John Watt | + Follow Poet |
Rhyme | + Fav Poem | Comment | Email | Print |

Word Tigers

My word tigers I train with chair in hand
and meter's whip. Good syntax I require,
true spelling, decent rhythm - I demand
they jump iambically through hoops of fire.

An excerpt of the sonnet "Taming Tigers"

Copyright © John Watt | Year Posted 2020

Please Login to post a comment

John Hamilton Date: 9/21/2020 7:37:00 AM What an amazing metaphorical write congrats John on a nice win! Jumping Iambically through hoops, what an imagination! Login to Reply John Watt Date: 9/21/2020 10:31:00 AM Thank you, my friend! Had to find a way to work my favorite animal into a poem. Enjoy your day, John

Anisha Dutta Date: 9/20/2020 9:55:00 PM EXCELLENT. Enjoyed the stanza. Congrats on your win. Login to Reply John Watt Date: 9/20/2020 10:37:00 PM Thank you, my friend. I'm so glad you enjoyed, and I appreciate you coming by with kind words.

Sigrid Ermine Date: 9/20/2020 9:48:00 PM John, oh wow, far out!! Huge Congratulations, this verse is excellent! Very keen to read the Tigers version full. Generally I don't love poems about writing poems, but here you have inserted the analogy, which works one thousand percent. You are definitely whipped thoroughly by those strict tigers on a regular basis...! Login to Reply John Watt Date: 9/20/2020 10:32:00 PM You always give such enthusiastic comments, Sigrid. If I didn't know better I might be fooled into thinking I really know what I'm doing, haha! Seriously, your words are much appreciated, all the more as I admire your writing. Blessings to you Down Under ~ John

Kim Rodrigues Date: 9/20/2020 5:39:00 PM Funny how I was going to say oh yes...again...and realized I had said it before such is the magnificence of your Rithimus Divisa! Congratulations, John! Login to Reply John Watt Date: 9/20/2020 8:53:00 PM Rawr!

Elaine George Date: 9/20/2020 3:33:00 PM Great enty. Many congrat's on your win, John. ~ Elaine Login to Reply John Watt Date: 9/20/2020 4:24:00 PM Nice to share the winner's list with you today, Elaine. Your poem excerpt of overcoming death is very touching. ~ John

Andrea Dietrich Date: 9/20/2020 2:07:00 PM Soooo awesome. Hurrah for your win! Login to Reply John Watt Date: 9/20/2020 4:23:00 PM And for your #1 win as well! Huzzah! Thanks for celebrating with me.

Jeanne Mcgee Date: 9/20/2020 10:41:00 AM A master for sure. Congrats John on your fine win. Login to Reply

Sam Kauffman Date: 9/20/2020 9:01:00 AM Grrrr-eat!!! This is a reflection of your creativity and mastery of words as a wordsmith my friend! Wonderful metaphor! But I thought we were rooting for the Padres! One win to go. Sunday blessings to you. Congratulations! Login to Reply John Watt Date: 9/20/2020 4:22:00 PM Thanks for the Tony the Tiger reference, Sam! It was nice sharing the winner's list with you today. SO much emotion packed into your 4 lines of Grace. P.S. I have several friends from Michigan so I don't mind rooting for the Tigers also!

Line Gauthier Date: 9/20/2020 4:12:00 AM Bravo, John. Congrats on your podium finish with this most deserving excerpt. Login to Reply John Watt Date: 9/20/2020 4:20:00 PM I appreciate your comment today, my friend. Your kind words always mean so much.

Gregory Richard Barden Date: 9/20/2020 2:22:00 AM Ha! I smiled when I read this one, and smiled again just now when discovering it was YOURS - great stuff, all the elements that I look for, and the considerations which some just keep ignoring, (though I keep reiterating, lol) ... loved the analogy, the imagery, and the bite of using this gorgeous-yet-fearsome animal as your metaphorical instrument - superb, sir!! Blessings and many thanks for entering, Brother! :o) <3 Login to Reply John Watt Date: 9/20/2020 3:40:00 PM Greg thank you from the bottom of my heart for deeming this worthy of a win, and for your really encouraging comment. I was thinking of you as I wrote the original, and how much I admire your precision with words in the meaning, meter, rhyme, and rhythm. Thanks for sponsoring and following up with such generous encouragement. Blessings ~ John

Kim Rodrigues Date: 9/3/2020 12:19:00 PM Oh yes! I wrote today of tigers and posted a picture from last week at a Minnesota zoo. Each of your lines are great. Definitely a contender! Roar! Login to Reply John Watt Date: 9/3/2020 1:10:00 PM Thanks for the kind comment and for the new word for a tiger purr, "Rawr"!

Gershon Wolf Date: 8/13/2020 6:54:00 PM This is just great, John! You certainly have a knack for making dull grammar alive with excitement! And I'm not lion!! Health and Happiness, Gershon Login to Reply John Watt Date: 8/13/2020 10:48:00 PM Thank you un-lion for your un-roar of affirmation. You certainly know how to tame the savage beast yourself! Grace and Peace ~ John

Jan Allison Date: 8/12/2020 8:18:00 AM You made me smile ... sometimes it is so hard to tame the beast John!:-) hugs jan xx Login to Reply John Watt Date: 8/12/2020 9:07:00 AM Oh, you are so right, Jan. Some days harder than others, and some days impossible! Hugs ~ John

Caren Krutsinger Date: 8/12/2020 12:03:00 AM You truly do want the best. It is clear. Good luck in Greg's contest John. Login to Reply John Watt Date: 8/12/2020 9:06:00 AM Thanks for the thoughtful comment, my friend. God bless your day ~ John

Arturo Michael Date: 8/11/2020 12:45:00 PM Wow...a disciplinarian...sometimes I feel chained by words...in those times I break the rules...I go with the feeling...Nice combination of lines here... Login to Reply John Watt Date: 8/11/2020 1:18:00 PM Thanks for the visit, Arturo. I explore that more in the full poem and realize in some of my writing I lose the feeling by clinging to the technical side. I agree with you, it's got to have heart. Blessings, my friend.

Andrea Dietrich Date: 8/11/2020 11:44:00 AM LOVE your chosen four lines, John. I sure hope this is a winner for you! Will Soup you shortly. Login to Reply John Watt Date: 8/11/2020 1:18:00 PM Coming from a fellow tiger tamer, I deeply appreciate your words of encouragement, Andrea.

Jennifer Proxenos Date: 8/11/2020 11:43:00 AM Taming the tiger with whip and the requirement for good syntax and good spelling and decent rhyme is an awesome comparison - very clever - masterfully we can attain this, and perhaps jump through hoops of fire. Blessings and hugs, Jennifer Login to Reply John Watt Date: 8/11/2020 1:19:00 PM You have filled my cup with kindness and goodwill today, my friend. Thank you so very much for the reads and lovely comments. Hugs ~ John

Michelle Faulkner Date: 8/11/2020 10:32:00 AM Your vivid imagery here is stellar, with a dash of danger thrown in! Sometimes composing is like leaping words through hoops of fire, (love that part) wishing you the best for the contest, John! Login to Reply John Watt Date: 8/11/2020 10:38:00 AM Thank you for the blessing of your wonderful words, Michelle! Your multiple comments have made my day.

Maureen McGreavy Pigeon Tart Date: 8/11/2020 9:43:00 AM oh FUN! Good luck in the contest! xomo Login to Reply John Watt Date: 8/11/2020 10:22:00 AM Thank you PT!

Anne-Lise Andresen Date: 8/11/2020 6:53:00 AM - No easy task ... it takes patience - Best wishes in the contest, John :) - hugs // Anne-Lise :) Login to Reply John Watt Date: 8/11/2020 8:11:00 AM I know you can relate, dear poetess. Thank you for the lovely comment. Hugs ~ John

Jenna Logan Date: 8/11/2020 4:20:00 AM Your comparison between taming a tiger and finding the right words in fantastic. There are times when we can't get them to do what we expect, but when they do, we feel like we've tamed the beast! Well chosen excerpt, John. Login to Reply John Watt Date: 8/11/2020 7:19:00 AM Thank you for the compliment, Jenna. I know what you mean about that great feeling when the words actually do what we hope. Appreciate you and your words ~ John