Poetry Challenge #201-If Billy Can, Then I Can too!

Hey, if Billy Can do it…

Today, in case you need an excuse—or permission—is National Junk Food Day (July 21st). However…contrary to what the good child in you is thinking, this is not a day set aside to “raise awareness” of junk food so we’ll stop eating so much.

Absolutely not! Much perhaps, to Michael Jacobsen’s chagrin. This day, and every July 21st, is unabashedly set aside for the sole purpose of cramming as much junk food into our already junk-filled bodies as we possibly can.

Chips! Soda! Candy-candy-candy here I come!

Poetry Challenge #201

If Billy Can, So Can We!

Billy Collins is a thief! Yes, the former U.S Poet Laureate freely and openly admits that he steals poem by taking the first two lines of someone else’s poem and “rewrite it for them.” So while we’re gleefully breaking all the nutrition laws by indulging in “junk porn” (another of Jacobsen’s terms), let’s add theft to our list of crimes.

For “Litany,” a love poem of metaphors comparing the person of affection with food and more, Billy Collins stole the first two lines of Jacques Crickillon’s untitled poem:

You are the bread and the knife,
          The crystal goblet and the wine...
                -Jacques Crickillon

For our poem let’s spatter, smother, cover Litany with junk food metaphors. But rather than leaving those first lines intact as Collins did, let’s follow Maria’s advice from The Sound of Music. Let the junk feast begin at “the very best place to start” The Beginning! Fill in the blanks and then slather it on:

You are the ___________ and the ___________

The _______________ and the ____________

. . . and so on and so forth . . .

Set Your Timer for 7 Minutes

Start Writing!

Don’t Think About it, just do it!

Now that you’re cravings for junk food are sated—or maybe while indulging—treat yourself to Billy Collins reading “Litany”!

Cindy Faughnan and I began this 7-Minute Poetry Challenge more than 1900 days ago. Now we take turns creating prompts to share with you. This is INCREDIBLE NUMBER 201! Our hope is that creatives—children & adults—will use our prompts as springboards to word play time. If you join us in the Challenge, let us know by posting the title, a note, or if you want, the whole poem in the comments.

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