Writing Poetry: Bouts-Rimeś

Inspired by my teacher in my Forms of Poetry class, I have been studying the various . . . um, well . . .  forms of poetry.

Do you like collaborating?

I do!

My family and I play a game at the dinner table where one of us starts a story with one sentence and then we go around the table, each person adding another sentence so we can create a tale together. This is similar to an exercise I enjoyed with classmates in acting school, creating poetry through words and body movement. (Although my old brain can’t recall whether we spouted out one word or one sentence at a time.)

So I found this form that appealed to me because it is often played with others, the Bouts-Rimeś, which is French for “rhymed ends.”

One person makes a list of rhyming words and then gives it to another person to fill in the rest of the lines (using the words from the first person as the last word in each line – while keeping them in order).

Here is a famous example by John Keats, “ On the Grasshopper and Cricket.”

Is anyone game? Use the following list as your end words in each line:

Funny
Broke
Sunny
Spoke
Soft
Tiny
Coughed
Spiny
Pampered
Dewy
Hamper
Achooey

I think that’s good for a start. Go! And please post your results in the comments.

Here is my attempt:

One day when I was not feeling so funny,
a bank account looking quite broke,
the weather outside went from thunder to sunny,
clouds opening up when I spoke.
Could you please keep in mind that my spirit’s quite soft,
my presence forever quite tiny?
To my amazement, before any words, he coughed,
then transformed from cottony to spiny,
“As a child you were loved and terribly pampered,
though your heart and eyes were often quite dewy.
Let this not ever hinder or hamper
success.” Then he just blew out an “Achooey!”

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Lara Britt was so kind as to include a blurb about my blogs and my literary magazine, Mouse Tales Press, today on her website. Be sure to read through the rest of her site to experience both her wonderful writing and additional links to recommended blogs. Thank you so much, Lara!

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Time Management for Writer Moms

When time is so precious. Time to spend with children. Time to write. Time to hide in the bathroom for your date with that box of cookies. The mystery is how to find enough.

These tips on time management for mothers might help . . .

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Need more ideas?

• Having a clutter-free home will help free up time for writing. Imagine not having to search through disorganization for the item you need!
• Don't waste time trying to think of what to write. Check out these games to help end writer's block.

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Liebster Award: Great Blogs to Follow

I learned a few days ago that my blog had been nominated by Rebecca Barray as a Liebster Blog.

I met Rebecca Barray while we were both participating in Robert Lee Brewer’s Platform Challenge. The challenge helped me to brush up on my time-management skills. (I did have a few organizational ideas before. Be sure to read my blog tomorrow for some tips!)

I am forever grateful to have met such a wonderful group of writers that I can share my writing ups and downs with. Not to mention, I was given the boost I needed to brush the dust off my blog and create a writing schedule for it.

Anyway, wow! Talk about heartwarming. Talk about encouragement.

Rebecca’s comment about my blog was, “Linda posts about lots of different topics, all interesting.”

Thank you so much, Rebecca! I appreciate your kindness very much.

The Liebster Blogger Rules are:

1. Thank the one who nominated you by linking back.
2. Nominate five blogs with less than 200 followers.
3. Let your nominees know by leaving a comment on their sites.
4. Add the award image to your site.

My nominees are:

1) Muddy Kinzer’s Muddying the Waters – The description on Muddy’s blog says “There is life after kids & I'm just finding my way back in it!” Funny and conversational, not to mention, easy to relate to for the rest of us moms, her blog will not disappoint.

2) The multi-talented Veronica Roth – Writing, painting, photos. Her blog makes me smile, it makes me cry; it is full of life.

3) Bonnie Vesely's Just Venture Coaching – Bonnie is full of insight on finding your life’s purpose.

4) Anne Kimball’s Life on the Funny Farm – Be sure to check her out if you would like a good laugh!

5) Romelle Broas – Follow Romelle’s journey: “A Timeline on Becoming a Children’s Picture Book Author.”


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