Found poetry is the literary version of a collage. The poems are made up of words taken from a printed document like a newspaper article, a speech, or in this case, the core values statement from the popular DNA testing service, 23andMe. The poet selects words from the document and rearranges them to create a unique poem.
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The other day I met with writer friends on Zoom to catch up and talk books. After chatting, we took ten minutes to write a paint chip poem from the colors and prompts below. I ended up with a haiku (without a prompt) and a free verse (with a prompt) which I’m sharing today. Having only ten minutes, they are not perfect, but it was fun! I hope you’ll give it a try. Pick out some colors (any number) and….go!
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When Aspen’s best friend gives her a DNA test kit, a half teaspoon of spit is all it takes to discover her entire life has been a lie.
I am proud to share the cover of my debut young adult novel-in-verse, releasing May 30, 2022! This is the book of my heart. This is the book based on my true story. This is the book that helped me through a very real, very difficult time in my life. Four years ago, I took a DNA test and discovered the man who raised me and whom I loved dearly was not my biological father.
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Today is my Birthday. I’m at that point where I’m far from young, but I’m not quite old (unless you ask my children). And although I curse the wrinkles and reading glasses, I embrace aging as I know it’s a privilege denied to many. So today, in honor of birthdays, I’m resharing this acrostic poem. Happy 2022 Birthday to all my readers and lovers of poetry!
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Have you ever told a white lie to spare someone hurt feelings? Or maybe the truth isn’t as exciting as the little white lie you’ve replaced it with? I recently read an online article at learning-mind.com by Valerie Soleil about how white lies do more damage than one would think. The piece went on to say that lies are color blind and that placing “little” or “white” before lies doesn’t make it harmless. On the contrary, lies equate to dishonesty no matter the size or color.
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Happy Mother’s Day to all the moms out there and to grandmothers, aunts, sisters, and friends who are helping to raise a child. Being a mom is the greatest joy in my life. My kids are adults and living their own lives now, but sometimes I find myself walking down memory (momery) lane, missing my littles. They (and their dad) always make Mother’s Day special for me, but this year I wanted to do something nice for them too. After reading it to my kids earlier today, I’m sharing the poem I wrote for them here.
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A few weeks back, I posted a Paint Chip Poetry exercise. It was so much fun, I thought I’d give it another try this week. The rules for Paint Chip Poetry are simple:
The poem, Where I’m From by George Ella Lyons is powerful! It is a literary snapshot of the poet’s most memorable images of her childhood. Through her text, she takes the reader on a journey to show them who she was as a child and who she is today. Educators, activists, psychologists, and others have used Ms. Lyons’ poem as a writing exercise for all ages. Let’s have some fun with it!
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There seems to be an influx of newborn babies right now, at least in my little corner of the world. I’ve enjoyed seeing the sweet little bundles of joy and their happy parents and grandparents on social media. So, I had the idea to write a poem about babies for this week’s post. Oh, the pressure of a poem! After many attempts, my focus shifted to the process of getting my thoughts down on paper. Giving birth to words is not nearly as exciting to celebrate, but the labor pains are real!
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