Thursday, October 4, 2018

Day 4: _____________ and other strange animals


Just type "strange animals" into Google Images. Go on, I dare you.

The above image is just one of the "what the hecky decky is that?!" moments you will have while scrolling through the results (possibly more expletive-ridden, as in my case).

You may, however, be less inspired by things you might find on a trip to a very unusual zoo. Perhaps the first thing that this prompt called to mind for you was even Gerald Durrell's (rightly) famous (and hilarious) "My Family and Other Animals" (if you haven't read it and/or seen the TV series, you're in for a treat!). (We all love our families really, but let's face it - they're not always the easiest to look after!)


(Sorry, couldn't resist.)

Durrell deploys personification and anthropomorphism heavily in his depiction of his family as being as animalistic as the curiosities that he finds while on their travels. You may want to try similar techniques in your poem today.

You may also want to compare other things to animals - people often talk of depression as a "black dog", for example.

Suggested forms

If writing about entertaining zoo creatures or pets, then you may wish to keep your choice of form just as light-hearted - so a limerick, riddle or acrostic could work well here. Kennings - which rely on compound adjectives - are also fun.

If you want to write more seriously, reflectively, or in a detailed manner about a creature or feeling, as DH Lawrence does in his wonderful poem 'Snake', then free verse may be for you.

Word prompts

polychromatic
fright
striped
armoured
disturbed

And to finish, a quotation that might inspire you, from the actress and dancer Yvonne Craig:



Happy writing!

-- Bianca

Remember that our prompts are only suggestions - go wherever the muse takes you.
In the meantime, read other participants' poems, share the #octpowrimo hashtag on social media, and add your link to your own poem in the comments below.

57 comments:

  1. A little kitty ditty from me this morning!

    https://peacockpoetryblog.wordpress.com/2018/10/04/ebenezer-the-teaser/

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    1. That is one heartwarming poem. Can see how much you love your kitty. :)

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    2. Ah thanks Sunita! I am definitely a crazy cat lady! :)

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    3. What a lovely cat, Sam! And she sounds like a lively little one all right - I love cats m'self, I've been adopted by the stray living downstairs and I frequently get mao'd at and catted upon.

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  2. Here is my take on the prompt
    https://syncwithdeep.wordpress.com/2018/10/04/betrayal/

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  3. Day-4..Some real time experiences of meeting unknown friends.

    https://musingssurvive.blogspot.com/2018/10/the-earthy-relics.html

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  4. I'm the queen of the jungle! :)
    https://ladyleemanilablog.wordpress.com/2018/10/04/day-4-i-am-the-queen-of-the-jungle/

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  5. http://castingsuspicion.blogspot.com/2018/10/the-bruin.html

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    1. You evoke a lot of quirk and character in this poem. Thanks for sharing! :)

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    2. Well done, Ron. I liked him as soon as you wrote that he listens to Tom Waits. :)

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    3. What a character, and you describe him so well I can picture him in my mind. Lovely one!

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  6. Replies
    1. Very well written, love the rhyme here :)

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    2. That's definitely something I'd hang on my door to tell people to leave me alone. Delightful!

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  7. My offering today: https://serendipity756.wordpress.com/2018/10/04/snakes-in-the-living-room/

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    1. This is such a wonderful mix of dry humour and grace. 'Are you lost?' made me laugh out loud, and that last line, buying apples, is just perfect!

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  8. I've tried Limerick for first time. You can read it here - Lovely Pets

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  9. And as usual, I did the opposite. LoL I imagined a certain type of strange animal from a different perspective.

    http://lunaticpoet.com/octpowrimo-day-4…-strange-animals/

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    1. Jesi, for some reason I can't access your site or your poem. Could you repost the link?

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  10. Here is my link for Strange Animals prompt - Day 4

    https://poetryforhealing.com/2018/10/04/different-animals/

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    1. Well done on incorporating the prompt words into the poem, and for evoking the tension of the quarrel!

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  11. Here is my response.
    https://paeansunpluggedblog.wordpress.com/2018/10/04/my-menagerie/

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  12. Day 4: experiencewriting.com/2018/10/04/octpowrimo-day-4-the-guilty-man-and-other-animals/

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  13. Oh my goodness...so much fun...and another first..this teacher will try this one with her students! Thank you! https://talesofafamily.blog/2018/10/04/bed-bandits-and-cuddle-pirates/#more-14667

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    1. Houdini Skedaddlers! I miss hearing 'skedaddle', not heard it since I left the Appalachias!

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  14. A little something about my species. https://voxhumbugsite.com/2018/10/04/do-not-feed-the-animals-octpowrimo/

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    1. I cackled out loud at this one. Wonderful description (it's true. All of it.)

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  15. Nowhere near as good as DH Lawrence, but here's mine:

    http://biancasbookblog.blogspot.com/2018/10/octpowrimo-2018-day-4-and-other-strange.html

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    1. I really love the image of curling up like a woodlouse and launching striated armour. I really enjoyed this! Such vivid imagery!

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  16. The muse took me in a different direction today. Do read http://namysaysso.com/blog/prayer-of-a-poet/

    Prayer of A Poet @ Namysaysso

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  17. First time here. This is something that popped into my head as I was thinking about strange animals.

    https://wordcairn.wordpress.com/2018/10/04/the-beast/

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  18. Here's my Kenning -

    http://iscriblr.com/who-am-i/

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  19. Here’s my take on today’s prompts in the form of an Acrostic imaginary strange animal! :) ASPFD https://leonaslines.com/2018/10/04/aspfd-strange-october-animal/

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  20. These critters wander through, especially when there is something tasty in the compost pile for them:
    http://tao-talk.com/2018/10/04/day-4-opossum-acrostic/

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  21. Continuing to explore the style I've settled into, I came up with a poem that has two subjects (that I know of!) It's been a challenge. I am loving it.

    Title: "Boa Conscriptor"
    https://spiralartist.wordpress.com/2018/10/04/boa-conscriptor-day-four-and-other-strange-animals/

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    1. Oh *good* one, really good one. The double entendres work very well.

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    1. I really didn't want to write this today. It came out such a far cry from the lighthearted romp I originally had in mind. I apologize in advance.

      https://shukuen.blogspot.com/2018/10/octpowrimo-2018-day-4-three-caged.html

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    2. Actually this one is far more real than a lighthearted romp can ever be, and as easy as THAT makes it sound, it's actually very difficult to achieve. To not pull punches - it's perturbing, sure, but that's because you know this is happening even as I type this.

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    3. My brain can never NOT pull punches. It's both a blessing and a curse at times! Thank you so much :)

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  23. I tried the prompt but got stuck. Decided to write about my travelling day instead: https://unassortedstories.wordpress.com/2018/10/04/zagreb/

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  24. https://wordflorilegium.com/2018/10/04/mr-monkey/

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  25. Oh how I wish I wrote funny, light-hearted poems. Definitely not my style. I took the second suggestion. Here's mine.

    The Mind and Other Strange Creatures

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  26. For Barb Huntington

    https://barbarahuntington.com/2018/10/04/octpowrimo-2018-day-4-the-orange-tweet-bird-and-the-turtle/

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  27. Checking in again for the late-night poets in the west!

    Ghost Writer

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  28. https://galaxychasher.blogspot.com/2018/10/4-strange-animals-my-dog-freewrite.html

    Definitely found myself with writer's block already. It's a late submission. Here's a random, kind of lame piece about my dog.

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  29. This is cute.http://hittingthemark-jones.blogspot.com/2018/10/madam-im-adam.html

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  30. https://mandibelle16.wordpress.com/2018/10/05/octpowrimo-day-4-saturday-mix-koala-dance-amwritingpoetry-saturdaymix/

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  31. https://scribblesfrommetoyou.wordpress.com/2018/10/05/the-quokka-and-the-quahog-octpowrimo2018-4/

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  32. Well I took this a whole different level, sort of.... My late day 4 posting
    https://thewabisabiwriter.blogspot.com/2018/10/cow-hollow.html

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  33. ignorance is strange....

    one big puzzle it is
    pieces fit right in it

    from right to left, left to right
    from bottom up, top down


    a part appears strange
    as a whole nothing is strange

    solved puzzle is per plan
    strange when unsolved

    ignorance is strange
    strangeness is our ignorance...sr

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