#AtoZChallenge – Page 2 – Monty’s Blahg

V is for Vignette

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, but a carefully crafted verbal sketch.
literarydevices.net

I used to describe my short stories/essays/poetic prose as vignettes. Based on the definition above I would say they sometimes met the criteria while other times not really. Here is one that I think does that I originally posted last October.

A gentle drizzle sets the scene

A gentle drizzle sets the scene;
The last of the season’s persimmons hang-on,
Half-concealed behind leaves shimmering under
A quiet concert of pitter-patter percussion.

In quick succession a jack-hammer jacks,
A jet’s engine whines,
And wheels whirl along the moist road beyond the wall
Adding their own interpretation to the unwritten music.

This must be the chorus as there they go again
The jack, the whine, and the whirl
Until a tightly cadenced thwack-thwack-thwack
Interrupts as a train speeds by.

A tiny red spider crawls across my keyboard.
My fingers dance around it as I tap-tap-tap
My own contribution to the score,
Until again the jack, whine, and whirl take over.

Pitter-patter jack whine and whirl, tap-tap-tap.
Pitter-patter jack whine and whirl, tappity-tap-tap.
An unexpectedly perfect lullaby as I settle down to nap.

Be well,

My First A to Z Challenge Anniversary: V is for ‘Village’

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!

V is for ‘Village’

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

U is for Understatement

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 be easy 🙃.

Could Have Been Better

In retrospect, the day could have gone better. The spilled coffee, the heavy rain, the missed train all led to a less than ideal start. Getting laid off was also a bummer. I guess the most inconvenient part, if I had to say, would be finding my wife in bed with my best bud Ray. Yes, things could have gone better today. Now I’ve got these two dead bodies to carry down to the garden and bury. It will be a long night to clean up the mess. But at least I can sleep in tomorrow, I guess.

What do you think? I could have done better, sure, but one needs to leave room for improvement.,

Be well,

My First A to Z Challenge Anniversary: U is for ‘Upside Down’

U is for ‘Upside Down’

Stay tuned for more silly poetry from A to Z!

Be well,

Monty

T is for Trochaic

Trochaic is a rhythmic unit composed of two syllables — stressed followed by an unstressed syllable — used in poetry.
literarydevices.net

Oh cool! I’ve been wanting to practice different stress patterns ever since I failed on the I is for Iambic Pentameter challenge. Let’s go with Trochaic Tetrameter (a meter consistent of four stressed syllables per line) to double up on the T’s

Tiger Tiger

Tiger tiger on the run
Streaks of orange like the sun
Baring down on me so fast
Catching catching me at last

Tiger tiger with such pace
Has no problem — wins the race
Takes a mouthful of its prize
Tasting tasting my insides.

Tiger tiger jokes on you
Didn’t know I was full of poo
Spits me out on to the grass
Wishing wishing to have skipped my ass.

Be well,

My First A to Z Challenge Anniversary: T is for ‘Thief’

T is for ‘Thief’

Stay tuned for more silly poetry from A to Z!

Be well,

Monty

S is for Synesthesia

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, sight, smell, and touch at a given time.
literarydevices.net

This is the first time I’m learning this terminology. I like the idea of appealing multi-sensorially through choice of words.

One More Move

His shadow loomed loudly over her; his eyes bitter black; exposed skin saggy and dank; breath puckered yellow; tongue lashing sharply.

She stood still; a silent protest of galvanized grey; icy tears drowning her fear; eyes burning cold, daring him to make just one more move.

I liked this technique. Certainly I’ve used it before but never so intentionally.

Be well,

My First A to Z Challenge Anniversary: S is for ‘Sweet Tea’

S is for ‘Sweet Tea’

Stay tuned for more silly poetry from A to Z!

Be well,

Monty

R is for Rhyme

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 for R, but it’s always a good time for some rhyme. I’ll also add in some rhythm and repetition for this rendition (because why not? It’s my decision).

Rhyme Time

When the sun comes up and there’s coffee in my cup,
It’s rhyme time.

When the sun shines bold and my coffee’s turned cold,
It’s rhyme time.

When the clouds take over and the daylight’s almost over,
It’s rhyme time.

As the sun goes down and the moon begins to crown,
It’s rhyme time.

In the dark of the night, under the moon’s blue light,
It’s rhyme time.

When I’m in my nightclothes and my eyes begin to close,
It’s rhyme time.

As the dreams start to weave and my conciousness leaves,
It’s rhyme time.

If my night visions turn dark and the future looks stark,
It’s rhyme time.

Or if my fantasies turn frisky and thoughts get too risky,
It’s rhyme time.

As the night returns to dawn and I awake with a yawn,
It’s rhyme time.

As this poem shows and every poet knows,
It’s rhyme time.

There’s no need to check the clock, it’s always rhyme o’clock,
It’s rhyme time.

So come on, come on, it’s time to get your rhyming on,
It’s rhyme time.