#NaPoWriMo Day 23: Social Studies and the letter T

A to Z Challenge

tacet – silent, no part given for a particular instrument or voice during a section of music

Inflatable letter T person
When I was a kid little inflatable letter people came to the classroom to teach us our letters.

tie – curved line over or under two notes of the same pitch, notes are sounded once and held for the value of both
tremolo – the note is repeated as fast as possible during its duration

NaPoWriMo

Prompt: write a poem about a particular letter of the alphabet, or perhaps, the letters that form a short word

Since today’s A to Z letter is T, it makes sense for me to start there.

PAD Challenge

Prompt: Social (Blank)

In a time when we are avoiding being social, I thought taking a look at Social Studies might be interesting. Social Studies is an educational discipline that includes the study of many aspects or branches of human society including: history, geography, economics, political science, philosophy and psychology.

If you want to learn more about Social Studies there’s a lot of information at PBS Learning Media. There are some cute hip-hop lessons over at Flocabulary. Ted Ed has so many interesting videos. I enjoyed Infinity according to Jorge Luis Borges this morning. The New York Times has set up a Learning Social Studies section. In other words, there is no excuse for not brushing up on our Social Studies.

I did not expect to find this Social Studies while researching social studies.

For fun, I thought I’d share this little combination of Social Studies and the letter T:

The poem

Social Studies at a Distance

Moving along a a one-way street
well-worn and familiar
so familiar your mind wanders;
your journey on remote control
Screeching to a halt
smelling burnt rubber
It’s a dead end
Looking right and left at the unknown
You idle and idle

It’s history repeating, right?
Give me liberty or give me death!
Some cry from their stalled gas-guzzlers
wearing cheap knock-offs of American flags
in unflattering cotton knits
They really mean give me liberty and
I’ll give you death
Not the same

Taking a smaller route
it curves like a hook
Some get stuck on his hook
too sick of themselves to be patient
wanting to run from what they see in the mirror
they listen to the foolish and throw
sense out the window
to see if a neighbor has a racket
to hit it back

On this route you come to a crossroad
perhaps a small cross
since no one else is coming
you get out and sip some tea with your
knowledge and beliefs
and ponder society
what it was and what it might become
you are at the tacet in your opus
and decide to go home and practice your tremolo
before turning to the terrible tarantula
and telling him to
take his tackiness to Timbuktu (sorry Timbuktu).

#NaPoWriMo Day 22: Fun With Idioms

netherlandish-proverbs
Netherlandish Proverbs (1559) Pieter Bruegel the Elder

The poem

Pay The Duck

Quit throwing cream into their eyes
and blowing little ducks
the thief has a burning hat
and is pushing the facts with his belly
but the pussy cat will come to the tiny door

We see whose mother is spinning black wool
he’s in a drifting boat with the bark falling off
and he keeps hanging noodles from his ears
but slippery ground does not recognize a king
and the frog in the well does not know the great sea

Did an elephant stomp on his ear
or are his ears lined with ham?
Some still have tomatoes on their eyes
They bought a cat in a sack
who put fleas in their ears

Stop ironing my head
empty barrels make the most noise
out here at the end of the world turn left
because the carrots are cooked
and it’s time to pay the duck

 

The prompts

A to Z Challenge

slur – a curved line over or under two or more notes. Played legato without tonguing or changing bow direction
staff – 5 lines and 4 spaces on which notes are placed
staccato – the note is separated and played shorter with space between notes

NaPoWriMo

Prompt: find an idiomatic phrase from a different language or culture, and use it as the jumping-off point for your poem

PAD Challenge

Prompt: write a quirk poem.

#NaPoWriMo Day 21: International Love with Wordplay

a collage of Starry Night by Van Gogh and cut outs from Arabian Nights illustrations by Virginia Frances Sterrett (1900–1931)
Starry Art Deco Arabian Nights (2020) collage and photo by Maria L. Berg

When Maya and I first started Artifact Puzzles, she had the idea of creating a series of smaller puzzles that went together into a large puzzle. She made prints of these beautiful illustrations to Arabian Nights, but even as small puzzles, the dpi of the images wasn’t high enough, so we moved on to other ideas.

As a person who loves stickers and art, I still have those original prints and found a fun use for them today. Since my sister and mother both recently did my Starry Night puzzle (and both complimented the difficulty and the shapes); I had it on my mind.

The prompts

A to Z Challenge

rallentando – gradually getting slower
ritard – gradually get slower
rubato – (robbed) flexibility in the speed of certain parts of composition

NaPoWriMo

Prompt: Find a poem in a language that you don’t know, and perform a “homophonic translation” on it.

Today’s resource Poetry International

I would like to visit Indonesia, so I chose an Indonesian poem called Winter Festival by Afrizal Malna

I didn’t get through the whole Winter Festival poem (not even half), but I got a lot out of it. This prompt

is a great creative challenge and gave me a lot to work with.

PAD Challenge

Prompt:

  1. Write a love poem and/or…
  2. Write an anti-love poem. Because some folks just aren’t that into love poems.

The poem

inspired by Winter Festival by Afrizal Malna from the Indonesian

Cooping Picasso

Peck away, bank men are ye
took her away, lock and key
took her away, lock and key
Man, a sorry thank you?
not coos (or woos)?

Oh rang, Oh rang Berg auntie – muddy
kept a lock to tear us up
or talk the alarm
bang a gong raw
Maui, purge ye

Hen, draw many a moo
can cooping Picasso
Ya ain’t been cock of the museum, Ludwig
Ma can, Peeling Polly
Take knee gear, Ia

Hit ham separately
language, dull lamb, multitudes
separate language, dull lamb
multitudes celibate
take one, borrow

Edith and Emily utopian
took a knock at the mantle
Oh rang, Oh rang, member @ruintoomoody_coffeecoffee
car you tell upon
dandelion-lion go home.

 

Have fun today!

 

 

#NaPoWriMo Day 20: Homemade Gifts in Isolation

homemade scarf

The poem

Warm Fuzzy Thoughts of You

I pulled the scarf you made
from the cubby in the closet
something sticky found its way
onto its knits and pearls
so I gave it a cool rinse
before rubbing it to my cheek
like a pastel kiss of greeting
then wrapped its curling edges
around my neck and shoulders
like a warm, soft hug
its melange of bright colors
like hours of smiles
and fun conversation
memories of you to
comfort my isolation

The prompts

A to Z Challenge

quartet – A performing group involving four voices or instruments. A string quartet, consisting of two violins, a viola and a cello, is the most common.

quantize – Quantization is a process used in the production of digital music. To quantize, simply put, is the process by which notes performed by a human are made by the computer to more closely match the tempo and beat of the composition.

NaPoWriMo

Prompt: write a poem about a homemade gift

PAD Challenge

Prompt: write an isolation poem

#NaPoWriMo Day 19: Sound Collecting

This morning, the prompts inspired me to go out for a walk. I wore gloves with the full intention to collect small things I encountered along the way, but once out there, I didn’t want to bring home little bits of plastic or the weird broken vial. The little flowers and squirrels didn’t want to come home with me either, so I collected these pictures and memories of all the sounds.

The poem

The Sound Collector

It starts with the dogs running to the fence barking
they don’t stop after I have passed
as if I was the on button and someone lost the remote

then the squirrels skitter up the pole
one settles at the very top and peers down
while the other chitters at me from over the cylindrical transformer

a couple passes me on the other side of the street
we all say “Good Morning”
the first words I’ve heard today

a large dog’s deep bark echos
its own response
a stimulating conversation

I hear a car coming,
but it never passes me
I am half way around my walking loop

ahead I am surprised by
the beeping of a truck backing up
the prime truck delivers

to my right, a woman clearly says
“Not right now”
from inside her house

she is interrupted by the prime truck backing up
the click of crows feet landing on a roof
and someone opening and closing a door

a cyclist changing gears
speeds by leaning forward in full regalia
the wheels whir

the prime truck beeps, rolling out of another driveway
it drives the short distance across the street
clicks and clacks as the van doors open and close

small birds sing in counterpoint
the prime truck beeps
the gruff neighbor says, “good morning”

the morning dove calls like a sick goose
guggle-guggle–wow, guggle-guggle–wow
the prime truck beeps and beeps and beeps

The prompts

NaPoWriMo

Prompt: create a walking archive

PAD Challenge

Prompt: use these words

  • bump
  • embrace
  • fixture
  • howl
  • lonely
  • resolve

#NaPoWriMo Day 18: The Little Things

Writing the abstract

The poem

Ode to simple pleasures

I’m writing a thank you note
to each drop of rain
falling from the thick grey sky
nestling on the blades of grass
gathering into little streams
wriggling down the windows

a missive of gratitude to
breakfast ice cream
cool sweetness on my tongue
soothing calm down my throat
a chunk of chocolate and toffee
comforting indulgence
pushes away remnants of
last nights anger and hurt

a memo of acknowledgment
for piles of blankets
and stacks of pillows
the soft and the warm and the cuddly
and finally, a special shout-out
to words, all of your words
that will keep me company
today, I am grateful

 

A to Z Challenge

piu – more
poco a poco – little by little
presto – very fast

NaPoWriMo

Prompt: an ode to life’s small pleasures

PAD Challenge

Prompt: write a message poem

 

 

#NaPoWriMo Day 17: Obsolete Tech Not Yet Forgotten

artistic interpretation of the corona virus
If we could see the virus one (2020) bokeh photography by Maria L. Berg

I woke up still angry at the guy that came to my door and rang and knocked and knocked until I went up and yelled, “who is it” and he said “pest control.” After yelling, “I don’t need your services,” through the door, I knew he would go next door, so I ran to my backyard and watched him. No gloves, no mask, banging on the door. I yelled, “they don’t want your services either,” and he had the gall to say, “when will they be home? So their on vacation?” What is wrong with people?

I tried to let it go, but I encountered two attempted murderers (in my neighborhood (including coffee nose guy) in under a week. I do feel for people who need to work, but knocking on doors right now to represent pest-control is not only ironic, it’s deadly.

It felt like time to create a virus bokeh filter. I looked at a microscopic photograph of the virus and attempted to get the outer shape, then added wire for those distinctive fuzzy triangles. The wire shifted in this photo, but I still think it’s an interesting first attempt. My idea is to do a series of images outside when the light is right on the water, with the idea of what would we do differently if we could see the virus.

A to Z Challenge

octave – the interval between two tones with the same letter name which are eight steps apart in the key

obertas – round dance in fast 3, performed wildly. Also called oberek

obertaste – black key on the piano (German)

NaPoWriMo

Prompt: Write a poem that features forgotten technology

PAD Challenge

Prompt: Write an exotic poem

The poem

Obsolete Tech Not Yet Forgotten

During this pandemic,
with renewed interest in recording,
I have discovered
what was once the most expensive,
latest and greatest,exotic, must-have
spend-your-last-penny-on
equipment, is now forgotten tech

Things change so quickly
in this digital age
though analog is always
better in the ear
tech is a tool to make everything
easier and faster
but greed makes it useless in
under a year

This became clear two weeks ago
when I made Big Ben chime on watervases
I pulled out my M-Audio to record
my stunning accomplishment
to learn that there were no drivers made
since 2011 and those wouldn’t work with my system
Why, humans why? Monsters, why do you do this?
For three days, old chatrooms became home.

I conquered in the end
and believe me, my friend
I am the queen of my empty space
I can’t use Print Music
or my old video games
that I bought with good money
all those years ago
but I can record any noise that I want
and post it to SoundCloud or some other Spot
to give it away for free, I guess
because no one buys music anymore.

 

 

 

 

#NaPoWriMo Day 16: Effusive Praise for The Last Swim of the Summer

In you go
Last Swim of Summer (2014)                                      photograph by Maria L. Berg

A to Z Challenge

natural – The natural symbol alters the pitch of the note to which it is attached as well as any subsequent occurrence of the same note (identical line or space) in the same measure. A symbol placed by a note signifying that the note should be played unaltered as opposed to the sharp or flat of the note. This symbol is usually seen only where an accidental such as a sharp or flat is expected.

ninth – an interval consisting of an octave plus a second

Nocturne – A composition, usually a serenade, to be played at night in the open air. The name “nocturne” has been used by composers for piano and orchestral pieces that suggest some aspect of the night and are usually solemn and contemplative. The first nocturnes were written for piano by John Field in the early 19th-century.

NaPoWriMo

Prompt: “write a poem of over-the-top compliments. Pick a person, place, or thing you love, and praise it in the most effusive way you can.”

PAD Challenge

Prompt: The Last (Blank)

The poem

The Last Swim of Summer

Brisk and cool with a lingering chill
the last swim of summer, I cling to your thrill
all winter long and into the spring
until I can dive into the water again

You are the joy in the song of the bird I keep hearing
a packed house at my show when they are dancing and cheering
like the scent of night jasmine or orange blossoms by the window
a warm soft blanket and a brand new pillow

You are sequins and glitter, crystals and fringe
the seconds before a Stranger Things binge
like rays of sunshine breaking through clouds
and all of the words not said aloud

You are the smile on an old golden retriever
and that guy who said when he looked at me, he heard Dream Weaver
like an exotic delicious taste for the first time
and the rhythmic combination of a great rhyme

You are miso and vinegar on anything
reading aloud from the Lord of the Rings
like finally getting a record player that works
and spending the day playing in dirt

You are a brand new camera technique
and finding an answer that I seek
like heightened senses during foreign travel
or fixing stitches before they unravel

All of this my highest praise
as I wait, perhaps, only a matter of days
for the water to rise and the temperature too
to begin the swims of summer, the journey to you.

 

Post your favorite poem

It’s open link night at the dVerse Poets Pub, so head over and share a link to your favorite poem you wrote this week. I look forward to reading it.

 

Happy Reading and Writing!

#NaPoWriMo Day 15: Music in my Dreams

Last song of the night

A to Z Challenge

Today is exciting for me. A day when all of the prompts and my choice for A to Z work together. Dream Music! Yay!

moderato – rather fast
melody – succession of musical tones, prominent part contrasted to harmony
meno mosso – less motion or speed
morendo –  a dying away of sound, gradually getting softer until no sound exists

NaPoWriMo

Prompt: write a poem inspired by your favorite kind of music

PAD Challenge

Prompt: write a dream poem

The poem

Dream Music

A melody in the key of flight
with a harmony at intervals of cathedral steps
that crescendos like water rushing over a waterfall
dolce tones of feathers falling
diminuendo to cyclopean fermata
a half-step turn reveals the spacious view
palatial glissando into counterpoint
creates the rhythm for a bailecito moderato
and I wake jubiloso
the dream song lingers until morendo

 

 

#NaPoWriMo Day 14: An Open Letter to An Evil/Misguided/Idiot

Noses on a bag of coffee
The Coffee Smeller (2020) collage and photograph by Maria L. Berg

*Every nose is from Vanity Fair Magazine which I never subscribed to nor wanted, but came when I ordered the New Yorker, then tried to collect from me when I unsubscribed from the New Yorker (So much disappointment).

Odd how I suddenly understand collage. I don’t mean to keep doing collages, but I get inspired.

Also odd, how noses with only eyebrows look like goat heads in a bad way.

A to Z Challenge

largo – very slow
ledger lines – a short line written above or below a staff to extend the staff beyond the five lines for very high or low notes.
legato – play smoothly
lento – slow

NaPoWriMo

Prompt: “think about your own inspirations and forebears (whether literary or otherwise). Specifically, I challenge you today to write a poem that deals with the poems, poets, and other people who inspired you to write poems.”

I had a day. It was not the best. I have anger. So I sat and thought and journaled about how anger influenced my poetry. In the past, I even wrote a song called Make Me Angry. Lyrics: Make Me Angry/Give Me Fuel/ Don’t Be Afraid/ I Know What I’m Doing . . . And Then The Dogs Made Me Angry.
It’s an honest, but nonsensical song because in real life I either shut down or cry when I get really angry, but it does fuel my creativity.

PAD Challenge

Prompt: pick a state (or province, territory, etc.), make it the title of your poem

The Poem

Don’t Put Your Face On The Seattle, WA Coffee

To the young adult male blocking the coffee
pulling each bag to his cheek and nose
pretending to smell it and  putting it back
then looking at your phone

You are a psychopath and you are seen

Not only by me who ventured out in mask and gloves
for the first time in six weeks
nor by the bots on the internet you
so desperately need to impress
to the point of attempted murder

You are seen by the universe

Some day, maybe not so far away
you’re gonna know that
Karma’s a bitch

Maybe, in the night, you will feel an itch
and you will be covered in tiny black ants
They take a liking to you and never leave
and you get this feeling that you’re being followed
You are, but it’s never the same person
so no one believes you

Then your identity is stolen by so many different people–
one for every bag you nosed–
Now, you don’t even know who the real you is anymore

You can’t ever get credit
You are guilty of crimes you could never commit
You are homeless and starving and can’t even get a cup of coffee

Think of it
You would die
for a cup
of coffee

That is what you so stupidly did
to your neighbors today
in the grocery store

Though they were innocent
They may die
for a cup of coffee