This week’s poem comes from Nathan Moore’s Read Write Poem prompt #97. I used some words of his post for my text and came up with this.
Chance Language Encounters
Let’s create remarks &
surprise transitions
from words, little words.
Shake the first line,
link situations &
cut the rough way.
Relax. It’s just fun.
Finished? Let the
scissors drop.
Interesting take, Tamra – prompt as poetry. I like to surprise transitions from little words,
Neat. Concise. Small ribbon and bow. “Let the scissors drop.” Thanks Tamra!
LOL. Love how you used Nathan’s word so the poem is in itself an explanation of the prompt. Smart!
clever, cute, concise
Hi Tamra,
That’s it. Use their own ammunition back at ‘em!
Liked the way you started and that wonderful ending…
Terma Rima: psychedelic pajamas
Cool idea to use Nathan’s post as your text. I really like the way your poem turned out — it has so much humour and flavour!
This is one of your most musical poems! I can hear the riff in my head and the first stanza could be the chorus. I too love “surprise transitions/from words, little words.”
“Let the/scissors drop.” is a particularly evocative image.
Very clever, and I really like the ambiguous “finished?” and “Let the scissors drop,” and how they follow the carefree tone and instructions that precede them, particularly the “Relax. It’s just fun.” That “just” and the last three lines suggests something more open-ended and mysterious or even dark.
This is a very neat little poem about the exercise we were given. I think I forgot to pick the scissors up. I’ve enjoyed reading it through again and again. Very concise. Thanks for posting Tamra!
Hey! Terrific idea and well executed. I should have used your instructions, I wouldn’t have been ripping clumps of hair out!
Awesome! Very clever and well crafted response.
Excellent – you’ve crafted randomness into a winner.
Clever response to the prompt. This flows remarkably well with just a hint of randomness to make it fresh and surprising. Lovely work.
nicely done…thanks for sharing
Wow! I’m honored that my words ended up in your poem.
Brilliant! I think that from the start, from the title, this poem is uncanny, eerie. a trap. “Chance…Encounters” certainly echoes for me with “Close Encounters” of the strange kind. The first appearance of “surprise” is foreboding, and the repetition of “words, little words” sounds like the smooth spinnings of a spider about to snag a fly. Then, “shake” and certainly “cut the rough way” tighten the vise on the reader. By the time I get to “Relax. It’s just fun,” it’s too late because I’m already “finished.” The dropping of the scissors is the coup-de-grace, the beheading (so to speak). I think this poem is actually rather deep, too — because even the “fun” of poetry (or of any language game) can have cutting consequences. Great job!
A very satisfying poem! And an inspired choice of source text.
“words, little words” funny and fun, but also a great way to actually look at writing poetry!
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