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Ocean Scene: Playing with word lists

6/14/2017

15 Comments

 
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Welcome to the ridge! Thanks for stopping by this week. For more of the Poetry Friday collection, visit Carol at Carol's Corner.

I am back this week from my relaxing trip to the beach. I took advantage of the ocean's poetic whispers while I was there. As I sat on the shoreline, I started generating a list in my notebook. I used my five senses and the imagery of this coastal scene to get some words onto the page. Then, I started playing with the words and phrases from my list. The result is my "Ocean Scene" poem. Working from a list is a quick strategy I use often to get my ideas flowing.
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word list from my day at the beach
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Invitation to Write:

Try creating a word list in your notebook. Once you have your list, try putting words and phrases together. Play with different combinations until you find one you like. Collecting lists can be great fun!
15 Comments
Carol Wilcox link
6/16/2017 02:49:00 am

Kiesha-
Your poem make me long for the feel of wet sand between my toes! And I always love reading about people's process!

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Brenda link
6/16/2017 04:46:40 am

I like the indents, which give it a feel of waves. I really pictured it through your words, and I could smell the sunscreen.

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Kay Jernigan McGriff link
6/16/2017 06:04:56 am

Thank you for transporting me to the beach where I always fall under the hypnotic spell of the waves crashing on the sand. I hope you had a great week there. And I have to agree with using lists to get started writing. Somehow making a list seems so much less intimidating than writing a poem, and once some words are down on paper, I can see where the poem might grow.

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Linda Baie link
6/16/2017 07:08:09 am

I'm on my way next month, Kiesha. Oh you've made me want it to be tomorrow! Somehow after all your lovely images, I love that final verse, "And here you will find me". Thanks for sharing your time "feeling the tug of the tide".

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Robyn Hood Black link
6/16/2017 10:53:19 am

Absolutely - this makes me yearn for our family beach trip next month, too! Thanks for sharing the behind-the-scenes of your poem. Like Linda, I love the last lines.

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Tabatha
6/16/2017 11:36:58 am

I like the action of the castle builders and "saltwater playground" and the meditative quality of the third stanza. Nice capture of both kinds of movement!

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jama link
6/16/2017 11:42:17 am

Great sensory details. Making a list of observations/sensations is a good idea. Enjoyed your poem!

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Linda link
6/16/2017 03:29:38 pm

Your images were so vivid, I felt like I was right there! Now, I'm wishing I were at the beach! : )

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Christie Wyman link
6/16/2017 05:27:20 pm

You captured, so beautifully, a lovely day at the beach. And you got me excited for summer vacation (2 1/2 more days!) and firing up my writing notebook. Thank you!

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Jane @ Raincity Librarian link
6/16/2017 08:03:53 pm

There's nothing quite like a change of scenery, especially a lovely little trip, to help fire up the creative juices!

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Violet N. link
6/16/2017 08:46:02 pm

I always enjoy your challenges, Keisha! They make poetry-writing sound enjoyable and entirely do-able.

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Linda Mitchell link
6/17/2017 02:52:08 am

So beautiful....not just the words but the pace of the poem feels like the beach. My favorite words are "the hum and the scrim" I love that!
I'm frustrated with how my creativity has been pushed to the end of long to do lists. I will pull out my notebook for some sensory words today. Thanks as always, Keisha for the nudge you give me toward writing.

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Mary Lee
6/17/2017 04:08:18 am

I am not a "beach person," but your sensory images allowed me to enjoy it from afar!

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Michelle Kogan link
6/17/2017 02:50:32 pm

Loved your "saltwater playground" poem." How refreshing and renewing to be away from everything and just hear the splashes of the ocean!
I love water–I have a small pond in my backyard and enjoy the cycling sound of the water in the summer; the sound of the water follows us inside in the winter when I have to bring the fish in.

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LifePoemsProject.com link
4/18/2018 07:56:26 pm

Your poem affected life?! Yes, you can share your lovely poem and its great "after story" with the world... Submit now on LifePoemsProject.com

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    Welcome! I'm Kiesha Shepard, and I have a love for writing and the teaching of writing. Whispers From the Ridge is a place where I can share my words and ideas for teaching writing. It's also a place for you to find inspiration for writing the words inside of you. I invite you into my world of writing as I capture the whispers from the ridge.

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    12 Matt at Radio, Rhythm & Rhyme
    19 Carol at Beyond LiteracyLink
    26 Ruth at there is no such thing as a God-forsaken town
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    24 Buffy at Buffy Silverman
    31 Carol at Carol's Corner

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