Hard to believe, but we’re at the end of the 3rd week of November already – Thanksgiving will be here next week, and the “Poetry…Cubed!” entries keep coming in!
If you’re unfamiliar with this, let me explain…
This challenge is based on The Food Network show, “Chopped,” where chefs compete against each other to create dishes using specific, surprise ingredients given to them in a special basket.
And since my contest also uses three “ingredients,” I call it “Poetry…Cubed!” Here’s how it works:
- Use the 3 images below as inspiration to write a poem.
- The poem can be any form, any number of lines, rhyming or not.
- The only hitch is that you need to include a reference to all three images in the poem – either via concrete imagery or something more abstract.
-
Then email your poem to me at Matt (at) MattForrest (dot) com before Nov. 30 and I’ll share them all here throughout the month! Out of all the poems entered, ONE lucky writer will be chosen at random to receive his/her choice of:
- a) the Poetry Friday Anthology for Celebrations (Pomelo Books) which was published earlier this year,
- b) the Poetry Friday Anthology for Science (Pomelo Books), which came out in 2014, or
- c) a handmade milkweed pod Christmas ornament (from right here in New Hampshire) similar to the ones in the photo.
Your three images (click to enlarge any of them):
Think you can make some poetic deliciousness out of these? I’ll post all the poems and announce the winner on Fri., Dec. 4. Here are some more poems that have come in since last week, including one from someone who wishes to remain anonymous. (and a special thanks to Jessica Bigi, who has now submitted TWO poems for the challenge!)
West Virginia
Misty ghosts of
Blue-gray uniforms
Crowing mountains
Berry-leaved branches
Razing towards glory
Somehow not
As gram remember
Though still in
Her mountain beauty
The cools that warmed our stove
Grew snapdragons’ feet
Distrustful it is
Victory – victory
Streets a blaze
Grams remembering
The heroes that battled here and
The beauty of her mountain home
Lights a candle and prays
– Jessica Bigi
.
Sweet Revenge
The stove burns brightly.
I’ve tricked them again,
fed bittersweet berries
and now they have lain
aside all their worries,
asleep as I sought.
Dear Hansel and Gretel –
now time for the pot.
Oh no! He’s awakened.
My plan to be slick
is failing, I’m falling
into my own trick.
– © Linda Baie 2015, All Rights Reserved
.
November Haiku
Autumn dances
in gusts of red and gold
bittersweet flames
– Anonymous
.
Looking for more poetry? You’re in luck! Tricia at The Miss Rumphius Effect is hosting Poetry Friday today, and has all the links ready and waiting for you!
And be sure to send your poems to me at Matt (at) MattForrest (dot) com before Nov. 30, to be eligible to win!
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these are wonderful poems Linda I love how you retold the story of Hansel and Gretel
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Thanks again for your contribution, Jessica – I’m happy to see folks taking on the challenge!
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Thanks Jessica and Matt! Jessica I love that use of ‘bittersweet’ in your haiku.
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Thank you The Haiku isn’t my though I like how the person used it also
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isent mine
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Yes, Jessica submitted a poem last week, but the haiku is by someone else. Many thanks to all who have been sending in poems!
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Wow, I really mis-read those. I’m sorry, Jessica. I like your allusions to Gram’s memories, too.
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Those are all lovely.
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Thanks for stopping by, Brenda!
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Appreciate your cubing initiative, Matt (even if I definitely do not appreciate the team behind the middle photo…How did the Giants manage to lose to them?)…It’s such a joy to see how the same three photos inspired three different poems…The Hansel & Gretel allusion was a nice surprise, as was the West Virginia take. Kudos, too, to the poet behind the Anon. Haiku. Thank you, all!
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Thanks! I, too, enjoy seeing what avenues different perspectives will lead us. Of course, the Patriots only take ONE avenue…the road to victory! 😉 (Sorry, couldn’t help myself!)
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I’m smiling, appreciating your wit–not the team’s winning ways… Sooner or later there will be traffic jam, roadblock, delay..whatever..no one is perfect, not even you-know-who …sooner or later, one of these seasons, there will be a loss…but when????
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I tried to incorporate all three images, but it didn’t work for me. (See my post for today.)
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I just went to read it! I love how you took to that one image and expounded on it..I think of those as beautiful, poetic little berries – but yes, they’re invasive and are a nuisance! Perhaps you’ll consider doing a haiku triptych for this?
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I love Baba Yaga/Hansel and Gretel retellings, so Linda’s poem is really speaking to me today.
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I thought her use of H&G was a great idea, too!
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Nicely done Jessica, Linda, and Anonymous! I’m glad you’re getting a good turnout, Matt, because I’m afraid I probably won’t be getting around to writing anything this time around. Look forward to enjoying the wrap-up, though!
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Thanks, Michelle! Sorry to hear you won’t be able to offer us anything, but I hope you have a good Thanksgiving!
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Thank You Michell
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