each stanza to be five words long, not five lines.
Ray Miller
Cilla
Black Killer.
What's it's all about Ray? Haven't you ever heard her sing Alfie? Forget blind date and those chicken legs - you have to admit that was a stonking song and her nasal voice was somehow right for it. That song even inspired me to write a poem - one of my very best!
Each stanza must be 5 words long!How can I convey my deep hatred for Cilla Black in 5 words? That's ridiculous.
I think this is a great idea. You should also blog it. I'm not totally sure that everyone reads features but they do blogs.
I find it hard not to explain my poetry cos it is important to me that my audience/readers understand. I could give it a go though.
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winston plowes
Thu 10th Jun 2010 10:01
He created me without knowing
Invisible blindfolds smoke and mirrors
Trust easily won by love
Carries the grace inside her
I was once a baby
No laughing in purple heaven
No heroes in your tragedy
A hand no to hold
A school prize between covers
I follow in dark footsteps