The Poetry Sisters said this for their end-of-month challenge: Poetry Peeps! You’re invited to our challenge for the month of September! "Here’s the scoop: We’re writing a Diminishing — OR a Culminating Verse – Wikipedia calls them “pruning poems.” The last word in each line loses a letter from the end, yet remains a word – for instance, sticky becomes tick-y, and then icky. This will force you to use all your wiles, and will also force us to produce some pretty short poems. Are you in? Good! The Poetry Sisters are continuing to throw our 2023 theme of TRANSFORMATION into the mix. If you’re still game, you have a month to craft your creation and share it on September 29th in a post and/or on social media with the tag #PoetryPals."
Halloween décor has been popping up for much of September. People do not seem able to wait until October. Perhaps they enjoy being frightened, or eating a lot of candy, saying it’s for the holiday celebration? I’m not sure about the reason, but decorated front lawns are everywhere! Thus, when I searched for words that fit these expectations, plus with Halloween in the mix, I found one word that fit, at least to me. I guess I cheated a little bit, but I couldn't relinquish the rhyme!
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| This is a favorite scene, so far. As in the past, they'll add more! |
I love the scare
When with utmost care
I lift the mask, shout “You are . . .
There!”
Linda Baie ©
What a fun form, and challenging to write. Clever way to get that end rhyme in. :) No Halloween decor around our neighborhood yet . . .
ReplyDeleteHa! I'm glad you cheated, Linda. Also known as "making it your own." Brava! xo
ReplyDeleteFascinating decor! I want to know more about the goings-on in that yard. Adorable accompanying poem! Your example makes me want to give diminishing poems a try.
ReplyDeleteLinda, your additional word makes the poem a daring one! Your poem reads like it was an easy format for you. I found the diminishing poem format challenging because I kept having to search for words that were possibilities for my topic of Autumn. One of my neighbors has an array of Halloween goodies outside on her lawn. I just love Autumn and Halloween.
ReplyDeleteTa da! A perfect diminishing poem...what a great word to prune from this month.
ReplyDeleteThis is Margaret. Sorry I’m on my phone so I’m anonymous. I love the clever way you dealt with the diminishing verse. What’s with this new obsession with Halloween decor? My sister is getting in on it. I’m staying neutral.
ReplyDeleteThanks all! Many of the people on this specific street go all out decorating for Halloween. I was told by one of them that some rest storage spaces together to store the decorations during the year. I'll post more in October but it's been going on for a long time, Margaret, nothing new here unless more have opted in! I have read that the giant skeleton sold in box stores are already sold out! With all the turmoil, perhaps it's just a fun thing without conflict?
ReplyDeleteYes, rhyme is so hard to resist! :-)
ReplyDeleteAh what a fun poem Linda, it fits the scary pic too–and I like the short ending rhyme too, thanks!
ReplyDeleteOooh, that is a sticky, ticky, icky wicket of a form! Yours is frightfully clever, Linda!
ReplyDeleteYou did a great job with your poem, Linda! It seems the stores are stocking holiday items earlier every year. I've already seen Christmas decorations!
ReplyDeleteThanks, Anastasia, Michelle, Karen, & Linda. Yes, I spoke with a person at Target who said they were already downsizing Halloween a bit, ready to start the Thanksgiving things. Maybe people really want to shop ahead! Yikes!
ReplyDeleteYours is a perfectly legit means of pruning! And it's truly already full October decor here as well.
ReplyDeleteThanks, Tanita. It was fun to do.
DeleteWell done, Linda! Your pruning flourishes. I miss Halloween...the Swiss don't participate. :)
ReplyDeleteWell done, Linda! Your pruning flourishes. :)
ReplyDeleteCute poem, Linda! That clown offering free ice cream gives me the shivers.
ReplyDeleteThanks, Bridget & Tabatha. The ice cream offer is a new thing I haven't seen before. If it's a cold night, would anyone want it? And yes, shivers from the clown AND the ice cream!
ReplyDeleteLinda, I love that photo! I was just mentioning I'm already tired of Halloween, and that was still at the end of September, so I can appreciate noticing the early decorations. Love what you did with the "there" in your poem, and your "uplifting" comment about Jama's post made me smile.
ReplyDeleteThanks, Denise, I am seeing Thanksgiving things out now. As I wrote above, it was a fun challenge to find a one right word that spoke to me! Halloween decorations were on my mind, obviously!
DeleteWay to go rogue and make the form work for you!
ReplyDelete