Poetry Friday: When words won’t play

I thoroughly enjoyed Michelle Heidenrich Barne’s Reader Spotlight Interview with Kate O’Neil, and I looked forward to Kate’s DMC Challenge:

With this challenge I have in mind the enormous value of this site as “A poetry playground for the child in all of us.” Yes, the child in the adult still likes to play. So my challenge is to write a poem based on the sheer delight of words at play: malapropisms, ambiguities, unintended meanings, puns, clichés, etc.  Inspiration could be found listening to children, from newspaper headlines, lists of ‘howlers’ on the net, etc. 

That is, I looked forward to it until I sat down to write. Then I found that my words just did not want to play. I found plenty of inspiration from reading the contributions on the padlet, but, nope, my words still weren’t joining in the fun.

What to do as time is running out? I’ll just have to write about their unwillingness to play.

When Words Won’t Play

My words will not come out to play.
They just rumble and crumble all in a jumble.
They’re hiding–not seeking–all day today.
My words will not come out to play.
Without them I find I have nothing to say.
I just mutter and moan and mumble.
My words will not come out to play.
They just rumble and crumble all in a jumble.

I hope your words are being more cooperative this month. You can find lots of words having fun with  Poetry Friday, where writers share their love of all things poetry. Rebecca hosts the Poetry Friday Roundup today at Sloth Reads. After inviting anyone to create a National Day for any food that doesn’t have one, she celebrates a favorite family dish.  Hurry over and check out all the poetry morsels offered up today.

23 Comments on Poetry Friday: When words won’t play

    • cheriee weichel
      November 27, 2019 at 1:08 pm (4 years ago)

      sorry for the duplication. I thought my first post didn’t work!

      Reply
  1. Michelle Kogan
    November 25, 2019 at 3:31 am (4 years ago)

    Hi Kay, I definitely think your words made a show in your poem–fun little ditty, even if they were a bit obstinate–glad they finally came out, thanks and Happy Thanksgiving!

    Reply
    • Mrs. McGriff
      November 25, 2019 at 7:56 am (4 years ago)

      Thanks, Michelle. Those words did finally get in the spirit of play. Happy Thanksgiving!

      Reply
  2. Robyn Hood Black
    November 24, 2019 at 11:38 pm (4 years ago)

    Ha! Well, you wrangled a romp out of them nonetheless. Thanks for sharing, Kay! (& Happy Thanksgiving to you and yours.) :0)

    Reply
    • Mrs. McGriff
      November 25, 2019 at 7:55 am (4 years ago)

      Thanks, Robyn. Happy Thanksgiving to you, too!

      Reply
  3. Michelle Heidenrich Barnes
    November 24, 2019 at 11:49 am (4 years ago)

    Talk about making lemonade. You certainly outsmarted this challenge, Kay! And I’d bet those jumbly words enjoyed themselves too. 🙂

    Reply
    • Mrs. McGriff
      November 24, 2019 at 8:13 pm (4 years ago)

      Thanks, Michelle. I hope those words had fun in spite of themselves-I know I did!

      Reply
  4. jone
    November 24, 2019 at 12:33 am (4 years ago)

    Words can be so naughty at times, all that jumbling and crumbling.

    Reply
    • Mrs. McGriff
      November 24, 2019 at 8:12 pm (4 years ago)

      Oh yes. On those days I feel like none of the words I write down are worth much at all–and then sometimes they surprise me!

      Reply
  5. jama
    November 23, 2019 at 3:37 pm (4 years ago)

    I’m glad you decided to write a poem despite your uncooperative word friends. Sounds like they helped you play a little after all. 🙂

    Reply
    • Mrs. McGriff
      November 24, 2019 at 8:11 pm (4 years ago)

      Thanks, Jama. I think they might have finally come out to play!

      Reply
  6. Sally Murphy
    November 23, 2019 at 1:26 am (4 years ago)

    Plenty of play in your very clever poem! But gosh know that feeling when the words seem to just hide away.

    Reply
    • Mrs. McGriff
      November 23, 2019 at 10:15 am (4 years ago)

      Thanks, Sally. Glad to see you back on Poetry Friday!

      Reply
  7. Alan j Wright
    November 23, 2019 at 12:30 am (4 years ago)

    There are those days where you feel you are pushing the words out and onto the page, They are reticent and find difficulty settling in the right places. Your poem captures the essence of those days. I tell kids about these days as well as those days where the words spill freely across the pages.

    Reply
    • Mrs. McGriff
      November 23, 2019 at 10:14 am (4 years ago)

      Thanks, Alan. I’ve definitely been stuck in those days where the words don’t flow. It makes me appreciate the times when they gush even more.

      Reply
  8. Becky
    November 22, 2019 at 11:55 pm (4 years ago)

    I love how you turned this around! Lately, I have been feeling stuck with writing poetry. Perhaps by just adding in a bit of fun and play will do the trick.

    Reply
    • Mrs. McGriff
      November 23, 2019 at 10:14 am (4 years ago)

      Thanks, Becky. I’m with you on feeling stuck. I hope the fun with this poem will jumpstart my creativity.

      Reply
  9. Linda Baie
    November 22, 2019 at 8:10 pm (4 years ago)

    Well, it may not have meant the same as you imagined, Kay, but your words certainly did PLAY! Love the lament, that “rumble and crumble” and “moan and mumble”. That’s what I feel like when it.just.won’t.work. Thanks for sharing what happened to you!

    Reply
    • Mrs. McGriff
      November 22, 2019 at 8:24 pm (4 years ago)

      Thanks, Linda. When I get stuck, I often turn to writing about getting stuck. Fortunately, this one turned out once I sat down to work on it.

      Reply
  10. Linda M.
    November 22, 2019 at 7:32 pm (4 years ago)

    ooops! My last comment got lost in space. If it shows up, I hope it’s like this one. You made me laugh. I’m just not having spontaneous inspiration for this challenge. Maybe a couple of days off of school with family should help.

    Reply
    • Mrs. McGriff
      November 22, 2019 at 8:24 pm (4 years ago)

      Who knows what happens to disappearing comments. I’m glad my poem made you laugh. I struggled to find inspiration for this one, too, but I’ve enjoyed reading all the contributions!

      Reply

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