Mary's Mixed Bag: Pet Peeves

Lawn Ornaments -  Wicker Pigs on the Lawn
Wikimedia Commons

     Greetings, Toads and Friends, it is Mary here again with Mary's Mixed Bag.  There is so much serious stuff happening in the world right now that I thought I would provide a challenge that can be light-hearted if you wish it to be.    What is one of  your pet peeves? 

What REALLY irritates you? Makes you seethe?  Your blood boil?  Or simply makes you shake your head?


   Do lawn ornaments (such as the wicker pigs above) annoy you?

Litterbugs?

Wikimedia Commons

Gossip?

Wikimedia Commons

Unsolicited advice?

Poor grammar?

Excessive texting?

Wikimedia Commons

Company that just drops in rather than lets you know they are planning to visit?

The way teen-agers dress nowadays?

Your challenge today is to write a poem about a pet peeve or pet peeves of yours.  You know there is something that really bothers you.  Now is the time to get it off your chest.

If you really can't think of anything, here is a list of pet peeves that might inspire you!  Extensive Pet Peeve List.    Let's have some fun with this and come back  and share.

Please write a new poem for this challenge.  Link it below.  Leave a comment.  Then visit as many poems linked as you can.  Enjoy!

Two Sides of the Coin

Two Sides of the Coin

Hi, everyone.  The weeks go so fast.  It is time for another Mary's Mixed Bag here in the Garden.  I thought of a challenge  I hope everyone will enjoy trying.  This week I would like you to write a poem describing something or a situation from two different perspectives or points of view.  Perhaps in alternating verses, or whatever works for you.

 Sometimes two witnesses of an auto accident see different things and recount the accident differently, and each is sure he/she is right.

A conflict between a mother and an adolescent daughter would have two different perspectives.  If they wrote or spoke about it, they would tell different tales.

A friendship between two people ends. Undoubtedly they view the ending differently. What would each say?

There are often different points of views within one person.  (I argue with myself sometime, don't you?)  Express them in poetry form.  Perhaps as a dialogue, or perhaps not.

Anyway, I think you get the idea.  I look forward to reading your new poem on two sides of the coin!  And, if you link your poem, please visit poems of others as well.  We all like visits. That's part of the fun!

Mary's Mixed Bag - Let's Go to the Movies

Let's Go to the Movies!

The Hunger Games

I have come up with what I hope will be a fun Mary's Mixed Bag challenge for everyone. If you are like me, you enjoy movies. Some that I have seen in the past few months were Bully; The Hunger Games; The Artist; Puss 'N Boots; The Descendants; Mission Impossible - Ghost Protocol;  Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close; Iron Lady; The Adventures of Tin Tin; Hugo. It would be fun to see your list.  Maybe you can list some of them in 'comments.'

For this challenge there are three choices:

 (1) Think of a movie you have seen recently.  Write a poem that arises from that movie - from its title, theme, subject matter, a character, setting, etc.  Here is a site where you can find a list of 2011 movies and another for 2012 movies.

Mission Impossible:  Ghost Protocol

(2)  Write a poem that arises from subject matter,title,  theme, character, setting, etc. of an older or classic movie.  This is a list of movies that have grossed most money at the box office if you need inspiration.

Gone With the Wind

(3)  Write a poem incorporating as many movie titles (current or classic) as you wish into the body of the poem.

If you still need more inspiration, here is a "wordle" poem I wrote entitled Casablanca about the movie of the same name.  In this poem, I put myself inside the movie.  This would be another way you could approach the challenge.

When you write and link a new poem using Mr. Linky below, please leave a comment as well.  And perhaps, as part of your comment, you could list some of the movies you have seen in the past few months.  It would be interesting to see your list.  Oh, and of course, don't forget to visit the links of others who post as well.  Have fun! I look forward to seeing what you come up with.

----Mary

Poetry of the Ordinary

Hi Toads and Friends:

I'm Mary with another Mary's Mix Bag Friday.  You don't know how much I look forward to thinking of a prompt that I hope inspires many of you.  This week I hope you will be inspired by "the ordinary."

A poet I enjoy is Stuart Dischell. I have his book Dig Safe.  It is one I often reread. I love his work He can turn the most ordinary happenings into poetry.  Good poetry! He really is so down to earth!

One of his poems is "Thin Song of the Leaky Faucet."  It is too long to share here. He writes it in short lines that cover two-and-a-half  pages.  (This poem is not linked anywhere online, or I would share that way.)  Here is the beginning of this poem:

Thin Song of the Leaky Faucet
Drop by drop
Or drip by drip

Each drip or drop
In the open rain

Sounds the note
That cannot hold

Back, builds up
A calculus

On the otherwise
Stainless steel

(It continues....)

As I read this poem, I can really experience this and actually HEAR the dripping in my mind.  I can also identify, as I have had a dripping faucet that has driven me crazy!

Another Dischell poem about a very ordinary experience  is "As I Dispose of an Old Encyclopedia."  I find myself wondering how many people even have encyclopedias anymore. ( I do remember having disposed of mine as well!)

In this poem Dischell wrote his thoughts as he was getting rid of this outdated reference.  I will share a few lines:

As I Dispose of An Old Encyclopedia

I think of the territories
With their changed names
Like some married women,
Aliases of politics and faith,
The sinuous borders that keep
Cartographers in business,
Undertakers too,
Appellations of deposed monarchs
or gods no longer relevant

(It continues)

All right, this is what I would like to do.  Think about some of the ordinary tasks, items, aspects, annoyances, joys, etc.  of your life.  Write about one of them.

I will mention a few ideas that may  trigger your muse:  A squeaking door, peeling carrots, internet access frustrations, misplacing your wallet,  a power outage, running out of gas, a friend's visit, brewing coffee, going to the grocery store and forgetting to buy one of the things you needed, deciding to part with a pair of shoes you always loved, realizing that you threw away or lost something important to you.

I look forward to reading about something ordinary in your life.  Sometimes the ordinary can inspire the most extraordinary poetry.  Please write and link a new poem written specifically for this challenge  rather than pulling one out from the past writings, and  visit and comment on as many poems of others as possible.