Kate Williams

Hmm, what lovely Bank Holiday weather – not!  

But no matter! Let’s attack it, stare it in the face, scoop it up and jump right over it with this simple little word game. It’s actually a poem as well as a game – an exciting one brimming with poetic techniques like onomatopoeia and imagery – but you needn’t bother with all that. Just tick the boxes and they’ll all be there.

So, first, what can you hear? If your weather’s anything like ours here in S. Wales, UK, the wind and rain are beating at the windows, sending miserable tears rolling down the panes.  So that’s a sound for starters – 

beating… 

And now I can hear whining, moaning, howling, tapping…

whimpering, snarling, sniggering, pattering, glugging (there’s a drain just outside). 

Maybe you can hear roaring and hammering, bashing, smashing, howling and hissing. It’s not quite that violent here, but everyone’s experience will be different.  Perhaps you have a steady drum beat, or the sound of pushing and shoving, or just a feathery, delicate whisper, or maybe a high-pitched whistle.

Whatever your sound words, jot them down, then add the little word – like:

beating like
whimpering like
snarling like
pattering like…

Like what, exactly?  This is where the fun hots up!

Beating like an impatient rap at the door, perhaps,
whimpering like a dismal coward,
snarling like… 

but you’ll have your own ideas flowing by now, or if you’re helping a youngster, you’ve got plenty in mind now to prompt and prod them with. 

Wow! Look at that! Just see what a powerful poem you’ve created! And if your child did it, you’ll be bowled over. So will they!

But now, for an extra-sophisticated poem, take out some of those likes and replace them with dashes or colons. That way you can strip down your similes into stark, raw, super-expressive metaphors.

beating – an impatient rap at the door / beating: an impatient rap…

Read as you edit, listening to the rhythm. Some lines might sound better with the like left in, particularly if the following phrase is short:

snarling like a beast
snarling – a lurking, lip-smacking beast.

Title? You can choose that. 

An illustration would absolutely make it, so brace yourself for one more look at that grim, gloomy view, then grab up the crayons and shape and get shaping and shading your impression in your mind’s eye.

Share! Do send me your creations, or single-word thoughts, either here or via Twitter @Katypoet.

This is actually a great day for cosy indoor fun.

Enjoy!

Kate

PS: For more creative ideas, check out my other ‘Get creative’ posts, or watch/listen to a handful of my poems on YouTube:  (83) Kate Williams – YouTube

Please note that copyright of all content – text and pictures – on this page belong to me, Kate Williams – thanks!