Summer Short And Sweets - Week 5

Woo-hoo!  Time for Summer Short & Sweets! :)

badge created by Loni Edwards

I am so happy it's Friday!  Visiting colleges is tons of fun but also tiring and all those donuts that driving is not good for my fitness.  I am learning things, though.  Do you know what the smallest private college in the United States is?  Apparently that distinction belongs to Alaska Bible College with an enrollment of 38 students.  Who knew?  I hope you all feel as enriched by that little tidbit as I do.  We will not be visiting Alaska Bible College (our loss I'm sure) but I cannot possibly put up with Jo-Jilly for that long of a drive!

So let's have some fun, shall we?  Let's see what we can think up today...

First, choose an emotion.  Just in case you can't think of any, here are a few:

Interest, politeness, surprise, anger, annoyance, contempt, disgust, irritation, serenity, relief, relaxation, contentment, calmness, anxiety, embarrassment, fear, helplessness, powerlessness, worry, courage, hope, pride, satisfaction, trust, doubt, envy, frustration, guilt, shame, affection, empathy, friendliness, love, boredom, despair, disappointment, hurt, sadness, amusement, delight, elation, stress, shock, tension, excitement, happiness, joy, pleasure...

Got one?

Second, choose an animal that emotion makes you think of - either similar or opposite - but you can also go random and see what you come up with :)  Again, a list for anyone who's feeling uninspired :)

Aardvark, anteater, badger, beaver, camel, cat, chimpanzee, cow, deer, donkey, gazelle, gorilla, hamster, hippo, horse, jaguar, kangaroo, lamb, lion, lynx, mink, moose, monkey, opossum, ox, ocelot, polar bear, porcupine, pony, porpoise, puppy, raccoon, rhinoceros, ram, salamander, squirrel, skunk, tiger, turtle, toad, walrus, warthog, wolf, wombat, yak, zebra...

Got one?

Okay.  Here's what we're going to do:

1. Pick an adjective that compares/relates/associates your animal to your emotion (e.g. if you chose angry and cat, you might choose hissing, spitting, or twitchy for your adjective)
2. Write an action filled phrase describing how the animal moves (e.g. if you chose cat you might say slinking, slitted eyes shifting suspiciously)
3. Write a phrase telling where the animal lives (e.g. if you chose monkey you might say in the crown of the rainforest)
4. Write a phrase that either tells readers why the animals acts the way it does, or possibly how others react to it (e.g. if you're writing about an angry monkey you might say screeching for the baboon's banana)

Put it all together like this:

Emotion
is [a/an/the] adjective from #1  animal
action filled phrase from #2
phrase telling where animal lives from #3
phrase telling why animal acts that way or how others react to it from #4

and you have a) a short poem and b) great practice in simile/metaphor!

Here's mine for satisfaction and cat

Satisfaction
is a purring cat
curled warm and soft
on a noontime windowsill,
soaking up sunshine because she can.

Here's another for bewilderment and penguin

Bewilderment
is a tuxedoed penguin
tiptoeing tentatively
at the icy ocean's edge
wondering where his dinner dove.

How about one for shame and snail?

Shame
is a slump-shouldered snail
creeping, head down,
in the shadow of the stone wall
hoping to escape scrutiny.

The fact that I have barely been home for two weeks, I'm cross-eyed from driving, and I've been dulled into a creative stupor by innumerable college info sessions and tour guide spiels should make you all feel very brave about attempting this because you can be sure whatever you write will not be the worst thing up here - I have helpfully put my own attempts in that place of dishonor :)

Now you try!  Not only will you be sharpening your simile/metaphor skills, perhaps you will inspire a story - for yourself or someone else - or perhaps you'll read someone else's and get a great idea!  Do as many as you want - they're totally fun!  I can't wait to read what you come up with!!!

Of course, as I will be driving home from Ohio, which is very far away, I will probably not get to read your sterling work until late sniffle sniff...  But that's just more to look forward to :)

Have a great weekend everyone!!! :)  And remember, if you want to be eligible for Short & Sweet prizes, you must submit at least one entry for each SS&S week's prompt.  Please see HERE for full details!  So far, 44 people have done at least one, but only a dedicated 9 have done all 4 to date... in case you were wondering :)