It’s Friday! And you know what that means: Poetry! Want to know more about Poetry Friday? Click this link right here. And be sure to check out the amazing Jone Rush MacCulloch’s blog, Deo Writer, to see this week’s round up of wonderful poetry related posts, blogs and goodness.
Hello and Happy Poetry Friday! Fall is officially here and it is almost October-my favorite month of the year. I am patiently waiting to put the Halloween decorations out. It may look and feel like the middle of summer here in Florida, but I try to make inside feel spooky and fall-like.
Last year, I participated in Inktober-a month long drawing challenge-with my own poetry twist. I wrote a poem and did a little watercolor painting for all 31 days of October. I ended up getting a handful of good poems out of the bunch, and two were actually picked up by Spaceports and Spidersilk. The second poem comes out in the October issue and I am so stoked.
I had a blast writing the poems last year and I wanted to do something similar again. I have decided to focus just on the poetry this time around though. While it was fun to doodle, I just worry about having the time for 31 poems and 31 drawings. I hope to do a sketch here and there, but my goal is to have 31 themed poems for what I am calling #Poemtober.
A few weeks ago, I posted a question on my various social media feeds: “What unusual fears did you (or your kids) have when you were little?” I got over 200 responses! While I did get some of the more common kid scares-monsters under the bed or closet-many were wildly imaginative frights.
It was also surprising to see that some of the off-the-wall things scared multiple people. Volcanoes opening up in the back yards while kids slept. Sharks coming out of the bathroom drain. Belly buttons untying and letting all the air out.
So I have decided that my #Poemtober 2018 theme will be Childhood Fears. I cannot wait to dive into these. Each one on the list is an actual fear that someone mentioned. I think it is going to be a fun month!
When I was a kid, I was terrified that my dolls would come to life and suffocate me. Every night I made sure they were tucked in and comfy. My logic was that if they ever came to life, they would take compassion on my because I was always kind to them.
What spooked you when you were a kid? Let me know in the comments and thank you for stopping by!
Sloth Reads 
Oh my goodness, Rebecca. This is going to be a fright-filled October for you and fun for the rest of us reading! I remember thinking there was a monster dragging a chain outside in our back yard. I would wake up, swearing that I heard it. My son had a few weeks believing there was a giant turtle under his bed. He would leap “way” out & come jump in bed with us. Those are a few things I remember. Happy Poemtober!
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I think it so fun to remember childhood fears and try to figure out if there way a rational reasoning for it. I wonder what was in the backyard that made chain-like sounds?
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I really have no idea about those chain sounds, but I can still call up the sounds, and they are creepy! I’ll look forward to more of your sharing about this!
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What wonderful fodder for poems in October! I may just have to join you. I love scary poems. I was scared of lots of things as a kid. One thing was that the back of my tricycle would knock into my achilles tendon on my heel. I know that’s a weird and specific fear….I have had it as an adult when my kids would push a grocery cart behind me — that the wheels would roll into the back of my ankle at my heel. How’s that for a weird fear?
Hooray for Poemtober ’17 being so productive for you. Cheers to a productive month this year too.
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That reminds me! When I was little, I read somewhere that when the Achilles’ tendon snaps, it’s as loud as a gun shot. So ever since then, I’ve been kind of terrified of it randomly snapping! Thanks for stopping by and I look forward to reading any spooky poems you may write!
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Rebecca, I am delighted that you are going to share your spooky poetry tales with us this coming month. There’s nothing like a good dose of scary fright for children to be engaged in writing. I celebrated the month of October when I was a reading specialist in an elementary school. I opened my reading room up as a Harvest House and there was an array of fall decorations including the haunted house types. As students crept down the stairs to my basement room they were greeted with weird sounds and hanging decorations. When the class was inside the room, I turned on the lights and started reading from my collection of books. A favorite was Jack Prelutsky’s poems on Halloween. So what scared me? A very strange happening occurred when I had fevers. I would think that my head was hard and when I placed it on the pillow it clanged so I was frightened of having fevers that would create delusions and hallucinations.
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It sounds like the kids got a real treat when you were a reading specialist! I would have loved it. Your fever fear sounds like it would be terrifying! I bet there’s a poem in there somewhere!
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What a great challenge. And I had to laugh at your achilles comment. my husband snapped his – and while I don’t think it was gun shot loud, he did hear a definite twang and knew instantly what had happened (he’d torn it previously). Not a lot of fun – surgery and many many weeks recovery – worse than a broken bone in some ways because absolutely no weight bearing for such a long time.
Back to fears – I wasn’t scared of the dark all the time, but my parents owned a country hotel and we lived upstairs. If I ever had to go down to to the kitchen at night, this involved unlocking the dining room door and racing through a darkened room because the light switch was at he other end. I never ever got over the fear of there being something there in that room – I think the locked door emphasised that there could be baddies there.
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Whenever you said “country hotel” all I could think was the Bates Motel! So that made the spooky locked dining room even creepier in my mind. Thanks for swinging by, Sally.
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What a fun way to celebrate all things scary through October! I look forward to reading your poems from Poemtober. If I get brave enough, I may try some myself!
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October is definitely my fave time of year. I hope you get a change to write a few spooky poems!
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What a great plan, Rebecca! I remember this scary little doll ditty from last October on TLD. Loved it then and love it still. 🙂 Looking forward to #Poemtober!
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Thanks for stopping by, Michelle! I’m looking forward to the month!
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Poemtober! I love it! Love the doll poem. I may try to do #poemtober.
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I hope you get a chance to! I’d love to see what you come up with.
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Sounds like an intriguing month ofOctofears that you are embarking on Rebecca, have fun!
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Thanks, Michelle! It should be fun!
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Okay, here’s my most unusual childhood fear: Mickey Mouse on a tire swing! (?? I have no idea where that came from.)
Your plan sounds great! I can totally see why doing 31 poems AND 31 drawings is daunting.
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