Laura Purdie Salas

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Poetry Friday: March Madness, Poetry-Style

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Ed DeCaria at Think Kid, Think has got the March Madness Poetry Tournament going in full swing.

So today for Poetry Friday, I’m sharing the poem I wrote in a slight foggy panic Wednesday night after two days of school visits (which were wonderful, but exhausting).

But you have to go here to see my match-up versus Heidi Mordhorst, who’s got game! My word was “knack,” and hers was “decaffeinated.” Now our poems are posted, and you go vote on your favorite. Right?

And while you’re there, check out the other match-ups, too. All the poems are short, and there are some really funny, fabulous, wonderful poems to read and vote on. And big names! Jane Yolen? She’s there. Julie Larios? There. Heidi Mordhorst? Dang it, she’s there, too:>) If you want to see a master list of all the brackets, check here. What a great idea this tournament was, and I can’t even imagine the work that Ed has put into this. Thanks for celebrating poetry! Voting ends this evening, so don’t delay:>)

And, hey, Greg Pincus, host of this week’s Poetry Friday Roundup, is there, too!?Don’t miss it, you guys. The roundup OR the tournament!

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Comments

  1. Loved your entry, Laura. It’s liquid, really, cool and refreshing.

  2. Loved your entry, Laura. It’s liquid, really, cool and refreshing.

  3. Smokin’ poetry pistols at dawn! What a fun faceoff! I cannot believe some of the words people are being required to use – androgyny! spastic! kinkier!? – but brilliant things are being done (esp. with kinkier – well done to that poet). What a fun, fun way to pressure poets and put poetry in the spotlight.

      • Thanks, Tanita! Smokin’ poetry pistols at dawn, indeed. Great image! This was loads of fun. I KNOW–can you believe some of the prompts? Knack was a piece of cake for me, but cursed (same seed number) I really struggled with. Oh well. You roll the poetry die and see what pours out of your brain. Sometimes it’s magic, and other times it’s bacon grease. It’s fun to see what everyone’s doing!

  4. Smokin’ poetry pistols at dawn! What a fun faceoff! I cannot believe some of the words people are being required to use – androgyny! spastic! kinkier!? – but brilliant things are being done (esp. with kinkier – well done to that poet). What a fun, fun way to pressure poets and put poetry in the spotlight.

      • Thanks, Tanita! Smokin’ poetry pistols at dawn, indeed. Great image! This was loads of fun. I KNOW–can you believe some of the prompts? Knack was a piece of cake for me, but cursed (same seed number) I really struggled with. Oh well. You roll the poetry die and see what pours out of your brain. Sometimes it’s magic, and other times it’s bacon grease. It’s fun to see what everyone’s doing!

  5. Laura, your poem is just great. It was a fun challenge, and although I didn’t make it to the next round, I enjoyed writing to a prompt. I think participating with you on Thursdays helped me feel better about doing it fast. Good luck to you in the running!

    • Thanks, Linda. It’s fun, isn’t it, just to challenge our brains and see what comes out? I never would have written the knack poem without that prompt. I’m so glad you participated. I’m glad 15 Words or Less Thursdays helped in your training:>) I’m going to be knocked out here in Round Two, but it’s just fun to give it a go.

  6. Laura, your poem is just great. It was a fun challenge, and although I didn’t make it to the next round, I enjoyed writing to a prompt. I think participating with you on Thursdays helped me feel better about doing it fast. Good luck to you in the running!

    • Thanks, Linda. It’s fun, isn’t it, just to challenge our brains and see what comes out? I never would have written the knack poem without that prompt. I’m so glad you participated. I’m glad 15 Words or Less Thursdays helped in your training:>) I’m going to be knocked out here in Round Two, but it’s just fun to give it a go.

  7. I really enjoyed your poem–so connected to nature, such simple language, AND fun.

  8. I really enjoyed your poem–so connected to nature, such simple language, AND fun.

  11. I loved your spring poem, Laura. It was so timely.
    I’m going through my seed collection to see what goes in my garden this year — I hope all my seed have the knack for believing.

  12. I loved your spring poem, Laura. It was so timely.
    I’m going through my seed collection to see what goes in my garden this year — I hope all my seed have the knack for believing.

  13. Seed has a knack for
    believing

    So awesome! This challenge is fascinating to watch unfold – so many great poems being tossed out with remarkable speed.

    • Thanks, Tara! That was a fun one to write. I did both of mine in about 15 minutes each. First one sounds better than that, I think, though the second one sounds like a 15-minute poem. Oh well:>)

  14. Seed has a knack for
    believing

    So awesome! This challenge is fascinating to watch unfold – so many great poems being tossed out with remarkable speed.

    • Thanks, Tara! That was a fun one to write. I did both of mine in about 15 minutes each. First one sounds better than that, I think, though the second one sounds like a 15-minute poem. Oh well:>)

  17. I loved your poem, Laura! I did not make it out of the first round but cannot wait to watch this tournament unfold. There is such a huge pool of talented writers participating, that is so much fun to see what they come up with. 🙂

    • Thanks, Natalie! It is awesome, isn’t it (the tournament, I mean)? My daughter was knocked out in the first round but had a great time. I’m just so proud of all of us for putting ourselves out there. Sometimes a really lovely or clever poem can come out fast (I did like my “knack” poem), and other times, it’s just not the day for it (I’m not so wild about my round two poem–struggled with it!).

  18. I loved your poem, Laura! I did not make it out of the first round but cannot wait to watch this tournament unfold. There is such a huge pool of talented writers participating, that is so much fun to see what they come up with. 🙂

    • Thanks, Natalie! It is awesome, isn’t it (the tournament, I mean)? My daughter was knocked out in the first round but had a great time. I’m just so proud of all of us for putting ourselves out there. Sometimes a really lovely or clever poem can come out fast (I did like my “knack” poem), and other times, it’s just not the day for it (I’m not so wild about my round two poem–struggled with it!).

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