Paint Chip Catch-Up
It’s Friday and I have another paint chip prompt for you all. I know I missed the last two weeks. Sadly, on May 20, my oldest sister passed away. I had plans to go see her Memorial Day weekend. This loss has hit me pretty hard, especially since I didn’t go see her recently even though I knew she was very ill. I believed, and I think she believed, she was on the mend and would beat cancer. I thought we had more time, but we did not. So I hope you’ll forgive me for missing the paint chip prompt for a couple of weeks.
To make up for missing two weeks, I’m offering a lot more paint chip words and phrases to work with this week. And I did something I’ve never done before. I sorted through the whole paint chip deck and handpicked today’s offering. I picked words that reminded me of my sister.
The Challenge
Today’s challenge is a free write, any form you want, or you can write free verse. Rhyme or not, the choice is yours. The only stipulation is that you use at least ten of the fifteen paint chip words and phrases. If you want, you can write about someone you love and miss, which is what I’ll be doing.
The paint chip words and phrases you have to work with are sunflower, watermelon, pool, in your eyes, clear skies, before the rain, margarita, hot sauce, zest for life, heavenly, sunshine, total eclipse, out of the blue, the whole enchilada, and yellow brick road.
My Poem
Total Eclipse The news felt out of the blue, in spite of your recent hospital scare, before the rain came, pouring down like tears of fear. You were a bright sunflower in a dark world; sunshine and clear skies will forever remind me of you, floating in our above-ground California pool, soaking in the rays in your chaise lounge. Your zest for life was beyond compare even when you weren't feeling well; like when we saw Chris Stapleton before he was a big star, or when a bunch of us followed the yellow brick road to Wicked; and when you came alive spoiling your grandkids. If there were tacos and margaritas, you'd be there, taking in the whole enchilada, hot sauce and all; for picnics you'd bring the potato salad and watermelon, with a gleam in your eyes as you enjoyed family time. But now you're attending heavenly concerts and taco feasts with our sister Peggy, maybe even a Merle Haggard concert with Mom. This loss feels like a total eclipse of the sun that I didn't see coming and will never end.
Your Turn
Now it’s your turn. You know the drill. Write a poem and share it in the comments, or post it on your own blog and share a link in the comments. I look forward to reading what you all come up with when you have more words to work with.
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19 Responses
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Linda, I am so sorry for your loss. You never need apology or explanation for writing or not writing on your blog. I have been on a much needed break from the poem sites. I can’t say how long. A lot going on in my life also. You are always in my back pocket though. You may see me soon.
My poem:
https://revivedwriter.wordpress.com/2021/06/10/how-it-was-before-the-rain/
I’m sorry about your sister. Although I missed the paint chip prompts the last couple of weeks, I was more concerned about you than the prompts. <3
Thank you. That is so kind of you to say.
I’m so very sorry about your sister. This poem is such a fine tribute to her. I’ll pray for her~
Hugs and prayers.
I’m so sorry for your loss. I haven’t yet lost a sibling, but I imagine it would hit me hard. I pray God will comfort you. Poetry and poetic tributes must help a little, and the thought of heavenly concerts.
Thank you. This is the second sister I’ve lost. It’s hitting me harder than I expected.
Here is my response to the challenge.
—————-
In your eyes I saw clear skies
before the rain that day.
All left at once out of the blue,
the sunshine and the sunflower, too,
the hot sauce, zest for life I knew.
Our margarita laughing pool
shut down. You went away.
I love this. You packed so many of the words and phrases into such a short poem.
Sending my condolences. Your poem is lovely.
I miss all the people mentioned in my poem, but I hope I am living life to the full
in spite of their absence. httpss://suestrifles.wordpress.com/2021/06/05/paint-chip-catch-up/
I am sorry to hear about your sister. Such loss does seem like an everlasting total eclipse of the sun, but there are those heavenly concerts and much more. Beautiful poem in memory of her.
Nicely composed. My sincere condolences to all of hers (and yours) extended families.