BREAKING CAMP; COMING HOME

We had been away exploring the "camping" experience during the CREATIVE BLOOMINGS July P.A.D. But the best part about going away camping is the return home. So it is back to business for the micro poetry arm of the CB stable of sites. We'll be filling the gas tank over at Flashy Fiction as well, and seeing if we can get the motor running more efficiently.

So for starters, write a "home" poem. It can be where you live (or had lived). It can be a return to a point where you felt things escape your scope. It can be about a place where you are most comfortable; a home away from home, if you will.

Wherever it is, bring it home in 14 lines or less, because that's how we roll!

INDEPENDENCE DAY CELEBRATION

Today we celebrate and give thanks for those who made our freedoms attainable.

Any kind of short burst of patriotic poetic explosion will be appreciated today.

Here, we do it in Fourteen lines or less!

TANKA YOU, BOYS!

OK, misleading title. We are NOT writing brief tributes to Lawrence Welk. We are focusing on another short form of Japanese poetry, the TANKA!

Tanka consist of five units (often treated as separate lines when romanized or translated) usually with the following pattern of on:

5-7-5-7-7.

The 5-7-5 is called the kami-no-ku (上の句 "upper phrase"^?), 

The 7-7 is called the shimo-no-ku (下の句 "lower phrase"^?).

Traditionally tanka has had no concept of rhyme (certain arrangements of rhymes, even accidental, were considered dire faults in a poem, or even of line.

Much like the Haiku and Senryu the brevity concentrates the beauty of the piece with sometimes amazing results. THINK TANKA!

lake reflects beauty

a bridge to frame the distance

to the rising sun

pagoda stands towering

above the water proudly

the challenge of youth
in the hands of warrior
baring his power
two to fly into lesson
kept aloft hoping pants hold

VERBAL TRIAGE RETURNS

The feature known as "Verbal Triage" makes its triumphant return to micropoetry.

Here's the deal:

I'll give you ten words. You decide which six require your attention the most and write them into a poem. 14 lines is the max, but don't minimize your effort.

And if you send your poem to "Intensive Care", you've utilized all ten words. Great job!

The words:

unvoiced, solid, helpless, pretty, common, dark, mean, surprise, day, grief

ALL THINGS BETWEEN HEAVEN AND HELL

Write a short poem with one of these "destinations" in the title
(even if you don't believe in either.)

14 Lines or less and don't take an eternity doing it!

HOW LOW CAN YOU GO? micro - micro poetry

 Our friend Jodi Barnes revives this concept annually in the lead up to Valentines Day. Her "14 words of love" is always well received.

So, here is the micropoetry twist.We're shrinking things down a little bit more. 

To test your mettle, write a poem in 14 WORDS, not our usual 14 lines. 

Topic for this jaunt into madness? "The Promise of Tomorrow!"

CREATURES OF HABIT

Write a poem about something you do on a daily basis. Take the mundane and make it a memorable event. As is always the rule at micro poetry, 14 lines or less is your quest!