Poems From the Porch 3
Introduction
Well, what can I say? In the first Poems from the Porch I invited readers to give me ideas or subjects that they would like to see written as poems and said if the idea proved popular enough I would turn it into a series.
I must thank everyone who has read the first two parts of this series. I had already received enough suggestions, just from the comments in the first article, to keep this series going for around six weeks, and the suggestions just keep coming. It looks like I will be able to do about three requests each week at the rate I am going so far, though some poems may prove more difficult than others.
I am keeping a list of the prompts in the order they are posted in comments and the poems I create will be in the same order. So, sit back, put your feet up (as I did writing these) and hopefully enjoy poems requested by your fellow writers.
Elijah A Alexander Jr
"I don't know what you would call a poem of, in my case, eight line with the 1&8 rhyming, 2&7, 3&6 and 4&5 rhyming I would like to see you do of any topic. Another one I did of 12 lines has the first and last words in each line rhyming, see if you can do one like that on any subject.
You asked so you get!"
Elijah, you certainly issued quite a challenge here. I didn't realise how hard it would be, but I did manage to come up with a couple of poems that meet your guidelines
This is That and That is This
*This poem follows the rhyme scheme: ABCDDCBA. This follows The scheme that Elijah requested.
This is that
And that is this,
But what's there
Is not here,
And so I fear
It must be where
Dr.Seuss left his
Cat in the Hat.
A Place So Far Away
*Elijah's second request was to write a twelve-line poem where the first and last word in each line rhymes. I admit this one sure tested me.
They sailed to a place so far away
In a boat made of wood and tin.
Around the Cape and past the Sound,
Rough the seas, but the men were tough.
There, all the natives had dark fuzzy hair,
Skin tanned and their bodies so thin.
Money no value, they barter in honey,
And shells that they find on the sand.
Food was shared, and the crew found it good,
Dance told a tale of romance.
Leaving was sad and some are still grieving,
Though it's back to the home that they know.
Bill Holland
challenge for you...."hummingbird"
I was a little surprised how popular a subject hummingbirds are, and how many poems have already been written about them. They are an amazing creature though, so why not one more? I felt that short, quick lines would suit this subject.
Hummingbird
Hummingbird
Small as a bee,
Sipping nectar,
Hard to see.
Mighty muscles
Power those wings,
Beating swiftly,
Dew-drop kings.
Emerald plumed,
Scarlet breast,
rarely stopping
For a rest.
Tiny legs
Can't hop or walk,
Just help move
Up a flower stalk.
Created to
The highest point,
Co-evolved
With flowers to suit.
A hummingbird flock
Is called a tune,
Hover, shimmer,
Bouquet too.
Eric Dierker
"Seemed to me you should be writing another chicken chronicle. Maybe just a poem about them per week.
Old friend reading glasses struck me as a subject. And being me I thought about funny limericks about love."
Seriously, Eric... three requests? Oh well, I asked for it didn't I? I thought of splitting these up and doing in separate articles but it's easier if I do them all together. So,the following three poems are for you.
The Cackleberry Farmer Revisited
A cackleberry farmer of some renown
Left his farm and moved into town.
He took ten hens along for the ride,
To lay eggs and keep the grocery costs down.
He bought wire and pickets and built a "chook" pen,
It was a vitual palace for hens.
But, stray dogs did strike under cover of night,
Only one hen survived out of ten.
The fencing now fixed to prevent more foul deeds,
The farmer has three hens, they're all different breeds.
They free range by day but are locked up at night,
And lay enough eggs to pay for their feed.
Reading Glasses - My Old Friend
I have an old friend
Quite special to me,
My trusty eyeglasses
That helps me to see.
If I need to read
Or work at something close
I balance my glasses
On top of my nose.
I take my friend with me
Wherever I roam,
If I'm in my office
Or away from my home.
Sometimes I misplace them,
And I feel so lost.
If I never find them
I so dread the cost.
Funny Limericks About Love (Well Sort Of ...)
I don't think these were exactly what Eric expected when he asked for funny limericks about love, but it's what my muse came up with. Sometimes her sense of humour is a little bit questionable :)
Elevator Dater
I met her in an elevator,
I asked if I could date her.
She didn't speak,
Just gave a small squeak
As I pulled out the plug to deflate her.
Love Dove
The perfect symbol of love
Is the snow-white dove.
The dove said, "coo-coo,"
But before it was through
An eagle swooped down from above.
Until Next Week
I hope you enjoyed this edition of Poems from the Porch. Thank you for reading my interpretation of the poetry requested by you or your fellow writers/hubbers. I am about a third of the way through the list of prompts so feel free to challenge me further if any new ideas pop into your head.
So, that's it from me until next week. I decided not to publish this series on a certain day, so whenever the next part pops up will be a surprise. The next few poems should be those requested by Peggy Woods and Ruby Jean Richert. Until then, keep writing and smiling.
© 2019 John Hansen
Comments
AUTHORMizB, I miss the cackleberry farmer too. It was so sad losing the girls. I have three hens now, but it is hard to keep calling myself a cackleberry farmer though I am getting three eggs a day. Sorry to hear about your chickens getting taken in the night too. Please try to protect Henrietta. I don’t know where the elevator date came from lol.
One of these days, I'll catch up on all your porches. I enjoyed your cackleberry, but it was a little sad about the dogs getting nine out of 10 of your girls. The photo looks like my Henrietta, the only chicken left out of the seven carried away by a nocturnal animal, a possum, I think. Your dater in the elevator limerick was hilarious!
- AUTHOR
You have a way with words, Bill, even in your comments. Thank you for reading, your continued encouragement, and great comment.
Finer word art I shall never see. I once thought you were like a tree John, with new branches and leaves constantly sprouting. But now you have become an entire forest, with an infinite variety of arbors. There's no end in sight as your beautiful work expands into new acreage. These poems were perfectly crafted and highly entertaining.
- AUTHOR
Hi, Lawrence. Thanks for reading and for your kind comment. I did enjoy writing these.
John
Well done with these. There were a few surprise endings as well.
- AUTHOR
Thank you Li-Jen. Glad you like those poems. Nice new pic of yours too.
Hi Jodah, cool of you to keep up this series. Good idea to combine different suggestions. Challenging indeed but you manage to do it; like A Place So Far Away. And unique topics like Funny Limericks Of Love. Thank you for sharing.
- AUTHOR
Brenda, yes I certainly am getting what I asked for and more. Thanks for reading and enjoying my poetry.
I loved elevator dater and the reading glasses.
You certainly have your work cut out for you with all these complicated challenges.
Great read.
- AUTHOR
Hi Ann, yes, I admit some of these are a challenge, but I love challenges and negates the need to try to find something myself to write about. I get to write about some subject I would never have otherwise considered.
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You've done a marvellous job with all these requests, John.
Quite a diverse subject base here and you covered it all. Well done!
Ann
- AUTHOR
Thank you very much, Nithya. Your comments are always appreciated.
I enjoyed reading all the poems, each one a delight to read.
- AUTHOR
I am happy you enjoyed the hummingbird tribute, Alyssa. What a shame to lose your little family until next summer...but they’ll be back.
- AUTHOR
Thank you Karen. I added those suggestions to the list. I already have a request for dragonflies so may combine the two...and haiku is cool. Have a great weekend.
Hummingbirds are magical and I look forward to their visits during the summer. We just said goodbye to our little family as it was time for them to head south. I loved your tribute to them. Well done!
Wonderful poems...so much fun! Looking forward to reading more in this series.
My requests:
Dragonflies
Sunflowers
Pumpkins
Extra challenge ~ haiku
- AUTHOR
Thank you, Jo. There will be more soon.
Well done, John. Looking forward to more.
- AUTHOR
Thank you for reading these poems, Rasma. I am happy that you enjoyed them too. Blessings.
All of them absolutely delightful. Enjoyed these a lot.
- AUTHOR
Thank you Abitha. I appreciate you taking the time to read these poems and for your generous comment. Glad you are enjoying this series.
- AUTHOR
Thank you my brother Sean. I am blessed to know you too. Thank you for the kind words and I will add “the colours of the rainbow” to my list. Blessings.
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Lovely poems John, love the humming bird and the reading glasses. No, all of them actually... great challenge series!
Oh! My brother! The Rainbow Poet in action! We are so blessed to know you, John! Thank you for all the beauty of your colours! So... write about the colours of the Rainbow of Love!
Gratitude and admiration!
Sean
- AUTHOR
Lori, thank you for the thumbs up. It took a bit of work but aimenjoyed the challenge.
Love every one of these. I can see hard work went into them. Nice job.
- AUTHOR
Thanks for your visit and generous comment, Lora. I’m glad you enjoyed the poems.
Some very charming poems here, John. My favorites are "Humming Bird" and "The Reading Glasses" which I can really relate to! Delightful reading and you are certainly showing your skill as a poet in meeting these challenges with your agility for words! Thanks for sharing.
- AUTHOR
Hi MsDora, some were certainly quite challenging but also a chance to try my hand at something different. I am glad I succeeded.
Some difficult challenges, but you met them all with quality poetry. You're at the head of the line. Enjoyed them all.
- AUTHOR
Liz, I greatly appreciate your generous comment. I always like to try to extend myself as a writer and these prompts are a good way of doing that...a bit of everything. Thank you for reading.
You certainly have a real gift with words. I am amazed at the range and versatility of your poetry, which is showcased to such good effect in this collection.
- AUTHOR
Hi Hari, thank you for reading, and also your suggestion. I will add it to my list of requests.
Wow. What a series. I can say this is season 2 of poetical drama. Great to involve all to get your muse back.
I suggest you can write on something about "goodbye, is never a closure".
- AUTHOR
It is good to know you are enjoying the series, Linda. Yes, it was sad to lose the chickens not long after moving here. The three we now have seem happy and content and we have had no further dog problems ..touch wood.
This is an interesting and enjoyable series, John. I was sorry to read about the loss of your chickens, though.
- AUTHOR
Hi Pamela. I think writing on the porch has really re-inspired me. I am enjoying writing this series and the challenges offered by others. Have a great day.
- AUTHOR
Thank you for the generous words Elijah. I am happy you enjoyed what I did with your challenge as well as the others. “Why Man Can’t See” is very good, and I will be over to check your ABCDDCBA poem shortly.
- AUTHOR
Hello Marie. Thanks for the kind words yes, guideline poems are certainly quite a challenge, but fun. It is a pity most of your poetry is lost, maybe you should write a few new ones. Now HubPages has ”Letterpile” poetry has a place where it can attract more readers.
- AUTHOR
Ok Linda, I admit I am having fun here. Oh, there is plenty I can’t do. I so wish I was a mechanic. Thank you for reading. Blessings.
- AUTHOR
Rinita, what I love most about getting prompts from others is that it leads to a versatile collection as everyone has different ideas and requirements. Elijah’s were quite challenging but enjoyable to write. Thanks for continuing to read my work.
- AUTHOR
Thank you Ruby, it seems “Elevator Dater” is quite popular lol. So glad you liked all the poems though.
- AUTHOR
Hey Shauna. I have to admit this is fun. I love the challenge it presents writing poems to their people’s requests or guidelines. I have always enjoyed writing limericks too for a bit of a laugh. I am glad you are enjoying this series too.
John, You not only rose to the challenge, you exceeded it. You surely met Elijah's challenge.
I laughed at the delightful love porms. I think writing on the porch suits you.
I loved them all, John, A master poet is the least I can call you. You made the offer, took our challenges and is mastering it. That is what I would call a Master Poet indeed.
If you would like to read my "ABCDDCBA" poem it is the second of the two in "Love Is And Isn’t" found in my "hubpage/@natureboy0" site. The First and last line rhyme, below, is "Why Man Can't See" from my homepage.
When the time comes that's often called world's end
man, who diligently seek, will know the master plan.
All that has happened during the time called man's fall
will, to the enlightened, be recognized as the fulfill-
ment of the prophecies that in diverse times were sent
revealing how man's Karma would cause its fulfilling.
Who can say Chance controls the things man do
and not Karma by the use of Supply and Demand?
Why can't man see that in Cycles all Time goes by
so as to reveal to us blinded man, that we might know,
that Cause and Effect are the things man balk at
because we look only at the now and not the eternal laws?
I chuckled over the date being deflated in the elevator.
Clever and brilliant (I know how hard guideline poems can be!). Alas, most of my poems are lost in the annals of history--some in Poetry World publications, a few at Crazy4Jigsaws, and at least one in my daughter's closet! I stopped writing them here on HubPages due to low traffic, but you've got the right idea, John...just keep writing!
John, you're having w-a-a-a-y too much fun here. Is there anything you can't do?! Bravo sir.
A versatile collection. I enjoyed the second one from Elijah's request the most. Rhyming patterns always intrigue me. I would say, great job, but I think that would be an understatement. Keep them coming.
I laughed out loud when I read " Elevator Dater " They all were good and I loved reading them. Thank you.
John, you're a poetic genius! I love what you did with Elija's challenges. Holy mackerel, those were tough ones!
I got a giggle out of Elevator Dater. I honestly didn't see that one coming!
I have a feeling you're having as much fun writing these prompted poems as we are reading them.
I love this series. What fun!
- AUTHOR
Thanks for reading De Greek. Much appreciated. Cheers.
- AUTHOR
Hi Flourish, you hit that nail on the head. Rhyming the first and last words on each line sure isn’t easy. Thanks for reading.
You are one talented man ;-)
I especially enjoyed the hummingbird poems and the limerick on love. That one with the first and last word rhyming must’ve been a killer!
- AUTHOR
Haha Eric, what more could we ask for than making poetry fun. That’s what makes it easier to learn.
Whahoo!! I am having some fun with you now. Just so you know. This is really a great teaching tool - for old and young alike who are trying to learn more about poetry. You got me good with the elevator.
- AUTHOR
Hey Bill. I am so happy you like the Hummingbird poem, and you are most welcome. Your dragonfly request is also noted. Thank you.
This is like poetry improv class, with you as the Master Teacher. I love your gift to me about hummingbirds. Thank you so much, John! A cherished gift.
Now, when you have the time, I submit my request for dragonflies.
- AUTHOR
Hello, Lorna. I am so glad you are enjoying this series. I am having fun with these varied subjects presented to me. Pleased that you like Hummingbird and Elevator Dater too.
- AUTHOR
Thank you for reading Charlie. Much appreciated.
I have to take my hat off to you John as once again your genius shows through in another wonderful collection of poems. If I had to pick a favourite it would be 'Hummingbird' although 'Elevator Dater' was so witty. Looking forward to the next batch.
Another fine selection from your porch.
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