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I'm not going to beat around the bush.
I'm just going to come right out and say it.
Okay?
Okay.
Here it is:
I saw a completely black woolly bear.
I am not kidding.
Now, I know all about woolly bear folklore... the whole 13 segments, one for each week of winter (OK, well, that's just hogwash - around here we definitely have more than 13 weeks of winter!), and how a lot of black at the front means early winter will be harsh, and a lot of black toward the hindquarters means the end of winter will be harsh (and if you don't know which end is which, well, you're just going to have to figure that one out on your own :)), and generally you want a nice wide band of brown because the brown means mild.
So I'm thinking an all black woolly bear is either a true pessimist, or is having a Halloween trick on us a bit late (or just hasn't changed out of his Dementor costume yet), or really likes dark chocolate and is campaigning for world wide recognition of a National Dark Chocolate Rules Day.I think I'd like to vote for number 3 :)
But I do not think it is a harbinger of a serious, cold, snow-filled winter, because unlike our friend the black woolly bear, I am not a pessimist :)
(I also really like the word harbinger... it's fun to say! But I digress...)
Now that I've come up with a very clever way to sneak in a picture of a woolly bear because I think they're really cute AND we're all on the same page about how we will most certainly not be having a Little House In The Big Woods type of winter, let's warm up with something Short & Sweet, shall we?
Remember (because it's been a couple weeks and you might have forgotten) - Short & Sweets are meant to be fun and quick. No agonizing! Just write!
Okay, ready?
First...
Pick a holiday, any holiday.
Of course Halloween, Veterans Day, Thanksgiving, Christmas, Hanukkah, National Deviled Eggs Day (no I did NOT make that up - it's November 2 - you can check!), Kwanzaa, Make Your Own Head Day (November 28th if you've never celebrated before) etc. are clearly foremost in our minds right now, but I hope some of you free spirits will dance to your own tune and pick National Gum Drop Day (February 15) or Easter or Look Up At The Sky Day (April 14), or maybe Sidewalk Egg Frying Day (the lesser know July 4th holiday) or Ear Muff Day (March 13) :)
Okay.
Got your holiday?
Write down the name of your holiday.
Now, write down
- something you see on that holiday
- something you smell on that holiday
- something you hear on that holiday
- something you taste on that holiday
- something you touch on that holiday
Then write down the name of the holiday one last time.
Guess what?
You just wrote a holiday poem!
And maybe it will be even more than that and give you a great idea for a story! (Or at least your PiBoIdMo idea for the day if you're participating in that festival of inspiration and frivolity as I most certainly am!)
I'll give you an example. Remember... short... sweet... off the top of our heads here (because let's be honest - I used up most of my available time rambling on about woolly bears :))
Christmas
Delicate ribbons of tinsel shimmering silver and gold
Spicy pine breathing the outside in
Joy To The World singing clear to a starry sky
Bright peppermint, cool and sweet, and
Peace On Earth warming every heart
Christmas
So, are you ready? Get set... WRITE!!!
Please share your holiday poem in the comments so we can all admire them and become inspired for a whole week of great writing!
Also, if you have a word you love to say (like harbinger, or maybe Terpsichore or multitudinous, please share that as well! :))
I can't wait to read your Holiday poems! I hope someone picks Race Your Mouse Day (May 28th)!
(P.S. I will announce the winner of the October Pitch Pick on Wednesday during Would You Read It!)
