My second poem for April Poetry Month is quite different from my first.
At a workshop sponsored by the Canadian Authors Association on Saturday, Tim Wynne-Jones challenged us with the exercise:
For 6 minutes, write lines of dialogue. The first letter of each new line must be the next letter in the alphabet, A to Z.
Here is my result. Keep in mind . . . I only had 6 minutes so, yeah, it’s a little crazy. And I didn’t get all the way through the alphabet the first go-round. I got as far as O. All the letters after that I completed in a subsequent 6-minute time allotment.
Z Solution
An elephant can't fit through there. Butt's too big. Can we push? Don't think that'll help. Elephant weighs eight tons. For F*&!'s sake. Get me a lever. How about an axe? In case of emergency, break ass? Joker, ha ha. Keep thinking. Look behind the mandrill's cage. Manny the Masturbator? Notice how he drools when you walk by? Oh no, he prefers blondes. Perhaps everyone does, even the elephant. Quite annoying, that is. Ridiculous, like this situation. Suppose we go around? Through the zebra's field. Unbelievable how you used the Z word before the end. Verily, I say onto you ... no worries. Why? X was the real problem, because there's another word for Z. Yes, this place is a real ... Zoo.
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Somerton Smith 
So witty and fun and I love how you connected it all. Thank you for starting my day with a smile👍❤️😄
You are welcome. I love when I can add a smile to someone’s day. Thanks for commenting.
Love it! I’ve never heard of a writing exercise like this one and it’s great. Thanks for sharing your poem.
Thanks. Silly, right? But I had fun doing it.
I like it! So much, I may try it myself.
Oh good. I’d love to read it. Maybe you can share it at book club.
Arlene, you have a gift. Made me laugh each time I read it…thank you for sharing this aspect of your humour. Dave will get a kick out of this!
Thank you! Amazing what came out when I didn’t let the “editor in my head” get in the way. It was a fun experiment.
In my books, you get an A+ going from A -.> O. I’m certain I would not have gotten that far, but you did, both witty and wowza! Thanks for the afternoon perk-up!
The secret was never letting the hand stop moving and never let the brain second-guess what came out. I just rolled with it and let it be its own ridiculous self.
A perfect description of free writing, Arlene!
I loved it! Well done!
Thank you. It was a fun exercise that I might try for use in other ways. Very freeing.
What fun! And well done. Arlene. I’ve given my creative writing students the task of writing a story with each new sentence beginning with the next letter of the alphabet. You are now inspiring me to give the assignment again, only this time as a poem. Cheers!
Thanks – I think the key was the time limit. It didn’t allow me the luxury of second-guessing or trying to come up with something better. All the crazy just rolled out!
I LOVE the crazy. And that’s what I do in my classes. Timed exercises, and I beseech the writers DON’T THINK! That’s when the good stuff comes out. 🙂
Years ago I attended a workshop led by Richard Wagamese. His advice? “When you start to think, stop writing.” Counter-intuitive, but true, I think.
I love it!! 🙂