Thursday, April 21, 2016

Fireblossom Friday: An Elephantine Challenge

Toads are small, though they may have big ideas. Elephants, on the other hand, are enormous, and to me, pretty fascinating. Fireblossom here with another poetry idea for you.

Today let's try writing something on the theme of elephants. There are two kinds of elephants that I'm aware of: the Indian and the African. I tell them apart by the ears--the African's are much larger--but I'm told that they differ in size and temperament as well, the Indian being less aggressive.

Elephants live in family groups. Females stay together for life, with their mother, aunts, sisters, and so on. Males, or bulls, strike out on their own eventually, but do spend many years with the herd they are born into, first.

Elephants really do have an amazing memory, and the matriarch leads the group to find food, water, and safety. An elephant pregnancy lasts nearly two years! And if the calf is female, they will stay together in the herd until one of them dies. Elephants grieve for each other when one dies, and they seem to have mourning rituals. Although it is arguable what exactly is going on, elephants have been taught to paint (!).

Write something with an elephant at its heart. 

Write about elephants and family.

Write something fantastical about an elephant, that would only happen in imagination.

Write something about the majesty and intelligence of elephants, or their loyalty or courage.

Write about the deep emotional lives of elephants.

Write anything, as long as it is new for this prompt, and has an elephant or elephants as an important focus of the poem. Then link up, and have fun.

23 comments:

Sanaa Rizvi said...

Hey everyone,

Hope you're having an amazing day so far :D sharing my poem "Olifant." Thank you Shay for the wonderful opportunity. Hope you like it!

Lots of love,
Sanaa

Fireblossom said...

Sanaa, I hope my comment worked. I tried twice.

Gemma Wiseman said...

A great prompt from way out left field.

Sanaa - I too have trouble leaving comments on your blog.

Rosemary Nissen-Wade said...

This brought back one of my earliest memories.

Sanaa Rizvi said...

I received your comment (second one) thanks Shay :)

hedgewitch said...

I had nothing when I read this--yet there is something about elephants, so I did what I could. My time is limited today but will get around as I can. Thanks for the very original and effective (since it got me to write!) challenge, Shay.

brudberg said...

I will write something later... I have an affection for elephants (but there's an ant in elephant too).

Kerry O'Connor said...

Elephants are very close to home. A truly noble, intelligent and emotional creature.

Angie said...

Thanks for the unique prompt Fireblossom. I borrowed Sylvia Plath's metaphor to get this one going.

Sherry Blue Sky said...

A fantastic prompt. I adore elephants. Babysitting this afternoon and evening, but I will return!

brudberg said...

Bedtime here... will return to read in the morning.

Hannah said...

Thank you, Fireblossom!

Marilyn Cavicchia said...

I like the prompt! I'm getting ready to leave town for a long weekend, so I wrote a little snippet that came to mind.

Hannah said...

I wrote one other if anyone's interested but I won't bother to hog another linky space...https://wordrustling.wordpress.com/2016/04/21/over-stuffed-suitcases/

Fireblossom said...

Link it, Hannah! I'm tickled that anyone wants to write more than one!

Gillena Cox said...

Ah yes! an elephant resides some where in my memory banks. i'll pull it out and share

much love...

Outlawyer said...

Very cool prompt, Shay. I have been terribly busy the last week (make that months) so don't think I've focused the way I'd like but posted one. (I actually wrote another I'll try to put up at some point too.) Thanks. k.

Ornery Owl of Naughty Netherworld Press and Readers Roost said...

My poem is a short piece about keeping elephants among us. It is at poetryofthenetherworld.blogspot.com
Thank you for this wonderful prompt and all the elephant pictures. 🙌

Jim said...

I have a liking for elephants so had to come out of hiding for this really neat prompt. I had never seen an elephant until high school when our class went to a distant city to see the circus.
..

grapeling said...

Hi Shay, sorry I'm late. I'm so busy that I don't expect to be able to read or comment much, but saw your prompt and felt compelled to scribble. Thanks for your prompt, and patience. ~ M

Bekkie Sanchez said...

I think this is wonderful Shay, I love elephants! I can't believe where I went with this. Lol! Short but sweet. I think. Lol!

I have been writing so much I can barely read! I am trying and will get there even if a little late. Can't wait to see what others come up with!

Lot's of hugs! Bekkie

Fireblossom said...

I will be around to everyone's poem no later than Sunday. I apologize for being slow getting to some of the poems, but "real" life keeps interfering with my blogging!

Susie Clevenger said...

I combined your prompt with Bjorn's since I was out of town when yours came up. Great prompt!