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National Poetry Day challenge
It's National Poetry Day!
Is anyone doing anything special to mark the occasion? Let us know.
The theme this year is Home, so we thought we'd have a little competition on here, with a poetry book for the best entry.
Perhaps working from this first line... "There's no place like home"
Hope to see some interesting entries. Good luck!
Comments
Only joking. :)
Does jeroboam [sp?] rhyme with home?
Why does Star Trek keep popping into my head?
I think we'll be pretty slack about a deadline Liz! there aren't that many hours left in the day now.
(I think 12pm is usually noon, Jay, but technically, isn't it neither? It should just be "M" )
Anyway... poems!
be it cubic or dome
made of redbrick or timber or ice.
Whether stately or small
it's the best place of all
for, to you, it's your own paradise.
(Now you tell me we don't have to use the first line!!!!!)
I'm currently in first place ...... out of one!
Hairclipped to where I was born
I always navigate back
Through satellite and storms
To the place where I belong.
Different ideas to different minds,
Different concepts to different kinds,
I see home in the words perfumed in my mail,
Grabbing that feeling and building its scale,
I'm coming home in one of two ways,
One's in a box if I can't survive some more days,
I'm sorry my love if the way is the latter,
You and our kid, you're all that does matter.
Awww, rhyming's fun.
:(
Looks like the copyright police heard you. :(
I wish it was still there,
our cottage in the woods,
but there's a brand new town
where our dear home once stood.
I wish it was still there
the beech trees standing tall,
but tap roots have withered
beneath the urban sprawl.
I wish it was still there,
remember cuckoo song.
I weep like a Moorish king,
my paradise has gone.
Okay - so the mention of Pam Ayres inspired me to write this!
Theres no place like home
said the spider to the fly
Its unique, its stand alone
come look and youll see why.
Theres no place like home
come and see my filaments
Theres no place like home
come see its accoutrements.
Theres no place like home?
The fly was tempted to explore
He circled, glided, roamed
then he flew into her maw.
Theres no place like home
The spider wrapped the fly
Theres no place like home?
She stifled his last cry.
Shes a skinny ballerina,
dancing, desperate with thrall.
Today shes here,
tomorrow, and the next,
theres an absence as
she fails to grace
her classroom chair.
Eight years old.
Darling of the corner shop,
Mummys money.
Grown-up girl does it all,
sweeps the floor,
washes dishes,
cares without care.
Teacher spots the crawling hair,
lice the size
of planets in
Delilahs fine red curls,
Appalled, she sends her home.
The letter
Says it all.
Breaking down the family door
they find the truth,
how shes survived
on pizza,
squeezy cheese.
The washing ups all done,
ironing, left creased.
With Mummy dressed in rose-pink satin,
curled up in cold
arms Delilah scratches
at her scalp.
Mummy gone, the nits -
one thing
she couldnt do herself.
Just the sky
stretched white
above the sea,
and one albatross,
rising and falling
with the breath
of the tide,
wings spread,
feathers lifting,
strong with
the memories
of sun, moon,
storm, wind,
and the plunge
for fish,
each wing tip
grey dipped,
circle, soar, swoop.
What calls him?
He is already home.
Theres dog hair on the couch,
The bed sheets all need washing
But Im feeling such a slouch
We cant see through the windows
And cobwebs drape the walls
The bin is overflowing
But the thought of cleaning galls
The stove is indescribable
The fridge, a lab for mould,
But I really cant be bothered
I must be getting old.
My kids, though, all seem happy,
Theyre always washed and fed
They always have a story
When theyre going off to bed
They always do their homework
Theyre not allowed to roam
Its their giggles and their laughter
That makes this house a home.
I know my house is messy,
In fact, it's quite a sight,
But Im busy doing other things
Come on, kids, wheres the kite?
These are all really good! I wonder how many books we've got... Will seek colleagues' comments on favourites.
The office favourite was Nena's warmhearted portrait of home life... so well done Nena. Please whisper me your address, and we'll sort out a prize for you. Course, you're in Oz, so with our post you'll probably get it just about in time for next year's National Poetry Day!
There were other great ones too though, and I must admit I nearly had to wipe away a tear at LilyC's (but I'm just a sentimental old fool really).
Sorry to make you (nearly) sob Webbo!
That's a lovely poem.
I'm going to have sweet dreams tonight (it's late here).
As to webbo's original question about what we did for NPD - I spent yesterday morning with 18 children under five, reading rhymed stories and singing nursery rhymes - at that age, rhymes are their poetry! And I had sent off 10 children's 'My favourite things' poems to a 'My First Poem' competition a few weeks back, and just found out today that they will all get published in a book - the usual 'try to get the parents to buy an expensive copy to see their kids work in print' kind of a book, but at least I got 10 tiny kids to have a go at writing a poem!
I really enjoyed all these poems, especially Lily's and Nena's.
Er, no, the book hasn't arrived yet. But considering how late Writer's Magazine arrives in the Aussie shops each edition, I expect it's on the same boat as them - and heading here via Mongolia and the South Pole. :D