Here, There be a Writer

Saturday, October 31, 2015

OctPoWriMo: Journey's End

How has your journey been for you? Have you discovered new ways to write poetry? Were you able to dive deeper into the words and uncovered new/old truths?

It always is different. I find that when I let go, I get more of what I want out of a poem, a story, or life as I
know it. I tried every prompt, in some capacity. I explored new poetic forms. I tried free verse. I found a love for free verse, letting go of structure, yet still holding onto that ability to tell a story (or try to). I wasn't always successful with what I wanted, but tried. I experimented with rhyme and mimickry of  other poets. I had a good time and will be back next year. There are things I want to try to perfect before next year. Dear Readers, expect much more poetry to surface between now and NaPoWriMo in April 2016.

Enjoy!

For my musketeers and poet peeps...

OctPoWriMo the month long poetry challenge. 31 poems in 31 days. Come see what everyone else is writing aty the Blog Hop.

Word Prompts: trip, expedition, excursion, trek, voyage, cruise, ride, drive, jaunt

Sentence Starters: 
The journey isn't ending...
exploring my depths...

From MorgueFile
~~~~~~

It is the journey
that somehow people will fear
it is what I love

~~~~~~

The adventure
is what is waiting
the journey
a path
a trail
destiny unfolding.

I relish the expedition
seeking out new challenges
new words to play with
upon my fingers
at the keyboard I type,
into the lands known
and unknown.

Upon the ship I sail,
Captain at the helm
and you as my first mate
hold tight before we capsize.

Upon the elephant to ride,
thundering through the jungle
dense and deep.

A quick jaunt to Baker Street,
perhaps with the Tardis meet
some rhyme 
and reason
we travel together
to Paralon and back again,
more adventures to be had.

Even at journey's end,
it is only the beginning.

Friday, October 30, 2015

OctPoWriMo: Senses

Maybe it is the 2 hour nap I took this morning, after the furnace guys came to measure the house. I was tried Tardis Hum coming from my computer. Its my favourite sound to write to. I think it syncs up to my algorithms and keeps me mellow. Anyway, I set to writing the second to last poem for OctPoWriMo 2015.
and I think not getting good quality sleep the last two/three nights.  So now with the nap behind me and the coffee in front I can settle into my work. There is

Funny, while I feel glad to be winding down as I wrote, a sadness overcame me. I guess yesterday's prompt is still with me. And since tomorrow is Halloween I was feeling in the spirit. Something made me want to write a Halloween poem, but then something else wanted to write a poem in the style of Edgar Allan Poe.

I did not settle.

I wrote both.

Happy Halloween ~AND~ Blessed Samhain!!!



Poetry Prompt: Your prompt today is to write a poem that incorporates each of the senses (Or I guess if you want, focus in on one of them?) Free for all on the form, but go one by one with see, feel, smell, hear, and taste. Tell me a story or tell me a memory. Really put the reader into that fleeting moment of life so that in every way those words are alive. Let them be the truth of the moment.

Sight, Smell, Hearing, Touch, and Taste

Word Prompts:  Present, Icy, Embers, Moonlight

Sentence prompts: Then it hit me like...
The breeze came through the window...
I love...
Into the puddle...

Poetic Prompt: Pleiades and Trolaan

Trip of Treating

Within silver moonlight,
I can see and hear sounds
of ghosts and goblins 'round.
Smell of wetted leaves, I
touch the velvet folds of 
my cloak imagining
the hot cup of cocoa

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Once Upon a Midnight...

Through the window, open wide it stood--
black night I see and where spirits roam.
Hear the hoot owl cry across inky velvet wood
and feel cold within the confines of my home.

Hasten now to bring fire to life--
have you flint and tinder to strike a spark.
Heavenly is the scent of sulfur rife,
haven's here inside while outside it is stark.

Advantage here we have here today--
and on this night when lurking monsters near
allow me one moment here to stay
awhile as we prepare against the dread night, Dear.

Do not let your fears take to flight,
Darling, now to give you rest,
determined to make this night,
Drink my love and taste this twice hot chocolate blessed.

OctPoWriMo is a month long challenge, 31 poems in 31 days. Beware and enter the Blog Hop at your own risk.

I found these whilst looking for something Halloweenie to post. Poe is one of my favourite poet and writer of all times. Enjoy these adaptations and my own poem, Dear Readers:





Thursday, October 29, 2015

OctPoWriMo: Beginnings or Endings

Poetry Prompt: Endings. Beginnings.

Every new beginning comes from some other beginning's end. ~Seneca

OctPoWriMo a month long challenge, write 31 poems in 31 days. Come and visit with others, see what they are writing. Blog Hop.

Poetic Form: A Quatern . A French form in the vein of a Kyrielle Sonnet, but not necessarily using iambic meter or rhyme.


Beginning or Ending


Why does an ending mark sadness
when so much more adventure waits.
The path disappearing around
and into the distance sojourned.

Its time to make a change, Dear One--
Why does an ending mark sadness
when set you are to climb mountains
but find valleys that bar your way.

Marching to the Great Wide Open,
but it begs you the question asked--
Why does an ending mark sadness
when all you want to do is laugh?

Beginnings are journeys as much
as Endings are the possible
starts or finishes that you seek--
Why does an ending mark sadness?

Wednesday, October 28, 2015

Much Progress

Today is a mass of hysteria and confusion as I sort out everything I need to do. Bear with me, Dear Readers. I am trying to get caught up on stuff, so this is getting posted on the late side.

This Week:
      *Reading: making slow work of Inkheart (Cornelia Funke). It a good novel and I need to soak it in. I have forgotten much of it since my last read of it.
      *Writing: wrote my OctPoWriMo poems daily (about 100 words each), Tuesday Writing Blitz (700+ words), Wednesday Writing Blitz (713 words), ROW80 post (863 words), and some NaNoWriMo prep work (its coming too fast).
      *Editing: Didn't get to editing Tuesday, but managed to get about an hour on some edits tonight. I wrote this so out of order that getting these edits and re-writes into the script is really going to take a while. But on the upside I feel I am getting a clearer story out of The Real Road Trip. Its becoming a stronger story. I have chapters now, but they feel more like sections while I sort this story out. We will see after I finish with this re-write draft.
      *Theatre Stuffs: scanned the my script (so I can print of a Lighting and Sound Technical Script tomorrow). Making sing-up sheets for make-up, and help for box office and parental guard duty. Typed up stage notes for Act 1. Much more to come....less than three weeks now!
      *House Tending: got plumber to fix leaky pipe in basement, getting a quote on a new furnace (joys of home ownership) as it appears that the furnace is shot, keeping up with laundry. Most of the dishes are now done.
      *Social Media: spending tine on Twitter, visiting 4 blogs daily from ROW80 and OctPoWriMo (at 4 for each since Sunday), and keeping up with my sponsor duties.

This (upcoming) Week:
       *Reading: continue reading Inkheart, read Murder Comes Ashore (Julie Anne Lindsey), and start Mrs. McGinty's Body (Agatha Christie). Update my Goodreads Reading Challenge.
       *Writing: write daily, at least 300 words. Hoping to make this happen in the latter part of the week this week. Spend a little time getting character sketches done and finish a mock outline for Modern Muses for NaNoWriMo, because that starts on Sunday.
       *Editing: Spend 1 day between now and Sunday editing The Real Road Trip for an hour.
       *Blogging: post Thursday.
       *Social Media:  4 blogs daily, sponsor duties, spend time on Twitter.
       *Theatre Stuffs: report.
       *House Tending: report.

A Round of Words in 80 Days is a blog challenge that knows you have a life. Come and see what the other ROW80-ers are writing about at the Blog Hop.

HOw are your goals coming? Who is doing NaNoWriMo? Ready for November?

So much stuff and now time for a little WIPpet Wednesday!


The creation of K.L. Schwengel, where writers post a bit of their WIP on Wednesday to a Blog Hop (CLICK HERE) to visit the other WIPpeteers. By using today's date you share a snippet and give a little background on the piece. Today is 10/28 so lets do 2 + 8 = 10 paragraphs from the beginning of Modern Muses (working title). Here we meet Thalos and what was doing at the top of the novel and a little bit of Teri.

A man bounced a tennis ball against the ground as he heard shouts from the field. “That’s fifteen – love, mate.” The guy on the further end of the courts called to his partner. 

“Okay, my serve then,” and he reach up just in time to miss the ball and as he ran to catch it his laces which were now loose and sprawled out across the court. He did a tuck and roll, but still managed to bang his head on the fence.

“You okay mate?” his friend called.

“Yeah, just cracked my head that’s all.” Everyone else on the nearby courts eyes the event unfolding, some even chuckle a bit, but most turned back to what they were doing when the young man slowly stood up.

They were supposed to laugh, Thalos thought. Why didn’t they? He thought it was funny.

What people didn’t see was that the man, Thalos was laughing and moving his pointer finger as the young man had skidded into the concrete, dropping his racket as the ball went out of bounds and bumping his head. Thalos wiped tears of mirth from his eyes, “Oh that’s good…” as he mentally checked off points about the young man’s fall.

“I thought you were in charge of inspiring the lighter side of poetry, comedy, and mirth.”

“I am,” said Thalos who now stood, dropping the tennis ball into his draw string bag. “I am just sitting here minding my own business. Doing some research for one of my…um, charges.”

“Right….Thalos. You think I was born yesterday.” The voice belonged to a short and thin girl, who looked much younger than Thalos. She was certainly clean in appearance. “You’re a bum, Talo.”

He hated that nickname. It made him think of candle, “What’s it to you, Teri?” Thalos said ignoring Teri and walking past a girl who was wearing black yoga pants and a purple spaghetti strap top with some brand name store across her meager chest.

OctPoWriMo: Whirlpool Video and Trekking

Today, Morgan Dragonwillow pulled out the challenge of recording yourself reading your favourite poem. I just recorded my voice for last's years OctPoWriMo audio challenege. This year is about stepping outside of my comfort zone.  I know many folks on the interwebs from Twitter, Facebook to Google +; or ROW80 to theOctPoWriMo/NaPoWriMo, especially my fellow musketeers, and also just from networking online with writers, poets, and people. So, I know some of their faces, fewer I know their voices. I like this challenge, because I get to know you as a person with your face and voice. I am taking a chance, I hope you will join me.

I could have picked any of hundreds of poems from high school or college, maybe something last year. I could have picked a really old and terrible poem, or one of my best. Nope and yup! I wanted to share my poem in my own voice and one from this year's OctPoWriMo, as I as written some of my best poem (only 2 were below my REALLY EFFIN' HIGH standards.

Ballads: I wasn't should I would like writing one, but by the time I type the last line, I was pretty much in love with the form. This poem is dedicated to Jesi (Athos), Rod (Aramis), and Lizzi (Dartagnen). I hope you three enjoy my voice and my live action face; and Dear Readers I also hope you enjoy the poem.



A finer point to mention. Morgan also posted this challenge and I am not one to skimp on a challenge. I used my favourite form, the Pantoum.


Word Prompts: confident, positive, pessimistic, sanguine, inauspicious, buoyant

from MorgueFile


Trekking Adveture

The sunshine dawning
even through the rain clouds
Are you confident enough
to sustain through the mire.

Even through the rain
when the pessimism reigns enough
to sustain through the mire
you still must tread.

When the pessimism reigns enough
and you are sure that you cannot
you still must tread
because you know you can.

And you are sure tht you cannot, 
the little voice stills sings
because you know you can
the strength lies within you.

The little voice still sings
a melody that is hard to kill
the strength lies within you
to make the trek through.

A melody that is hard to kill
when you make that choice
to make it through
doing what must be done.

When you make that choice
are you confident enough
to make it through
the sunshine dawning.


OctPoWriMo is a month long poetry challenge. you write 31 poems in 31 days. Come in a visit, see what everyone else is writing too at the Blog Hop.

Tuesday, October 27, 2015

OctPoWriMo: Why Happy Ending Did you Write

I wrote about the stories, the ending, the tales that make me most happy to read them. Don't get me wrong, I love the standards of the Faerie, and fairytales. But there is something about taking it in a different direction that makes it better, sometimes. That got me thinking. Today's poem is a little more rambly, but It makes one think a little about what we perceive and what we want in our happy endings.

So, how do you write a Happy Ending, Dear Reader?


OctPoWriMo a month long poetry challenge. Write a poem a day for 31 days. Use the daily prompt or write your own. I took the idea and ran with it. Come and read what the others are writing about at the Blog Hop! Enjoy and Happy Reading, dear Readers!!

Photos from MorgueFile

What Happy Ending Did you Write?

Once upon a time...
When the hero rides upon the steed
or the ingenue gets the prince
or the villain properly vanquish--
these are what make up happy endings, right?

What is it you see?

What of
the roan steed within the stable
who,
because her coat,
not nearly glossy enough to be seen,
whilst the white stallion,
looking strong and powerful
yet parched and weary
chosen time and again.

Why pick beauty over strength?

A hero hast not be of royal blood
to save the day,
nor to win thy fair maid's hand,
to be crowned victor,
saving the day
the ending cannot be just what is written.

Upon a steed of white he rides out of the darken glades,
Riding to a happy ending to meet his only love
in a hail of heavenly choruses will they kiss.

Somewhere there is the fool,
who only just wishes,
for once to get the girl.
Maybe,
a chance to snuggle on the couch
whilst watching yon Netflix.

Doesn't mean throwing passion to the wind equals sex?

A sword fight, clash of steel on steel in the royal throne room
with all there to watch as the villain, moustashe twirling dives at the hero
thirsty for blood and honouring a hail of heavenly choruses.

Maybe there is a girl,
with love to give to another
who cannot be hers
bound by promises to others,
yet a love remains
bound in emotional passion.

Are these stories then wrong?

What I want in a story
what I want to be--
I want happy to mean that after all the time on the road
dusty and dirty,
foot sore and hungry,
that maybe the hero
can be with the one they love bound in a rapture of Doctor Who and cheesecake.

Or--

A happy filled with hot cocoa
and a dozen books
and maybe about three weeks to myself.


Or--

With death tasting on my lips,
of relationships burned away,
birdsong in my ears as doors close,
sunshine on your face as you say goodbye.

Would you be okay with that? Would I?

Breaking the status quo
of faerie tales,
and heroes,
dragon battles,
and adventure.

Would you still love that? Love me?

If I re-wrote the stories to be where--

I die,
but having you in my arms
as the last breath leaves my lips--
a veritable happy ending.

Or--

I live
and not have you be mine
while another can claim you as theirs.

Or--

Is the ending best when the truth lies around you
like a cloak of the warmest wool,
flower of the most beautiful colour,
the truths telling you to be brave,
the hurts that make you stronger,
the friend making it out alive,
the Protagonist getting the job done
the Antagonist serving their time.

The happiness of endings--
those spoken with truth
either for good or ill.

Monday, October 26, 2015

OctPoWriMo: When will it Rain

Poetry Prompt: Loop Poem. I did one of these not too long ago for a prompt. am just a little bit excited to be trying it again. Its a great form to write in stream of consciousness. At least this of was very easy to write. the picture provided a bit of fodder for the poem and someone else filled in the gaps. Shhh, that's the secret! :-) I feel really good about this poem and i hope you enjoy reading it, Dear Readers.


From Morgan~
How to Loop 101: There are no restrictions on meter or syllables or rhyme schemes (YAY!). BUT we have a few rules!

Take the last word of a line. Skip a line. Use that word as the first word of that line. I know, sounds harder than it is, so basically take the last word of the FIRST line and use it as the first word of the THIRD line. Take the last word of the SECOND line and use it as the first word of the FORTH line. Last word of the THIRD line is the first word of the FIFTH line. And it keeps going on and on like that. Some people do it by stanzas. There is also a variation where there's no skipping and the last word of the line simply becomes the first word of the next line. Simpler, but personally I think it's a LOT harder. Got it? Sounds fun right!

Word Prompts: Cycle, Transparent, Petrichor- the scent of rain on dry earth , Rarity

When Will it Rain

When all the days seem to blur together
by Beverly Tan
thinking about you
together, by my side standing--
you the picture of lovely
standing a rarity under the 
lovely sapphire skies.
The memory of the rain once
Skies are still clear
once there was rain is the desert.
Clear of everything, but raw emotion
desert lands parched, but for love.
Emotion quenches my thirst
Love makes me thirsty.
Thirst for your lips upon mine,
Thirsty I am
Mine waiting for yours
Am waiting under the sun
Yours is the only one I desire
Sun glinting off your hair
Desire, yearning
Hair smelling of Petrichor
yearning for the moment of 
petrichor, when of the rain soaked bodies 
of heat pressing together and
Bodies intertwined
and thirst no more we will .

OctPoWriMo the month long poetry challenge and makes to think outside the box, at least it does for me. Come and visit with the others and see what they have been up to at the Blog Hop.

Sunday, October 25, 2015

OctPoWriMo: Childhood Favourite

It's that time again, Sunday check-in. I'm writing this while gelling to Meatloaf and writing incredibly strange flash fiction. It's what I do, but anyway, how did my latter week plans go. You wanna know? Well, Dear Reader, check it out.

This Week:
     *Reading: about a 1/5 of the way through Inkheart (Cornelia Funke). Been focusing on this one more this week. I have an Agatha Christie novel in my purse Mrs. McGinty's Body, but haven't started reading it yet and there's Murder Comes Ashore (Julie Anne Lindsey) to finish.
     *Writing: have written a poem a day for OctPoWriMo since Wednesday (about 100 words per post), wrote this ROW8 post ( 521words), and a blitz this afternoon (768 words). I wrote 4 days out of the 7 of the week (not counting the poem, which would have meant I wrote all 7 days then).
     *Social Media: visited 4 site daily (ROW80), about 3 to 4 (OctPoWri), and 2 so far for WIPpet Wednesday. Visited my sponsor duties.
     *House tending: vacuumed the upstairs and finished the laundry.

This (upcoming) Week:
     *Reading: continue with Inkheart and finally finish Murder Comes a Shore.
     *Writing: write daily, at least 300 words, include my OctPoWriMo and writing blitzes.
     *Editing: spend at least and hour Tuesday and Wednesday.
     *Blogging: I miss this COMPLETELY this past week. Back to posting Tuesday and Thursday.
     *Social Media: twitter time and visiting at least 4 blogs daily from ROW80, WIPpet Wednesday, OctPoWriMo.

A Round of Words in 80 Days is the challenge that knows you have a life. Come and see what everyone else is writing about or up to at the Blog Hop.



Now, for OctPoWriMo poem of the day. Today's prompt is to write a poem about a favourite childhood toy, blanket, pillow, something from your childhood. I couldn't pick a specific item, but instead took the idea of a favourite toy in the eyes of a child. I played with a couple of forms. Enjoy, Dear Readers!!

Naani is one of Indian's most popular Telugu poems. Naani means an expression of one and all. It consists of 4 lines, the total lines consists of 20 to 25 syllables.

My Favourite Toy

It is the whole world,
or maybe a universe
with worn fur, stained,
and a missing eye.

Haiku: 5/7/5

Bedtime companion
sidekick on far adventures
still missing an eye

Triolet is a poetic form consisting of only 8 lines. Within a Triolet, the 1st, 4th, and 7th lines repeat, and the 2nd and 8th lines do as well. The rhyme scheme is simple: ABaAabAB, capital letters representing the repeated lines. Written is iambic tetrameter.

Guardian

For when I am afraid, you be
the only one that I can trust--
a fearsome protector, guarding me
For when I am afraid, you be
my protection from what I see
from my blanket tower where just
For when I am afraid, you be
the only one that I can trust.

OctPoWriMo is a month long poetry challenge. A poem a day for 31 days. Come and see what the others are writing about at the Blog Hop.


 

Saturday, October 24, 2015

OctPoWriMo: Fantasy Tale

Today was the perfect prompt for me, enter the fantasy and enter the meter. I have been enjoying playing with meter. Morgan's poem Blind is not only a stellar and awesome piece of poetry, but it has given me today's poem. 



I love a good adventure, and mediaeval clothing, and the possibilities. Usual there is one trip to a Ren. Faire a year. This poem I based on my friend Sara, with whom I have had many adventures. She is the lady in the tower, the maiden to bestow honour upon, and the friend to travel with to faraway places. We would make great Doctor companions together. So tonight is a little bit of that childhood fantasy, epic adventure, and joyous love of pretty words.

This is Sara
Poetry Prompt: Search through the photos at Morgue  File until you find one that sparks a story poem for you.

Not Sara, just inspiration

Word Prompts: Imaginary, tale, adventure, drama, fantasy


Fantasy Tale

Imagine if
For a moment
A lady fair
A castle great
Ride away to
Adventure that
Can only be
Created by me.

OctPoWriMo is a 31 days poetry challenge. Come and visit the Blog Hop and see what my fellow poets are writing.





Friday, October 23, 2015

OctPoWriMo: To Feel as a Writer

YÅ«gen is a Japanese word pertaining to a profound awareness of the universe which evokes feelings that are inexplicably deep and too mysterious for words.



Word Prompts: Seascape, Harmony, Galactic

From MorgueFile

To Feel as a Writer

Remember,
this is how it feels...

Upon the galactic seaside,
where the universe rolls away
and the sea gulls glide
upon celestial breezes
the seascape is real.

That's quite the picture
I can image,
while sitting on the deck 
of the largest space cruise liner
ever built,
sipping Martian Martinis.

It's not hard to picture
images such as these,
as writer
it is an exercise in the everyday
Far too many people would call it 
daydreaming,
I would not.
For me its planning.

Something about being connected,
have an extra sense,
not like ESP,
although that could come in handy
when I play the lottery tonight.
When you are in harmony
with the universe.

In the whole of the whole,
all of the universe,
what a writer sees
can make up a universe.
So crucial
to find a balance
with the scared
with the profane
in a dance as elegant of the creation of everything.
Its what a writer feels
when they feel the right world
universe,
YÅ«gen.

OctPoWriMo is a 31 day poetry challenge. Come a visit the Blog Hop and see what the others are writing about, maybe even join in.

Thursday, October 22, 2015

OctPoWriMo: Tell Me a Truth

Poetry Prompt: Two Lies and a Truth? from Tamara Woods.Write a poem using two lies and a truth. You can go where the wind takes you on this one, whether over the top or straight down the line.


Poetic Form: Monotetra
Line 1: 8 syllables; A1
Line 2: 8 syllables; A2
Line 3: 8 syllables; A3
Line 4: 4 syllables, repeated; A4, A4

OctoPoWriMo is a month long poetry challenge. Come in and see what everyone is writing about.

Tell Me a Truth

Do I live up in castle's view?
That I have touched the sun, I flew?
Maybe an actor with my cue,?
Which one is true? Which one is true? 

Wednesday, October 21, 2015

All TEH Things Wednesday

This Week:
       *Reading: finished Dead Before Dark (Wendy Corsi Staub). A very engaging story, but I was a little Inkheart (Cornelia Funke).
disappointed in the ending. It felt rushed and a little anti-climatic. Over all was a fun read though. Focusing now on
       *Writing: wrote  Monday (500+ words), Tuesday (616 words), and my ROW80 post (628 words). Also, I have written my daily poems for OctPoWriMo (about 100+ words per post).
       *Editing: spend an hour Tuesday and Wednesday on The Real Road Trip. I have about 4 chapters set . Finding the story better now. Still its like playing giant word Tetris . It's coming, albeit slowly, but it's coming. This why I need to plot more and pants less.
       *NaNoWriMo Prep: started breaking down my scenes (have 6 currently) and made a character list for Modern Muses.
       *Theatre Stuffs: sending out regular week in review emails, wrote my bios for the Golden Age of Radio Show and The Music Man. Bought a first aid kit and the glow in the dark spike tape will be delivered tomorrow. Still need a box for my stage manager stuff.
        *House tending: dishes and laundry done. Discovered a leaking pipe in the basement, just above the hot water tank. The joys of home owning and being an adult. That call will happen tomorrow to get someone to fix it. Decorated for Halloween.
        Social Media: 4 blogs daily (ROW80 and OctPoWriMo makes 8). I got most of that since Sunday and Visit at least 2 WIPpet Wednesday, as I miss that this past week. Visit my sponsor duties. Sponsor post has been submitted, will be live in November. I skipped #writestuff tweet chat to focus on the editing.

Been a good week, except I have been feeling distant. I think because I have a lot going on and my brain gets focus on one thing, and ALL TEH OTHERS get pushed to the back burner. Still, it's been a good week over all.

This (upcoming) Week:
      *Reading : continue with Inkheart and start another Agatha Christie mystery.
      *Writing: write daily, at least 300 words.
      *Blogging: post something Thursday.
      *Theatre Stuffs: report.
      *Social Media: 4 blog daily and sponsor duties.
      *House tending: carve/paint pumpkins. Bake Halloween goodies.

A Round of Words in 80 Days, the blog challenge that knows you have a life. Come and visit the Blog Hop and see what everyone is writing about, working on, or involved in.



• What are you currently reading? Inkheart (Cornelia Funke)
• What did you recently finish reading? Dead Before Dark (Wendy Corsi Staub)
• What do you think you’ll read next? Mrs. McGinty's Body (Agatha Christie) or The Faerie Path (Frewin Jones)






Today is also WIPpet Wednesday, the brain-child of K.L. Schwengel, the chief cook and bottle washer and flying monkey trainer. By using today's date I will share a bit of my WIP (working title) Modern Muses. Today's snippet is right after last week's, continuing with Teri's adventures in the dark. WIPpet math 21st day, 2 +1 = 3 +1 = 4 paragraphs.

Check out the Blog Hop to visit the other WIPpeteers and see what they are writing.

“Yes?” she said tentatively as she began to look around the darkness of wherever she was.

“I thought so. Nothing makes sense here, I should know,” the voice said, sounding neither male nor female, but was calming. Teri tried to relax some, inhaling and exhaling slowly, not sure if she was breathing or pretending to. “I know you are lost. You encountered one of them didn’t you?” Teri felt warmth surround her shoulder, or what she thought her shoulders were.

“Them?”

“So you really don’t know, then?” The voice grew closer and Teri was sure that her shoulders were real. There was pained that arched across her shoulder blades.

OctPoWriMo: Whirlpool

Poetry Prompt: In honor of my week of feeling overwhelmed, I challenge you to write into your feelings of overwhelm; when you feel it, how you feel it, what happens when you feel it, and what you do about it.


Word Prompts: swamp, submerge, engulf, bury, deluge, flood, inundate

Poetic Form: Ballad

This has to be one of the harder new forms that I have tackled. I visit shadow poetry often and this one I have looked at repeatedly. Usually I just continue on. I am glad that Morgan made me try it. It has rhyme and meter and together HOO BOY!! But the topic was perfect. I have felt overwhelm and ready to pack it in, so I am more than confidant that I can managed this poem. I hope you enjoy it Dear Readers, also I hope it doesn't stress you out it is is too accurate.

OctPoWriMo is a month long poetry challenge, 31 poems in 31 days. Come and see what everyone has been writing at the Blog Hop.

From MorgueFile
Whirlpool

Its like a whirling of the wind
spinning around your head
and at once masking all that veils,
a deluge to be bled.

A monster that resides within
starting to claw without
to distract you from the daily
twirling dance of the doubt.

Its like a whirling of the wind
spinning around your head
and at once masking all that veils,
a deluge to be bled.

Upon your feet you stand erect
while the mental demons 
who have awoken with the storm
begin now to hasten.

Its like a whirling of the wind
spinning around your head
and at once masking all that veils,
a deluge to be bled.

Their dance engulfs you in a pit
where the flood levels rise
moments before you were alive
only to ask the whys.

Its like a whirling of the wind
spinning around your head
and at once masking all that veils,
a deluge to be bled.

You, in darkness when the storm falls
feeling sometimes swamped and 
at a loss for a breath
that you have swallowed sand. 

Its like a whirling of the wind
spinning around your head
and at once masking all that veils,
a deluge to be bled.

Afterward, there is nothing left
just alone and afraid
as the dancing storm is finished
and all you feel is frayed. 

Tuesday, October 20, 2015

OctPoWriMo: Love of...

Today's Prompts: Love Poetry.

Word Prompts: fondness, tenderness, warmth, intimacy, attachment, endearment

From MorgueFile
What a concept? What a things that is asked of? Do that realize how trite the idea is?

Maybe we need to write more love poetry, about the things that make us happy. Maybe with a little more love in the world, then the bad wouldn't feel so bad? A nice thought, Dear Readers. I am not always for the love poetry in the normal "How do I Love Thee..." kind of way. All poetry is valid and I enjoying read pretty much all types of poetry, including love poetry. Having taken part in OctPoWriMo two years in a row now I have learned a thing are two about the prompts and the poems. The secret? There's two. One is that you never have to write about today's prompt, ever. And there is two, if given a prompt that to want to try, or challenge yourself, think A LOT outside the box.

So, Dear Readers, that is what i do. I wrote outside the box, so  much so that I wrote two different poems using two different poetic styles about what I love. The Rictameter and the Loop Poem feature a theme, not quite the same thing each time, but similar.

Go and visit the others at OctPoWriMo!


Enjoy!

Love in Sight

Quiet,
I sit here in
silence, here where only 
whispers speak, as I wait for mine.
Patiently upon this bench I now sit
for the return of my beloved one.
We can travel worlds together
arms holding to pages
ink stained fingers
Quiet.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Passionate Words

Words create warmth
warmth of spirit
spirit suddenly alive
alive with passion.

Like a lover's touch
touch my heart
heart is breaking
breaking apart without.

An intimacy built
built with words
words that define
define the known world.

That after a moment
moment to catch one's breath
breath in and out
out of the moment.

Great is their power
power is a control
control is what happens
happens after the words are said

After all is said
said to me these endearments
endearments that I say
say, they are  powerful.

Yet written within these tomes
tomes long ago preserved
preserved by the guardians
guardians of words and meaning.

Teachers are some
some are Librarians
Librarians, they stand watch
watch as I write.

The final chapter penned
penned are the tender thoughts
thoughts that I've made real
real are the books upon the shelves.

Monday, October 19, 2015

OctPoWriMo: Dear John Poem

Today's Prompt: a Dear "John" Poem.

Today's short and sweet, i have a bit too much accomplished between day job and night job (Music Man), so enjoy, Dear Readers.


OctoPoWriMo is a 31 day, month long poetry challenge. Come and visit with us!

A Fast Letter:

Dear Burger King,
I remember your chicken tenders in the eighties, what happened?

Dear McDonald's,
It's not you, it's me. Well, maybe it is just a bit you. You kinda ruined
chicken for me. Thanks, but no thanks.

Dear Arby's,
Never trust curly fries. They always harbour homestyle frie or two.

Dear Wendy's,
I tried to resist, but your Frosty's are sooooo good.

Sunday, October 18, 2015

OctPoWriMo: My Hero (and my progress, sort of)

Somewhere between Wednesday and Sunday I missed something. I wrote my daily dose of OctPoWriMo and plans to write, I did. Thursday was a lot of Work right in Rehearsal, and then Friday was a big blur. Yesterday was my unplugged day. So, yeah, I feel less than productive, but usually after I type my check-in I feel better. Maybe today is the case. So, Dear Readers how did I measure up?

Oh, and I was introduced to American Horror Story this weekend by my beautiful friend, Kaylara. She is named (actually adapted from) after a dragon rider (Anne McCaffrey's Dragonriders of Pern) and this makes my happy.

This Week:
     *Social Media: I didn't. I admit that I went visiting my blogs and sponsor duties today. But, you see when I read a blog post I want to be fully engaged and leave a incite and a positive response. so, this morning I went to my 4 dailies and my sponsor duties. I feel better. No point in wasting my negativity by not being productive, so I a, ultra productive and begin the week on a firmer footing.
      *Reading: been working my way through Dead Before Dark (Wendy Corsi Staub) a little every morning and at lunch. I also spent about 90 minutes yesterday morning reading. It is a very detailed story, so I want to be able to soak it all up. I have been slowly working on Inkheart (Cornelia Funke), only about 3 chapters in. I realized I have forgotten a number of this from the first time I read it. It's like reading it for the first time, but I am enjoying it as much as I did the first time. Definitely looking forward to watching the movie adaptation after reading the book (even if it is terrible).
      *Writing: written mostly poetry since Wednesday (about 100 - 150 words per post). A little less than my daily minimum, but I am pleased with my poetic output thus far. This week is going to be much better.
      *House tending: laundry, trash out to curb, and some dishes (still have a few more. Mostly coffee cups).
      *Theatre Stuffs: glow in the dark spike tape is ordered, rehearsals are going well (scheduling is good better), getting sponsors, waiting on the confirmation for the interview date for one of the local TV stations. 

Not bad, I missed a couple of big goals. I did not get to editing this week, nor did I post anything on Thursday. I think I need to post on Friday's instead of Thursday. I have more time on Friday's. Thursday is a rehearsal night and the last one was a long one. It is going to continue to be long as we approach tech week in two weeks! I will live, it's a fresh week, going make it count.

This (upcoming) Week:
      *Reading: finish Dead Before Dark, make progress on Inkheart. BTW, I am at 37 books out of 50 for the year's reading challenge.
      *Writing: write daily, at least 300 words. Write OctPoWriMo, and something else of my choice this week. Work on plotting (and outline) Modern Muses for NaNoWriMo.
      *Editing: devote two to three hours Tuesday to editing some of The Real Road Trip.
      *Blogging: post a poem on Tuesday, separate from the OctPoWriMo post.
      *Theatre Stuffs: report. Start set drawings and notes for crew.
      *Anything Else....

A Round of Words in 80 Days is a blog challenge that knows you have a life. Come and visit us at the Blog Hop, and see what everyone else is up to.

What goals are you making a lot of progress on? What goals are falling to the back burner? What TV shows (if any) have to recently discovered?

Time for poetry....
Today's Prompt: What if one of your ordinary house hold objects had a secret? Lead a double life? 

What would a pen do if it was a superhero. I am taking today's prompt and running with it. The thought occurred to me that maybe our pens, and even pencils might have a double life. Saving the day, rescuing the girl, slaying the monster? What would it be like?

Okay, I've gone a little silly on this one, but seriously it was fun to write. Enjoy, Dear Readers?

From MorgueFile
My Hero

My pen,
she sits all innocent like
lying on the table
acting like I don't know.

She has a little secret,
and never's told a soul
about what she does when no one looking.
You see she's a superhero
betcha you didn't see that coming
right?

My pen is a superhero,
how do I know?
Well, ever see when the damsels in distress,
or the Antagonist has the upper hand,
or maybe when all is lost?

Have you even wondered how the day is saved?

It's my little pen.
My little ball point, BIC, blue inked pen,
she jumps into the air
when the darkness has fallen
and we are sleeping safe in our beds.
She takes to the air
flying fast as Superman, around the world
in a blast of magic 
and ink.

To the trouble she arrives,
not barely batting an eyelash,
as she set to work
writing a scene,
Where the hero arrives
maybe on a white ostrich,
is that even right?
Where the Antagonist is foiled
by a pen light at the right time.
Are you sure that's right?
Maybe there is a twist
and then she start anew with the plot.
My pen is mightier than the sword,
even when she writes about sword play.

Quick as any,
I am writing this down
when I can write her--
My hero,
 a happy ending too.

OctPoWriMo is a 31 day poetry challenge where you a challenged to write a poem a day, using your own wit and maybe a writing prompt or two. Come and see what the others have been up to.

Saturday, October 17, 2015

OctPoWriMo: Careless Release

“Dance, when you're broken open. Dance, if you've torn the bandage off. Dance in the middle of the fighting. Dance in your blood. Dance when you're perfectly free.” ― Rumi

Poetry Prompt:
What stage are you at in the above quote? Are you dancing?
Write for ten minutes asking yourself the previous questions.

Word Prompts: Free, Middle, Bandage

Poetry Type: Cascade
I created a poem for this poetry type for the last A to Z challenge. I enjoyed playing with it and I hope you do as well.

So this is a short entry, as I has been all over today and then some. My sinuses has kicked in and with the complete entrance to Autumn (or Winter as it may be). The headache I had is gone, but now I have to fly to Who Night with the gang. When I found today's prompt, I was a little afraid I couldn't do it in a scant 30 minutes before leaving. Anyway, Dear Readers, the chord was struck. Dance equals Healing. I find a good dance to some Meatloaf or Savage Garden has healed me. And it also reminded me of Morgan's prompt earlier in the month about dancing and then writing. I did not dance, but I found a rhythm in there anyway. Hsve you danced to heal yourself? What songs have made you feel better by dancing to them? Have you written about it? That and the cascade proved to be soooooo much easier and a lot of fun to write. I think I will be trying this again. Enjoy, Dear Readers!

Careless Release

When you hear the music
are you one to dance
ecstatic and joyful?

A primitive beat
lacing the blood that pumps through our veins
when you hear the music.

Like a bandaged limb has healed
with the proper treatment
are you the one to dance

to heal a broken heart,
beats the steady beat 
ecstatic and joyful.

A cure that most doctors will not prescribe,
yet I can say that when handed my fate
A primitive beat

suddenly burst forth
and my feet pound upon the earthy loam,
lacing the blood that pumps through our veins.

And I can again feel 
that the world simply turns
when you hear the music.

OctPoWriMo the month long poetry challenge. Come and visit us and reads what everyone else is writing.

Friday, October 16, 2015

OctPoWriMo: Sailor's Dreams

Today's Poetry Prompt: The paradelle. Invented to be a parody (hence the name) to villanelles by US Poet Laureate Billy Collins. There, that's your history lesson for the day! Go visit Shadow Poetry for examples.


The Design is simple:
Stanza 1: 1, 1, 2, 2, 3, 4
Stanza 2: 5, 5, 6, 6, 7, 8
Stanza 3: 9, 9, 10, 10, 11, 12
Stanza 4: 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18

Word prompts: Parallel, Dimension , Shipwreck , Delicious

Sentence prompts: 
O' stormy sea...
Sounding with a crunch...
In her shadow...

Come and visit OctPoWriMo and see what everyone is writing.

Photo courtesy of Beverly Tan
Sailor's Dreams

What if it was all in her head
What if it was all in her head
The delicious dream of sailing on the stormy seas
The delicious dream of sailing on the stormy seas
The dream of sailing in her head, what if
on the stormy seas, it was all delicious.

As she lays supine amongst the daisies
As she lays supine amongst the daisies
In another dimension, dreaming of sailor's stories
In another dimension, dreaming of sailor's stories
She lays supine as in another dimension dreaming,
sailor's stories of amongst the daisies.

There is a shipwreck riding fast against the waves
There is a shipwreck riding fast against the waves
At the mercy of her own wild imagination's creation
At the mercy of her own wild imagination's creation
Against the waves, there riding of her own imagination
a mercy is fast at the shipwreck's creation. 

At a shipwreck of her own creation, riding the waves--
wild's imagination is sailing on the stormy seas.
In another dream of sailor's stories all in her head,
as amongst the supine mercy there was it,
the fast dreaming of delicious daisies.
What if she lays against the dimension?

Thursday, October 15, 2015

OctPoWriMo: Seize the Day Haiku

I've been kick a$$ and taking names this Round with all my ROW80 goals, working on Music Man stuff, friends and Doctor Who, and more often not giving me sometime to myself. Well, that's harsh. I ave been reading and that is ME time, but I have been busy trying to write new poetry in different forms for  the readers, Dear Reader. That is also a ME thing. Hmmmm....why do I still feel that I need a break? Hell, even when you are doing what you love, sometimes to want or need a break. Maybe a lazy day? Or taking it easy?

I need something. Maybe today i will post something short that doesn't need a rhyme scheme or a specific meter. I forget that Haiku, for instance, can be just as powerful as a sonnet, or blitz poem. Today is a reward day for making it through half of the month, using all the prompts (in some way). Time to give in, Dear Reader...

Today is the 15th, the midway point. I am going to treat me to a few haiku. Something that is short, yet still packs a punch.

Today's Prompt: Imagine if today was the day where you could do anything you wanted. All foods had no calories. You could speed without getting pulled over. You could climb onto a plane and fly without having a ticket.What would you do? What is your wildest dream for you one day? Tell us all about it!

Seize the Day (Cake?)

What I want the most
A book in hand and a day
simply to myself

A cheesecake sitting
on the table, leftover
from last night's party

Tell me what you want
All the possibilities
that you cannot reach

An afternoon please
to myself where I can do
whatever I wish

The thickest milkshake
topped with a mountain of cream
all that chocolate

These are the stuff of
things of dreams and desires
fit for a lazy day

Come a visit OctPoWriMo, maybe write and poem or two and see what my fellow writers have been penning (or typing) here.

Wednesday, October 14, 2015

OctPoWriMo: Choices in Between (and everything else)

It's Wednesday and here we are again. So much to talk about and so much to report on, where to begin. Well I am excited about my Modern Muses story, so I will present my WIPpet for Wednesday. WIPpet Wednesday is the creation of K. L. Schwengel, a writer, philosopher, and guru of things writing. Go and check out her site, Dear Readers. WIPpeteers share a bit of their current WIP, using the day's date to pluck a snippet out of the everything on Wednesday.


Using today's date: 10/14/15, in whatever way I see fit. Let's see... let's do 14 lines from today's writing blitz. This is a little more from Teri's part of the story. She's has just angry someone or something and finds herself in a strange place and alone. Or is she?

There was no sign she was in her body. “Never mind,” she said to herself. “Did she say that out loud?” She wasn’t even sure. A sigh escaping her lip at her random musings in the darkness. This was turning into a mess. Nothing that Della had said had made any sense, nor has she learned anything since coming to this place. Wherever she was. What was she going to do?

First, she reckoned was to find out if she was still in her body.

“Are you looking for it?” a voice echoed in her head. Maybe she was dreaming, some sort of after effect of the Dream State, after whatever it was that attacked her in Mel’s room. “Are you looking to see if you still have a body?” the voice called again. She was sure that she heard that and that is was an actual voice.

Mostly likely I will share more of this part of the story next week. There is a lot to cover here. In the mean time go and visit with my fellow WIPpeteers and the Linky Hop List Thing, here.

Next: to play along, just answer the following three (3) questions…

• What are you currently reading?
      Dead Before Dark (Wendy Corsi Staub). It's a modern day murder/suspense story. I love mysteries, but when I read Agatha Christie I don't get scared. They are almost full of whimsy, with murder thrown in. While with Dead Before Dark I find to be scary and puts me a little more on edge. It's a good story and keeping very engaged. But what a ride in the mean time. Also, started re-reading Inkheart (Cornelia Funke). I need a good light fantasy to offset the darker Dead Before Dark. I am also planning on watching the movie, which I have never watched. And for funsies and because I like to compare the different media forms.

• What did you recently finish reading?
     Nothing new here. The last book I did finish was Deep Time: The Glamour Chronicles (Trevor Baxendale) a doctor 12 and Clara adventure.
• What do you think you’ll read next?
    Likely I will continue with Inkspell (Funke) and maybe another Agatha Christie mystery. I have a nice sized collection of her books to read from my local Salvation Army stores.


Okay, Rounding off we have OctPoWriMo's post about choices, crossing bridges, and the what might have been, or never will be. Think of all those time you wanted to return to he past, maybe relive a memories, have a do-over. How would you feel if you had the chance? Would you?

Write for ten minutes focusing on that question.
A memory. A thin line that connects the past to the future. It's like a half formed thought the wafts through your brain. Can be stronger when the memories are strong. You can feel like to want to cross the bridge to reclaim your memories. But like anything insubstantial, is it wise to tempt fate or your memories. Are the memories better kept as memories, or should they be relived? That I am not sure of. I do know that things like spaghettios are better left a memory years later. but what of an old love? Would it best to bring up old feelings, memories? Step into them like soft slippers, wrap up in them like an old warm blanket, or would they make you fall through the cracks in the bridge, into the cold icy creek and freeze your heart to anything
new? Would you burn yourself again? Would you try for something new?

Poetry Prompt: What is on the bridge between yesterday and tomorrow?

Word Prompts: Connections, Burning Bridges, Between


Choices In between

A memory
a line thin between 
the past and the present,
much like a bridge
that carries you from
one place
to another.
Time is the same,
it is a path
a way that we travel,
carrying us from one place to another
even when we want to stay
in the comfortable
in the now
where we feel safe.
They are fickle
and
flighty.

But what of
future?
Can we stay in the past?
What if the bridge we cross
is one we can return to
a simpler time,
of happiness
and peace. 
Would you risk it?
Travel backward 
across the bridge
that once look strong and sturdy,
in a glen of light and love.

But now is marred of the encroaching darkness.
Would you risk the chance to live
for one more moment of bliss,
a chance to relive his kiss,
to ask her the question,
to feel alive? 
Would you
cross the bridge between the present and the past,
forgo the future for desires long given up?

Memory?
A fickle mistress
lay across the bridge of time
calling to us,
but is it worth it.
To give up the chance to meet Mister Right
for Mister Right Now?
Would you?
No more would you pass that up,
doomed to be lost in the past
in the dark,
when you know that the future
in all its mystery is far more exciting,
with new bridges to cross,
adventures to be had,
and lives to live.

Memory,
like a old photograph,
dusty and faded,
fine to remember, but 
really worth it to relive
the memories of the past?

What would you do?

Take the path
travel over mountains,
bridges,
and vales.
Or cross the bridge to the past
risk what you have already gained?

Finally the ROW80 check in. How did I do this week?

This week:
     *Reading:  almost half way through Dead Before Dark and started Inkheart.
     *Writing: wrote daily poems for OctPoWriMo since Sunday (about 150 word daily), ROW80 post today (about 1313 words), writing blitz today (1092 words).
     *Editing: made more progress on The Real Road Trip, 1 hour yesterday. Finally stating to get the story in the right order and clean up more of the sloppy writing from last year's NaNoWriMo. Edited and submitted my sponsor post for Round 4. A little behind, but am please with it overall.
     *Social Media: 4 blogs daily, check. Actually I did 4 ROW80 and 4 OctPoWriMo, and 4 WIPpeteers yesterday. Kept up with my sponsor duties.
     *Theatre Stuffs: got a response for the interview, two dates to ask if the director and two of the actors can be there; got my spike tape; figured out what I need for my stage manager box, mailed 50 sponsor letter yesterday.
    *House tending: did dishes, laundry, and cat litter.

This (upcoming) Week:
    *Reading: finish Dead Before Dark by next week.
    *Writing: write daily, at least 300 words.
    *Blogging: post Thursday.
    *Editing: spend time editing some of The Real Road Trip on Saturday.
    *Theatre Stuffs: report on progress.
    *Social Media: visit 4 blogs daily and sponsor duties.

A Round of Words in 80 Days is a blog challenge that knows you have a life. Come visit the Blog Hop and see what the others are up to.

How are your goals coming? Seen any new movies lately? What is your favourite number and why? Mines 42! :-) 

Also, I applaud you for swimming through this post...I need to revise how I post to all TEH things!