Saturday, May 26, 2018

Weekend Mini Challenge: Insects and Bugs

Welcome to the Weekend Mini Challenge with Kim from Writing in North Norfolk.

As some of you may know, since retiring from high school teaching four years ago, I have been volunteering with libraries and infant schools, which means I spend a lot of time with young children. One of the things I love about little kids is their curiosity. The two schools where I listen to five-, six- and seven-year-olds read are both advocates of the ‘forest school’ and have areas where youngsters can engage with nature, especially mini beasts.

Yesterday I suggested a book for a little girl who loves nature. Caterpillar Butterfly (by Vivian French and beautifully illustrated by Charlotte Voake) is an autobiographical book about the summer when Vivian French and her grandfather watched a family of tiny caterpillar eggs turn, stage by stage, into butterflies. We had a wonderful time reading this book and I was amazed at her prior knowledge and understanding.

I recalled a few poems I have read that are about or include insects, and wondered how many more I could find. Apparently there are lots of them, but most of the ones I found were pre-twentieth century. Here are a few of my favorites:
Related image
John Donne’s ‘The Flea’ uses an interesting and unusual conceit to seduce a woman!  The Flea

Related imageWilliam Oldys’s ‘On a Fly drinking out of his Cup' is based on an ancient Greek poem by Anacreon.  Click HERE to view.

Another poem about a fly is Emily Dickinson’s ‘I heard a Fly buzz – when I died’. It’s one of her best-known poems.
Click HERE to view.

Image result for peacock butterfly Pinterest‘The Ants’ by William Empson and ‘Butterfly Dancing’ by Alison Cassidy are two of the modern poems I found.
The Ants
Butterfly Dancing

This week’s mini challenge is to write a NEW poem in a form of your choice about INSECTS and BUGS. It doesn’t matter whether you love them or hate them, revile them or praise them. However, because they are mini beasts, keep it short (no longer than 30 lines).

Join our ugly bug ball by clicking on Mister Linky and filling in your name and url. And please remember to read and comment on other toads’ poems – toads love bugs!

All images found on Pinterest.


10 comments:

Kerry O'Connor said...

Thank you for the prompt, Kim. it shook loose a rather grisly little poem.

Kim M. Russell said...

Good evening, Kerry! I look forward to reading it - I'm off to do so now!

annell4 said...

I am sorry, I missed that (no longer than 30 lines) I think I am a few lines over. Please don't count. After all artists have a hard time following instructions. I am guilty.

Gillena Cox said...

Good afternoon everyone. Thanks for a nice post Kim. There are caterpillars on my Plumeria right now so there!!! poem

much love...

Jim said...

I will be liking this one. Thank you, Kim. On one of my now "dormant" blogs I posted a monthly "June Bug (not)" installment, here are some:
http://jimmiehov3.blogspot.com/2006_10_01_jimmiehov3_archive.html?m=1
..

brudberg said...

I have had some problems with the site in my normal browser... hope that a comment from this browser will stick.
Loved the prompt and will be back tomorrow and read.

tonispencer said...

I love this prompt! I love bugs and caterpillars! I am going to enjoy this a lot. thank you. Summer bugs...hoorah!

Anonymous said...

LMBO @ "ugly bug ball"

thanks for hosting such a fun prompt Kim - great ideas to play with ~ must sit and think on it!

Shannon Blood said...

Thanks for the fun prompt!

Cedarwind said...

An interesting collection of poems featuring insects...thank you for letting me know about the theme which fits with the classical dragonfly haiku featured at Carpe Diem and my ‘revision’.