I’ve been head down working on a verse novel, having set myself  a goal of finishing the current draft by the end of the month.  I love the feeling of knowing it’s almost there after a lot of struggle to bring together three different voices to highlight a little piece of history I feel is important.

This week, though, I found time to browse in my local bookshop and felt compelled to pick up a little red book called 500 Beautiful Words You Should Know.

I guess it’s no surprise that I was attracted to a book about words, but it surprised me how much I straight away wanted to read the book, cover to cover. It’s clever. each word is accompanied by a paragraph or two with a definition, discussion of its origins and examples of usage. this could be quite dry and dull, but it’s done in a way I  find entertaining. And the words themselves are delightful, thought provoking and/or amusing ranging from quite common words to ones less known.

At home I was inspired to see if I could work some of these words into my poetry but, when my notebook came out, I found myself instead challenged to use the words as titles. Could I write poems each using one of these words as the title, and the poem itself inspired by its meaning? I’m trying not to simply define the words, but to think a little outside the box.  I’m not sure I’ll write 500 of these little poetic snippets, but I’m having fun with the prompt and the challenge, dipping in to the book until I find a word that inspires me and then writing a short response. Here’s my first  three.

 

Accost

How could you? I ask

How dare you?

But the person

in the mirror

does not reply.

How can I?

(Sally Murphy, 2022)

 

Imprimatur

Mwah!

Sloppy toddler kiss

gives approval

for Granny’s baking.

(Sally Murphy, 2022)

 

And lastly, this one, inspired by  my recent desire to write about  jellyfish. The video that follows (which I have shared here before) might help explain the poem.

Bagatelle

Drifting

above sandy floors

and rocky shallows

at first you seem

just a  blob of jelly

but then you twist

and tiny party lights

show your hidden talents.

(Sally Murphy, 2022)

 

I’m off to get that novel draft finished, but there’ll be some more writing inspired by 500 Beautiful Words in my near future. I’m also ready to check out the Poetry Friday Roundup. You’ll find it here.