Thursday

Writer’s Platform-Building Campaign: Challenge Fun!

The second Campaign Challenge is:

CampaignerWrite a blog post in 200 words or less, excluding the title. It can be in any format, whether flash fiction, non-fiction, humorous blog musings, poem, etc. The blog post should:

  • include the word "imago" in the title
  • include the following 4 random words: "miasma," "lacuna," "oscitate," "synchronicity,"

Who could resist the challenge to use so many fantabulous words in a single post? Here’s my entry, and I trust it will not elicitate any unwanted oscitation!

Imago of a Writer

She wades through a miasma
Of simile and metaphor
To find the perfect ornament,
To craft an image iridescent
In its symbolic synchronicity
Of language, sound, and meaning.
Poetically brilliant,
Stylistically lambent,
Linguistically without the least lacuna
To flaw its perfect form
Lest you, the reader,
Greet her woven words
With oscitation.

Click here to check out other creative solutions to this week’s challenge!

PS: I’m #27 if you want to vote for me :)

48 comments:

  1. K.T. HannaSeptember 22, 2011 at 12:31 PM

    I love this. The words aren't forced at all. Very well written. I so envy people who can write poetry since I love to read it.
    Beautiful flow to this.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Cheryl ReifSeptember 22, 2011 at 12:42 PM

    Hi K.T.--and thank you so much! It was fun to write with all those great words to play with :)

    ReplyDelete
  3. Beth StilbornSeptember 22, 2011 at 12:54 PM

    Definitely no oscitation on my part! That was beautifully crafted, and used the words so well.

    I'm so glad you chose to use poetry as your vehicle for this challenge.

    ReplyDelete
  4. JessSeptember 22, 2011 at 1:56 PM

    Wow, this is fabulous! Lyrical and flowing and full of fun words :) Great job!

    ReplyDelete
  5. Nadja NotarianiSeptember 22, 2011 at 2:18 PM

    Cheryl - This is almost melodic in it's flow...I read it out loud to test my theory. Simply beautiful! This will be hard to top! ~ Nadja

    ReplyDelete
  6. Cheryl ReifSeptember 22, 2011 at 2:54 PM

    Hi gals, thanks so much for your kind words! I'm loving how every person who undertood this challenge approached it from a different direction.

    ReplyDelete
  7. A.J. LockeSeptember 22, 2011 at 3:22 PM

    This has great flow, I really like how it's structured.

    ReplyDelete
  8. David P. KingSeptember 22, 2011 at 4:41 PM

    What an excellent collection of words. So short and effective at the same time! Can I say it? Brilliant!

    Great job, Cheryl! :)

    ReplyDelete
  9. AnonymousSeptember 22, 2011 at 4:56 PM

    Pretty and the flow is fantastic. Wish I could write poetry like this.

    ReplyDelete
  10. Sarah TokeleySeptember 22, 2011 at 6:07 PM

    I can't write poetry to save my life, but I love to read it. Thank you :-)

    ReplyDelete
  11. AnonymousSeptember 22, 2011 at 6:21 PM

    Very impressive. I could nevr had done this as a poem! Mine is #29

    ReplyDelete
  12. JenSeptember 22, 2011 at 6:54 PM

    Fantastic job, Cheryl! I can't do poetry at all, but this flowed beautifully.
    Mine is #3.

    ReplyDelete
  13. ruth.the.writerSeptember 22, 2011 at 6:55 PM

    I thought that was awesome. One of the best uses of the words I've seen yet :) (I'm 45)

    ReplyDelete
  14. Sheri L. Swift, AuthorSeptember 22, 2011 at 7:01 PM

    Very sweet! ; )

    ReplyDelete
  15. Jennie BennettSeptember 22, 2011 at 7:12 PM

    I love how you used the words. So imaginative :)

    ReplyDelete
  16. JSeptember 22, 2011 at 9:26 PM

    I'm not a poet by any means, but I appreciate a well-crafted poem. Yours was wonderful, and I loved how you incorporated all the challenge words so fluidly! :)

    ReplyDelete
  17. Michael HaynesSeptember 22, 2011 at 9:55 PM

    I like it! It had occurred to me that this challenge might work well with a poem, and I see that it can indeed (especially with approached with the skill you applied to this).

    Very good work. I'm off to go "Like" this right now. If you're interested in checking out my (non-poetic) entry, I'm #42.

    ReplyDelete
  18. Tara TylerSeptember 23, 2011 at 8:52 AM

    brilliant verse! really amazing how you made those clunky words resonate smoothly

    ReplyDelete
  19. CherylSeptember 23, 2011 at 8:56 AM

    Beautifully lyrical. I love to read poetry but when I try to write it I end up with mostly Hallmark verses so it's always great to see someone write it well.

    ReplyDelete
  20. Sher A. HartSeptember 23, 2011 at 9:39 AM

    Okay, I'm impressed, and I do write poetry. Sometimes unmetered works where where traditional verse wouldn't, and works very well indeed. I didn't attempt poetry again because my last entry didn't win any prizes, but then I was going for humor instead of beauty. This is really a standout piece.

    ReplyDelete
  21. Cheryl ReifSeptember 23, 2011 at 9:57 AM

    I'm overwhelmed by all the kind words! The funny thing is, I never write poetry...I love the form, but now that I know more about it, it's hard for me to get past that perfectionism barrier. This one worked, I think, because I rediscovered that fun place to write from instead of worrying about perfection. Yay, Rachael, for creative inspiration!

    I'm working my way through all the other entries. There are so many good ones!

    ReplyDelete
  22. Kurt HartwigSeptember 23, 2011 at 10:01 AM

    That was a really great way of dealing with the register of those words. Fantastic job.

    ReplyDelete
  23. UnknownSeptember 23, 2011 at 10:39 AM

    Amazing! I love poetry and it's simplistic way it eludes such deep imagery! Love it! Thanks for sharing!

    ReplyDelete
  24. F.E. SewellSeptember 23, 2011 at 12:28 PM

    I absolutely love poetry and I absolutely love your piece. I'm envious of people who can write poetry that flows so beautifully.

    ReplyDelete
  25. Gwen GardnerSeptember 23, 2011 at 1:01 PM

    A wonder piece of poetry! Only the 2nd I've seen. Awesome job! I'm #34 and a new follower:)

    ReplyDelete
  26. Sandwiched WriterSeptember 23, 2011 at 5:39 PM

    Nice! I found it difficult to employ the words in a serious way, but you pulled it off without sounding forced! Kudos!

    ReplyDelete
  27. HeatherSeptember 23, 2011 at 7:23 PM

    This is the first poem I've come across...and I really like it! You did a fantastic job! I hope you get a chance to check out mine: #18

    ReplyDelete
  28. Christine RainsSeptember 23, 2011 at 7:29 PM

    This is the first poem for this challenge I've read. Brilliantly done!

    ReplyDelete
  29. Abby FowersSeptember 23, 2011 at 8:26 PM

    Hello from a new follower! This is awesome! You've got my vote!

    ReplyDelete
  30. Dawn M. HamsherSeptember 24, 2011 at 6:16 AM

    Cheryl, I really liked that! It read like warm honey (and I love honey).

    The Write Soil

    Mine is #50.

    ReplyDelete
  31. JessSeptember 24, 2011 at 6:21 AM

    Hi Cheryl! Yes, we met last weekend~ I was excited to be there and insisted on giving you a hug, since you were the one I had emailed for the critique/scholarship info. I had such a wonderful time, and have never gotten so much great information and tasty Starbucks coffee in one weekend :)

    ReplyDelete
  32. AnonymousSeptember 24, 2011 at 6:53 AM

    This is a fantastic poem that flows wonderfully.

    Have a great weekend.

    ReplyDelete
  33. Cortney PearsonSeptember 24, 2011 at 8:27 AM

    Loved this, your poem just flowed and the words fit in really well. Nice!

    ReplyDelete
  34. AnonymousSeptember 24, 2011 at 8:39 AM

    This is really well done Cheryl and flowed along melodically to the classical music I listened to as I read it;)

    ReplyDelete
  35. Zan MarieSeptember 24, 2011 at 5:40 PM

    Oh, great poem! That's the form I chose, too. You get a like from me.

    I'm #33. ; )

    ReplyDelete
  36. AnonymousSeptember 25, 2011 at 3:57 AM

    There is no way I could attempt poetry. Yours is the first I have seen and so beautifully put together using these difficult words. Amazing!

    ReplyDelete
  37. JoannaSeptember 25, 2011 at 4:41 AM

    Beautifully crafted and succinct. I am so glad you didn't force 200 words. This was perfect.

    ReplyDelete
  38. Julie FarrarSeptember 26, 2011 at 7:15 PM

    I had no clue how I would approach this challenge, but when I saw your poem this weekend, I decided that I -- a nonfiction writer, would attempt a poem, too. It made the composing so much easier. Mine is #110. Thanks for giving me a jumpstart on trying something new.

    ReplyDelete
  39. MyneSeptember 26, 2011 at 10:40 PM

    Very succinct, and you used the words rightly too.

    ReplyDelete
  40. AnonymousSeptember 27, 2011 at 4:32 PM

    Love it! There are so few poems and this one is brilliant.

    ReplyDelete
  41. Cheryl ReifSeptember 28, 2011 at 8:50 AM

    Thanks for all the great comments! I'm having a blast working my way through everyone's responses to the challenge. This is definitely a talented group :)

    ReplyDelete
  42. Coleen PatrickSeptember 28, 2011 at 9:16 AM

    Just realized I forgot to comment here(but I tweeted it!). This is a great poem Cheryl!

    ReplyDelete
  43. Doreen McGettiganSeptember 30, 2011 at 10:28 AM

    Such beautiful flow and you just seamlessly wove in those oh so difficult words. Well done!

    http://www.doreenmcgettigan.com

    ReplyDelete
  44. Claire HennessySeptember 30, 2011 at 6:01 PM

    Hi Cheryl, I've finally made it here to introduce myself (I'm part of Kerri's blog hop). I am a complete novice when it comes to poetry but I was in awe with how you used not only all Rachael's horribly difficult words, but added in a few of your own! "stylistically lambert" Wow.

    ReplyDelete
  45. Elizabeth Varadan, AuthorOctober 1, 2011 at 5:22 AM

    Nice poem! It flows well and uses the words effortlessly. Good job!
    My entry is 128 if you want to have a peek.

    ReplyDelete
  46. Patricia T.October 2, 2011 at 8:28 AM

    Cheryl,
    I am very impressed with your poem. Very well written. You used the words with such ease. Very melodic and an overall beautiful entry.

    Patricia

    ReplyDelete
  47. Cheryl ReifOctober 2, 2011 at 10:20 AM

    Hi everyone, thanks for your comments! I'm overwhelmed by all the kind words :)

    ReplyDelete
  48. Karen deBlieckOctober 5, 2011 at 7:21 PM

    Wonderful use of the words and a piece that flowed so well. Thank you for that!

    #189

    ReplyDelete