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!
I wasn’t planning on using any previous works as part of this series, but I can’t help but post this one since it’s so on the nose. This was originally published in my book: Monty’s Very Short Shorts.
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!
L is for ‘Love Bug’
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!
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 allContinue reading “Z is for Zoomorphism”
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.Continue reading “Y is for hYpophora”
Expletive is a grammatical construction that starts with words like it, here, and there. It does not contribute to the meaning of a sentence butContinue reading “X is for eXpletive”
Wit is a clever expression of thought intended to make readers laugh. literarydevices.net Oh no. No. No. No. This is dangerous ground. Asking an almostContinue reading “W is for Wit”
A vignette is a small impressionistic scene, an illustration, a descriptive passage, a short essay that is neither a plot nor a full narrative description,Continue reading “V is for Vignette”
An understatement is a figure of speech used to intentionally make a situation seem less important than it really is. literarydevices.net Well this should beContinue reading “U is for Understatement”
Trochaic is a rhythmic unit composed of two syllables — stressed followed by an unstressed syllable — used in poetry. literarydevices.net Oh cool! I’ve beenContinue reading “T is for Trochaic”
Synesthesia refers to a technique of presenting ideas, characters, or places in such a manner that they appeal to more than one sense, like hearing,Continue reading “S is for Synesthesia”
Rhyme is a literary device in which identical or similar concluding syllables in different words are repeated. literarydevices.net There were a lot of choices forContinue reading “R is for Rhyme”
A quatrain is four lines of verse. literarydevices.net There is no required rhyme scheme or syllable count to qualify as a quatrain…but I can’t helpContinue reading “Q is for Quatrain”
A pseudonym is a fictitious name or an alias. literarydevices.net I’ve chosen to use a pseudonym for my writing (my given name isn’t Monty Vern,Continue reading “P is for Pseudonym”
Oxymoron is a figure of speech paring two words together that are opposing and/or contradictory. literarydevices.net I was tempted to be lazy today and pullContinue reading “O is for Oxymoron”
Nostalgia is pleasure and sadness that is caused by remembering something from the past and wishing that you could experience it again. literarydevices.net Nostalgia seemsContinue reading “N is for Nostalgia”
A metaphor is a figure of speech that makes a comparison between two non-similar things. literarydevices.net I originally created this post for C is forContinue reading “M is for Metaphor”
A limerick is a poem of five lines in a single stanza with rhyme scheme AABBA and usually intended to be humorous and suggestive. literarydevices.netContinue reading “L is for Limerick”
A kenning is a stylistic device defined as a two-word phrase that describes and object through metaphors (also described as a ‘compressed metaphor’) literarydevices.net ThisContinue reading “K is for Kenning”
Juxtaposition is implied comparison by placing two entities side by side to create dramatic or ironic contrast. literarydevices.net This is a technique that I’m sureContinue reading “J is for Juxtaposition”
Iambic Pentameter is a poem beat that uses 10 syllables in each line in which an unstressed syllable is followed by a stressed syllable. literarydevices.netContinue reading “I is for Iambic Pentameter”
Horror is a fictional genre that evokes strong feelings of shock, terror, revulsion, fear or outrage. literarydevices.net If you were to ask me if I’mContinue reading “H is for Horror”
Gustatory Imagery allows the readers to imagine the sense of taste while reading a poem or text. literarydevices.net Yummy! I’m going to pull out anContinue reading “G is for Gustatory Imagery”
Fiction encompasses stories that are created, invented, and made-up by the writer. literarydevices.net I was an avid creative writer of fiction when I first startedContinue reading “F is for Fiction (#AtoZ 2023)”
Elegy is a form of poetry that reflects on death or loss literarydevices.net For those that have been following me regularly, you know that I’veContinue reading “E is for Elegy (#AtoZ 2023)”
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 short poem that follows the beats of a classic joke.
This is another new term for me, let’s play with it.
A Very Late Morning
He came to slowly. His eyes cemented shut. The light of a bright mid-day sun glowing fleshy-orange against his lids. He tried to piece together how he got here through a head full of brain-gruel. His last murky memory a last call. He’d ordered a very unnecessary mizu-wari. The smell of which now seeped from his pores mixing with half digested shabu-shabu bits. As he cracked open his eyes his skull split into sharp, jagged shards – a kaleidoscope of pain and color.
In this case I came up with the kenning I wanted to use – “brain-gruel” and then worked from there. Unfortunately this little piece is an autobiographical description from one of my day’s living and working in Japan. The night prior was a long one, but the day after felt like eternity. I eventually did show up at work that day, but I was thoroughly useless. Ah, the young and stupid. I’m glad it was over a quarter century ago.
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!
K is for ‘Kaleidoscope’
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!
This is a technique that I’m sure I’ve done accidentally in my writing before, but I don’t believe I’ve ever been intentional about it. I’ve no idea how I’m going to go about this yet. Let’s see where this takes us.
Land of the Free
She soars in circles, catching airflows to keep her aloft. The slightest feather adjustments all that she needs to change her trajectory. Her flight majestic and free. The chosen symbol of the below country.
He drives in circles, spewing exhaust as he flies by the concrete city. The slightest adjustments to the wheel all he needs to weave in and out of traffic. His ride, a mechanical marvel, carries him across the land of the free.
This is a bit ‘on the nose’ so no points for subtlety, but I’ll take it.
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 poem that addresses itself or some aspect of it’s self (i.e., “Dear Poem” or “What are my quatrains up to?”)
Hey, Poet! Yeah, you! Get out of your own head; Stop with all the melodrama; It’s me time, now, Time to let me fly free.
Who’s that? Are you speaking to me?
It’s me, your poetry. I’m tired of your sentimental notions, Your self-indulgent tirades, And forced silly masquerades; Give me my voice! Let me free!
Okay, okay! What do you have to say?
Really? My words can have there day? Well then, let me think; Let me think of what words to say; Something important; I’m sure I have something important to say.
Go ahead. I’m waiting. No time for vacillating.
Um. Perhaps not today? You can go back to your drama and rhymes; My words are too important to be rushed; Yes, thats it, much too important I’d say! Let’s do this another day.
In celebration of National Poetry Month @murisopsis from A Different Perspective is once again hosting a poetic scavenger hunt. This year’s theme is “nonce” form poetry. What is nonce form poetry? Well, it’s basically a form that was created by a poet for their own use. What’s interesting about a nonce form is that if it is adopted by other poets and used more often it will no longer be considered a nonce form, but rather become recognized as a “valid” poetical form.
The scavenger hunt features thirteen nonce form challenges all to be completed within the month of April. I highly encourage you to check out the prompts and participate here.
Ok, now onto the tenth challenge…Dizzy
Dizzy
A poem of 10 lines of 10 syllables with rhyme scheme: a/b/c/a/b/c/a/b/c/a. Requires words of motion be included.
I’m guessing this one, once created, creates a sense of rhythm and motion and thats why it’s called what its called. I’ll have to see it to fully understand it. So off I go to write one.
DIZZY
Did you see that crazy rollercoaster’s loops? It looks like a pretzel twisted thrice; Zany twists and turns all while upside down; Zipping through ever smaller flaming hoops! You ready to try? Nobody’s goes twice! You really want to? If you are, I’m down! Zigging downside up we flew in wild swoops; Zagging into the big blue sky we sliced! I didn’t think we’d ever make it down! Dizzy? Oh, yes — I’m still going in loops!
So I decided to add an additional twist to the poem and make it acrostic with DIZZY forward and backward. I think it adds to the effect. What do you think?
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!
J is for ‘Jam’
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!
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 poem that takes as its starting point something overheard that made you laugh, or something someone told you once that struck you as funny.
It’s late after a long workday and I’ve got very little to go on for this prompt. This is going to be a little bit of a winger.
Scratch that. It’s now morning after a reasonable night’s sleep. I gave myself permission to sleep on it. I’m still running on empty in terms of ideas, but at least I’m doing it with a fresher mind and a coffee in hand.
Visiting Nanjing, 1996
“Hellos” rose in an untuned chorus around me; Lines and lines of uniformed school children With their red bandanas were there to see the sights; The most interesting of which, was me.
As the kids filed past, the chorus rose A “Hi” popped out every once in a while I tried to catch the brave soul, Who dared to be different?
We were there to visit a temple; Which one I can’t recall; But I’ll never forget all those smiling faces They were the most interesting of all.
I’m glad I gave myself the space to rest and take this on. It’s a beautiful day and a enjoyable memory of the early day’s living in China when I was quite the spectacle.
Monty’s Blahg 