A Word with Laurie

Photo by L. Kolp

For the past two weeks, I’ve been battling tooth pain. It all began when I had to get a crown to replace an old one. After they put the temporary on, my tooth got infected... which led to a root canal yesterday.

The pain has been excruciating. In fact, I could even say it’s been phantasmagoric… and that, my friends, is our word for the day.

Phantasmagoric

(Century Dictionary and Cyclopedia) 1. Pertaining or relating to a phantasmagoria; of the nature of phantasmagoria; illusive; unreal.

 

(Wiktionary) 1. adj. Characterized by or pertaining to rapid changes in light intensity and colour. 2. adj. Characterized by or pertaining to a dream-like blurring of real and imaginary elements.

 

(WordNet 3.0) 1. adj. characterized by fantastic imagery and incongruous juxtapositions

 

*Definitions from Wordnix*

So write a phantasmagoric poem and post it to Mr. Linky. You know the drill.

Today is the last A Word with Laurie here at Imaginary Gardens with Real Toads. I want to thank you for sharing your poems with me for the past year and a half.

~~~

A Word with Laurie: Review

With 2012 drawing to a close, I thought it would be a good time to review the words I selected this year with links back to their original articles.

Nonsense

 

Ethereal

 

Perspective

 

Effervescence

 

Turgid

 

Dementia

 

Demarcation

 

Miscreant

 

Bottleneck

 

Zen/Meditation

 

Burlap

You can use any of the words in your poem today, or use all of the words if you'd like an extra challenge. Please link to Mr. Linky and then kindly visit other participants in this prompt.

Happy New Year!

A Word with Laurie

Hi, toads and followers, Laurie here. In the spirit of giving thanks, I wanted to let all of you know how thankful I am for you and how grateful I am to be a part of the garden. I must admit, though, I'm still recovering from too much turkey. Perhaps some hopping will help get those creative juices flowing. Why don't you join me? Get out an old pillowcase and step into it. Next, hop around the room. Does this bring back any memories? Like sack races? Read on...



Clip-Art Pics courtesy of PicGifs.com

Now let's get going with why we're really gathered here today: the word. As I was perusing poems that were linked to the past month's Open Link Mondays here at the garden, Susan Chast's poem, Cornucopia, caught my attention. The beautiful picture, squash and flowers... what a sensuous delight. When I saw burlap, I thought how perfect that word would be to use today.



Burlap sacks hanging out to dry, courtesy of Wikimedia Commons

burlap~ n. A strong, coarsely woven cloth made of fibers of jute, flax, or hemp and used to make bags, to reinforce linoleum, and in interior decoration. (American Heritage® Dictionary)

Burlap is also known as Hessian cloth.
It's not just a tough material for sack races, sandbags, storing potatoes, gardening, twine and rope; burlap can also be creatively made into curtains, lamp shades, pillow shams, book covers, wallpaper, table runners, wrapping paper, wreaths, sachet, lunch kits, hook rugs, and the list goes on.

Coffee beans, courtesy of Wikimedia Commons

How to incorporate burlap into your poem:

1. Create texture within your offering.
2. Write a poem on a piece of burlap, or a picture of it. Here are some images you can use.
3. Use the word "burlap" in the piece.
4. Perhaps one of the pictures in this post will inspire you.

*

Don't be a couch potato... write an original poem, link it to Mr. Linky, visit others who have linked and leave comments on their blogs. That's how it works, folks. Now hop to it!

A Word with Laurie: ZEN (Meditation)

Photo by L. Kolp

Busy, busy, busy. I don’t know about you, but I’ve been busy! That’s probably why you haven’t seen me around too much lately and I do apologize (click here to read my exciting news).

How do you handle stressful times? The holidays are coming soon and for many this presents a lot of anxiety. How do you obtain peace in your life?

Courtesy of Wikipedia

It helps to find a quiet spot, close your eyes and meditate. When I meditate, I TRY to think about nothing. I concentrate on a pleasant image, which for me is the beach. Eventually I start to relax. It’s almost as if I’m riding the waves on a raft. I see a white light. Guiding thoughts pop into my mind. I am at peace.

Photo by L. Kolp

Some of you might prefer going on a nature walk to clear your mind. This is something I love, too.



Photo by L. Kolp

As I was perusing blogs, I came across Kim Nelson’s beautiful poem, Flowing Example where the word Zen is used. Zen is meditation. Let’s use that as our word this time.


ZEN
n.
A school of Mahayana Buddhism that asserts that enlightenment can be attained through meditation, self-contemplation, and intuition rather than through faith and devotion and that is practiced mainly in China, Japan, Korea, and Vietnam. Also called Zen Buddhism.



Thanks, Kay, for sharing this with me! Click here for more.

~~~

So get meditating on what you will write about. You can use the pictures to inspire you if you'd like. Most importantly, be courteous to others and visit their blogs- leave comments- just as they visit yours.

 

 

 

 

 

A Word with Laurie: Bottleneck



Southern-style Trees, Photo by L. Kolp

Today's word was borrowed from Peggy Goetz of On a Day Like Today. In her poem, Close of Summer, the word bottleneck just seemed to jump out at me. We are toads, you know. Anyway I thought there would be lots of possibilities with this word; literally, figuratively, and even visually.

Courtesy of Wikimedia Commons

Here's the definition of bottleneck, according to Webster's New World College Dictionary (© 2010 by Wiley Publishing, Inc., Cleveland, Ohio)-

(noun)

1. the neck of a bottle
2. any place, as a narrow road, where traffic is slowed up or halted
3. any point at which movement or progress is slowed up because much must be funneled through it: a bottleneck in production

(adjective)

designating or of a style of playing blues guitar in which notes and chords are formed by stopping a string or strings with a broken-off glass bottleneck, knife blade, etc. (read the interesting history behind this instrument/music here)

(transitive verb)

to act as a bottleneck in

~~

 

Variations might include bottlenecking, bottlenecked, bottlenecks.

Synonyms- constriction, narrowing, impasse

Bottlenecks in carpool lines~ L. Kolp

 

 

Here's a video of bottleneck, or slide, guitar. You will notice the bottleneck device on the musician's left hand.

~~

Other types of bottlenecks-

Bottleneck gourds



Bottle palm, courtesy Wikimedia commons

Bottle tree, courtesy Wikimedia commons

So please write a poem using bottleneck in whatever creative way you can, post it to Mr. Linky, and visit others who have participated. Have a great weekend!
 

A Word with Laurie: Miscreant

I always enjoy having the opportunity to read through poems that have been posted to Imaginary Garden with Real Toads' prompts in search of ideas for A Word with Laurie. So far, I've used words from Verse Escape, Confessions of a Laundry Goddess, Skylover and Runaway Sentence. This week, I chose one from our newest member and my dear friend, Buddah Moskowitz of I Hate Poetry. In his latest response to Izy's Doomsday challenge, JC 2.0, miscreants caught my eye. When I asked his permission for this, Mosk said the word was his daughter's favorite insult when she was eight. Hmm... somehow I can relate.



Photo by L. Kolp

The definition, according to thefreedictionary.com:

mis·cre·ant (mskr-nt)

n.

1. An evildoer; a villain.

2. An infidel; a heretic



Photo by L. Kolp

Wiktionary's definition of miscreant:

1. adj. Lacking in conscience or moral principles; unscrupulous.
2. adj. Holding an incorrect religious belief.
3. n. One who has behaved badly, or illegally.
4. n. One not restrained by moral principles; an unscrupulous villain.
5. n. One who holds an incorrect religious belief; an unbeliever.

Photo by L. Kolp

Now use your imagination and write a poem using miscreant. Perhaps my photos will inspire you. If you use one, all I ask is that you give me proper credit. Here's more of my pictures, if you're interested. Link your piece below and visit others taking part in the challenge.

A Word with Laurie: Demarcation

From the Airplane, Photo by L. Kolp

Hi, everyone! I hope this day finds you eager to write a poem. The word for this month comes from Joy's Verse Escape: The Triumph of Verbosity; demarcation which, according to dictionary.com, means:

1. the determining and marking off of the boundaries of something.

2. separation by distinct boundaries: line of demarcation.

Photo by L. Kolp

 Synonyms: boundary, division, distinction, separation

Or... perhaps: point of no return, three-mile limit, about-face, dichotomy

And... as applied to relationships as well as visible limits.

Photo by L. Kolp

I'm setting a few boundaries:

1. Write a new poem for this prompt
2. Post to Mr. Linky
3. Visit other blogs from the list and leave a comment letting them know you stopped by.

I can't wait to see what you come up with.

A Word with Laurie: Dementia

Whistler's Mother

Yesterday I watched a little girl at the pool playing with a toad. She carried it around in her hands like it was a chocolate chip cookie she'd snuck from the kitchen. She stuck it on her brother's head and inside her cute little bathing suit while her oblivious  mother chatted with a friend. I just wanted to share that with you. I even wrote a poem about it here. Now for the prompt... 

Last month I changed things up a bit. I will choose the word I wish to highlight from blog posts of members and contributors of Imaginary Garden with Real Toads. I hopped from lily pad to lily pad, and I have to say it was a tough choice. That is, until I came across a special posting from Susie Clevenger.

We are most familiar with Susie's poetry on Confessions of a Laundry Goddess. Over at one of her other blogs, Susie’s Sentences, “Where You Find Me,” touched my heart. I have written about my own experience with cardinals after the death of my friend, so I can truly relate to what happened between Susie and her deceased mother. I was brought to tears not only because of that, but because of my own relationship with my mother, which over the years has been tumultuous at times.

I’ve also noticed a common thread running through many of the poems I read on a regular basis. It ties in perfectly to Susie’s post. That theme is Alzheimer’s Disease. It’s the last reason Susie’s words resonated through my heart; my grandmother suffered from dementia.

The American Heritage Dictionary defines dementia here:

1. Deterioration of intellectual faculties, such as memory, concentration, and judgment, resulting from an organic disease or a disorder of the brain. It is sometimes accompanied by emotional disturbance and personality changes.
2. Madness; insanity.

You can take this in many different directions.

*Of course, there’s the medical definition we all know associated with Alzheimer’s Disease.

* Do you ever feel demented?

*Insanity: In.San.It Y. End of story.

Please write a poem that follows this prompt and link it to Mr. Linky. Be sure to visit the other participants and leave a comment letting them know you were there. Don't forget!

A Word with Laurie: Turgid

Photo by L. Kolp

“Reading those turgid philosophers here in these remote stone buildings may not get you a job, but if those books have forced you to ask yourself questions about what makes life truthful, purposeful, meaningful, and redeeming, you have the Swiss Army Knife of mental tools, and it's going to come in handy all the time."
~Bill Watterson

***

Guess what? From now on I'm going to get my words from YOU.

I searched through poems on the blogs of Real Toads members for a word to highlight. When I was visiting Skylover the other day, I spotted just the word in Kerry’s poem, Aubade (Post-Apocalyptic)- turgid.

Hmm...

Photo by L. Kolp

Here’s the definition given at merriam-webster.com:

tur•gid

ADJECTIVE:
1: being in a state of distension: SWOLLEN, TUMID ; especially: exhibiting turgor
2: excessively embellished in style or language: BOMBASTIC, POMPOUS

— tur•gid•i•ty \ˌtər-ˈji-də-tē\noun
— tur•gid•ly \ˈtər-jəd-lē\adverb
— tur•gid•ness noun

Example:

Turgid prose is often broken up by an acid aside, for which the reader is too often rather thankful.
~ yourdictionary.com

Photo by L. Kolp

Now use any form of turgid in your poem and link it up. Then kindly visit others and leave a comment. Have a great weekend!

A Word with Laurie: Effervescence

Happy Friday the 13th lucky toads! Yes, you heard me right- lucky. I am not going to prompt you to write anything superstitious or unlucky about this day because to me it's a very special day. My youngest was born on a Friday the 13th (in June). I want to celebrate with bubbles! But as you'll see later, I'm still incorporating some aspect of the date.

L. Kolp~ Galveston, TX

The other day on my FB page, I posted the picture above hoping to inspire some of you. I asked for word suggestions for this post. I received some wonderful ideas such as bliss, serenity, patience, cleave; but I decided to go with a version of runaway sentence Marian Kent’s word, effervescent: the 13-letter effervescence.

~~~
 TheFreeDictionary's definition of the word-

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effervescence - the process of bubbling as gas escapes natural action, natural process, action, activity - a process existing in or produced by nature (rather than by the intent of human beings); "the action of natural forces"; "volcanic activity"
the property of giving off bubbles bubbliness, frothiness gaseousness - having the consistency of a gas

~~~

Examples:

The wake of a boat, the start or end of a journey...

Photo- P. Kolp

Photo- P. Kolp

champagne (it's party time)...

or Alka-Seltzer, Air-Borne to cure those morning after ills.

Photo- L. Kolp

If you can't think of anything, then bubbles will be okay...

Photo L. Kolp

and bubblegum, too.

 Choose which definition you wish to use. You can select any of these pictures to inspire you, or think of your own meaning of effervescence. Then write away.

BUT wait, there's a catch... a bonus you might say. How about writing a 13-line poem? I know you can do it! Good luck.

After you have linked your poem, please take the time to visit the other poets.

Sidenote: I am travelling to Austin this weekend with my daughter. It's a school function and we're scheduled to leave by 8:00 a.m. With that being said, I will do my best to visit all of you... it may not be until late Sunday, though.

A Word with Laurie: Perspective

I'll never forget the art class I took in college. I had so much fun learning the various techniques of an artist. For instance, the professor had us turn a picture upside down and then draw it. That way we'd see it from a fresh perspective, not the way our brains were trained to see that particular object. It was much easier for me that way.

We also learned perspective. The above picture is not from my class, as I don't have time to go digging through boxes in the garage. Instead, my husband sketched this for me. Pretty good, huh? As you can see, everything focuses on the center; the train on the right and buildings on the left seem to move.

What does this have to do with poetry?

Have you ever written a poem and then discovered that one of your blog visitors, possibly a toad, has perceived it in a different way than you initially intended? Then you go back and reread your own piece and think- wow, I see what they mean.

I recently wrote one such poem which I will share with you here.

The Scar of Regret

Regret is the scar

on her dimpled chin

quivering

like a puppy cradled

in strong helping hands

held out with ease.

The years, they heal

regret fades away

and running through endless

fields of bluebonnets

a yellow Labrador

cannot see the scar.

Although the poem is notably about regret and the scar it leaves on one's soul with god as a supporter who offers unconditional love and forgiveness like a canine friend, one reader commented that she read it a whole different way- that of a child being bitten by a dog and having to get painful rabies shots.

It's all in one's perspective.

Dictionary.reference.com provides great definitions of perspective:

1. a technique of depicting volumes and spatial relationships on a flat surface.

2. a picture employing this technique especially one in which it is prominent: an architect's perspective of a house.

3. a visible scene, especially one extending to a distance; vista: a perspective on the main axis of an estate.

4. the state of existing in space before the eye: The elevations look all right, but the building's composition is a failure in perspective.

5. the state of one's ideas, the facts known to one, etc., in having a meaningful interrelationship: You have to live here a few years to see local conditions in perspective.

~~~

What I would like you to do today is to write a poem with depth and movement that revolves around the distant center. No commentary or background on the piece allowed. You can use the sketch as inspiration. Perhaps the definitions will help you. Or you can write a piece that can be interpreted different ways (which we do anyway so use this as your last resort). Go ahead- it's all about one's perspective.

*Add your piece to Mr. Linky, leave a comment, and be sure to hop over to other lily pads in this pond and give them your perspective.*

A Word with Laurie: Ethereal

Photo by L. Kolp

The spacious firmament on high,

And all the blue ethereal sky,

And spangled heavens, a shining frame

Their great Original proclaim

~Joseph Addison

 Hello all you toads out there! Are you ready for some Friday fun? Well, I sure am. It's been one heck of a week with deadlines and book fairs, school fundraisers and Valentine's Day. Everything seems so ethereal (probably because I'm worn out). It's as if I'm an expressionless genie floating around and filling everyone's wishes.

"Yes, master. Whatever your heart desires."

I had to escape into my genie bottle with my computer in order to get this post completed. sigh.

I’d like you to stretch your imagination and go beyond what is normally considered ethereal. Personify it, use it as a metaphor or allegory. Let these pictures inspire you if you'd like.  Or just use the word ethereal in your piece. Open your eyes, heart and mind to new possibilities and different ways of perceiving things. Have fun.

Photo by L. Kolp

Merriam-Webster defines ethereal as~

1. a: of or relating to the regions beyond the earth, b: CELESTIAL, HEAVENLY, c: UNWORLDLY, SPIRITUAL

2. a: lacking material substance : IMMATERIAL, INTANGIBLE, b: marked by unusual delicacy or refinement , c: suggesting the heavens or heaven

3. relating to, containing, or resembling a chemical ether

Photo by L. Kolp

As always link your poem and leave a comment. Then visit others who have done the same. Please don't link a poem unless it goes with the topic. Thank you!

Poof! I'm off to rest on a cloud for awhile and then I'll float away to paradise. Don't worry, though; I'll return to see what you've come up with.

A Word with Laurie: Nonsense

“I like nonsense, it wakes up the brain cells. Fantasy is a necessary ingredient in living.” ~Dr. Seuss

According to good ole faithful Webster, the word nonsense means meaningless or absurd words or actions; and anything trifling or of little use.

As far as poetry is concerned, nonsense verse, or amphigory, is light-hearted and rhythmical word play. It contains muddled or ambigious grammar that transposes the meaningless into something meaningful, as in this excerpt from One Fish, Two Fish, Red Fish, Blue Fish by Dr. Seuss:

In yellow socks

I box my Gox.

I box in yellow

Gox box socks.

...or the incompatibility of phrases can be a form of nonsense poetry, as shown in this example:

'I see' said the blind man to his deaf and dumb daughter

as he picked up his hammer and saw.

…or poems with nonsensical meaning or situations rather than drivel can be a form of nonsense verse, as demonstrated in Jack Prelutsky’s piece:

Katy Ate a Baked Potato

Katy ate a baked potato, strolling through the mews

in her yellow elevator alligator shoes.

That was Katy’s last potato, she did not survive-

her elevator alligator shoes were still alive.

~~

Lewis Carroll, Jabberwocky

Of course, Lewis Carroll is perhaps most well-known for his use of nonsense in his pieces, as you can see in this excerpt from Through the Looking-Glass:

Jabberwocky

’Twas brillig, and the slithy toves

Did gyre and gimble in the wabe;

All mimsy were the borogoves,

And the mome raths outgrabe.

~~

Here’s one by yours truly, written last year:

To Gibberish
by Laurie Kolp

Frain breeze,
trimb clees,
squain meeze,
chiss sweeze;

pockey huck,
stumb-duck,
measy gruck,
trast f____ (oh,dear)-

the older I get
the more I find
gibberish spewing
from my mind!

~~

~~~   ~~~

Roald Dahl

Habberdegosh! Let’s join the ranks of Edward Lear, Jack Prelutsky, Roald Dahl, Lewis Carroll, Shel Silverstein (and many more); write some nonsense doggeryosh. Oh, and it does not have to be a children's poem or Limerick either.

But then again, you might just want to use the word nonsense in your piece... or ballderdash, poppycock, baloney, fandangle, jabberwocky, gobbledygook, mumbo jumbo, malarky, rigmarole, flummery, flimflam... you get the picture. Have fun being silly!

Post the link to your poem on the Mr. Linky and then leave a comment. Please visit others who have linked to this prompt, especially those who have visited you.

A Word with Laurie

Thank you for taking the time to hop over to Imaginary Gardens with Real Toads during this busy season. I know it is precious to us all, so I will make this brief.

In keeping with the joy of the season, I’d like you to include the word ecstasy in your poem. As you can see, it has a multitude of meanings.

1. a state of being beyond reason and self-control; barchaic: swoon
2. a state of overwhelming emotion; especially: rapturous delight
3. trance; especially: a mystic or prophetic trance
4. often capitalized: a synthetic amphetamine analog C11H15NO2 used illicitly for its mood-enhancing and hallucinogenic properties —called also MDMA

One more thing. I challenge you to write the piece in five minutes or less.

Anyone can participate. All you have to do is write a piece with the word ECSTASY and post it on your blog. Then add it to Mr. Linky and leave a comment. Most importantly, visit others who have linked to this challenge. I can't wait to see everyone's contribution.

 Blessings to all of you this joyous season. See you next year!

*Definitions from the Merriem-Webster Dictionary.

A Word with Laurie

Gratitude can transform common days into thanksgivings, turn routine jobs into joy, and change ordinary opportunities into blessings.
~William Arthur Ward

Yesterday Americans celebrated Thanksgiving; a time of gathering with family and friends, a time to stop and celebrate all the blessings in our lives, a time to step out of our shoebox diorama and just rest. On this holiday we eat…eat…eat, then eat some more, watch football or movies, play games and call up long lost relatives for the annual chit-chat. The day is a nice respite, but I’m always grateful when it’s over.

My family has the tradition of going around the room and saying what we are grateful for. From the oldest (74) to the youngest (8), there was a common thread I picked up on yesterday; nothing shared was of materialistic origin. Sure, shelter and clothing were mentioned; but not designer jeans, or new convertibles, elaborate vacations or money. The kids said nothing about video games or the Wii when it was their turn. What mattered the most? Family, health, friends, employment, God/Higher Power, love, peace, pets. What a blessing!

There have been many years when it was very difficult for me to find something to be thankful for. A black cloud of depression shadowed me and a backpack of burdens weighted me down, but I always found one thing to contribute. There is always a silver lining on every cloud no matter how gloomy things appear.

I’ve come a long way since those troubled times, and one thing that helps me remain positive is making a gratitude list. I try to do that as frequently as I can. What I have discovered is that when I do make a gratitude list and write it down (instead of simply thinking about it), my outlook on life is brighter. Everything around me seems sharp and clear instead of fuzzy and gray.

That is what I want you to do today; write a poem of gratitude. It can be a list of many things, a special memory, maybe a person who has made a difference in your life, or a list from A-Z of what you are thankful for.

So the word today is gratitude. I can’t wait to read your offerings. One thing’s for certain- I’m grateful for all of you!

A Word with Laurie

"Dona Nobis Pacem" Grant Us Peace

La paix... pace... paz... vrede... rauha... frieden... shalom... peace; a simple word that can move mountains, restore relationships, spread love, calm waters.

It can suspend hostilities in the form of a truce or armistice.

It can bring one's mind to rest with emotional tranquility, equanimity, ataraxia.

In children's games, it can be an immunity or exemption call: fen, vents, fains, fain it, fains I, faintes, pax.

Peace promotors are conciliatory, irenic, pacific, placatory.

Between countries, peace can create amity, appeasement. It can resume with a rapprochement or detente.

In politics, a politician or advisor can be deemed a hawk (aggression over peace) or a dove (peaceful solutions).

So... the word for today is PEACE, in any shape or form. Let your PIECE speak.

If you're interested in participating in a blog-blast world peace movement that is happening today, 11-4-11, click here.

Peace be with you.

A Word with Laurie

Poetry is a packsack* of invisible keepsakes. ~Carl Sandburg

My husband is taking our two boys on a Boy Scout camping trip this weekend called the Spook-O-Ree. They have been preparing for the trip all day: grocery shopping, packing clothes, getting out the tents from the shed, sleeping bags, canteens, backpacks, flashlights, bug spray… and the list goes on. I guess my daughter and I will start Christmas shopping while they are gone which also involves a bit of planning and list making.

Therefore the word for today is list; I want you to write a list poem.

List poem: A poem comprised of a list of specific things connected by an idea which progresses from the beginning to a desired solution at the end. It should make a point or tell a story. The title reveals what/who the list will be about.

The Catch: As always, there is a catch. I want your list poem to involve directions or an element of how to get somewhere. What I have in mind is How To (Not) Get Lost in the Woods because I always worry about my boys when they go camping. Here it is:

How To (Not) Get Lost in the Woods

Wear that neon yellow
t-shirt I packed for you
the one that says
“You’re a Star.”
Carry a whistle
compass rose
water bottle
the big stick
your cell phone
in case you get lost;
aww, heck- put it all
in a backpack
but bend with your knees.
Never go into the woods
alone; remember the buddy
system? Follow the river.
Watch out for spiders,
snakes, bramble, branches,
bears, wild hogs;
aw, heck- never go into
the woods without your dad.

@laurie kolp

Have fun writing your list poem with directions and/or how-to _____. I can't wait to read all your wonderful creations! Thank you.

*packsack: The combination of "knapsack and backpack"

A Word with Laurie

The word for today is (your) NAME.

Last Saturday I had the privilege of meeting Robert Lee Brewer, editor of Poet’s Market and Writer’s Market, author of the popular Writer’s Digest blog Poetic Asides, husband and father (just to name a few of his multifarious titles). I discovered that he is tall, has a deep resonating voice and is as kind and easy to talk to as Andy Griffith (but much younger). It was amazing to visit with Robert and experience his poetry reading. I have also had the opportunity to meet other poets such as Linda Evans Hofke and Paula Wanken, and can now hear their voices and imagine their demeanors when I communicate with them over the web.

Many of us meet at various poetry sites such as Imaginary Garden with Real Toads and proceed to visit one another's blogs, but we don’t know much about the people behind the screens. It's like we are on a tour of homes; we take delight in the atmosphere, but miss out on meeting the host/hostess. Wouldn’t it be nice if we had the opportunity to step into the kitchen and meet the cook? Well, that is exactly what I have planned for today.

What I’d like you to do is find the meaning of your first name on zelo.com (click here) and use it in a poem. Perhaps you might want to write a poem about what makes you unique, or an acrostic using your sobriquet. Maybe you would prefer using your nom de plume. You can combine all of these ideas or come up with your own; just incorporate something about your name in your piece. I can’t wait to finally meet YOU.

A Word with Laurie

I can’t believe it has already been two weeks since my last post. Thank you for taking the time out of your busy schedule to participate in the first A Word with Laurie. So tell me… how did you like the  minute time limit? I’d love to hear feedback from you.

Today I am continuing the theme of music, but with a twist.

The dance move dates back to the 1890s and in parts of West Africa even before then. Chubby Checker topped the charts in 1960 with his version of The Twist. This popular dance move is not only fun, but it is a great workout and stress release. I think we could all use a little bit of that right now.

So what I would like for you to do is to use the word twist as your inspiration. You could write about the dance move, or you might want to twist your words. Another option is to present your piece with a visual twist. If none of that works for you, than the standard definition of the word twist will suffice.

I can't wait to see what you come up with.

**THERE IS NO TIME LIMIT!!**

A Word with Laurie

We live in a hurried society with communication right at our fingertips. Our mobile devices cling to us like babies on our hips. There has never been a better time for poets and writers to share their passion with the world; press ‘send’ and you’re there.

At the same time, people are being bombarded with messages, texts, emails and status updates. Many discover they have a limited amount of time to read everything they would like to. I don’t know about you, but I would rather not have someone pass over my piece because it is too long. So today I’d like to offer you the opportunity to write a short poem.

One word. That’s all I’m asking of you; to incorporate the word I give you into your poem. But wait! There’s a catch. The piece can be no longer than eight lines. AND you must time yourself. The poem should be written in a minute.

I’d like to bring a little music to our poetry, so the word I’ve chosen is allegro (briskly) which is how you should embrace this challenge.

To sum it up:
One word (allegro), one octave, one minute