forward...botCH!

http://blog.imaginechildhood.com

Welcome to Day 13 of our poetry challenge, a day likely to be full of mistakes, missteps, fails and disasters.  It's "botCH" day at the Forward...MarCH Poetry CHallenge, and I welcome all comers to write the most messed-up poem you can!

Here's what I've come up with:

Big and Little in the Woods

I am the boss!

Do it my way.

To get it right

you have to watch:

Stick with a crotch.

It has to be gray.

Not too light, and

it needs a notch.

Bend it. Now stop!

Turn it this way.

You pulled too tight!

The string is popped.

Now you’ve botched it!

You should have watched it.

But it’s okay.

Maybe I might

let you try mine.

What do you say?

HM 2015

all rights reserved

*************************

What projects are you botCHing today?  Can't wait to see!

 
Mary Lee offers us some cheering advice, along with some growth mindset resources:
ADVICE

Don't be afraid to botch it,
Or you'll sit sidelined and watch it.

You might have to say, "I blew it."
But you won't find out 'til you...DO IT!


©Mary Lee Hahn, 2015

Donna is going for the Intentional Botch-Up, with the caveat that it's harder than you think:

A New Poetic Format

Can you botch up a poem?
You betcha, yes, I think you can.
Like if it is not having a rhythm and
It is not having any rhyme even

though you can, have a poem
without a rhyme
but if you cannot get it to flow;
right then maybe it is a new format

called a Botched Up Poem.
I'm not sure it is really easy to
write in the Botched Up format
I mean, it's like just saying stuff then...

I can't do it any more,
This poem's now a bore -

So -

Can you botch up a poem?
You betch-a, yes, you can.
Just ignore any rhyming
and skip all the elan.

We'd name it Botched Up Poem
a new unique format,
but if I had to write it much
I'd think "it's not all that".

I'll try it once again:

Yes you, can, botch up a poem
but you almost really have to try!
harder to botch it up
than write one that isn't.

Nope, it's too hard:

You can botch up a poem,
but it's harder than you'd think
to write a truly Botched Up one
and leave it there to stink. 

©Donna JT Smith, 2015

Kate captures the reasons why I am/was/will be again a quilter rather than a painter:

Painting the Kitchen

I get the sample at the store,
a pretty little swatch.
But when it’s on the wall at home,
it becomes a sullen blotch.
Why is paint so devious?
Why does it sneer and smear?
I tell you true that wall paint
is an easy thing to botch.

—Kate Coombs, 2015

Charles carries us across the goal line--empty-handed--in a resilience poem if I ever read one:

ALMOST

Spiraled missile punches in between my uniform numbers,

It dances around my spaghetti limbs as I try to cradle it

 Like a newborn, before slipping out of reach as I cross into

Our end zone, botching the winning touchdown.

Game over.

Shuffling back to our sideline, studying brown divots on the

Once emerald field, I feel an arm around my shoulder,

 An opposing player leans in, whispers, “I’ve been

There, man.  Happened to me 2 weeks ago. How you

 Handle this will speak volumes about who you are

As a person.”  Looking up at my teammates, coaches,

 Disappointment lines etched on their faces, I take a breath,

Roll my shoulders back, the words, “No excuses,”

Dancing in my mind.

(c) Charles Waters 2015 all rights reserved.

Joy came back around, still "writing small," with this toothsome acrostic:

Boris
Our
Terrier
Chews
Holes in my socks.

And Diane did join in on "botCH"--in fact hers was the first poem I received for today, but it was a powerful piece with mature themes that I thought best not to publish.  If you're interested, you can follow her link below to read it.

Another great day, folks!  Meet you tomorrow for lunCH!