Home » Poems » Darlene Gifford » Playing With Words

Playing With Words

I found a word inside my head. It would not go away. It pounced into my life, where I watched it purr and play. It wrapped its fur around my feet, and then around my pen. And now it feels quite welcome, to bring her friends right in. So when a word, or worlds of words, stick in your mind and stay, give them a home in a story or a poem, and let them loose to play.

Post Comments

Poetrysoup is an environment of encouragement and growth so only provide specific positive comments that indicate what you appreciate about the poem. Negative comments will result your account being banned.

Please Login to post a comment

Tuelo.M Herbert

Date: 5/21/2015 9:32:00 AM

i love this Darlene! its painful when they do not find "a home in a story or a poem" and they end up lying cold in the grave..where no one will see or hear them play! .. #inspired to let them play! :) thanks.,Tuelo

Darlene Gifford
Date: 5/21/2015 9:47:00 AM

Hi, Tuelo, Thanks for liking this poem. Don't bury yours too soon though. Revise, rework. Give it a fresh face and find a new home for it. Let it play somewhere else! It wants to be heard. May your day be filled with blessings. Darlene

Afolabi Muideen

Date: 4/30/2015 10:41:00 PM

Powerful well constructed poem excellent work. Afolabi.

Darlene Gifford
Date: 5/1/2015 7:50:00 AM

Thank you, Afolabi for your response. I enjoyed reading one of your poems, too, and will read more at another time.....Darlene

Darlene Gifford

Date: 4/12/2015 1:11:00 PM

Writing humor and children's poems is always a joy! Thanks for reading and commenting, Richard.

Richard Lamoureux

Date: 4/12/2015 8:05:00 AM

Ha ha, I love it, delightful first offering!

Cynthia Jones

Date: 3/23/2015 3:52:00 PM

Darlene, sometimes it's hard, when they just fly away. Well done. :O) Keep up with the great work. Keep on penning. Thank you so very much for sharing your wonderful and creative talents with us. We all truly appreciate it. *S* Cynthia

Cynthia Jones
Date: 4/18/2015 9:48:00 AM

:O) You are most welcome Darlene. Thank you in return. *S* Cynthia

Darlene Gifford
Date: 3/23/2015 8:29:00 PM

It's nice to be appreciated, thanks Cynthia, And dido right back at ya!

Darlene Gifford

Date: 3/18/2015 7:15:00 PM

I pray I never stop playing with words. Thanks, John

Zakhe Michael Mcunu

Date: 12/4/2014 1:02:00 AM

Great work Darlene.

Cona Adams

Date: 11/9/2014 9:17:00 AM

Love your poems, Darlene. The playful touch is indeed inspiring!

Darlene Gifford
Date: 11/9/2014 11:28:00 AM

So good to hear from you, Cona, and I love to play with words. Blessings, Darlene

Robert Stoner Jr

Date: 11/4/2014 5:03:00 PM

Very nice, good advice. I'm looking forward to many more of these playful times.

Darlene Gifford
Date: 11/4/2014 7:46:00 PM

Thanks, and I, in turn, among the other poets here, will look forward to reading more of your poems. You will find much humor among many of us, along with all types of poetry from serious to silly verse. As for me, I am entertained daily by reading others poems. So happy reading!

Jasonpoet Boyd

Date: 9/2/2014 2:20:00 PM

I love this poem it describes how my poems come to me. An event, a sight, a word or phrase and then the words start pouring though my mind and if I don't write them down then I losse them.. Thank you for posting this. God bless you sincerely Bobb Marly the poet

Darlene Gifford
Date: 9/2/2014 6:23:00 PM

Hi, Bobb, I believe all my poems come to me in the way you describe. I would also add God inspired through thoughts , dreams and while being out in nature. And we can't forget those "AHA" moments of discovery. I suspect like me, you carry a pen and paper with you at all times and also on your bedside table. I like the way poems sometimes come in unexpected ways like when your mind is focused on other things. As if God is saying, "How about this?" I once saw a poem coming while watching two rockfish kissing at SeaWorld! The last time I saw them they were on opposite sides of the fish tank! That was funny. :)

Kaye Locke

Date: 9/2/2014 9:58:00 AM

Love this Darlene. Funny how words just pop up uninvited sometimes. Next time it happens I'll be sure to welcome and nurture and find it a home in a pome!! ;-)

Darlene Gifford
Date: 9/2/2014 10:51:00 AM

Hi, Kaye, Take those words seriously when they pop up! Write them down. If you focus on them, then you'll get other ideas and soon you'll have part of a poem. Sometimes these are "AHA" moments. Yes, welcome the uninvited! There might just be a poem hiding there. :)

Thomas Carney

Date: 9/1/2014 6:26:00 AM

This is a decent poem written in rhyme whose concept and storyline I enjoyed. The rhyme pattern worked well enough. The glaring thing that stood out to me were the various lines written in very well written iambic prosody. You started out well with a Common Meter of iambic tetrameter in line 1 and iambic trimeter in line 2: i FOUND a WORD in-SIDE my HEAD it WOULD not GO a-WAY it POUNCED in-TO my LIFE so LONG i WATCHED it PURR and PLAY (line 3 and 4 of S1 edited by Thomas) Congrats

Darlene Gifford
Date: 9/1/2014 9:17:00 AM

Hello, Thomas, Thank you for taking the time to read my poem and giving me an analysis. I apologize for not knowing the difference between iambic prosody and iambic tetrameter or most of the other poetic forms. But I hope what you said was a thumbs up! I just write what sounds good from the rhythm in my head. I will try to learn the different forms.

Skat A

Date: 8/27/2014 8:10:00 PM

Darlene, Stopping by with a nice, sweet Welcome to Poetry Soup. I will get much delight, in reading and in time become familiar with your verse. As for now, I will greet you with the same smile, others passed, when I first join the soup 4 years ago. I wish you the best when it comes to your compositions. I hope you get to meet all the nice poets around here. Starting with me. SKAT :-) Please drop a hello and tell me a little about yourself if you wish. I would like to be your newest poetry soup "FRIEND" Hugs* SKAT

Darlene Gifford
Date: 8/28/2014 12:05:00 AM

Hi, new friend.You asked about me:I started writing poems in 1972 when my son was 3 yrs old with a chronic illness.By his hosp.bed when he was diagnosed with CF I reached into my purse for a tissue but pulled out a pen. I got God's message. Don't cry. Write! Read,"A Rainbow Glitters." I've been writing ever since that day. :)

Poet Destroyer A

Date: 8/26/2014 8:41:00 PM

Take your time Darlene.... thanks for the reply

Poet Destroyer A

Date: 8/26/2014 4:44:00 PM

Darlene, A nice warm WELCOME to poetry soup. I hope you enjoy the community. You'll find many friendly poets, who are ready to support and give positive feedback. I want to be the first to invite you on over, to the contest page. I OFFER MY CONTEST, in hopes it inspires you to write another poem. I'm looking forward to following you and your poetry:) Here's the link to the contest page. http://www.poetrysoup.com/poetry_contests/ <---~Take Care!! From: your new poet friend @-> LINDA <-@

Darlene Gifford
Date: 8/26/2014 8:39:00 PM

Thanks, Linda for your warm welcome. I don't think I'm ready for contests yet, but maybe later. I have read several of your poems and plan to read more at another time. I'm always happy to meet another poets. :)

Jan Allison

Date: 8/26/2014 1:32:00 PM

love the idea of giving the words a home :-) great write welcome to the soup - Hugs Jan xxx

Darlene Gifford
Date: 8/26/2014 2:06:00 PM

Thanks, Jan for the welcome and for liking this poem. It was fun to write.

Anne-Lise Andresen

Date: 8/26/2014 1:15:00 PM

- Warm welcome to PoetrySoup, Darlene - I choose your first great written poem - I like it :) - Nice to meet you! - Hope you will be satisfied with our "soup family" - we are many .. but has plenty of room for you too- Be kind and keep PoetrySoup as a haven PoetrySoup is a drama free zone(Comment on the poetry of others and they will comment on yours.) Thank you posted your words and thoughts here, I want to come back to read more another day. - oxox // Anne-Lise :)

Darlene Gifford
Date: 8/26/2014 2:13:00 PM

Hello, Anne, Thanks for the kind words and yes, I plan to read poems written by others. including yours and Jan who also commented.