TheBanyanTree: Just for fun.....

[Sharon Mack]

In my 20's I met a young man who was a scientist and was fascinated with
the fact that I wrote poetry.  His name was Jeffrey Snodgrass (fer
real!).  I was bragging about how easy it was so he challenged me.  He
would give me one word prompts, either a verb or a noun and I had one
minute to write the poem.  I was looking through some old papers trying
to get some inspiration for another piece I am writing and I came across
the poems.  I had to laugh....I think you will , too...or at least get a
smile out of them.

The first word was, "Writing"

Writing

Pen and paper
In my hand
I have come 
To take my stand.

Against all things wrong in this world;
Of flags and dreams as yet unfurled.
To speak of love and flower and spring
And all that life could possibly bring.

Next word (this was in the early 70's) "Toking"

The Sixties

Stroking
Smoking
Toking
Joking
The youth of the "Sixties.

Next word, "Tollbooth" (he thought he had me on this one)

Tollbooth

Summertime
Hot
Ocean
Maryland
Bay
Crossing
Bridge
Ocean City
Tollbooth
         At either end!

Next word, "Building"

Building

Building is a thing for boys.
First they do it with their toys.
And then once more when day's at end
They come to Mother's lap and spend

Those fleeting childhood times and moments.
Tokens lost in deepest ferment;
In growing up and out, away
It seemed like only yesterday

That he was building as a boy.
At first he did it with a toy.


Next word, "Summer"

Summer and a Boy

Trees and knees,
And bumble bees.

Scrapes and scraps,
Guns and caps,

Bikes and trikes,
Kites and fights,

Bloody noses,
Garden hoses,

Worms and poles,
And fishing holes.
         Summer and a boy!

Next word, "Pace"

Pace

Today we race
At a fantastic pace.
Never knowing
Where we're going.

Ever fast,
Never last.
Must be first
Else we curse.

That's the pace
For our race.
Loud the sound
As we go round
This crazy world of ours.

And the last word, "Fencepost"

Fencepost

Bill
dug on a hill,
put holes in the ground
with nary a sound
and he did stick
a big white stick
again and
       Again!
he'd do it again
until at the end
you could see
'twas merely a fencepost!

I still can't believe I wrote this stuff!  I'm still laughing!