It's Poetry Friday and if you are keen to find out more then slide across to this week's generous host Bridget Magee's blog site http://www.weewordsforweeones.com/ . Here you'll discover exactly what a host of poets are presently exploring and sharing. Be curious- learn lots!
This week I'm looking at you and me and that person over there. It's all about us!
When it comes to writing poems about people, it is difficult to know where to start. To write a poem about a person requires you to closely observe your subject with a keen eye for detail.
You must also consider your feelings about them and then try to express those feeling and observations in the best possible way. Some of that detail may be about physical appearance, some stand out feature, maybe what they wear.
You will most certainly consider their personality and particular qualities the person displays- both good and not so good. When we write in this way we are trying to create an impression of that person based on the available evidence. People are a fascination too hard to resist...
So, I now share with you, three poems (sometimes called Portrait Poems) concerning people, or maybe some poems about concerning people. You can decide for yourself.
Shirley Hurley
Shirley Hurley
Hair quite curly
Starts her morning
Bright and early
Shirley Hurley
Never surly
Rides into the city’s hurly burly
Into the city
Shirley ventures
Passing folk
Asleep on benches
She rides her bicycle
Rings her bell
Passers by
Wish her well
To the factory
Shirley’s winging
Arrives for work
Cheerfully singing
Shirley dons her uniform
And every day
She does perform
Makes her workmates cups of tea
And each day
Does it happily
Shirley Hurley
Hair quite curly
Starts her morning
Bright and early.
© Alan j Wright
Wishy Washy Norman
Norman declined to state his position
So when issues rose
He had no opposition
Local or global
Small or immense
Norman preferred
To sit on the fence
There he sat perched
Atop the palings
His lack of commitment
Among his myriad failings.
© Alan j Wright
Feeling Chipper
Rhonda serves me
Fish and chips
Serves them up with edgy quips
Salt and vinegar on her lips
She smiles across the counter
Rhonda works
For Fisherman Pete
Fish and chips and lots of heat
All day standing on her feet
While frying smells surround her
Rhonda works there
Through the week
Gives the orders quite a tweak
Never mild, never meek
I’m rather fond of Rhonda
Rhonda fries potato cakes
Scallops, croquettes, all it takes
Among the many things she makes
They all go in her fryer
A streak of batter in her hair
Rhonda doesn’t seem to care
She dips the flake, the cooker’s flare
Rhonda’s always chipper.
© Alan j Wright
Poems About Us
Delightful wordplay about three unique characters, Alan. I think I quite like Shirley Hurley best though. We need people who are "cheerfully singing" and are never "surly" despite the "hurly burly" world. Thanks for the smiles. : )
ReplyDeleteThank you Bridget. Shirley is a delightful character . Glad you enjoyed the wordplay and pleased my poems about people brought a smile.
DeleteWhat a trio! Like Bridget, I love cheerful Shirley - but fence-sitting Norman reminded me of people I know :)
ReplyDeleteThank you Sally. Yes, Norman is reminiscent of people we all know. We need more people like Shirley without a doubt.
DeleteThanks for this fun start to my morning! I feel like I know these characters.
ReplyDeleteHappy to provide a fun start to your morning Rose and I'm pleased my characters have some familiarity to them. Such an observation is reassuring.
DeleteEnjoyed meeting these poem people, Alan. I think Rhonda is my fave because I love fish and chips. :) Thanks for the fun poems.
ReplyDeleteAh Jama, we are all influenced by our experienced and preferences and Rhonda's fish and chips are quite compelling. Glad you had fun reading about my people...
DeleteEnjoyed this, Alan. It is tricky to write a person, yet you succeeded! Three times! Thanks!
ReplyDeleteThank you Karen. Your feedback is appreciated.
DeleteWell, I 'think' I know who you love best, especially around lunch or dinner time. I do like the observations about Shirley Hurley from on her way to while she's there, at work! It would be fun to write a series of all kinds of people going to work. Thanks for these, Alan, yes, another kind of observation!
ReplyDeleteYour idea of a collection of poems about people going to and about their work has lots to recommend it Linda. An interesting thought... It is as you say another kind of observation and poetry thrives on this as we know. As a child I loved fish and chips. The smell was so alluring and the taste irresistible. As an adult, I rarely eat them any more. Still find the smell quite tempting. My Grandson was eating them the other day and tried very hard to tempt me. I remained strong. Next time? who knows...
DeleteAlan, your take on life and its inhabitants are keen but your use of rhythm and rhyme bring your characters to life. I enjoyed your three characters. I know people who are on the fence. Not sure why they stay there.
ReplyDeleteCarol, I appreciate your observations and I am pleased you found enjoyment in meeting my three diverse characters. I think some people sit on the fence out of fear of making a mistake. They haven't quite got the confidence to adopt a 'who dares wins' approach to life.
DeleteFun! :-)
ReplyDeleteIndeed it was certainly fun to write about these individuals. So, if it was fun to read, I am most fortunate to have you read about them Ruth.
DeleteAlan, these are such fun to read - can't help smiling at the personalities. Well, except for Norman. I feel he's missing out on life.
ReplyDeleteThanks Fran. Glad my words brought a smile, well mostly. I agree with you Norman is missing out on life. Poor Norman...
DeleteThese are a delight, Alan! I especially love the line "salt and vinegar on her lips." Your word play always brings a smile to mine!
ReplyDeleteThanks Molly. I'm glad you like my wordplay efforts. I practice it in my daily life and my wife has now endured it for more than thirty years. I find it difficult to suppress the urge at times. Dad joke territory cross over me thinks...
DeleteThese are such fun! I love all the Shirley Hurely curly hurly burly rhymes!
ReplyDeleteThanks Liz. Glad you enjoyed the rhyme time.
DeleteWhat a wonderful group of people poems. I actually used to work with someone named Shirley Hurley. She wasn't quite as fun as your Shirley Hurley :)
ReplyDeleteThank you Kimberly. It's good to know my Shirley is a sunny soul.
DeleteOh, I love these! Shirley and Norman and Rhonda are full of life! What a wonderful topic for poems. You always inspire us to work on something new. I'm off to write some people poems!
ReplyDeleteSo glad you like my people poems Linda. Each of us play a role in encouraging the exploration of new and exciting possibilities among our peers. I read, I learn and I experiment, while remaining ever grateful to you and others for the rich offerings that present themselves in this community of poets. A community of give and take when fertile ideas present.
ReplyDelete