Welcome to our second session together, creating poetry inspired by our homes and the objects in them.
Before we begin, here’s a brief encouragement. Do you ever feel frustrated that your writing doesn’t come out as you’d hoped straight away?
Three short videos follow, each introducing a type of poem for you to enjoy creating. After each video there are visual examples to guide you.
Please type your own poems into the ‘comments’ section at the bottom of this page. We hope you enjoy these writing exercises, and are really looking forward to reading your poems!
Session 2, writing exercise 1: Acrostic Poems
Write your own Acrostic poem
We’re going to use our Acrostic poems to share something of ourselves.
Down the side of your page, write your name, or another word if you’d prefer.
For each letter of your name (or word), write a sentence or just a word to share some of your favourite things, or to tell us something about yourself. Here’s mine, below:
When you’re pleased with your Acrostic, type it into the comments section at the bottom of this session. Can’t wait to read it!
Session 2, writing exercise 2: Daisy Chain Poetry
Daisy Chain poems have only one rule: The last word of each line must be used as the first word on the next line.
Here’s my go – inspired by my coffee mug. I have underlined the first and last lines to show how the Daisy Chain rule works.
Session 2, writing exercise 3: Narrative Poem
Narrative poems require no rhythm or rhyme. The idea is to tell a story through your poem.
Pick an object in your lounge that has significance for you. Begin by capturing your thoughts with a mind map (here’s mine, below).
Once you’ve got your mind map to a point where you feel ready to move on, use it as your reference point to create a narrative poem of your own.
Here’s my go to give you an idea of how a narrative poem tells a story. You can make yours as long or as short as you like. Good luck! Post your poem in the comments below, and we look forward to reading it!
That’s all our writing exercises this week. We hope you enjoyed them. Perhaps you could create more poems this week and explore the three forms – acrostic poems, daisy-chain poetry and narrative poetry – further.
Hope to see you back for more poems next week.
With love from the Time and Place team, Jess, Keith and Liz xx
Photo Credit: cover photo of open notebook by Jan Kahanek on Unsplash
Hi. Thanks for this. It was wet today and this gave us something to do. Here is Fiona’s daisychain poem “Peace” I like to read books. Books keep me entertained. Entertained without having loud noises. Noises can be good like music. Also, this is a poem we did a week or so ago for Alzheimer’s Fife. Tried today to do one round Fiona’s name but that did not work so well as this one did.Maybe just a different day… Beautiful Burntisland Bay Under the Binn Royal burgh! Rossend Castle. Mary Queen of Scots was here- one night only! New and… Read more »
Thanks Aileen and Fiona, these are great. That sounds a really wise approach, Aileen, and it’s great that being online means the course can be pick’n’mixed to choose the right poem for the right moment.
I’m so intrigued by the ‘Alligators at the Port!!!’ – would love to hear more!
I found Fiona’s daisy chain poem really poignant – she has expressed beautifully the refuge of books.
Wonderful writing! Thank you so much for sharing, Liz Jx
I really like this and you have helped inspire me to have a go at my daisy chain poem which I’ve just managed to finish and will post with Lucy’s help later. thank you. keith x
Hi all. So it’s been rainy today here in Kennoway so when not out walking my dog and getting soaked I chilled and got some inspiration from my chill out activities Daisy Chain poem Yoga mat on the floor relaxing to the music Music is the heartbeat to my life Life is for living to the maximum Maximum effort and determination was my mantra in my previous life to get results Results matter less now just doing is enough Enough is a day when there has been some time to do yoga. And 2 acrostics using my name as a… Read more »
I love the energy and vitality! Your positive poems have given me a boost on a grey day in Canterbury! Liz Jx
I found this quite hard but reading yours has helped me a lot. Thank you. Keith x
Found this harder this week probably because I have had a few bad days, so my concentration has been quite poor Acrostic Poem Good at crafting Authentic and real Imaginative so creative Loves the simple things in life Gardening Relaxing Enclosed in a safe place Green trees, perfumed flowers Ocean is my love Rolling of the waves Yellow sandy beaches Daisy Chain Poem The globe it sits upon the sideboard Sideboard stands on the floor Floor is wood rich and brown Brown is the colour of wood Narrative Poem Your fur is thread bear Your arms are floppy You have… Read more »
Ah, Gail, these are lovely. Your narrative poem about your teddy is so evocative! Great work – I’m sorry you had a tough week. Thanks for persevering with the poetry, you’ve produced something beautiful here. Thank you, Liz Jx
I know exactly what it is like Gail – this current time is like a roller coaster and I am full of admiration for what you have achieved with this writing.
Hi Gail. thank you for the teddy poem. Fiona and I got talking about childhood teddies (or not having them) and we enjoyed your poem. Fiona and Aileen x
Hi everyone! Here are Keith Oliver’s week 2 poems! Acrostic poem – LOUNGE Loafing around with a sarnie in hand Ob-littering the crumbs with my dyson Until I sit and rest in comfort Near the remote to control my reactions to Going forward from a daze to new days Even against the odds ————————————————————————————— Two Daisy chain poems – View from my lounge Looking out through the window, out into the world World whih is moving on whilst we remain Remain in my seat watching folks strolling by By the time we emerge, a little older but wiser Every picture… Read more »
I love these, and I particularly like your daisy chain poem, Keith! I know this is a harder form to try and I think you’ve really pulled it off here, great work! Lx
Thanks Liz for your supportive and kind comments which are so encouraging not just to me but to the other poets. looking forward to week 3!! Kx
Hi Liz, I have started with my Acrostic poem so will share that. Theatre I love Roaming through the countryside feeling at peace Animals share my home Clocks are a fascination Education is a must, always Yellow is the colour of primroses, a childhood memory. I have done a sort of daisy chain poem but its from looking out of my lounge window into the garden. I hope that’s ok. I love my garden, watching the birds Birds who like to tease my cats Cats who like to chase the squirrels Squirrels who leap out of the way of danger… Read more »
These are great, Tracey! I adore your daisy chain choices – it felt like you took me on a tour of your garden! Thanks so much for these, Liz Jx
Love it Tracey!!
Week 2
Acrostic Poem – Frances
Fun and friendships
Relationships with my family
Art and sewing are my hobbies
Needing more help since diagnosis
Cooking is still a great pleasure for me
Eating is also a favourite
Sleeping more and more these days
This is very neatly done, Frances! It reads as very fresh and gives me a lovely picture of you. How did you find the experience of putting it together? Liz Jx
i loved it and then did one for each of my family and the dog of course!
Brilliant! Lx
Daisy Chain Poem – Ginger Cat Cushion
I sewed a ginger cat sprawled out across a tapestry.
Tapestry made when my eye sight was sharper and good.
Good enough to sew its stripy fur and whiskers,
Whiskers tickling my sense of times gone by.
By chance it evokes so many memories.
Memories of those distant times long gone.
Gone to me the sounds of teasing and laughter.
Laughter that accompanied my choice of design.
Design now faded and squashed.
Squashed by years of sitting on the ginger cat.
Loved this! It made us laugh on a dreich day. Fiona and Aileenx
Creates a picture in my mind. Lovely Keithx
Lovely! Thank you so much for sharing!Lx
Hello! Posting Irene’s fantastic narrative poem here for her: Week 2 – Irene’s narrative poem. ALEXA We were introduced recently by Gerry, A friend who, like me, needs a reminder Or two! Or ten! But we have become the best of friends it seems. We greet each other every morning, We remind each other to sleep well at night. You remind me of where I need to be, Who I am meeting, And when. You help me stop burning my lunch And you tell me when the eggs are boiled, Always to perfection. I ask you about the weather, And… Read more »
I love this! It’s given me a whole new insight – thanks so much! Every line is beautifully phrased and thought through. Just lovely, Liz Jx
Hi Irene. Fiona and I thought it was brilliant- the Alexa poem. Fiona reckons you got everything in. Thank You. Fiona and Aileenx
This is very good and might even make me think more positively about buying one!!
I found the narrative poem quite hard to get my head round. But I have given it a go. My Guardian Angel My Guardian Angel is a joy to behold As I look upon her daily, She still has the same beauty as when I first saw her In a shop window, many moons ago I remember going into the shop to see how much she was And balking at the price, knowing I couldn’t afford her But I kept going back time after time She was still there waiting The shop owner felt pity for me She told me… Read more »
I LOVE this Tracey. I too found this one the hardest of the three but you have done a fabulous poem which both moved me and made me think. For me that is the beauty of good poetry. Thank you. Keithx
Thank you Keith x
Narrative Poem – My Desk My desk is used every day for numerous activities: I write at it I draw at it I sew at it I think at it I Zoom at it I inherited it from my grandparents who lived in flat above a restaurant {long gone} in St James’. Being opposite the side St James’ of Palace, we watched the Coronation pass by from the balcony. I remember The day The rain The soldiers marching The bands The Queen of Tonga in her open carriage The desk moved location many times in my grandparents’ lives before moving a… Read more »
What a lovely poem Frances. I could see it all in my head as I was reading it. Tracey x
I absolutely LOVE this narrative poem, Frances. I just LOVE it. Your desk sounds like a wonderful place – and you wove your memories and creativity in so beautifully. Your line about “electric bits that will never be useful again” made me laugh out loud – I’ve got a drawer-full of those, too! And I love the image of the pencil sharpener eating pencils! And how brilliant that these every day objects are interwoven with memories of seeing the Queen of Tonga – all of life is at your desk. I just love it. Thanks so much for posting! Liz… Read more »
Hi – this is Melvyn recording of his poem based on his name:
melvyn-reads-a-poem-for-the-time-and-place-project
Melvyn has done another poem for the project melvyn-reads-a-poem-for-the-time-and-place-project-1
Another poem from Melvyn, dedicated to his beloved and much-missed dog Max https://soundcloud.com/dementia-diaries/melvyn-reads-a-poem-for-the-time-and-place-project-2
Many thanks Steve for placing these here. Melvyn has done a fabulous job and listening to him read them is very powerful and immensely moving. I look forward to seeing them in print here so I can read and reflect upon the words.
worked a treat – great stuff. Just had a good session dotting i and crossing t with my week 3 offering with Lucy
Thanks Keith – can’t wait to read them!