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PhotoPlay and Prompt: A Ballad to Remember

By Heather Eure 18 Comments

A timeless ballad can spark a memory. The song can whisk a listener back, and for a moment rewind the clock. Maybe it’s a time machine in the memory center of the brain, fueled by sound.

The ballad can be an unforgettable piece of our narrative identity.

Thanks to everyone who participated in last week’s poetry prompt. Here’s a poem by Monica (now a balladeer!) that made us smile:

I relished car rides, windows down,
air rushing, freeway speed.
Made faces with my brother (clown!),
heads stuck out in the breeze.

My index fingers pulled my mouth
to stretch the lips out wide,
and forced the eyelid corners down,
exposing whites of eyes.

Our older sisters (adult age)
would warn us with a grin:
Your silly face will freeze if you
make faces in the wind!

So now, though I still revel in
car windows opened wide,
I only make expressions when
my face is safe inside.

—by Monica Sharman
***
PHOTOPLAY PROMPT: A BALLAD TO REMEMBER— Listen to one of your favorite ballads. Allow the music to transport you to a place with a happy memory. Take a photograph of something that represents this memory. You’re creating a visual ballad. Feel free to share the song and happy story, if you’d like. You can even write a poem!

 

NOTE TO POETS: Looking for your Monday poetry prompt? On Photo Play weeks, it’s right here. Find inspiration from the photo in the post and respond with a poem. Leave your poem in the comment box. We’ll be reading. :)

Photo by Cali4beach. Creative Commons license via Flickr. Post by Heather Eure

________________________

Sometimes we feature your poems in Every Day Poems, with your permission of course. Thanks for writing with us!

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Heather Eure
Heather Eure
Heather Eure has served as the Poetry Editor for the late Burnside Collective and Special Projects Editor for us at Tweetspeak Poetry. Her poems have appeared at Every Day Poems. Her wit has appeared just about everywhere she's ever showed up, and if you're lucky you were there to hear it.
Heather Eure
Latest posts by Heather Eure (see all)
  • Poetry Prompt: Misunderstood Lion - March 19, 2018
  • Animate: Lions & Lambs Poetry Prompt - March 12, 2018
  • Poetry Prompt: Behind the Velvet Rope - February 26, 2018

Filed Under: Ballad Poems, Ballads, Blog, Music Poems, Photo Play, Photography prompts, poetry, poetry prompt, poetry teaching resources, writing prompts

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Comments

  1. Monica Sharman says

    September 8, 2014 at 10:57 am

    This happens to me a lot when I read stuff at Tweetspeak: I get flashbacks of my growing-up music. Your title and prompt reminded me of this, from 1982:

    http://youtu.be/guB_jQkCzCo

    and the photo got this playing in my head:

    http://youtu.be/vdB-8eLEW8g

    Thank you for the poem feature!

    Reply
    • Donna says

      September 9, 2014 at 11:25 am

      Monica, your ballad made me smile and I hope my face freezes like that.

      And same thing with the ONE LOVE… it led me to this: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zaGUr6wzyT8, a very special song for me. I love how our lives climb up and down these musical ladders, connecting rung by rung. 😀

      Reply
    • michelle ortega says

      September 14, 2014 at 8:14 pm

      Shalamar!!!
      Love and smiling 🙂

      Reply
      • Monica Sharman says

        September 15, 2014 at 8:08 pm

        Michelle, now you’re the one making me smile!

        Reply
  2. Richard Maxson says

    September 8, 2014 at 2:34 pm

    Here is a ballad I wrote for my daughter, who would not eat good food when she was 12. It’s a parody of the Toby Keith song, “How Do You Like Me Now?” I used to have a photo that was mine, but I can’t find it, so this one will have to do:

    https://www.flickr.com/photos/125549887@N04/15180910842/

    How Do You Like My Chow

    — for my daughter Abby, who finally told me,
    “You make the best damn burgers.”

    Yeah, I could never make your tea,
    as sweet as it should be,
    so you always drank your Coke and Capri.
    You were always the picky one,
    three sugar spoons instead of none,
    but, I made unsweet tea, it wasn’t about me.

    I only wanted for you to be healthy,
    but you just ignored me somehow.
    You preferred all of your fast food and soft drinks
    and I didn’t eat like your crowd.

    How do you like my chow?!

    How do you like my chow,
    there on your paper plate,
    one of my best damn burgers,
    bet you just can’t wait.
    You wouldn’t listen to me,
    but I always dreamed about
    making you like good food.
    How do like my chow?

    Well, I made rice and tender peas,
    you turned your back on both of these,
    begged me to get you some nuggets and fries.
    Then I sautéed chicken and Key West shrimp,
    Chorizo, pork and flavored them,
    served you Paella with peas on the topside.

    You ate it like you hadn’t eaten for days
    and it was all I could do not to smile.
    Now, you like chopped salad with salmon and broccoli,
    it just took a long little while.

    How do you like my chow?!

    How do you like my chow,
    steaming there on your plate?
    Would you prefer some Wendy’s
    or maybe Chic-Fil-A?
    I’m glad you listened to me,
    ‘cause I always dreamed about
    making you like good food.
    How do you like my chow?

    Reply
    • Donna says

      September 9, 2014 at 11:21 am

      Richard!! What fun! I love your lyrics!! Where can I see the video? 😉

      Reply
    • Richard Maxson says

      September 9, 2014 at 2:48 pm

      Here’s the Toby Keith video.

      (see comment with Spotify note)

      Reply
      • Richard Maxson says

        September 9, 2014 at 2:49 pm

        Oops! I only meant to post the link. Don’t know why it posted the whole frame.

        Reply
      • Richard Maxson says

        September 14, 2014 at 8:04 am

        Heather, here is the link to “How Do You Like Me Now” in Spotify, so you can remove the intrusive video frame.

        https://play.spotify.com/track/7LimFGKop84KMDutqYaNIF

        Reply
        • Heather Eure says

          September 15, 2014 at 1:37 am

          🙂

          Reply
          • Richard Maxson says

            September 15, 2014 at 8:45 am

            Thank you, Heather. 🙂

    • michelle ortega says

      September 14, 2014 at 8:17 pm

      hmmm…I think I’d love your chow! So clever!

      Reply
  3. SimplyDarlene says

    September 9, 2014 at 10:28 am

    Miss Monica – your ballad is terrifical. 🙂

    Reply
  4. SimplyDarlene says

    September 9, 2014 at 10:32 am

    Richard –

    I reckon folks should listen to the TK song before reading yours… the rhythm makes a great addition!

    Reply
  5. Elizabeth Marshall says

    September 9, 2014 at 11:50 am

    Monica,you delight!!!!! So glad I get to circle round words with you.

    Reply
  6. Elizabeth Marshall says

    September 14, 2014 at 5:06 pm

    Richard, what fun. What’s not to love about your father’s heart and your poetry?!

    Reply
    • Richard Maxson says

      September 17, 2014 at 3:16 pm

      Thanks, Elizabeth.

      Reply
  7. michelle ortega says

    September 14, 2014 at 8:11 pm

    Here’s my photoplay:

    http://curlygirlslp.blogspot.com/2014/09/photoplay-when-coast-is-clear.html

    Reply

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