Paint Chip Poetry Prompt #25
It’s week 25 of the paint chip poetry prompts. I feel good about keeping this going and not giving up. Those of you who have participated have been my motivation. Thank you for playing along.
The Challenge
This week’s challenge is an opportunity for nostalgia as we write about “My Hometown.” Unless, of course, you are one of those who still live in your original hometown and never plan to move away. That could be a whole other angle on this prompt. You could write about yesterday.
There are some great words in the line up today, and no weird phrases, so my challenge is to use all seven of these words in your homegrown poem: jasmine, spotlight, fog, bubblegum, pyramid, scarecrow, and sand. You can rhyme or not; it’s up to you. Free verse is a great option for sharing fond memories, but some of these words have wonderful rhyme choices.
My Poem
My Old Hometown The first thing that comes to mind when I think of my childhood hometown is dusty dirt roads with soil finer than sand at the seashore. Pedaling my banana seat bike up hills and down, dodging dust devils and pot holes. Warm wind in my hair and sun on my face, chewing bubblegum and loving life. Rural life was peaceful and blessed. I remember the garden in our back yard, with fresh veggies ripening on the vine. We didn't grow jasmine or sweet William, no daisies, just beans and carrots, tomatoes and dill. We didn't have a scarecrow to keep away the birds, but our cute, noisy little dog did the trick. Tucked away in the mountains, our wee town was miles from civilization. Coming home from the big city meant traversing a winding road socked in by fog. There might be a deer around any curve, or a coyote slinking across the road. I remember one time we'd been to a scary movie and I imagined nightmares in every rock and crag. We had no great wonders of the world in my hometown, nothing to rival the pyramids or attract tourists, although the San Diego Wild Animal Park was just down the road a piece, where a spotlight shone on the zebras and antelope at night, and you could see them from the roadside turnout. Our closest claim to fame. Fond memories of my California hometown, good friends and church ties; Collier Park pool and Dos Picos Park; the home of the Bulldogs, our high school mascot. These images make me smile wistfully. I often wish we hadn't moved away when I was just a tween, to subsist in an equally small, rural town that will never seem like home.
Your Turn
Now it’s your turn to write about your hometown, or maybe someone else’s. Or perhaps you want to wax philosophic about hometowns in general? The choice is your. But remember, use all seven paint chip words. Post your poem in the comments, or post it on your blog and share a link in the comments. If you post on your blog, I’d appreciate a link back here so others can find the prompt and join the fun.
Shared for Open Link Night at dVerse Poets Pub.
Share this:
Related Posts
27 Responses
-
Pingback: Haunted House – My Fresh Pages
-
Pingback: Bluff City | Padre's Ramblings
Linda, you had me at “banana seat.” So enjoyed this beautiful description of your hometown. Well done.
Thanks.
There’s both fondness and wistfulness In your words. I never stayed anyplace in my childhood long enough to form that attachment–it’s something I envy sometimes. (K)
A list poem, given form beautifully. Nice. I was picturing my Utah hometown, we had banana bike seats, but no zebras
How about pyramids? Any of those in your Utah hometown? 🙂
So nostalgic and evocative! Great poem, this place is surely very dear to you.
Thank you. Yes, it is. I’ll always be a southern Californian at heart, though I’ve lived in Oregon much longer than I ever lived there.
I enjoyed the picture you painted of your old hometown, Linda, so different from the scenery I know. I love the image of you on your bike pedalling up hills and down ’dodging dust devils and pot holes’, and the dog acting as scarecrow made me smile.
Such a wonderful trip down memory lanes. There is something special about a person’s home town that can never be replaced in the heart.
That’s an interesting challenge. I like the word selection. I may have to give this a try.
That would be awesome!
I love this insight into your past and do think where we grow up plays a powerful part in our poetic lives. So clever the way you weave the words in and no Pyramids! Just a really famous zoo nearby, great!
I’ve been having a lot of fun with these paint chip prompts. I love reading what others share too.
This is really interesting!
Thank you.
Guess My Hometown
My hometown is neither little nor big
See if you can guess it, now on with this gig
No need to look far and no need to squint
Just pay attention to all of my hints
My town got its start as a port on the lake
Where fog rolled in and immigrants claimed stake
The border war of 1835 would seal its fate
The state to the south would be shipping its freight
The skilled craftsmen there made glass from sand
And many other artifacts were crafted by hand
The fulcrum of a pyramid can balance quite great
Creating scales very famous, no springs, honest weight
The spotlight of wartime ushered a new era for keeps
And Willys Overland became home of the Jeeps
The citizens work hard, but they also play and have friends
To relax they chew bubblegum and watch the Mud Hens
There’s a song about a man, left alone by Lucille
He had four hungry children and a crop in the field
Another songwriter spent a week there one day
They roll back the sidewalks precisely at 10, he did say
My town is too north for jasmine or palm trees to grow
But many countryside cornfields contain a scarecrow
If you haven’t guessed it by now, you probably never will
My hometown is Toledo, part of my heart is there still
I did not know all of those things about Toledo. Thanks!
Probably should have seen this as an opportunity to write something positive but never mind! Maybe next time! https://myfreshpages.wordpress.com/2020/06/20/haunted-house/
I love your memories Linda!
Thank you. It’s always wonderful to remember my childhood home.
https://mehflowers.wordpress.com/2020/06/19/sparks-of-memory/
My Things to do is to write something, and so I tried at
https://myforever.blog/2020/06/19/working-my-things-to-do-list/
https://padresramblings.wordpress.com/2020/06/19/bluff-city/
I enjoyed your reminiscences, LInda. The colours are subdued this week, but they look good together. Here’s my attempt. https://suestrifles.wordpress.com/paint-chip-poetry/
I love it! Great job.