Inspiration Finally Found

We were all a bit skittish at Wednesday's writing group zoom meeting, although there was much discussion there was little writing.

Had we lost our mojo? Or had the prompt of thinking about a memory turned us into chattering teenagers, as at least two of us pondered our school days? Crisp new uniforms and shiny shoes.

I've continued pondering...

I thought about gingham school dresses and how I still wore one at secondary school. It was on the official uniform list and my mum made me a new one in a more grown up style, but I was the only one in summery blue and white checks.

Perhaps I didn't want to grow up as fast as everyone else.

There was also some talk about PANTOUM poetry, which I had never heard of before so I googled it. This was the best illustration of how to write one.

I've decided I quite like poetic form, I like the challenge of fitting words into a defined rhythm, which is very odd because I usually hate filling in forms and I'm actually a writing outside of the box kind of girl! As ever I am complex and contrary.

Which leads us full circle to gingham dresses being slightly out of place in those early days at "big" school. Navigating puberty and all the changes that occur between being a child and growing up to be an adult. 

Eventually inspiration struck and I came up with this...

First Love

    

Clinging on to childhood

In my gingham school dress

Sunny summer days so good

No boys I want to impress

 

In my gingham school dress

Carefree days of daisy chains

No boys I want to impress

Skipping down country lanes

 

Carefree days of daisy chains

Love me - love me not

Skipping down country lanes

Childhood all forgot

 

Love me - love me not

Catch his eye, heart beats fast

Childhood all forgot

Holiday romance doesn’t last

 

Catch his eye, heart beats fast

First ever pre-teen crush

Summer romance doesn’t last

Heart all turned to mush

 

First ever pre-teen crush

Sunny summer days so good

Heart all turned to mush

Clinging on to childhood 

Another google search and I've found a list of 168 poetic forms - which could keep me going for some time...

...watch this space!

Ladybird, Ladybird

I took this photo of a shy ladybird while out walking, posting it on Facebook it received the comment "avoiding paparazzi!" and that was the start of this story...

Avoiding paparazzi was difficult for Lady who was commonly spotted in her distinctive shiny red carapace. Since the incident she’d become popular for all the wrong reasons, the story sung in rhyme over and over. Her parenting skills were questioned. How did the house fire start? Where did her children go? What of poor little Ann trapped under the frying pan? Ms Bird dodged the lens documenting “wildlife”, opened her wings and flew away home.

from my first nursery rhyme book