Crafting Poetry One Syllable at a Time
Posted on May 3, 2018 by Colleen M. Chesebro
Charli Mills from CarrotRanch.com has come up with a fun challenge called “Carrot Ranch Rocks. I love rocks. There is a certain energy I feel radiating from them. They have stories to tell and Charli picked up on that energy.
Here’s what she has to say:
“Here is a place where we can spin stories around the beach fire after a day of hunting rocks along the Keweenaw shores of Lake Superior. Here is where literary art meets geology.
We use rocks as prompts to write fiction stories of 99 words, no more, no less. Our writers are from a global community called Carrot Ranch, and their bylines include where they live.If by serendipity, you have found a rock that reads #CarrotRanchRocks, you can look it up in our feed by its serial number. Your rock will have a photo, place of origin, date found, and a possible identity. Best of all, your rock will feature in its own story.Please let us know in the comments if you have found the rock and where (general area, no personal details). Tell us if you plan to keep it, gift it, or hide it for someone else to find.If you are a writer interested in participating, read the note Writer Guidelines and email Charli Mills at wordsforpeople@gmail.com. Be sure to read Our Story.
At the top of the hill, Leandra gazed in awe at the stars sprinkled across the January sky. She shivered as bright streaks of light trailed behind the shooting stars. If only one of those falling stars would land nearby. She’d pick it up and put it in her pocket knowing her birthday wish had come true.
As if the heavens heard her plea, a tiny meteor hurled toward the earth landing at her feet. She switched on her flashlight seeing quartz and copper garnets sparkling in the beam. Garnets were her birthstone, now a gift from the universe.
© 2018 Colleen M. Chesebro
Category: Authors Supporting AuthorsTags: #CarrotRanchRocks, Carrot Ranch Literary Community, Carrot Ranch Rocks, garnets, McLain State Park, Quartz, writing challenges
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“What makes you a poet is a gift for language, an ability to see into the heart of things, and an ability to deal with important unconscious material. When all these things come together, you’re a poet.”
—Erica Jong
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Colleen M. Chesebro is a Michigan Poet who loves crafting syllabic poetry, flash fiction, and creative fiction and nonfiction. Colleen sponsors a weekly syllabic poetry challenge, called Tanka Tuesday, on wordcraftpoetry.com where participants learn how to write traditional and current forms of haiku, senryu, haiga, tanka, gogyohka, tanka prose, renga, solo-renga, haibun, cinquain, Etheree, nonet, shadorma, Badger’s hexastich, Abhanga, and diatelle poetry. Colleen's syllabic poetry has appeared in the Auroras & Blossoms Poetry Journal, and in “Hedgerow, a journal of small poems,” and in various other online publications. She’s won numerous awards from participating in the Carrot Ranch Rodeo, a yearly 99-word flash fiction contest sponsored by carrotranch.com, an online writing community. Recently, she created the Double Ennead, a 99-syllable poetry form for Carrot Ranch. Colleen has published a collection of poetry, flash fiction, and short stories called, “Fairies, Myths & Magic: A Summer Celebration,” dedicated to the Summer Solstice. She contributed a short story called “The Changeling,” in the “Ghostly Rites Anthology 2020” published by Plaisted Publishing House. Colleen Chesebro’s poetry blog is called Word Craft – Prose & Poetry at https://wordcraftpoetry.com/ Her author blog is found at https://colleenchesebro.com where you will find her poetry and short stories.
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I love your Ranch Rock Story Colleen!!
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Very beautiful, Colleen.
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Thanks, Olga. Great fun and inspiration. 😍❤️
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great story Colleen and cute rock!
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Thanks. It was really fun to hold the rock, close your eyes, and imagine a story. ❤
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I have quite a few, in fact I was given five very special rocks on my trip last year … but I’m between homes and they are in boxes somewhere … each would make a great story. Maybe I need to collect one locally 🙂
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Great idea! I plan on sending Charli from Carrot Ranch some rocks from Colorado. 😉
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I’m sure she would love that, yours is so pretty!
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Thank you. ❤
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I loved your story, Charli.
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Whoops, sorry, Colleen, I had Charli’s post on the brain when I wrote this.
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LOL! No worries, Robbie. ❤
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Magical story, Colleen. Lucky girl! I’d love to capture a shooting star. 🙂
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LOL! It’s those primordial rocks from the shores of Lake Superior. They’re truly magical. I’m glad you enjoyed. It’s hard sometimes to get everything into a 99 word story. 😀 ❤
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You don’t seem to have any challenge with it. 🙂
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Thanks, Diana. You are a confidence booster for sure! ❤
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This was one of my many fantastical wishes as a child. Still is! Lovely affirmative story, Sis 💜
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Catch a falling star and put it in your pocket… remember that song? 😍❤️
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Oh yes, I sang it all the time as a young child 🙂 ❤️
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How sweet! 🦄💜
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