Thursday 30 April 2015

Exploring Shakespeare's words...

Hello again! Over the last couple of weeks, we’ve been looking to the words of Shakespeare for our inspiration, sharing writing and exploring diary writing.
 
It’s amazing how just a word or two can spark off an idea. Take ‘rouse’, ‘fortunes’ and ‘bitterness’ for example. What tale could you build around these words? Perhaps, it could be one of an aloof eighteenth century young widow, writhing in BITTERNESS due to rejection from her late husband’s family whose FORTUNES are changed, when a mysterious traveller with sapphire-blue eyes, comes into her life and ROUSES passions she thought went to the grave with her husband!
 
This is one idea that we’ve been playing with in our sessions. Some used the words within their writing, some used a word as the title and others simply used the words to set the tone of their work. The results were fascinating! Look out for future blogs with some examples.
 
We’d like to share some of the writing from the group. Linda wrote a warm and humorous poem, a couple of weeks ago, using the prompt title The Visitor:
 
 
‘The Visitor’

 A call from far away
Was something we didn’t plan for.
She said she was coming to stay,
With Dennis, James and then some more.
 
Neighbours’ recruited; spare beds to get;
Twenty-three ended up at dinner.
Cousins, Uncles and strangers were met;
No time to don my best pinner!
 
Grandma wanted a room of her own,
A dresser as well, if you please.
She got on and also a throne,
While five-in-a-bed we would squeeze.
 
One of the men slept in his truck;
Another made a bed in the bath!
When I think, it’s a wonder he didn’t get stuck.
To this day, it still makes me laugh.
 
Uncle James was sleeping in the next street.
He set off but didn’t get far.
Someone carried out a no-mean-feat:
Throwing a lamppost at his car.
 
How to feed all the folks that came..
The eating was really problematic
Shops all were closed. What a shame.
Dividing one loaf into ten didn’t come automatic!
 
Oh what to do? Where to turn to? Who to blame?
 
 Mum found two tins of meat in the cupboard,
Along with carrots and spuds.
She poked around and felt like Mother Hubbard
Pastry made..results: thin pies in floods.
 
They came with lots of instruments to play:
Accordion for Walter; penny whistle for John
Dennis was a master on spoons
I never expected the fun we had that day,
Belting out all sorts of tunes.
 
Janet on piano; Oh, she was good;
Cousin Tommy singing along;
Us kids all clapping and when we could,
Joining in when we knew the song.
 
But I managed to get near my gran a little
We had a real good chat
She gave me a necklace; it was old and brittle.
Then we talked about this and that.
 



Come back soon for our next post, where we’ll tell you more of what we’ve been up to and share another fabulous piece of work!
 
Bye for now.
 
Claire.


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