Give a Verb It's Day

Hope, smile

Wait, drink, sit

This week's prompt: Make the topic of your poem a verb

Often when thinking of topics to write about we think of nouns--the names of things, people, places, concepts. So this week, go with a verb.

A verb is a word used to describe an action, state or occurrence: sees, runs, becomes, happens. It is a necessary part of a complete sentence and can even be a sentence all by itself.

Sing, play, strum, listen

I think it would be fun for you to pick your own verbs, but if you prefer a suggestion, here are a few to choose from: explode, condense, relinquish, carry, wrap, run, is.  There are some others under the photos.

Post your efforts below with Mr. Linky. And please visit the blogs and posted poems by our other participants as we all like to have our work read and any comment is usually appreciated.

Peggy Goetz
Blogging at: ON A DAY LIKE TODAY

Sleep, rest, sit

Do you believe in magic?

"The Sorceress"   Henry Meynell Rheam   1898

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Do you believe in magic?   White magic... black magic... the magic of love?

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"That Old Black Magic"   Sarah Vaughan

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 What about the magic in nature...  in music...    in art?

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"Do You Believe in Magic?"   The Lovin' Spoonful

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This week's prompt is wide open to interpretation ~

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• write a poem about a magic spell...  or maybe a magic spell gone awry
• write a magic spell itself  { just please don't leave the readers bewitched beyond their love for your poetry! }
• write about a wizard or witch;  sorcerer or sorceress
• write about the magic of love
• write about everyday magic -  the magic in living or in nature
• write about the magic of music or art to transport us to another time  { a memory } or another world  { the way we're feeling }
• write an acrostic poem using the word 'magic' or 'magical' { learn more about acrostic poetry HERE }
• write your own story about a magic kingdom

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In other words,  write a poem in some way inspired by magic.   Please write a new poem for this prompt;  link it in with Mr. Linky;  leave us a comment below;  visit as many other participants as you can.  { Please leave them a comment, too! }

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I hope you find some magic in this prompt which inspires you!

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Thank you for jamming with us!

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dani

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my heart's love songs

Rivers of Life

Rivers of Life

Big Sur River, California, 2012

Greetings Poetry Jammer Friends. This week's prompt comes directly from my recent vacation camping beside the Big Sur River (in California).  The prompt is simply: rivers

Belize, 2011

Rivers have always been important geographical and even political features, sources of trade and wealth, water for life, and also sources of death and destruction. They have linked people together and divided them as well. Mankind has long worked to tame and control rivers.

Rivers have been used metaphorically in many ways, including my title here, "Rivers of Life." So go ahead if you will and create your own river metaphors. Let your mind flow and see where it takes you.

Rivers of ice, China, 2005

I look forward to seeing what you all come up with--something featuring a river or rivers in any way you please. Link it below using Mr. Linky!

Write on!!

Peggy Goetz
blogging at:   ON A DAY LIKE TODAY

Mississippi River, St. Louis, Missouri,
all photos on this post by Peggy Goetz

Daydream Believers

Sometimes, despite our best efforts, our minds can go wandering off on a little daydream.  This is the subject of one of my favorite short stories, “The Secret Life of Walter Mitty” by James Thurber.  For those not familiar with this tale, Walter Mitty daydreams himself into a much more exciting life than the one he leads as a hen-pecked, middle-class husband.  This story was translated into a major motion picture in 1947 starring Danny Kaye as our intrepid hero, and an updated version is currently filming with Ben Stiller in the title role.

There are several possible interpretations of this prompt.  Perhaps you’d like to share one of your own daydreams with us, or you could show us the contrast between your reality and fantasy worlds.  You could also take inspiration from one of Walter’s imagined adventures in writing your poem.  I’ve also included a few quotes about daydreaming as well as a musical blast from the past to help you get started. So let your mind go wandering!

I live my daydreams in music. ~ Albert Einstein

Visualization is daydreaming with a purpose. ~ Bo Bennett

A daydream is a meal at which images are eaten. Some of us are gourmets, some gourmands, and a good many take their images precooked out of a can and swallow them down whole, absent-mindedly and with little relish. ~ W. H. Auden

To lose one's self in reverie, one must be either very happy, or very unhappy. Reverie is the child of extremes. ~ Antoine Rivarol

Don’t forget to invite the other Jammers to read your contribution by signing up with Mr. Linky.  Please remember to mention Poetry Jam in your post.  And be sure to visit with the other poets who participate in this prompt, comments and feedback help turn our poetic dreams into reality!

Mary Mansfield from Write Wing Conspiracy

Forgiveness

Forgiveness

Hi Poetry Jam Friends:

This week I am going to propose a fairly serious topic, the topic of forgiveness. There are many kinds of forgiveness. We may think of forgiveness in a religious way (such as God forgiving our sins) if we wish to.

We may think of forgiveness in a human way. If someone does something that hurts you greatly, is it easy to forgive them? If you forgive someone, is it more for you or the other person?

Perhaps you have done something hurtful to someone else and apologized to that person. Did that person forgive you.....or not?

How does forgiveness feel? How does not being forgiven feel? Are some things unforgivable?

How about being able to forgive yourself??? Easy or hard?

I hope that the word 'forgiveness' will inspire something in your mind that you will feel comfortable writing about. Share your philosophy in poetry, or share a poetic story of forgiveness or lack of.

I am going to share a few forgiveness quotes, which might help trigger something in your muse:

"Forgiveness means it finally becomes unimportant that you hit back. You're done. It doesn't necessarily mean that you want to have lunch with the person. If you keep hitting back, you stay trapped in the nightmare...” -- Anne Lamott

 "Forgiveness means letting go of the past. "  --Gerald Jampolsky

"Always forgive your enemies; nothing annoys them so much.” ― Oscar Wilde

"The weak can never forgive. Forgiveness is the attribute of the strong.” ― Mahatma Gandhi

"Any fool knows men and women think differently at times, but the biggest difference is this. Men forget, but never forgive; women forgive, but never forget.” ― Robert Jordan

"True forgiveness is when you can say, 'Thank you for that experience.'"― Oprah Winfrey

"Forgive your enemies, but never forget their names.”  ― John F. Kennedy

"I think that if God forgives us we must forgive ourselves. Otherwise, it is almost like setting up ourselves as a higher tribunal than Him.” ― C.S. Lewis

I hope that people will 'risk' writing something to this serious topic.  I look forward to reading what you write!

And please leave a comment after you have linked.  Also, be sure to visit other bloggers who enjoy comments as much as you do!

Mary