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| John Keats, by William Hilton (died 1839). (Photo credit: Wikipedia) |
Since many in the United States are celebrating today (May 27th) as Memorial Day, I'll keep things light. No heavy controversy or debate. We'll get back to that mode next week. Today is time for pie a la mode and other such summer fun.
Today I offer a poem. Last week this poem won first place in the light poetry contest at the May meeting of the Writers Workshop West in Downey, California. My prize was twenty bucks! Cool! After today's post I'll add the poem to the Writers Workshop West blog.
This poem was inspired by one of the poetry experts in the group, Lorine Parks. I essentially revised her guidelines on writing light verse into my own bit of silliness. Her most recent collection of poetry is Catalina Eddy. You can find an interesting interview with Lorine at YouTube--Part 1 and Part 2.
Here is my prize winning bit of poetry:
On Writing Light Verse
Here is my treatise on writing light verse.
Since I'm confined in my lines I must keep it
terse.
A treat it is to hear this treatise explained,
But if you think not, then please don't complain.
Now I'm referring to poems that tend to be lighter.
You must write them right to be a right writer.
Don't versify ravens or birds that are dark.
Stick to chickens or chickadees or maybe the lark.
And by all means we must avoid doggerel
Lest when we read it aloud it sounds like caterwaul
Oh, and speaking of similes--or metaphorically so--
We must keep all verse under proper control.
No making up words or messing with grammar.
Or you might anger grandpa or cause the r-r-reader to
stammer.
Avoid haughty pretention of supercilious verbiage.
Nonsensical imagery is highly encouraged.
It's not the lyrical stanzas of Keats, Shelley, or
Wordsworth--
They owed it to their readers to give them their
words worth.
Still, you must be sure that your literacy shows
After all we want to write poetry like pros.
Did you catch my puns and wordplays? Do you ever write light or humorous verse? Are you part of a local writers group?
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