Ally Aldridge Writing

Day 20 – Rebel

Get in line

You must comply

Tick a box

On the form

Categories

Sorted lists

The Goverment

Control all of us

*****

Break this mold

Be unique

Create something new

You can think

Free your mind

Ask questions

Be the difference

Be yourself

*****

Day 20’s challenge

For Day 20 the prompt is “Our prompt for the day (optional as always) takes its cue from Notley’s rebelliousness, and asks you to write a poem that involves rebellion in some way. The speaker or subject of the poem could defy a rule or stricture that’s been placed on them, or the poem could begin by obeying a rule and then proceed to break it (for example, a poem that starts out in iambic pentameter, and then breaks into sprawling, unmetered lines). Or if you tend to write funny poems, you could rebel against yourself, and write something serious (or vice versa). Whatever approach you take, your poem hopefully will open a path beyond the standard, hum-drum ruts that every poet sometimes falls into.”

I work in education and one of the most frustrating things about the job is all the burreacracy and paperwork required by the goverment and the restrictions they apply. A hardworking student can’t finish early, a lazy student can’t fail (we fail if they don’t pass on time).

Everyone is tested the same way, despite everyone being unique. I don’t agree exams are right for everyone. Now the government would like to introduce a test to categorise students abilities before they even start their education (4 year olds)!

Can you imagine starting school and being told you are in the group of children predicted not to be capable of much – that sets you up for life. Yet, we know people often excel in different areas and learn in different ways, at different speeds.

Education is just one example of categories used to control and sort people. It’s not always bad but sometimes it’s not necessary and even harmful.

Today’s poem is about how we all are unique and we shouldn’t let anyone tell us who we are based on a box we are put in. Nobody should be compared to someone else. Especially not at the expense of their confidence.

Ally Aldridge Writing

Day 19 – Heatwave

The weathers changed

It is so hot

I wasn’t prepared

Now need to shop

I need sun cream

And sun glasses

I need a sun hat

And sun dresses

Out my window

The sun is beaming

Everyone’s happy

People are smiling

*****

Day 19’s challenge

For Day 19 the prompt is “Today we challenge you to write a paragraph that briefly recounts a story, describes the scene outside your window, or even gives directions from your house to the grocery store. Now try erasing words from this paragraph to create a poem or, alternatively, use the words of your paragraph to build a new poem.”

Wow, it has been so hot today. Not sure how I’m going to cope as I get more pregnant but I plan to make the most of this heat wave whilst it’s here because you never know in England what the weather will be tomorrow.

Ally Aldridge Writing

Day 18 – Sunshine

I wished for you

When there was snow

Black ice on the roads

When you came

I was at work

A prisoner doing my time

Please stay bright

Sunshine for me

Please still be here

When I am free

*****

Day 18’s challenge

For Day 18 the promt… Makes no sense to me, so I’m ignoring it.

Today has felt long with nothing going quite to plan at work, rushing around at lunch to make the childcare arrangements and the gorgeous sunshine teasing me that I’m stuck indoors.

Did you get to enjoy the sunshine today? I’m hoping it’ll still be here at the weekend so I can make the most of it.

Ally Aldridge Writing

Day 17 – Anecdote

Playing tricks on our little sister

Take this two pence, it is bigger

Give me the pound, it is smaller

Look it says one as it’s number

Clearly worth less than two

See how generous I am to you

*****

Day 17’s challenge

For Day 17 the challenge was to write a poem “re-telling a family anecdote that has stuck with you over time. It could be the story of the time your Uncle Louis caught a home run ball, the time your Cousin May accidentally brought home a coyote and gave it a bath, thinking it was a stray dog, or something darker (or even sillier).”

There are plenty of tales of growing up. I have a younger brother and sister and we often played tricks on each other.

My sister, being the youngest, often got manipulated. She’s even take the blame for something we’d done if we encouraged her that our parents were undermining her capabilities to do it by being younger and she’d adamantly declare her responsibility and that she is big enough, I.e to reach the switch and turn off the hot water whilst mum was in the shower.

Sadly, our childhood was before social media and digital camera so I don’t have a picture of the three of us together. Tucked up in the attic we each have a photo album but it’s not easily accessible.

Ally Aldridge Writing

Day 16 – Play

Give a child a box

There’s no greater toy

Let a child create

Their imagination brings joy

Never are they alone

With a made up friend

They can bring anything alive

With their bright inquisitive minds

Go and save your money

And let your child play

Let them get messy

Let them explore

There’s no need for plastic

Expensive and noisy

To make their own games

Your child has the resources

Give them a broom

They’ll be happy for hours

*****

Day 16’s challenge

For Day 16 the challenge was to write a poem “that prominently features the idea of play. It could be a poem about a sport or game, a poem about people who play (or are playing a game), or even a poem in the form of the rules for a sport or game that you’ve just made up (sort of like Calvinball).”

When I first approached this task I thought of Peculiar Pets by Victoria Roberts. It’s a picture book about a little girl that wants a pet but her mum says “We’ll see” whenever she asks. The little girl creates pets out of bits and pieces around the home. It is a delightful read about a child’s imagination and creative play.

I thought about how parents spend a lot on toys, only for their child to be more fascinated by the box. For example, my son loves his cars. We’ve tried to engage him in other toys but he always returns to his Hot Wheels. The only toy that’s competed is his Kindle and balance bike. And in the summer I got a cheap broom from pound land to sweep the gravel back and my son found it and spent hours playing with it. It cost me £1!

I’m sure there are other parents that can relate to this poem. I’d love to hear your thoughts.

Ally Aldridge Writing

Day 15 – Grim Reaper

Pintrest - Poem April 15

He dragged his scythe

Across war torn lands

Tired of souls to collect

Blisters covering his hands

His pale flesh clung to bones

Head bowed in his cape

Armies for the thrones

The torn up landscape

Blackened smoke

Destruction

Tears of loss

Anger and frustration

Innocent blood spilt

A life cut too short

He slices through the ties

Freed soul from its body

Reaper sheds a tear

An innocent child’s body

Twisted, void and empty

*****

Day 15’s challenge

For Day 15, the challenge was to write “a poem in which a villain faces an unfortunate situation, and is revealed to be human (but still evil). Perhaps this could mean the witch from Hansel & Gretel has lost her beloved cat, and is going about the neighborhood sticking up heart-wrenching “Lost Cat” signs, but still finds human children delicious. Maybe Blackbeard the Pirate is lost at sea in an open boat, remembering how much he loved his grandmother (although he will still kill the first person dumb enough to scoop him from the waves).”

I’ve made it half way through, learnt more than I expected and feel motivated that I can make it to the end of 30 days.

In character development, I often spend as much time thinking about what motivates my villain (antagonist) as well as my MC. I think a well written Villain is as crucial as a well written MC.

My spin off novel from Drift, is Glide. It follows Kiara’s story and her heart break getting dumped and her struggle to accept she is enough. In Drift, she’s the rival love interest and the MC views her as being beautiful and perfect – I enjoyed exposing how insecure Kiara is despite how others perceive her.

For this, I feel I need to choose a Villain that is identifiable by most people. However, my favourite villains are well developed characters like Cat Woman or Poison Ivy who is a criminal but also has some good morales. I feel I need to think of one that is well known but only for their dark side… Grim Reaper.

Ally Aldridge Writing

Day 14 – Dream Analysis

Pintrest - Poem April 14.pngHere is what it means

If you dream of a tea cup

This symbol represents your soul

First identify the state of the cup

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If the cup is clean and looks pristine

You are not taking enough risks

If the cup is dirty and stained

You are living life to its fullest

*****

If the cup is full of tea

Your playing safe being traditional

If the cup has another drink

You are a unique kind of special

****

If the cup is empty

Oh dear, this is not good

You need to throw a party

Be the mad hatter of your neighbourhood

*****

If the cup has an abstract pattern

You need to eat some cake

If the cup has pretty flowers

You will soon be late

*****

If none of these descriptions

Is a good fit for you and your tea cup

Then back to bed you must go

Too early you woke up

*****

Day 14’s challenge

For Day 14, the challenge was “And now for our prompt (optional, as always). Dream dictionaries have been around as long as people have had dreams. Interestingly, if you consult a few of them, they nearly always tend to have totally different things to say about specific objects or symbols. Dreams, unlike words themselves, don’t seem to be nicely definable! At any rate, today’s prompt is to write entries for an imaginary dream dictionary. Pick one (or more) of the following words, and write about what it means to dream of these things:

Teacup

Hammer

Seagull

Ballet slipper

Shark

Wobbly table

Dentist

Rowboat”

How can you write a definition as a poem? This idea seemed ludicrous and then… I was inspired by the tea cup.

I’ve always wanted an Alice in Wonderland tea party and almost had one as the theme for the baby’s ‘Gender Reveal’ party. I wanted that party to be about Noah getting a brother or sister (not about me). A blog post is coming next week on the party.

You may see as the poem gets more and more crazy a few wonderland themes sneak in.

Ally Aldridge Writing

Day 13 – Idiom

Pintrest - Poem April 13.pngBeat around the bush

Her steps were grace

Her movements like fluid 

She circled the bush

Like a hypnotic druid

*****

He held her gaze

Causing her heart to race

His stick in hand

As he gave chase

*****

Her laugh a song

As she smacked the bush

Her heart’s true desire

Kept a silent hush

*****

He followed her cues

Pride kept him steady

Protecting his heart

Unsure she was ready

*****

Their hearts called

To one another

Dared not admit

Never to be together

*****

Day 13’s challenge

 

For Day 13, the challenge was to write ” a poem in which the words or meaning of a familiar phrase get up-ended. For example, if you chose the phrase “A stitch in time saves nine,” you might reverse that into something like: “a broken thread; I’m late, so many lost.” Or “It’s raining cats and dogs” might prompt the phrase “Snakes and lizards evaporate into the sky.” Those are both rather haunting, strange images, and exploring them could provide you with an equally haunting, strange poem (or a funny one!)”

Today, you get two poems because I wrote “Bear in mind” on Opus a few years ago and I think it is perfect for this prompt.  Opus was an iPhone app but is now a website called Opusia available for all to use.  It is very popular with poets, although they welcome all types of writing.

However, I feel it cheating NaPoWriMo to use an already written poem.  The challenge is to write a poem every day.  So, ‘Beat around the bush’ is the poem for today’s prompt.

These phrases are called idioms.  To discover more idioms, please visit www.smart-word.org.

Bear in mind

Bear in mind
That’s what she said
And in that moment
He climbed into my head

His fur was brown
The colour dull
With not much space
Pressed against my skull

He was not happy
The grizzly chappie 
He could not get comfy
For it was not roomy

How it got in there
I’ll never know
Through my ears
Or up my nose

But once he was in
He could not move
So squashed in
He couldn’t groove

Squished up he was
Against my brain
He began
To complain

He moaned
He groaned
He infected me
Soon I too was grumpy

I had to get him out
Making me scream and shout
As the sound left my mouth
A little bear managed to get out

So bear in mind
When you hear the phrase
A grumpy bear 
Might get inside

But now he’s escaped
And he is free
Looking for more brains
To be displeased

 

 

Ally Aldridge Writing

Poems for April

April appears to be the month for celebrating all things poetry.  I am aware of two groups promoting poetry celebration in April so I shall start by introducing them.

April for Poetry

Small-Blue-RGB-National-Poetry-Month-Logo

Academy of American Poets – National Poetry Month

The Academy of American Poets founded National Poetry Month in April 1996.  The celebration is used to acknowledge the achievements of American poets, share poems and encourage support and awareness of their work.

Click here to find out more about the celebration.

Capture

Maureen Thorson – NaPoWriMo

It was started in 2003 by Maureen Thorson, a poet living in Washington, DC.  She was inspired by NaNoWriMo – hence the similar name.  It stands for National Poetry Writing Month.  The challenge is to write one poem a day for the 30 days of April.

Click here to find out more about how to participate.

30 days of poems.png

Taking the challenge

So, I am going to dare to take the NaPoWriMo challenge.  It might not be great to start with as it is a while since I’ve written any poetry but I hope we will see an improvement towards the end.  I also hope that I find time to participate everyday.

Please let me know if you are taking part or have a poetry blog. It would motivate me to see what you are doing and I would find it inspirational.

Ally plus text