Tag Archives: Jenny Erlanger

Poem of the Day

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The Corkscrew

 

Rattle, rattle, off we go.

At last we start the ride

and even now my stomach’s jumping

up and down inside.

Clackety – clack, we’re climbing up,

right up into the sky.

We’re at the top, I’m shaking now,

I know I’m going to die!

I grab the sides and close my eyes,

I’m really scared to death.

I scream, I yell the whole way down

till I run out of breath.

My eyes are sore, my mouth is dry,

my stomach leaps and churns.

My head is knocked from side to side

with all the twists and turns.

And all my little inside bits

are tangled like spaghetti.

I’m prickling almost everywhere,

my hands are cold and sweaty.

The carriage stops, and out I hop

and maybe I’m insane  …

But I can’t wait to join the line

and do that ride again!

 Jenny Erlanger

 

First published in “Giggles and Niggles”  (Haddington Press, 2007)

  •  Submitted in response to Poetry Prompt #39

poetry-prompt-39

Jenny said: This poem was inspired by the memory of my son’s reaction to his first roller coaster experience.  Having just told me that he’d felt like he was going to die, he begged me to let him have another ride.

Poem of the Day

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Pickled peppers

 

Polly Packer picked a pile of pickled peppers

outweighing the paltry peck that Peter chose.

Poor Peter Piper’s paused his pepper picking

and all he picks at present is his nose.

Jenny Erlanger
  • Submitted in response to Poetry Prompt #32

poetry prompt #32

Jenny said: The prompt word, “pickle” reminded me of the famous old tongue-twister involving Peter Piper and his pickled peppers.   The challenge was to find enough new words starting with “p” to retain a tongue-twister character.

 

Poem of the Day

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Drum practice

 

The walls are pulsating,

the floor is vibrating,

I feel so awake and on fire.

Every thump, every boom

coming out of my room

has that wonderful power to inspire.

I love all the smashing,

the pounding, the crashing,

the air in my bedroom is ringing.

All the houses around

are alive with my sound,

every dog in the neighborhood’s singing.

From my window I see

people waving at me,

their heads are all nodding and shaking.

Every fist that they raise

is in obvious praise

of the marvelous music I’m making.

Now they’ve formed into groups,

into synchronized troops.

They must really love what I’m playing.

They’re stomping their feet

right in time with the beat.

I just wish I could hear what they’re saying.

Jenny Erlanger

 

First published in Countdown Magazine 2008

 

Poem of the Day

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Betrayed

 

Barnaby’s clearly in love with my sister,

He cannot resist her.

I’ve seen how he’s kissed her.

She’s only been gone for a day but he’s missed her.

It’s time for a family chat.

 

Needless to say, my proposed intervention

will cause more dissension

than I care to mention

but I am the one who deserves the attention

since Barnaby’s my freaking cat.

Jenny Erlanger

Poem of the Day

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Help!

She twisted into awesome shapes,

her limbs like sticks of foam.

I wish someone had said you’re not

to try this out at home.

I should have stuck to juggling balls

or spinning plates instead.

It’s not much fun when both your legs

are stuck behind your head!

Jenny Erlanger

 

  • First published as “Circus Act” in The School Magazine (May 2015)

 

Poem of the Day

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Sound advice

 

Sometimes when you’re out of sorts

and wound up like a spring

or plagued with nasty, angry thoughts

it really helps to sing.

 

Sing out loud, you can’t go wrong,

sing anything you choose.

There’s nothing like a happy song

to chase away the blues.

Jenny Erlanger
  • Submitted in response to Poetry Prompt #22

Poetry Prompt #22

Poem of the Day

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Night magic

 

At night if feel anxious and my heart begins to race,

if all I want to do is weep or yell

I look outside my bedroom at that diamond-studded space,

and wait for it to cast its magic spell.

 

I feel the tension easing, all the pressure start to lift

and let my thinking go without a fight.

A magnet way above me sets my frazzled mind adrift

and draws it gently up into the night.

 

In weightless bliss I flitter with the wings of fantasy

past planets, moons and stars that no one knows.

In breathless awe I float within my private galaxy.

I’m free at last from all those earthly woes.

 

My mind is now uncluttered and as peaceful as can be.

It’s lost, for now, that pressing sense of gloom.

Before I even know it, it has floated back to me

from somewhere worlds and worlds beyond my room.

 

The magic moment passes and I’m really glad to say

I feel a little fluttering of hope.

Although I know my problems haven’t really gone away

I thank the sky for helping me to cope.

 

Jenny Erlanger
  • Submitted in response to Poetry Prompt #22

Poetry Prompt 22

Poem of the Day

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Sweet Dreams

 

I wish my warm and cosy dreams

would stay inside my head

instead of floating off for good

when I get out of bed.

I’d like to put them in a box,

all those I want to  keep

then choose the one I want at night

before I go to sleep.

 Jenny Erlanger

 

First published as “Dreams” in “Giggles and Niggles” (Haddington Press, 2007)

  • Submitted in response to Poetry Prompt #21

Poetryprompt#21

Poem of the Day

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Questions

 

The comma never stands alone,

It’s carefully aligned

with words on either side of it

that keep it well confined.

 

The exclamation mark stands tall,

a rigid, lofty stake.

So confident, so self-assured,

it has a point to make.

 

The full stop leads an easy life,

indeed, a life in clover.

What lies ahead’s of no concern,

what lies behind is over.

 

But spare a thought for question marks,

hunch-backed and somewhat hollow.

Are they perhaps concerned about

the answers that may follow?

 

Jenny Erlanger

  • Submitted in response to Poetry Prompt #19

Poetry Prompt #18

Poem of the Day

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A flitting moment

 

It settles on a daisy head

and spreads its wings apart.

This butterfly, it must be said

is quite a work of art.

Colours rich and patterns rife,

a mini Persian rug.

To think it started out in life

an ugly little bug.

Jenny Erlanger