Summoning Yourself - What Only You Know

[Dee]

Thank you for your comments on the ending of my poem Dee - Yes I am happy to reinstate those lines - I'm always hesitant about overdoing things with too many lines but I quite liked them although I do have another version where I extend some lines as you originally suggested!!!!
As for writing out arse in full - could do - it's not that I'm coy about it - I just like the excitement of coming across a word you have to provide but I don't think I'm precious about it.
Thank you for your help.

Lol! I get a buzz from seeing the word arse in print, especially such a well placed one as this one

I know what you mean about having too many lines, especially as we’ve just been through a course that encouraged us to cut, cut, cut!

However, in this situation I think there’s a very good argument to keep them, as it’s clever how they’re all body part related: fingers, feet , head and arse! It is just a very amusing sequence!

[Moonchime]

Ha!!!I Good spot Dee - you're a sharp cookie.

[Lori]

I for one support this type of Chutzpah! Arse, ass.. as a matter of fact, I have created a Wordbank for us to access.

Spoiler:

arse – ass – badonkadonk – batty – behind – belfie – Big Booty Judy – bon-bon – booty – broad in the beam – bubble butt – bum – bun – buns – business class – butt – butt crack – caboose – cake – can – crack – donk – dookie maker – duff – fanny – fatty – horse's petute – junk in the trunk – keister – moneymaker – onion – patootie – pooper – pooter – pressed ham – rear – rump – tooshy – trunk – tuckus – tush – tushie – whoopie cakes

[Dee]

Is this wordbank also a possible new fun prompt for writing some kickass poetry?

[Lori]

To lighten the mood somewhat, here is my second offering:

Things I've Learnt in Kindergarten

how grownups like to make
everything small for us kids
small toilets for our equally small bottoms
and how you shouldn't say 'arse'
in front of the other children
even if you are allowed it at home

how one shouldn't stand too close to a swing
when their friend asks to push them higher
how not to freak out when your head is cut open
and can't stop the blood gushing down your face
how to be brave, how iodine stains your skin
and how stitches itch like hell when they heal

how to pretend to sleep in the rest hour
how to have secrets and how to fit in
how to recite poetry, how to sing my heart out
how to hold a boyfriend’s trembling hand in mine
how to tame butterflies living inside my tum
and how to play make-believe, the best game of all

~ AP

The first two verses rolled off but the last verse was a real bitch to write. I’ve edited it like 30 times by now. Still not entirely sure. Hm. I don’t know why it’s being difficult. Like a child, really!

This is delightful, PIC. It very much sings out as the experience of a child soul. I like the simplicity of the beginnings of this piece. (Do I see a trend with this mighty word "arse"?) I like the mix of commonplace little youthful situations and then the slipping in of some larger blocks such as "how to be brave" which on its face is subtle but in reality is huge.

I find it interesting the last verse was hard for you. I would not have guessed it. I will read above posts and see if you've altered it in any way, but I really like it. Again, it plays with lightness but holds important joys, skills, and milestones. And, yes, make-believe IS the best game of all. This is a wonderful!

[Moonchime]

I for one support this type of Chutzpah! Arse, ass.. as a matter of fact, I have created a Wordbank for us to access.

I'm loving the wordbank Mz Lori - although for my purposes "up your own pressed ham" doesn't quite have the same ring to it!!

[Dee]

This is delightful, PIC. It very much sings out as the experience of a child soul. I like the simplicity of the beginnings of this piece. (Do I see a trend with this mighty word "arse"?) I like the mix of commonplace little youthful situations and then the slipping in of some larger blocks such as "how to be brave" which on its face is subtle but in reality is huge.

I find it interesting the last verse was hard for you. I would not have guessed it. I will read above posts and see if you've altered it in any way, but I really like it. Again, it plays with lightness but holds important joys, skills, and milestones. And, yes, make-believe IS the best game of all. This is a wonderful!

Thanks, Pic. I'm glad you liked the third verse, - it is something like the thirtieth edit. It's gonna stay like this now. I've already spent a ridiculous amount of time on what was only meant to be a quick exercise! Well, I guess I've learnt a lot from the experience about editing and letting go of original intentions!

[Dee]

I for one support this type of Chutzpah! Arse, ass.. as a matter of fact, I have created a Wordbank for us to access.

I'm loving the wordbank Mz Lori - although for my purposes "up your own pressed ham" doesn't quite have the same ring to it!!

Too damn funny though!

[Moonchime]

Lessons Learnt in Early School Days.


How to only hold hands
with friends who
Can’t run faster
Otherwise, it's disaster.

How grown-ups don’t like
you taking your clothes off,
Or spending too long in the toilets
Or getting distracted by the sky.

How if boys give you their toys
You have to give them back,
And if they show you their willie
You can’t go to their party.

How to answer to your
Sisters’ names and
Know which one
is the clever one

How to tuck your skirt in your knickers
When doing a handstand,
And hold on tight
If the knicker elastic snaps.

How to keep quiet if adults argue -
how to keep quiet.
How to find a clear voice
when disguised as an elf.

How reading tests let you down
when you get to fatigue,
despite the warnings
Fatigoo is the end.

How stories wrap you in a spell,
While secrets are a trick
‘cos they just make you
Want to tell.

How to “cross my heart
and hope to die,”
Only…
the last part
was a lie.

KK

[Dee]

No words to express how much I love this clever little widow to your early school days, Mz K. What I would give to time travel back to meet Little You!

Wouldn’t it be incredible fun if we could? Meet as an adult, the other as a child? I’d love to be able to do that so much, with all of you! And how about meeting all of us as same age children? How would we get on? What games would we play together? Fun to think about!

So we at least have a really lovely collage of Little Moonchime here to cherish.

How to only hold hands
with friends who
Can’t run faster
Otherwise, it's disaster.

So funny, so true, and such a satiating rhyme! I like how this kind of works so brilliantly metaphorically as well as literally. It can be quite demoralising to feel constantly dragged and reminded that you can’t quite keep up. As well as extremely dangerous when you’re talking literally! I wonder if our Little K had once grazed her knees like this?

How grown-ups don’t like
you taking your clothes off,
Or spending too long in the toilets
Or getting distracted by the sky.

Well, you little free spirited sprite! This made me smile! So do tell, what were you doing in the toilet for so long?

(I too have fond memories of long sittings on the loo from my childhood, being an actual *philosopher* on the toilet! I was thinking about huge existential questions. Only on the toilet. True story.

How if boys give you their toys
You have to give them back,
And if they show you their willie
You can’t go to their party.

Chuckling here!! You gotta love BOYS!!!

How to answer to your
Sisters’ names and
Know which one
is the clever one

Oh, you and Lori will have a wealth of experience here... you lucky girls with similar age sisters!


How to tuck your skirt in your knickers
When doing a handstand,
And hold on tight
If the knicker elastic snaps.

Oh the famous universal “tucking it in” trick! But snapped knicker elastic? Crikey! That sounds hilarious! Though I’m sure it wasn’t at the time! Oh dear!

How to keep quiet if adults argue -
how to keep quiet.
How to find a clear voice
when disguised as an elf.

Really great (and quite upsetting) how the first line is repeated without a qualifier. Powerful writing. And as soon as we hit a serious and sad note, you’re dissolving the angst immediately with describing your little elf voice, and now I feel really cheated of not being able to hear it through time travel.

How reading tests let you down
when you get to fatigue,
despite the warnings
Fatigoo is the end.

May I ask for a little elaboration here what’s behind this puzzle piece?

How stories wrap you in a spell,
While secrets are a trick
‘cos they just make you
Want to tell.

Lol, secrets are just the worst!!!

How to “cross my heart
and hope to die,”
Only…
the last part
was a lie.

I’ve never realised until now how silly and contradictory this expression is, lol. Promising to tell the truth by telling a lie!
Too funny. And of course I can totally picture you puzzling over the nonsense of it all!

Really loved this, Moonchime, thank you so much for sharing it! You were just a sweet little delight. If I only could, I’d be in my time capsule already on my way to meet little you!

[Moonchime]

Thank you so much Mz Dee - such a heart-warming and life-affirming response!!!
Such a great idea of yours to mine those early impressions.

Wouldn’t it be incredible fun if we could? Meet as an adult, the other as a child? I’d love to be able to do that so much, with all of you! And how about meeting all of us as same age children? How would we get on? What games would we play together? Fun to think about!
[color/]

It is indeed a really fun game to play and I have wondered about the same things. Sometimes I wonder which type of child we come across we were most like. It would be enchanting to see each one of us and yes, I would love to go back and meet us then in whatever form - I think we would get on - I know we would - as for the games - I don't know. They would definitely be imaginative don't you think?

How to only hold hands
with friends who
Can’t run faster
Otherwise, it's disaster.

I wonder if our Little K had once grazed her knees like this?

It was my first day at school and the infant playground was a load of chunky stones (no tarmac there yet) and Veronica wanted to hold my hand. She was no mean runner - probably became an athlete - anyway she was fine but I ended up with a couple of very gouged knees and a healthy caution of hand-holding.

As for the toilets I wasn't usually into spending a lot of time there but one day found myself delayed by a small boy wanting to take his trousers down and reveal all. I had no idea what was coming but a crowd was forming, and I had no idea it was going to cause such a fuss when it was discovered. It was true my mother wouldn't let me go to his party.

I can imagine you sitting on the loo pondering - my middle sister used to read on the toilet all the time- it used to infuriate us 'cos sometimes we'd be desperate - and then I found out how to unbolt the door from the outside!!!!

Oh the famous universal “tucking it in” trick! But snapped knicker elastic? Crikey! That sounds hilarious! Though I’m sure it wasn’t at the time! Oh dear!

I suspect my dear Dee that you are too young to know the problems of knickers with threaded elastic. It didn't happen very often but I have very clear memories of my mum hurrying me across the road when my elastic snapped (on more than one occasion) and trying desperately to hold my knickers up all the way home! Fortunately it wasn't long before the knicker manufacture improved and things became less of a struggle!!

describing your little elf voice, and now I feel really cheated of not being able to hear it through time travel.

My first part in a school play was an elf in The Elves and the Shoemaker (or something like that) and much to everyone's surprise - myself included - I discovered a strong voice in that space. It was a bit of a revelation to everyone. Not however the lovely singing voice that you might have imagined and that you clearly had and could be worth the time travel. I did sing, but always with others (unless play acting with a friend).

How reading tests let you down
when you get to fatigue,
despite the warnings
Fatigoo is the end.

May I ask for a little elaboration here what’s behind this puzzle piece?

It's funny because when I was writing the poem I wondered how some of it would translate. The reading test they used then (and it still exists and is used) had lists of words that you had to read and according to how many mistakes you made your reading age was assessed (I think you've done some of those). Anyway we were doing the reading tests and each going out in the corridor to be assessed and some pupils came in and warned us about "fatigue" which of course is one of the more advanced words. I knew it was tricky but I didn't know that I should not pronounce the "gue" so I did and that of course was the end of the reading test! No silent gue for me!!

Lol, secrets are just the worst!!!

How to “cross my heart
and hope to die,”
Only…
the last part
was a lie.

I’ve never realised until now how silly and contradictory this expression is, lol. Promising to tell the truth by telling a lie!
Too funny. And of course I can totally picture you puzzling over the nonsense of it all!

I'm really glad that made sense to you as I don't know if it's a universal saying or not. Did you say it? were there other "promises" or signs you had to make when someone was telling you a secret? I'd love to hear about them. Did you ever prick your thumb and mix blood with someone?
Thank you so much Dee for your lovely review and captivating thoughts of visiting our little selves!!

[Lori]

Lessons Learnt in Early School Days.


How to only hold hands
with friends who
Can’t run faster
Otherwise, it's disaster.

You always have me at "hello", lovely Mz. K, but the last two lines endeared me from the get-go! Really, the entire concept is hilarious and something I'd not thought of but should be included in the "Kid Handbook".

How grown-ups don’t like
you taking your clothes off,
Or spending too long in the toilets
Or getting distracted by the sky.

I have this image of little you swinging tiny peg legs while contemplating life on the commode. I suppose toilets were a "thing" as young kids. A place away from the madding crowd. ...And that old blue sky calling to kiddos that there is life beyond walls and fresh air outside. So sweet.

How if boys give you their toys
You have to give them back,
And if they show you their willie
You can’t go to their party.

So glad you could be arsed to write "willie"

How to answer to your
Sisters’ names and
Know which one
is the clever one

Love this. Large family truths. I've said before, my name was "Ka, Ja, Pa, ...Su...."

How to tuck your skirt in your knickers
When doing a handstand,
And hold on tight
If the knicker elastic snaps.

Another beautiful visual here. The beginnings of special circumstances to be dealt with only by girls. Really very funny.

How to keep quiet if adults argue -
how to keep quiet.
How to find a clear voice
when disguised as an elf.

I love this depiction of child. I took it as having your voice heard and given credence when all the world sees you as a child - "disguised as an elf" is perfect. I so love that comparison. Do we all remember the fully-formed inner self moments that looked out through our yet to be fully formed eyes at times?

How reading tests let you down
when you get to fatigue,
despite the warnings
Fatigoo is the end.

This is interesting and I wind it back up to reading/spelling with the word all atumble. (New word and I like it: atumble). I may be wrong.

How stories wrap you in a spell,
While secrets are a trick
‘cos they just make you
Want to tell.

Perfectly stated pitfall. I like the word 'cos with its juvenile tone. The spell of stories never did let up, did it Mz. K? Hm?

How to “cross my heart
and hope to die,”
Only…
the last part
was a lie.

KK

Love the ending to this whimsical ride through early childhood. What a wonderful piece! Brought a smile to my face and I loved that little girl traversing life and finding her way. She should write a book starring herself. I see a Beverly Cleary type story.

UPDATE: Having now read the thread above, I love how literal these depicted experiences were for you - that you were actually in an elf costume and under that auspice you found your confidence. Sweet childhood snippets. And, yes, the last lines are quite universal - cross my heart and hope to die. I thought it must have come from a poem, but it does not.

Per Quora:

"Cross my heart and hope to die" originated as a religious oath uttered by Christians. The rest of it no doubt arose when children took the original oath and wanted to strengthen it, as they certainly as youngsters did not grasp the solemn significance of that oath to religious people.

Love little K!