We were given a jumble of words and asked to create a poem.
Purple, Kiss, Drooping, Gourd, Hook, Staircase, Extract, Glossy, Pluck, Muddy, Doll, Bitter
This is what happened for me. Get over to Big Tent Poetry and sample other poets, too! Amy
TEDDY BEAR
Every bedtime
One kiss for me, one for Ted
So much more than a doll
The biggest bear of all time
(or so it seemed)
His fur a muddy brown
Eyes a bittersweet chocolate hue
My girl would pluck Ted from the couch
and drag him drooping up the staircase (thunk, thunk)
Now Ted resides in my writing space
beside an 8×10 glossy of the daughter
who’s brilliant and sometimes out of her gourd and
hooked on art – like her mom
Sometimes, when I miss her much
(she having extracted herself to the West Coast)
Ted and I sit on the big purple blanket
talk it over
and have ourselves a good little cry
© 2010 Amy Barlow Liberatore
Sharp Little Pencil 
Laurie Kolp
Lovely poem, Amy. I am always so astounded on how we all come up with such a variety of poems using the same words.
Sharp Little Pencil
I agree, Laurie. Some were so deep, haunting, and some like birthday cake! Noticing a lot of family memories conjured up at this Wordle. Never cared for the form before this, but the words called out to me. Thanks! Peace, Amy
Robin
Amy, I love this as only another mother of grown children can. Wonderful. I have a few of my son and daughter’s childhood loves in my writing studio — one a bear/turtle (“beartle”) my daughter made for me, a turtle shell on a bear body, a peace symbol embroidered onto his paw. Thank you for writing this!
Sharp Little Pencil
Robin, thanks for connecting with this. Yes, it’s hard missing them, but they always leave enough “totems” behind to cheer us. Actually, speaking of the beartle, we have a pig/kitty (crocheted by a friend) we call Porkitty!
Thanks so much for visiting, Robin! Amy
Christopher
I wandered around your jazz sites too, got the lay of the land. You sing very well m’dear. It is one of the heartbreaks of my later years. I was in a chorale run out of a local junior college but the members were basically professional. The group specializes in Estonian music for the very good reason that Eesti musicians stand alone on the planet and their music is amazing. I had to give it up because my instrument has become uncontrollable. My breathing sucks from allergies and asthma that have returned this late in life. I still fool with the keyboard and own three guitars.
Sharp Little Pencil
Thank you so much, Christopher. A man for all seasons, you are! That’s quite a niche, Estonian music. I had to give up clubs because I inhaled too much cig smoke (jazz/piano bar) and by the time NYS became smoke-free, I was in the “whatever” mode. Now I only do MY songs, in intimate settings, with the poss. of recording more originals than are on the first CD. The next CD, if I can raise the money through sale of chapbooks, will be 100% original music and lyrics. Sorry about your asthma; I sympathize. It’s like losing a child, losing your voice…
S.E.Ingraham
Very cool – I agree with Laurie – so interesting how we all come up with such very different poems – I was thinking you would be interested in something my daughter took part in last night; my eldest, the one with
the voice and the child? She sang back-up for a band called Samandriel – heavy-metal with operatic vocals as they dropped an new CD, Awakening – very neat – she’s classically trained as is the lead vocalist who is one of her best friends (and the harmonies are mind-blowing) and I got to take care of the littlest head-banger Jack so his Dad could go witness Mommy singing …
Sharp Little Pencil
Sharon, the different takes on this prompt did surprise me, too! Some were absolutely sexy, some giddy, some nostalgic, some dark… I loved every one! Thanks for dropping by! A
Mary
Amy, how wonderful that you still have Ted even though your daughter has moved. I am sure Ted misses her as much as you do. Glad that you now have each other to cry with once in a while!
Sharp Little Pencil
Yes… it’s so true; having Ted is like having a bit of Riley with me always. Just yesterday she called with a dilemma (and she’s 3,000 miles away) that I couldn’t help her with, except from this distance, doing some computer research. In the middle of the night, I went into my “room of one’s own.” dragged Ted off his little stool (where he sits with a smaller bear in his lap for company), and all three of us had a good old weep session. Just me, Ted, and Tiny Bear! Thanks, Mary. I value your input so much. Peace, Amy
derrick2
Lovely recollections of Ted and your daughter. It must be nice if/when the words immediately sing out.
Sharp Little Pencil
I’ve never had that response to a Wordle, mind you. Usually (perhaps because of my manic depression), they dance in front of me, taunting, and I lose patience! I think it was focusing on the words “muddy” and “drooping” that got me. Funny how that works! Thanks for visiting, Derrick. Ted says hi! Amy
EKSwitaj
awww, my sister had a bear like that
Sharp Little Pencil
And I’ll bet your mom ended up keeping it in HER house, ha ha. Glad I was able to bring back a nice memory. Wasn’t this Wordle diverse in its responses? Amy
Leo (Leonnyes)
Amy, this was sad in a way.. when we go away from home, our parents keep something near for it gives them bittersweet memories I think.. and I seem to be overdoing that word bittersweet today too 😛
Lovely take on the wordle.. thanks for stopping by mine earlier 🙂
Sharp Little Pencil
Thanks to you as well, Leo. Yes, it is sad for a time when you have an empty nest… although, as one of three sisters, I think by the time I left, they were actually rather relieved to be able to use the bathroom again, LOL.
You can never over-use the word Bittersweet, Leo. Especially because it’s a type of chocolate! Peace and Cadbury bars, Amy
Amanda
This almost made me cry with 2 girls 16 and 19 they are almost ready to fly …….darn it! this was sooo sweet!
Sharp Little Pencil
Wait til they leave… your tears will rival the parting of the Red Sea. But then, you’ve got the best years right about now, I think. The years that will end up making you good friends as well as their mom! Thanks, Amanda (and keep a lookout for your favorite stuffed animals they leave behind!) Amy
Cara Holman
Amy– isn’t that so true. The kids grow up and leave home, and we are left with the teddy bears (and in my case, also Strawberry Shortcake doll, beanie babies, and My Little Pony). Hmm…
Great to see you on Big Tent Poetry!
Sharp Little Pencil
And thank God for those teddies! Riley’s still smells just a bit like her, and it’s so comforting! Thanks, Cara… Peace, Amy
Jingle
I am working on placing your link to Jingle Poetry blog roll,
I have been occupied by so many stuff, sorry for being late. it will appear within a week.
your poetry rocks.
keep it coming…
write a poem related to 7 sins, link to our potluck today.
Thanks for the support.
Sharp Little Pencil
Will link my seven sins poem later; I’ve been working on it!! Thanks for all your support, and I love you poetry as much as your creating poetic community! Amy