Challenge #5: Poetry
AUTHOR
Hier describes a young girl having a pretend tea party in the mud in this poem that uses a distinctive structure to focus the reader's attention on words and phrases. There are 40 lines in the poem (as well as stanza breaks), yet the text consists of only 66 words due to every line having only one, two, or three words. In addition, the poem uses neither capitalization nor punctuation, which means that the reader has to go slowly at times to determine when one sentence begins or ends. (For example, the poem's midsection, if written as standard prose, might appear as: "She pours the air into the cup by Teddy Bear, her guest here in her garden cafe. Try another, please -- a kiss for each serving. Now it's 'bye, goodbye, next please.' Her lips to mud, to taste her goods, try the cake and tea.")
For your challenge, describe a child completing a task. The scenario could be fictional, or it could be a moment that you have personally observed. As for the task, it could be either work or play -- with young children, the line between the two often blurs. Think of the emotions that the child might display, as Hier portrays the girl perfecting her craft (patting the mud to smooth it), taking on responsibility (pretending to feed those present), and immersing herself in sensation (kissing the earth and considering it her friend). In addition, use Hier's methods of multiple short lines without capitals or punctuation and see how this style allows the words to roll out naturally.
the child
wet pats
to smooth
the mud
pie
tea party
mirth
she pours
the air
into
the cup
by
teddy bear
her
guest here
in her
garden
cafe
try
another
please
a kiss
for each
serving
now it's
bye
goodbye next
please
her lips
to mud
to taste
her goods
try
the cake and
tea
kiss the
ground to
thank her
friend the
earth
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