Friday, January 11, 2013

Doubletalk

Hello Toads and Toad friends! Fireblossom here with another Fireblossom Friday. Emerson famously said that "a foolish consistency is the hobgoblin of little minds." Today I'm offering everyone a chance to talk out of both sides of your mouths, to reverse field, and to change the rules in the middle of the game. 

I want doubletalk!

Here's the plan: write a NEW poem, using the same identical line as both your first and final line to your poem. However, there's a catch, and you knew there would be! I want you to use the body of your poem to change the meaning. Here is a bit of doggerel off the top of my head, to illustrate what I mean.

I fear nothing.

The grave,

emptiness,

the void

terrifies me.

I fear nothing.


See? The first and last lines are identical, and yet, the meaning has changed. In the first line, the speaker sounds fearless. By the last line, though, we see that the speaker is very fearful.

Here is some music to ponder by.



Have fun!

25 comments:

hedgewitch said...

Not exactly a cakewalk, but well worth the effort. An excellent prompt (from a straight talker, I might add.)Thank you Shay.
My heartfelt sympathy to Hannah and Margaret and any other ailing toads--not a good way to start the New Year, and thanks to everyone who stopped by to wish me a Happy Birthday. I will be around later to see what everyone comes up with--looking forward to some interesting poems.

Kerry O'Connor said...

Phew! This is a challenge and a half! Certain to get the brain cells ticking over.

Janine Bollée said...

Reminds me of a pair of earrings somebody gave me, a long time ago: one said 'oui' and the other 'non'.
Off to work. Comments at lunchtime.

LLM Calling said...

I'm not sure I've really followed the rules properly, I think I've stumbled rather too much into sarcasm, but I've had a lot of fun with it, thanks fireblossom

Susan said...

This is harder than it looks. I am not quite satisfied with mine--it's just a beginning.

Ella said...

I love this song....and your double talking tongue ;D
so fab for a Friday!
Happy Friday Toads!

Marian said...

good one! i think it's probably gonna be the weekend for me, but who knows. happy friday, folks.

Unknown said...

I'm heading to the airport as I type this, but hope to find time to get back and join the garden party. This is a good one, Shay!

Ella said...

This is harder than I thought, but I went with it!

Grandmother Mary said...

I hesitate to enter after reading Hedge's fabulous poem but I've had grandchildren on my mind and wrote about what's happening with them. Good prompt!

Kerry O'Connor said...

I thought..okay..I've written enough love poetry of late, let me write about..oh, I don't know, Charles Darwin instead...

Marian said...

okay, i did it. a jeujune? what the heck is that called? jejue? jujubee? whatever.

Richard said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Kerry O'Connor said...

Thank you, Richard. Your extraneous link to a movie blog has been removed, however. We don't hand out hugs for spam.

Richard said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Laurie Kolp said...

Great prompt! Thanks, Shay.

Margaret said...

MUCH harder than it looks. Thanks for the well wishes... Not entirely better, but at least I'm "vertical" today. :)

Maude Lynn said...

This is very cool, but tough! I'm not sure that I did any good with it, but I gave it a shot.

Mary said...

Shay, I enjoyed your prompt!! Truly I think it is one I could write to again and again.....

Susie Clevenger said...

Thanks for the prompt Shay. I am not sure I met it. My brain is fried with family. You know how it goes they don't call when you need something, but the phone won't stop ringing when they need something. I am exhausted with it.

LLM Calling said...

I wondered why no. one had visited, my link has been.spat back out of the linky :( .I'll try again

my heart's love songs said...

didn't think i should link in to two posts, so linked to the Sunday Challenge, but it's all your fault, Ms Fireblossom!! {smile}

Isadora Gruye said...

Great prompt Shay.....I may need to try this out a little more.

Judy Roney said...

I will catch up with you one day, toad! :) Right now it seems I'm always two behind. This is a prolific bunch and I'm so glad to be here.

Hannah said...

Finally here!! Thanks a bunch, Shay...that prompt made me think!! :)!!