Tag: metaphor

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Metaphorically Getting My Ducks In A Row

carolyncordon

I have a number of writing related things going on at the moment, with the two most recent ones taking up most of my time and interest, even though neither of them have deadlines …

https://kittycordo.medium.com/getting-my-ducks-in-a-row-16a041a35b04

That link will take you to an exploration of some of those projects, and the platform the link will take you too, is my most recent writing related project. Medium.com is the name of the platform, and it is one that a writing can earn money from, with only a slight effort.

Of course, if you put a bigger effort in, and manage to write something that lots of readers love, and share, you will make more money, as is the way of things in life, often. I suspect I will only make small amounts of money, but if I manage to have one thing that goes viral(ish), what a fine thing that would be!

At the moment, after a week on Medium I have only made a bit over a dollar, with 22 published articles. I have a draft piece that I need to finish and post, and actually wrote and published a new one today, on the subject of getting my metaphorical writing project ‘ducks’ a row.

But writing for Medium won’t get my Cosy Murder Mystery novel written, nor will it get my chapbook from the River Murray cruise I went on with other poets and writers, or anything else either. I have homework still to write for my writing group that will be meeting tomorrow too, and I don’t even know what that homework actually is!

Haha, it feels like my ducks are flying off, as they look over their shoulders and laugh at me!

Ah well, homework will get done, and I will make sure that homework piece relates to my novel, and that will be those two ducks covered, all in one piece of writing. It’s a good thing my living expenses are covered by my husbands pension, because if we relied on my income from my writing, we’d be in big trouble!

So my ducks are there, lining up at least a little, and that chap book I began on Saturday, will progress further today, or if not today, then tomorrow morning, and afternoon. I hope so, anyway! Come along, little duckies, line up and lets get moving!

poetry, writing exercise

Creative Writing Workshop 2 – Writing an Ode

carolyncordon

An Ode is a celebration, a lyrical poem praising something. It can be something wondrous, or it may be something so-so that the poet can make wondrous through their words in praise of it. John Keats has a well known Ode – Ode to a Grecian Urn, and another titled Ode to a Nightingale. They are both fine Odes, but today we are going to look to more contemporary times with the odes we will write. When writing a ode, you have permission to go overboard with the imagery and metaphor!

 

 

And that’s it. With an Ode, you can rhyme or not, as you choose, you can be as silly or serious as you wish, it’s all up to you and your thoughts. The most important thing is to go beyond the obvious, and take your love of your chosen thing as far as you can, lauding it all the way to the sky and stars!

Ode to the Op Shop

Oh wondrous home to much –

glorious treasure trove  

Of love and possibility

Staffed by precious volunteers

Those whose freely-given time benefits many –

Small-time hoarders like me,

Or those in the know who buy much

Then onsell to many

But a delight for those searching

Looking for their next fashionable fancy

And when finding such, our joy

Is met with smiles.

Named junk shops by some

Those who think a label

Rather than a look, is the fashionable thing

But limited new ‘range’ to choose from

Is just the so-called latest thing

Ignoring the clothes of yesteryear –

The best of their time, made best again,

At a bargain price, when payment gives back

To those who have little.

My wardrobe & drawers

Are filled with many found treasures

from within your worthy walls

And walls of other stores like you,

Clothes that have lived a life

Before they came to me,

That could tell such stories!

Each item willingly given up

To be worn again with pride and thanks

Is testament to the love shared

In one of these slices of community

And humanity, wonderful Op Shops,

Shared spaces, filled with memories of the past

And hopes for the future.

Op Shops, oh how I love you, Op Shops

Fine resting places for my unwanted items,

That I bring to an Op Shop such as you,

Knowing that when my need for them is over,

They will be with those who understand

The Op Shop’s fine and long tradition

And who realise the wonders to be found

In the taking up of clothes, both pre-worn and pre-loved,

Knowing the impermanence of such clothes

And relishing it. What has been with one,

Can be again with another, and once lived with

For a while, can move on again, via an Op Shop

And so it goes on, treasure donated by one

Found by another, one who in time,

May donate again, and so it goes,

Op Shops building community,

Community loving Op Shops,

All sharing the love, and the clothes.

We are many, those who share the love

of these wonderful Op Shops –

Treat them well, care for the treasures

found within, and share them with others

at an Op Shop when the proper time comes …

                                                         © 2017 Carolyn Cordon

 

 

You could choose to write an ode to your football team, your pet, a flower, anything, just as long as it’s something you love and have many thoughts about!

 

So think of the subject of your Ode, and start writing down thoughts about why you love it so much, then get working!

 

Carolyn
Carolyn Cordon, kittycordo@gmail.com

poetry

Not Sure About This Poem

carolyncordon

So cleanse is the poetry prompt for this, the 19th day of February. I don’t have time to actually write my poem yet, too many other things to do this morning, but I know that prompt will be wandering around the back of my mind, as I’m busy doing other things. The brain is an amazing thing, and we should all take care of it, as much as we can. Yeah, we should, but often don’t …

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Sometimes a poem may not always go the way you were expecting it to go, and you have the choice, follow the poem, or stick with your original thoughts. Today’s poem was quite like that, and now I have a mish-mash of thoughts, the general idea of cleansing our lives through good works, but then the addition of some quite different thoughts, which, though still on the theme of ‘good’, maybe don’t really fit together. I began in one direction, and then turned in another one …

I don’t feel as objective as I need to be to sort this one out to my absolute satisfaction. It may be the problems I have today are part of the whole poem a day thing, where there isn’t enough time for more considered thought. It isn’t a terrible poem, and I am happy enough to post it here, knowing I can always edit it further before the poem ever goes to print, rather than simply being displayed on this blog …

Every piece of writing can be a work in progress, even after the first print run, after all. I’m more or less happy that I have used metaphor in this poem, and stuck with it rather than mixing the metaphor. So I guess this poem could be labelled as a metaphor poem, and for that I thank John Malone, for all he has shown me over the years we’ve been friends.

Any ‘metaphorical’ failings in this poem my own, certainly no fault of John, who is a fine writer of metaphor in his poetry!

 

 

Dining Well for a Good Life

Thinking on past filth dumped on me by life

the wrongs, the jibes, nasty ‘jokes’, strife,

blame laid where none should’ve been given –

claims of my laziness, that were ego-driven …

 

The stories I tell of my life, are my own –

the truth is in what I’ve said, and I’ve shown –

I prefer to do good, whenever I can,

& wish all felt the same, child, woman & man.

 

But all of us have our own ways to go –

it’s up to each one, the results that will show.

I can’t say how each person should be

and the way I go, that may only suit me.

 

But it works for me, so I’ll go on the way I do.

My main meal of life – a good & creative stew –

starting with lemon water to cleanse my palate

then political dishes that suit my ballot –

 

an entree filled with environmental assistance,

next course a salad of ‘Green’-leaning persistence,

main course, that stew of help, for the needy,

& dessert to end, a small one, & don’t be greedy!

 

The ‘meals’ forced on us when we were younger,

ones that sickened us, not feeding our hunger –

we know more now, eat more of what is nutritious,

desserts too, just a little, and life is delicious!