Cliche Challenge!

[average gina]

[color=dark blue]Here is my challenge.

I've heard people say that some of the things I have said in my poems are too cliche, which sounds like a bad thing.

The challenge? Make cliches a good thing!

Use a minimum of three cliches:
one has to be a noun (like "a sunny day")
one has to be a phrase (like "it takes two to tango")
one has to be a word or a phrase that's commonly said, but not commonly written--current or past (like "you rock!")

I'm gonna be liberal with lines--minimum 10, maximum 25.

Bonus "points" for:
rhyming cliches
five or more cliches
using them untraditionally (redefining the cliches)
having at least two of the cliches tie in together within three lines

Deadline? Who cares? But for those that do, will September 20 work for you? (Did I rhyme that time? Gadzooks!)

Have fun!
[/color]

 

[BlueskyBeauty]

[color=dark blue]Here is my challenge.

I've heard people say that some of the things I have said in my poems are too cliche, which sounds like a bad thing.

The challenge? Make cliches a good thing!

Use a minimum of three cliches:
one has to be a noun (like "a sunny day")
one has to be a phrase (like "it takes two to tango")
one has to be a word or a phrase that's commonly said, but not commonly written--current or past (like "you rock!")

I'm gonna be liberal with lines--minimum 10, maximum 25.

Bonus "points" for:
rhyming cliches
five or more cliches
using them untraditionally (redefining the cliches)
having at least two of the cliches tie in together within three lines

Deadline? Who cares? But for those that do, will September 20 work for you? (Did I rhyme that time? Gadzooks!)

Have fun!
[/color]

hello gina..i just wanted to point out that one of the things that makes our poetry stronger is finding new ways to say things..cliches get old..especially in poetry..roses are red violets are blue would not be a good flower poem..regardless of the following rhyme.

you're asking people to regress, i love the challenge of finding new ways to say things..i was a good one for using cliches..i'm glad i've reached past that.

when ppl tell you to get rid of cjliches..it's only because it improves your poetry..don't be offended..if u really want to improve upon your writing, just consider the advice comes from some pretty fantastic poets.

nice to meet you btw.

 

[average gina]

Point taken. I love advice. It was the idea of the challenge. I had suggested it to other people and they said it sounded like a good challenge, so I put it here.

Will anyone consider doing this? It sounded challenging to me...

 

[Angeline]

it takes two to tango
ripe red lips like apples
fall and it's all cool

 

[WickedEve]

I think I'll try this. I like the idea of using cliches, but making them... um... neato sounding in the poem. I think some poets are talented enough to use a cliche from time to time... some poets... Angeline... I'll pretend that I didn't see this.
it takes two to tango
ripe red lips like apples
fall and it's all cool

 

[BlueskyBeauty]

Point taken. I love advice. It was the idea of the challenge. I had suggested it to other people and they said it sounded like a good challenge, so I put it here.

Will anyone consider doing this? It sounded challenging to me...

for months hun i have been horse whipped for my cliches

it would feel too strange writing a cliche that ppl actually said..woahh nice one..hehe!

you have a poetic voice..you'll find that it will get exciting to try to come up with a new way of sayings something old..

ange..she's a great poet, who could prob make "roses are red" sound fresh and exciting



me however, i'm still writing..whoopsy then deleting cliches..i'd be damaged!

 

[WickedEve]

This may not be following the rules exactly, since I didn't go back read them again.

But here you go:
you are my heart's desire
but I'd rather set you afire
it's beating, beating for you
while I bid you freakin' adieu

Well, I just wrote that and it figures it took a mean turn! I'm so bad. Okay, Angeline, your poem is excellent in comparison.

 

[WickedEve]

for months hun i have been horse whipped for my cliches

it would feel too strange writing a cliche that ppl actually said..woahh nice one..hehe!

you have a poetic voice..you'll find that it will get exciting to try to come up with a new way of sayings something old..

ange..she's a great poet, who could prob make "roses are red" sound fresh and exciting



me however, i'm still writing..whoopsy then deleting cliches..i'd be damaged!

You're a brand spanking new poet. Don't you be writing any darn cliches, girl! Run! Run BB, run!

 

[BlueskyBeauty]

You're a brand spanking new poet. Don't you be writing any darn cliches, girl! Run! Run BB, run!

wait just a minute, isn't it you usually running from me!

besides i kinda like being whipped..dahhh!..is dahhh a cliche??

 

[WickedEve]

wait just a minute, isn't it you usually running from me!

besides i kinda like being whipped..dahhh!..is dahhh a cliche??

dahh is like duh, so it may be a cliche. I think cliche is now a cliche. Wait just a minute is a cliche. Actually, your entire post and my response is cliche.

 

[BlueskyBeauty]

dahh is like duh, so it may be a cliche. I think cliche is now a cliche. Wait just a minute is a cliche. Actually, your entire post and my response is cliche.

so is "fuck you" ..but i doubt it's ever going away

 

[WickedEve]

so is "fuck you" ..but i doubt it's ever going away

Fuck you is beyond cliche. Cliche can't touch fuck you. Actually, I should use that in a poem.

 

[Liar]

This thread is so cliché.

#L

 

[DeepAsleep]

Ain't that the way it goes, they say,
What're ya gonna do, y'know?
That's the way the cookie crumbles.

Too bad, so sad, don't cry over
spilt milk, little darling.
Everything ends, sometime,
sure, there's other fish in the sea.
Nothing lasts forever.

We've had our ups and downs,
It's not you, it's me, baby,
The sex was good,
and we could talk -
I love you, but I'm not in love with you.
Two out of three sounds
ok to me - We'll always have that,
right?
Our hearts just don't beat
or burn
as one, honey.

~~~~~~~

....should I find it disturbing that I feel like i could do this all night?

ew. I'm gonna take a shower.

~D.A.

 

[WickedEve]

....should I find it disturbing that I feel like i could do this all night?

ew. I'm gonna take a shower.

~D.A.

You're lousy with clichéitis.

 

[WickedEve]

This thread is so cliché.

#L

You're cliché and I need to go have an original thought quickly before I start writing about lovers embracing in front of a roaring fire, feeling the flames of desire.

 

[Angeline]

This may not be following the rules exactly, since I didn't go back read them again.

But here you go:
you are my heart's desire
but I'd rather set you afire
it's beating, beating for you
while I bid you freakin' adieu

Well, I just wrote that and it figures it took a mean turn! I'm so bad. Okay, Angeline, your poem is excellent in comparison.

well i had to say the "two to tango" thing because it's the only song Lester Young is recorded singing. (I'm consistent in the dopiest ways.)

And your poem made me crack up. It sound like something karmadog would write.

 

[Angeline]

the roaring fire
and flaming desire
take me higher
than some Rennaissance spire
flying its buttresses admire
these heights more lofty
than my muse which only aspires
to bend metaphors not break
into a million morphemes
even when my prose is purple
as my passion still I conspire
to dream sweet dreams

 

[thenry]

Purely by coincidence, the last poem I submitted was built around the idea making a cliché worthy.

"You touch my heart" is the first line.

 

[tungtied2u]

I am an island
mere flotsam in a storm tossed sea
I'm sick as a dog
a sea dog encrusted with barnacles
shiver me timbers
scrape those bastards off me
their bite is worse than their bark
but I've been carrying them so long
they seem like old friends
and with friends like these
who needs anemones!

 

[average gina]

Hot damn! I just love it when a plan comes together! We don' need no steenkin deadlines! Besides, deadlines blow ass.

Okay, I'm cheating. Here's one of mine that has almost all of the rules before I even came up with the challenge

Everything is everything
So nothing is nothing
And something is something
And wherever you are you are there
But I am here
Until I am there
And there is not there anymore
Because there is now here
There does not exist
Where I am
Because I am always here
And when I get there
I am here
And there disappears.
So you don’t miss something
Until it’s gone
But what is there to miss
If I were never there?

I will actually work on the challenge. So far you guys (and ladies... if there are any ) really stepped up. They're like kewl, dyude!

 

[Angeline]

for months hun i have been horse whipped for my cliches

it would feel too strange writing a cliche that ppl actually said..woahh nice one..hehe!

you have a poetic voice..you'll find that it will get exciting to try to come up with a new way of sayings something old..

ange..she's a great poet, who could prob make "roses are red" sound fresh and exciting



me however, i'm still writing..whoopsy then deleting cliches..i'd be damaged!

don't be so sure kimo sabe

I can write unintended cliches with the best of em.

 

[Angeline]

I am an island
mere flotsam in a storm tossed sea
I'm sick as a dog
a sea dog encrusted with barnacles
shiver me timbers
scrape those bastards off me
their bite is worse than their bark
but I've been carrying them so long
they seem like old friends
and with friends like these
who needs anemones!

This is wonderful!

You wrote those last two lines because you really want a spanking, right you silly guy?

 

[tungtied2u]

This is wonderful!

You wrote those last two lines because you really want a spanking, right you silly guy?

Arrgh matey! I never say no to a good floggin with the cat!

 

[Angeline]

ok. get ready.

http://www.eslkidstuff.com/BlackCatNoTail.gif