Creativity

Flash Fiction Friday: Becoming Forgotten

/ kellyfbarr / Leave a comment

She sat with the open scrapbook in her lap.  The edges of its pages were yellowed and a bit tattered.

It wasn’t her youth she missed.  It was her loved ones.  Many had already passed on, but her children and grandchildren.  She rarely saw them.  They were too busy with their lives to take the time to visit an old woman.  They had placed her here so that she would be cared for.

Didn’t they realize she was lonely?

She looked at her hands.  Their skin was thin.  Blue veins and bones more visible than ever.  Brown age spots.  She wondered if counting her age spots were like counting the rings in the trunk of a tree cut down.

Oh, how she missed their smiles, laughter and hugs!  She still loved them so deeply.

A tear trickled down her cheek.  She didn’t feel loved.

If anyone asked her, she would say the worst part of growing old was becoming forgotten.

Acrostic Poem

/ kellyfbarr / Leave a comment

Well, today is my final poetry post for National Poetry Month.  I hope you have enjoyed the poetry I created to share with you this month.  This doesn’t mean that I won’t ever post more poetry.  It just won’t be two or three times a week.

Reading in the apple tree.
Exploring long mountain paths.
Missing those who have passed in and out of my life.
Interpreting the broken English of my Asian friends to others.
Nice was the word others often used to describe me.
I loved studying the works of William Shakespeare.
Singing to the posters of movie, t.v. and music stars on my walls, hairbrush in hand.
Caring for the little ones in the neighborhood.
Experiencing the heartbreak of unrequited teenage crushes.

 

What do you think about when you reminisce?

Did you have a favorite poem that I wrote for this month?

Headline Poetry

/ kellyfbarr / 1 Comment

My boys have participated in a writers’ club during the school year, and their final assignment was to write/create three poems, one of which was to be a headline poem.  This was so much fun that I got in on the activity, and it took us about two hours to complete these fun poems.  I have decided to share both of my boys’ poems as well as my own.

IMG_3079

This first one was created by my youngest son.  As you can see, the idea was to go through magazines and cut out words to create a poem.  He did not give this poem a title.  I know some of the words are small and difficult to read, so this is what it says:

God created creatures, skies,

flowers, birds, humans,

the sun, the moon and stars.

God’s creation is worth exploring,

Even in your own backyard!

IMG_3078

My older son entitled his “Champions”.  This is what it says:

Every day give it your all

Never quit, never stall

Stay focused, play hard

Train your body, raise the bar.

IMG_3080

I believe mine is pretty readable, but to be sure, here is what it says:

The best family fun

is found in real moments

in our favorite things.

We like to find fun

in the freedom

to explore places we love,

to travel on the road;

to play, love and smile

in every mile.

Have you ever tried to create a Headline Poem?  I hope you enjoy these.  We certainly enjoyed helping each other find the words to cut out to create them.

Loving Sun

/ kellyfbarr / 2 Comments

The sky begins to grow light,
casting beautiful colors as it grows bright
at sunrise.

I love to watch it shoot through the clouds
as my heart warms and I cheer aloud
for sunbeams.

Through the window I glance
while dust particles dance
on sunlight.

Shades of pink, orange and red
fill the world above my head
during sunset.

 

This is a compound word poem, taking a word from the title, writing about it and ending each stanza with a compound word using that word.  I hope you enjoy it!

Fun, Easy Poetry

/ kellyfbarr / Leave a comment

For today I chose to share two poems that I created from classic works of literature.  This type of poetry is part of “Found Poetry” and is known as “Erasure Poetry”.  You simply select some text from your favorite book, a newspaper, magazine, etc.  Then you take out (erase) words and create a poem of sorts from the text.  Always be sure to list the text you took your Erasure Poem from to avoid charges of plagiarism.

I found this type of poetry quite delightful when turning to the classics.  It was easy to create poetry this way and it was fun to do.

The Importance of Working Together by Kelly F. Barr

Mole and Rat went to work;
Rat cared for the horse,
lit a fire,
cleaned cups and platters
and got ready for breakfast.

Mole trudged to the village
for milk, eggs
and various necessities,
Toad had forgotten.

The hard work had been done
by the time Toad appeared.
He was fresh and cheery,
remarking what a pleasant easy
life it was now
compared with the cares and worries
of housekeeping at home.

*Taken from The Wind in the Willows by Kenneth Grahame

Tea Party by Kelly F. Barr

Wonderful tea
with a nice brown egg,
lightly boiled,
sardines on toast,
buttered toast,
toast with honey,
and a sugar-topped cake.

When Lucy tired of eating,
the Faun began to talk:
Wonderful tales
of life in the forest.

He told of midnight dances;
of how the Nymphs and Dryads
came out to dance with the Fauns;
about hunting the milk-white stag
who could give you wishes
if you caught him;
and about treasure-seeking
with the wild Red Dwarfs
beneath the forest floor.

*Taken from The Lion, The Witch and the Wardrobe by C. S. Lewis

 

Okay, so even if you’re not a poet or aren’t interested in poetry, I’m sure you could create an Erasure Poem.  Why not give it a try?  Let me know if you do by posting your poem or a link to it in the comments section below.  Have fun!

Wordless Wednesday/Writing Prompt Wednesday

/ kellyfbarr / Leave a comment

Easter 2009 and 4-13-09 097

I came upon a road
that twisted and turned through a wood.
Upon my back I carried a heavy load
I’d rid myself of if I could.

I trudged and plodded along
until I crossed your path.
You were kind, merciful and strong.
You eased my burden, gave me peace, love and made me laugh.

Now You and I walk side by side
and when I’m weak, you carry me.
You are my constant guide.
You are molding me into what I was meant to be.

 

I wrote this poem, creating each stanza to be a Quatrain.

Have you written any poetry for National Poetry Month yet? Maybe you feel some inspiration when you look at my photo above. Go ahead, try and write a poem about it, and post it or a link to it in the comments section below.

Life of a Bookworm

/ kellyfbarr / Leave a comment

For my first poem for April – National Poetry Month, I have decided to attempt to write a couplet.  I hope you enjoy it!

Life of a Bookworm

Page after page I turn,
the midnight oil I’ll burn
because I cannot stop
til the climax I top.
I have a need to know
to whom her heart will go.

 

Have you written any poetry for April yet?  If so, leave a link in the comments section below.

Flash Fiction Friday: New Life

/ kellyfbarr / Leave a comment

Janice watched her daughter observe a chicken egg hatch under an incubator lamp.

Sally’s eyes were wide with wonder.  She held her breath as a tiny beak broke through the shell.  She  squealed with delight when a wet, scrawny little head popped out.

When the chick finally fully emerged it was wet.  Sally could see a lot of pink skin.  The chick was wobbly.

“Oh, Mommy, it’s so ugly.”

Janice smiled.  “In a few hours when it is fully dry, it will be a yellow ball of fluff.  Let’s go have our breakfast.”

After breakfast Sally ran out to the barn.  The chick was indeed drying out, but it still looked unpleasant.

In the afternoon Sally went to look again.  The chick was indeed a little yellow ball of fluff. Sally and her mother giggled as they watched the chick eat a bit of growing mash, gather some water in its tiny beak and tilt its head back to let the water trickle down its throat.

Together, mother and daughter marveled at new life.

Flash Fiction Friday: Beloved Haven

/ kellyfbarr / Leave a comment

She ran; her feelings battered and bruised.  Tired of the name calling, taunting and mocking.

Up the stairs, into her room she went.  She closed the door.  She leaned against it.  Her chest heaved as she struggled to catch her breath.  Relief washed over her.

This was her sanctuary.  She walked to her bookshelves covering two of the four walls.  She ran her hand tenderly, lovingly over the spines.  These were her friends.  They welcomed her.  They nourished her soul.  These friends took her on adventures to far off places.

She could open any one of these and find love, understanding and friendship.  Here was her refuge, her home.  Her only wish: to remain here forever; to never have to face the cruelty outside this door, outside these pages again.