When I wrote this, I tried to create a scene of stark contrasts, where each word pairing would capture quick flashes of emotions of struggle and hope, tension and release. My goal was to distill each moment down to its simplest essence, letting the rhythm and juxtaposition speak for themselves.
Scene
Dream. Scream.
Skip. Trip.
Try. Cry.
Clown. Frown.
Frame. Blame.
Bloom. Doom.
Dare. Scare.
Scoot. Loot.
Love. Shove.
Shine. Whine.
Woo. Spew.
Spare. Glare.
Signs of Inspiration
The inspiration for this poem comes from an art installation outside the Salt Palace in Salt Lake City—a collection of street signs with single words that both complement and contradict one another, designed as a perfect photo op.
Look around at the signs in your world. Are they warnings or invitations? Write about them and see where it takes you. Have fun.
This past week I was challenged to write a three-stanza poem using only monosyllabic words. How did I do?