Poetry Exercise: Fill in the Blanks

poppyhullings

Hey everybody,

I thought we might try a poetry exercise just for fun. I came across this 'fill-in-the-blank' form at a poetry forum nearly 3 years ago and I still enjoy using it and sharing it with others.

There are no rules except to be creative and original.

There is no right or wrong way to do this. You can rhyme or not. You can be serious or silly. You can create a poetic masterpiece or just write the first thing that comes to your mind. It can be long or short and about anyone from any perspective, meaning you can change "I" to he, she, they, it or a proper name and change the verb tenses accordingly.

Just fill in the blanks however you wish, experiment to your muse's content:



I am __ and __
I wonder __
I hear __
I see __
I want to __
repeat the first line

I pretend __
I feel __
I touch__
I worry __
I cry __
repeat the first line

I understand __
I say __
I dream __
I try __
I hope __
repeat the first line



I have done this many times and here's an old example of mine (from 2001). I'll come back and post a new one soon. That's another thing, you can do this as many times as you want because the possibilities are endless and the finished product is different every time.


I am dazed and confused
I wonder when I'll see him again
I hear his voice in the back of my mind
I see only what I want to see
I want to stop feeling sorry for myself
I am dazed and confused

I pretend to be happy
I feel stupid and insignificant
I touch things that I should not
I worry that people might see through my disguise
I cry only when no one is looking
I am dazed and confused

I understand what my heart has been telling me
I say only what I want you to hear
I dream about finding true love
I try to find true love
I hope true love will find me
I am dazed and confused




Have fun!:grin
 

mammamaia

I am so sick and tired of poetry exercises!
I wonder why folks do 'em when there aren't any prizes.
I hear some say it's fun and even helps 'em some, but
I see no benefit to filling blanks in another's poem rut.
I want to pass this by, not fall prey to their devises.
I am so sick and tired of poetry exercises!

I pretend i'm doing this stuff just to pass the time.
I feel guilty wasting energy fiddling with this rhyme.
I touch the keys with loathing, wishing i would quit,
I worry that i'll end up actually liking it!
I cry, "Please stop me someone, before i write more slime!"
I pretend i'm doing this stuff just to pass the time.

I understand i'm lying to myself completely.
I say it doesn't matter... i tie up my lies so neatly.
I dream of never doing such silly things again,
I try to tell myself i won't, i make a vow and then,
I hope no one will notice when i break my promise 'vite-ly'!
I understand i'm lying to myself completely.

whoever you are, poppy, i may never forgive you for this!!!

love and hugs [anyway], maia
 

mammamaia

ok, ok!...

get off your knees, girl!... i'll forgive ya, ok?... just don't do it again!!!:grr
 

maestrowork

Re: ok, ok!...

I am game...

I am old and quite mad
I wonder about my daily bread
I hear no one
I see no soul
I want to run
I am old and quite mad

I pretend I am nice
I feel nothing
I touch no one
I worry about everything
I cry and I run
I am old and quite mad

I understand nothing
I say crazy things
I dream in black and white
I try on my wedding ring
I hope it's made of joy, not tears
I am old and quite mad
 

Yeshanu

Good one, mia. :rofl

Don't know where this one came from. It does not reflect any experience I have had (in this life).

I am black and blue
I wonder what happened to you
I see your fist
I want to run, but I can't
I am black and blue

I pretend I'm all right
I feel dead inside tonight
I touch my swollen eyes
I worry what others will think
I cry
I am black and blue

I understand nothing
I say nothing
I dream nothing
I try nothing
I hope nothing
I am black and blue
 

ancientwelkin

I am awakening and smiling
I wonder perceptively
I hear sweet music
I see rainbows dance
I want to rise
I amawakeningand smiling

I pretend nothing
I feel warmth
I touch the breath
I worry naught
I cry dearly
I pretend nothing

I understand deeply
I say truely
I dream the future
I try eternally
I hope as magic wishes
I am awakening and smiling
 

Eliel Takavian

Here goes,

I am flesh and fire
I wonder when my death will come
I hear the music of the sun
I see the light of fallen stars
I want to break these mortal bars
I am flesh and fire

I pretend that I am wise
I feel the tearing of my heart
I touch her face, a work of art
I worry over petty things
I cry at the death of mighty kings
I pretend that I am wise

I understand so very little
I say, look not to me but to another
I dream of reunited brothers
I try to serve as best I can
I hope to be a patient man
I understand so very little
 

Betty W01

Great exercise, Poppy! Here's another one I learned at a workshop I attended...

Write a list using the following fill-in-the-blank couplet (length up to you):

With you, I am _________________________.
Without you, I am ______________________.
 

mammamaia

With you, I am stuck, muck, outa luck...yucky-glucky, plucky, mad.:teeth

Without you, I am free [whee!], fin'ly me... steely-feely, really sad.:cry
 

poppyhullings

I just now saw your exercise idea, Betty. Give me a day or two and I'll see what I can come up with.

And thanks to everyone who gave my exercise idea a try. It's interesting to see all the different endings to the same beginnings.
 

Yeshanu

With you, I am crazy, off-the-wall, quite mad.
Without you, I am serious, well-spoken, and sad.
 

Cate

Why not?

Ok folks, please remember I am a non-fiction writer.
This just looked fun-

I am sick and pretty
I wonder which matters more
I hear echos
I see smoke
I want to spin away
I am sick and pretty

I pretend to anoint myself with fire
I feel its heat
I touch my swollen belly
I worry she won't make it
I cry alone
I am sick and pretty

I understand nothing
I say little
I dream of my father's scent
I try to stand now
I hope he sees me
I am sick and pretty

Cate
 

Yeshanu

Re: Why not?

Cate,

I firmly believe that everyone's a poet at heart.

:)

Ruth
 

Melina

I don't know anything about poetry

I am broken and empty
I wonder how I can go on
I hear them whispering about me
I see them look away in shame
I want to tell them not to pity me
I am broken and empty

I pretend I'm keeping it together
I feel hatred for the God who took you
I touch your pillow, cold and unused
I worry I'm not strong enough
I cry while our son sleeps
I am broken and empty

I understand God has a plan
I say I'll be alright someday
I dream of touching you again
I try to keep from breaking down
I hope our son grows up to be like you
I am broken and empty
 

Betty W01

Re: I don't know anything about poetry

Melina, that was amazing for someone who "doesn't know anything about poetry" - very strong, good images of grief and the process one goes through (touching the pillow, crying while son sleeps, both hating God and trusting Him, hoping son grows up to be like his dad). Nicely done.
 

Melina

Re: I don't know anything about poetry

Thank you, Betty. I was afraid it sucked. But--once I filled in the first two words, the rest just came pouring out. Maybe I'll read up on the rules of poetry. It certainly was cleansing...
 

Yeshanu

Re: I don't know anything about poetry

Trust me (at least about this) -- it doesn't suck.

But--once I filled in the first two words, the rest just came pouring out.

Sometimes it just works out that way...
 

Betty W01

Re: I don't know anything about poetry

I've been meaning to add that my exercise can be extended to several stanzas -

With you,
Without you,

With you,
Without you,

With you,
Without you,


and so on, until you run out of ideas on the topic.
 

spooknov

I am bored and discontent
I wonder about distant lands
I hear the ocean calling
I see the door opening
I want to travel
I am bored and discontent

I pretend I am flying
I feel the wind in my hair
I touch the moist sky
I worry I will fall
I cry out for help
I pretend I am flying

I understand life can be harsh
I say I will find love
I dream of someone special
I try to hold back tears
I hope he will come to me soon
I understand life can be harsh
 

spooknov

Re: spook

Thank you, thank you! I'll be here all week.

*takes bow, trips, falls on face*
 

STAYSEA1971

I am scared and worried about the world today __
I wonder why they had to die in such a horiffic way_
I hear about the threats they make
I see their evil ways
I want the fighting to just cease
I am scared an worried about the world today

I pretend that the fighting is over
I feel it may not end
I touch the hearts of the worriers
I worry the children will loose out
I cry for all the lost parents
I prented the war is over

I din't understand why it had to happened
I say it was so wrong
I dream of a happier future
I try not to forget
I hope that fear is no longer
I dont underdstand why it had to|I happened
 

Verse_Artiste

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Here goes : I've just written the death scene of a character I had grown to love. This exercise inspired me to have a go at explaining how it feels to kill off your creation to serve the story!


I am writing his story and as I do I cry.
I wonder if this character really has to die?
I hear the inner story playing in my head
I see how it will end with him lying in his bed.
I want so much to change it but no matter how I try
I am writing his story and as I do I cry.

I pretend I am the writer but the story wields the pen
I feel its will take over and I lose myself again.
I touch my hand, believing I can still take control,
I worry that this story will not release my soul
I cry out for the strength to escape my writer's den
I pretend I am the writer but the story wealds the pen.

I understand my role now I must simply tell the tale
I say I am the servant, let the story's will prevail
I dream of happy endings, but can only write what's true
I try to change the outcome but that I cannot do
I hope that by my efforts to a land of peace he'll sail.
I understand my role now, I must simply tell the tale
 
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