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Careerhymes- Light Verse & Rhyme


I am grateful to fellow poet,  Laura Purdie Salas for alerting me to the work of J Patrick Lewis last week.  In my quest to discover more, I uncovered the fact that as a poet, J Patrick Lewis invented a light verse form he called, 'Careerhymes.' 

When writing this form, you need to be aware that the occupation must appear in the first line. It is, as the name implies, a rhyming form.

Here is an example of Careerhyme
Computer Geek: A square, a nerd

A rather anti-social bird

Who keeps a mouse; a devotee

Of virtual reality.

J Patrick Lewis

I found myself rising to the challenge. I love new forms of poetry and the chance to explore new possibilities, so I went for it. I urge you to focus on a new career...


Grave Digger: Earth mover for a burial plot

Who digs the final resting spot

Six feet down they dig that shaft

Practicing an ancient craft.

Alan j Wright


Painter: Surface performer, colours galore

Inside, outside, ceiling, walls and floor

Coats of paint, freshly applied

Brushes, rollers, smoothly glide.

Alan j Wright


It is once again Poetry Friday! 
This week our host is Laura Shovan. This week Laura is writing about families- found and adopted. She also highlights Laura Purdie Salas's new book,  Finding Family: The Duckling Raised by Loons — the true story of a mallard duckling adopted by a loon pair. The story is told in spare, poetic free verse filled with sound-play and the calls of lake creatures. Please be curious...



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Comments

  1. Bridget Magee3 February 2023 at 20:51

    Thanks for sharing your exploration into JPL fun form, Alan. Your Grave Digger poem is spot on - I see no grave mistakes. ;)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Alan J Wright3 February 2023 at 21:27

      Thanks Bridget. Love the punny response.

      Delete
  2. JoAnn Early Macken4 February 2023 at 01:00

    I enjoy J. Patrick Lewis's poems, and I wasn't familiar with this form--thanks for passing it on! I'm also playing around with humorous verse. Yours are nicely concise while including plenty of specific details--and fun!

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    Replies
    1. Alan j Wright4 February 2023 at 11:17

      My pleasure JoAnn. I shall come and see your humourous verse.

      Delete
  3. Linda B4 February 2023 at 02:28

    I know J. Patrick Lewis's work but don't remember these, Alan. Your 'new' ones make me smile, and now want the challenge. Yes! to be curious!

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    Replies
    1. Alan j Wright4 February 2023 at 11:18

      Glad you want to take up the challenge, Linda. I feel pleased to have presented something new.

      Delete
  4. Carol Varsalona4 February 2023 at 06:41

    Alan, I have met and emailed J. Patrick Lewis. He is a charming man with a good humor. I have never seen his careerhymes so thanks for sharing them and creating your own. The grave digger poem is a great example of terse verse. For my PF blog, I wrote a poem using a tline from your poem, "Wish You Were Here". Thanks for your lovely line.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Alan j Wright4 February 2023 at 11:21

      You are well versed on J Patrick Lewis, Carol. Glad you appreciated the Grave Digger poem. I look forward to seeing your post..

      Delete
  5. laurasalas4 February 2023 at 13:35

    I'm delighted you're enjoying Pat's work! Love your careerhymes--especiallly your gravedigger one. And that made me think of Last Laughs, by Pat and Jane Yolen. I think that's what it's called. A picture book collaboration of all epitaphs. I think there are two collections, in fact.

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    Replies
    1. Alan j Wright5 February 2023 at 13:39

      I made this discovery on the basis of your alert Laura, so I am most grateful. Glad you liked the Gravedigger poem. Will check out your 'Last Laughs' alert as well. I certainly know Jane Yolen and have several of her books. Thank you yet again.

      Delete
  6. Patricia Franz4 February 2023 at 16:04

    Such fun! I'm a big Lewis fan and have been gobbling up many of his books. Such a master! Really love your Painter -- especially "surface peformer".

    ReplyDelete
  7. Alan j Wright5 February 2023 at 13:41

    Thank you Patricia. Glad you had some fun while reading these poems. Glad also that you picked on the intentional wordplay of 'surface performer.' J Patricck Lewis is certainly prolific in his publishing of poetry.

    ReplyDelete
  8. Anonymous6 February 2023 at 11:04

    This is a form that is new to me. It looks like fun. Now what career do I want to consider?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Alan J Wright6 February 2023 at 11:50

      The world awaits your words! Have fun with this new poetry format.

      Delete
  9. author amok10 February 2023 at 08:42

    My mom has been a painter my whole life, Alan. I'm going to share your clever careerhyme with her.

    ReplyDelete
  10. Anonymous12 March 2023 at 01:58

    Susan T. here. These are fun, Alan. I'm going to have to try out these Careerhymes, too. You've got the knack!

    ReplyDelete

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