challenge – Monty’s Blahg

My 2nd A to Z Challenge Reflection (#AtoZ)

This was my second year doing the A to Z challenge and I’m two for two in terms of completion rate. This year’s theme was literary devices which proved to be an excellent platform for learning and practicing some new techniques. Some of them better executed then others but all in good fun.

In addition to my literary theme I also incorporated a visual element where I created “found patterns” from each letter of the alphabet.

Overall my views for April (all posts not just #AtoZ were down vs. last year (1368 vs. 1703). This is on trend with my overall viewership which has been decreasing. My guess is that this is due to a general transition of my prospective readers from living mostly on-line to getting back to the “real” world.

Three Most Popular Post (by views):

#1: A is for Alliteration (40 views)

#2: B is for Bathos (37 views)

#3: C is for Catachresis (24 views)

Most Overlooked Post (by views):

Z is for Zoomorphism (5 views)

A to Z Blogs I Read Regularly:

I was sad to see that a lot of my “regulars” did not participate this year, but happy to have read all the contributions from:

MidLife Cat Lady

The Dream Girl Writes

This is Another Story

Brewing Coffee Twisting Words Breaking Pencils

Christina Dankert

The Sound of One Hand Typing

Hope you all enjoyed this series and for those of you participating, congratulations no matter how far you made it through. I expect to participate next year, but hope to see you before that. Don’t be shy to stop by once in a while. I’ve yet to figure out what my next project will be, but I look forward to figuring it out.

Be well,

Monty

My First A to Z Challenge Anniversary: Now We’ve Gone From A to Z…

On this anniversary of my first A to Z challenge, I’m posting each of the illustrated “seriously silly poems” from my book Apples Eating Zebras and other seriously silly poetry — a carefully edited and polished compilation of my A to Z posts from last year. Enjoy!

Pick up a copy of this silly collection dedicated to the child in all of us and enjoy with a loved one.

Be well,

Monty

Z is for Zoomorphism

Zoomorphism is a literary technique in which animal attributes are imposed upon non-animal objects, humans, and events.
literarydevices.net

Well look at that. We’ve come all the way from A to Z. I’ve been quite the busy bee. And with that…see you next year!

Thanks to all of you that stuck around through the series (or just popped in once in awhile). It’s been a fun and informative challenge for me. I hope you enjoyed and would love to hear your thoughts.

Be well,

2023 NaPoWriMo #30 (Palinode)

April is here again and that means its National Poetry Writing Month and for my second year I’ll be joining the 30 poems in 30 days challenge hosted by napowrimo.net. For this challenge, a poetry prompt will be provided daily during the month of April and if I can keep on track I’ll achieve the 30 poems in 30 days goal. So enough chatter…let’s go! It’s time for NaPoWriMo!

Write a palinode – a poem in which you retract a view or sentiment experts see in an earlier poem.
napowrimo.net

Poetry Unfound
(a palinode of “Seeking Poetry”)

Stagnant waters, crashing harmonies,
Silently sinking under the weight of gravity
Beneath the soil, beyond snout’s reach
Confident in hiding; Certain not to be found.

Well the deed is done! I’ve completed all 30 poems in 30 days. Some of the poems I’m quite proud of. Others not so much. But either way I’m happy to have completed the challenge and fulfilled my commitment to myself. I did have fun for the most part, and for me that is what it’s all about. Thanks everyone that has come on the journey with me. What’s next? I’ve no idea. Perhaps a day off. Perhaps not. We’ll see.

Be well,

Monty

2023 NaPoWriMo #29 (The Full English)

Write a two-part poem that focuses on a food or type of meal. Describe the food or meal as a if it were a specific type of person. Give the food/meal at least one line of spoken dialogue.
napowrimo.net

The Full English

I

British Air’s Flight 169 (London to Shanghai) Menu called to me with a posh accent: “Try my Full English – It’ll put the stiff back in your walking stick!”. My last chance at this tradition, I decided to give it a go with 90 minutes flight left to go.

II

Oh no! We are on the descent and I’ve got to go! Whoever thought it was a good idea to serve beans on a plane must be quite slow. Oh no, I’m going to blow!

Another weak entry, but I’m now all caught up. One more to wrap up the series for the year. I might be going out with a whimper but I’ll take the participation prize.

Be well,

Monty

2023 NaPoWriMo #28 (Index)

Write an index poem
napowrimo.net

One might consider this cheating…or perhaps a stroke of genius? I’d like to think it’s a little of both.

Be well,

Monty

2023 NaPoWriMo #27 (GOAT)

Write a poem titled “The _______ of _______” where this first blank is a very particular kind of plant or animal and the second bland is an abstract noun. The poem should contain at least one simile that plays on double meanings or otherwise doesn’t quite make sense.
napowrimo.net

The GOAT of Humility

Yo, Gruff, you da GOAT, man!

Nah, man, I’m just a regular old goat,
A tin nibbler, a chin tickler,
A tarnished old horn, A broken thorn,
Put out to pasture by the devil’s pastor.

I struggled with this one. I lost a couple days due to travel and trying to catch up but I feel like my mojo is stuck in another time zone.

Be well,

Monty

My First A to Z Challenge Anniversary: Z is for ‘Zig-Zag’

Z is for ‘Zig-Zag’

Stay tuned for more silly poetry from A to Z!

Pick up a copy of this silly collection dedicated to the child in all of us and enjoy with a loved one. Or stick around as I’ll continue posting each illustrated poem one letter at a time throughout the month of April. Have fun and stay silly!

Be well,

Monty

Y is for hYpophora

A figure of speech, hYpophoria is when a writer raises a question, and then immediately provides an answer to that question.
literarydevices.net

Well, well, well. What a perfect literary device for the writer who knows everything…haha. Just kidding. Let’s give this a whirl.

Is feeling angry bad? No, it doesn’t have to be. There is nothing right or wrong about a feeling. We don’t have control over our feelings and if we are angry it doesn’t make sense to try to deny it. I would suggest that any feeling, whether positive or negative, can be a source of good (or bad) depending on how we behave in response to them. If we are feeling angry, it’s usually going to go badly if we just lash out and act irrationally in response. But if pause and consider why we are angry and behave in response to that reflection, it can result in a good thing. It is perfectly appropriate to be angry when someone is taking advantage of us. But if don’t take the time to reflect and do something productive to rectify the situation, then nothing positive comes of it. This doesn’t mean we should never express our anger. Sometimes a passionate expression of anger is productive. The key is to do it with intention vs. an irrational response where we are out of control.

This question can also be flipped and we can ask if feeling happy is good? The answer is yes, but not always. If we behave self-destructively just to feel happy in a moment it is very bad.

In conclusion, feelings are neither bad nor good. It all comes down to how we behave in relation to those feelings. And that’s a good thing because although we may not be able to choose our feelings, we can always choose our behaviors.