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Saturday, March 25, 2017

Weekend Mini Challenge: Thought Animals

Welcome to the Weekend Mini Challenge with Kim from writinginnorthnorfolk.com!

I very much enjoy the poems of Ted Hughes and one in particular has stuck firmly in my memory. It’s entitled ‘The Thought Fox’, from his first collection The Hawk in the Rain: a poem about writing a poem.

Because of copyright laws I am unable to reproduce it here, so I have added a link to The Poetry Archive, where you can read it at Poetry Archive, The Thought-Fox.

However, I have found this wonderful reading on YouTube: 



The poem is set late at night in a room, where the poet is sitting alone at his desk. Outside his window it is starless, silent and black, but the poet senses a presence, an idea stirring in the darkness of his imagination. At first he only feels it and has to coax it into consciousness, like a fox, whose body is invisible, but which feels its way forward through the undergrowth.

Today’s challenge is to choose an animal, any animal you like, and turn it into a poem about a poem, writing in quatrains and following as closely as you can the process of writing a poem.


12 comments:

  1. Ted Hughes is a personal favourite of mine - one of those poets I found in a school anthology and instrumental in my lifelong love of poetry. His animal motifs are a fine art.

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  2. When I was still teaching, I loved to use 'The Thought Fox' as an example of extended metaphor. I'm looking forward to reading amazing animal poems over the weekend!
    By the way, please remember that we will be on British Summer Time from tomorrow. I'm not sure how that will affect posting, but I think I'll be playing it by ear!

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  3. Ted Hughes is a wonderful inspiration. I don't know that I can participate but thanks for the prompt, Kim. K.

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  4. Thanks for dropping by and reading! By all means read and comment on the poems that are posted.

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  5. Love this prompt Kim!

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  6. Glad you like it, Candy, and I love your poem!

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  7. Luv the Ted Huges sample, hope my poem fits the challenge

    Happy Saturday


    much love...

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  8. I do love the extended metaphor... and yes this one is wonderful..

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  10. Kim, this was such a fantastic prompt. Thank you.

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  11. I may not be able to link this week but I'll be back. Hope you all have the best weekend! Hugs!

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  12. I am very late to this party :) Will also post in Tuesday Platform - will read and comment here on everyone's poetry later this evening.

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