C.M. Simpson's Blog, page 186

Australian Birds: CORRECTION (not a Straw-necked Ibis; an Australian White Ibis: Threskiornis molucca)

It's amazing what comes wandering up to the back fence. These guys were quite happily foraging for insects until I started taking photographs, and then they became rapidly shy.

Australian Birds: Straw-necked Ibis

It's amazing what comes wandering up to the back fence. These guys were quite happily foraging for insects until I started taking photographs, and then they became rapidly shy.

The Cinquain Challenge: Form 5—The Butterfly Cinquain

This week, we’re looking at a fifth type of cinquain—the Butterfly Cinquain. Again, it uses either a Crapsey Form 1 or a Crapsey Form 2 as a base.
For those of you who are new to this series, Adelaide Crapsey was an American poet who was inspired by the rules of Japanese poetry to create her own poetical form, the cinquain.
A cinquain is a five-line poem that has a set number of syllables (or word types) per line. Sometimes the title of a cinquain acts as a sixth line.
The fifth type of cinquain we’ll look at is called a Butterfly Cinquain. The Butterfly Cinquain is a nine-line verse with two syllables in the first line, four in the second, six in the third, eight in the fourth, two in the fifth, eight in the sixth, six in the seventh, four in the eighth and two in the ninth line.
If you look at this verse’s shape on the page, you will see why it’s called a butterfly cinquain.
Here’s an example, inspired by the evil nature of trolls:
Troll manBeneath the bridgeShadowed face, blackest heartDarkest of minds, blackest of needsEvilBy nature, by deed, by desireUnrepentant, unbowedCruelly shamelessTroll man
Why don’t you give it a try? Try writing at least one reverse cinquain for each day of the week. They don’t take a lot of time, but they can be a bit tricky. Here’s one way you might want to approach them:Decide on a topic;Think of words, phrases, feelings and ideas that relate to your topic and work out the order you want to express those things in;Work out how to express each idea in the right number of syllables for the line it’s on;Write your cinquain;Check there are the right number of syllables on each line; andCentre the poem on your page. Or you can just write them as you go, letting inspiration take you where it will, but remember to check your syllables and centre your poem at the end.Enjoy!

Progress Report: Week 2, April 2014

I spent the week sick in bed, bar the little bit of writing done last Sunday, and a very brief hour on Wednesday. This week, I hope to do better, but with study and an assignment to catch up on, things aren’t looking too hopeful. Fingers crossed, hey?OverviewNew words produced: 3,060Old words revised: 0Works completed: 0Works revised: 7 (for inclusion into a longer work)Covers created: 0Works published: 0Works submitted: 0Competitions Entered: 0Tier 1 Tasks
Annual 13: Added 181 wordsAnnual 14: Added 1,713 words
Publishing Tasks
Created 1 blog post for this blog
New ArrivalsThe following ideas arrived this week:

Poem340—Troll Man: about a trollPoem341—Fairy Lights: about fairies;ShortStory255—The Shenzi’s Stain: a piece of flash science fiction about a space wreckShortStory256—To Rescue a King: a piece of flash fantasy fiction about rescuing a kingShortStory257—The Dead do not Live: a piece of flash horror fiction about zombiesShortStory258—Leaf-Stalker Alarm: a piece of flash science fiction about an otherworldly predatorShortStory259—The Pixie Beat: about dancing to a different rhythm

Australian Birds: Sulphur-Crested Cockatoo

The trees in our backyard are very popular with the local birdlife - for which I'm very grateful, although I didn't expect to see these big fellows just outside my backdoor.

And I guess they didn't expect to see me, either.


But this one didn't let the camera clicking interrupt his dinner.


Although, he did keep a good eye on me.


Probably, thinking bad cocky thoughts about paparazzi spoiling lunch.

The Cinquain Challenge: Form 4—The Mirror Cinquain

This week, we’re looking at a fourth type of cinquain. Again, it uses either a Crapsey Form 1 or a Crapsey Form 2 as a base.
For those of you who are new to this series, Adelaide Crapsey was an American poet who was inspired by the rules of Japanese poetry to create her own poetical form, the cinquain.
A cinquain is a five-line poem that has a set number of syllables (or word types) per line. Sometimes the title of a cinquain acts as a sixth line.
The fourth type of cinquain we’ll look at is called a Mirror Cinquain. This formconsists of two five-line verses—a Crapsey Form 1 or 2 cinquain, and a Reverse Cinquain based on the form used in the first verse.
Here’s an example, inspired by the day outside my window:
SunlightReflected on leavesFrom a sky grey with cloudRain threatens, wind blows, the sun shinesAutumn
Some leavesHave turned earlyRed and yellow highlightsAmidst a stormy sea of greenAutumn
And here’s another one.
StarshipsBound out of orbitEngines winking, bright like starsTo far-flung planets newly foundSettlers
SettlersTraders, poetsExplorers full of hopeFor fortune, new market, new lives, Starships
Why don’t you give it a try? Try writing at least one reverse cinquain for each day of the week. They don’t take a lot of time, but they can be a bit tricky. Here’s one way you might want to approach them:Decide on a topic;Think of words, phrases, feelings and ideas that relate to your topic and work out the order you want to express those things in;Work out how to express each idea in the right number of syllables for the line it’s on;Write your cinquain;Check there are the right number of syllables on each line; andCentre the poem on your page. Or you can just write them as you go, letting inspiration take you where it will, but remember to check your syllables and centre your poem at the end.Enjoy!

Progress Report: Week 1, April 2014

Another busy week, with four assessment items to be completed over four days—not a lot of writing was completed. Next week, we have a mid-term break, but I have some things I need to catch up on, so there may not be much writing done then, either. We'll see. I can only do my best.
OverviewNew words produced: 2,563Old words revised: 0Works completed: 0Works revised: 0Covers created: 0Works published: 0Works submitted: 0Competitions Entered: 0Tier 1 Tasks
Annual 13: Added 453 wordsAnnual 14: Added 1,405 words
Tier 4 Tasks
YANovel18A—added 585 words
Publishing Tasks:
Created 1 blog post for C.M. Simpson blogNew ArrivalsThe following ideas arrived this week:
YANovel18A: about a girl trying to protect her little brother and find him a place of safety;YANovel18B: about a girl searching for her family;Poem337—Death of Dreaming: about life’s disappointments;Poem338—Colour our World: about colours and their meanings;Poem339—Discovering another Path: about looking for alternatives in life;ShortStory250—The Eviction Notice: a piece of flash science fiction about rivalry in the race to colonise another world;ShortStory251—In Search of Dragons: a piece of flash fantasy fiction about the search for a dragon;ShortStory252—Illicit Cargo Survives Wreck 216: a piece of flash science fiction about a crashed cargo ship;ShortStory253—Forest Perch: a piece of flash science fiction about a rescue;ShortStory254—Out of Darkness: a piece of flash fantasy fiction about honouring one’s debts.

Progress Report: Week 5, March 2014

Busy week this week - three assessments and lots of study. Not a lot of writing.

OverviewNew words produced: 3,576Old words revised: 0Works completed: 20 (all for inclusion in longer works)Works revised: 0Covers created: 0Works published: 0Works submitted: 0Competitions Entered: 0Tier 1 TasksAnnual 13: Added 1,292 wordsAnnual 14: Added 2,280 wordsPublishing TasksCreated 4 blog posts for this blog;New ArrivalsThe following ideas arrived this week:
·         Poem327—Marital Misunderstandings: a poem about miscommunication;·         Poem328—Skies Full of Dreams: a poem about dreams;·         Poem329—Autumn: a poem about autumn;·         Poem330—Rainstorm Flowers: a poem about wet weather… and flowers;·         Poem331—When the Nightmares Come: a poem about nightmares;·         Poem332—The Impossible: a poem about the impossible;·         Poem333—Cityscape – Bus Stop: a poem about a bus stop;·         Poem334—Cityscape: a poem about the city;·         Poem335—The Redemption of Dragons: another poem about dragons;·         Poem336—At the Dusk of Life: about different attitudes towards the end of a lifetime;·         ShortStory240—Horsemen from the Plains: a piece of flash science fiction about holograms and raiders;·         ShortStory241—Early Morning Silhouettes: a piece of flash speculative fiction about outsiders;·         ShortStory242—The Hollow Hill Canaries: a piece of flash speculative fiction about canaries;·         ShortStory243—A Stranger’s Worth: a piece of flash speculative fiction about the value of a stranger;·         ShortStory244—A Jendavik Homecoming: a piece of flash speculative fiction about one of the ways to return home;·         ShortStory245—The Montoya Evacuation: a piece of flash science fiction about a rescue;·         ShortStory246—Shadows in the Glass: a piece of flash paranormal fiction about two worlds touching;·         ShortStory247—A Predator Among Men: a piece of flash paranormal fiction about those who walk among us;·         ShortStory248—The Death of Carthena’s Calliope: a piece of flash science fiction about a colony’s difficult start;ShortStory249—Retribution Rides Hard: a piece of fantasy flash fiction about revenge

Australian Birds: Juvenile Crimson Rosella (Platycercus elegans)

I went through a couple of months where the main birds that visited my backyard were crimson rosellas. This coincided with the trees fruiting, so I probably shouldn't be surprised. This pair hadn't yet exchanged their green 'baby' plumage for the more colourful red and blue of an adult, and probably wouldn't for another two years. I hope they stick around so I can see that. I had quite a hard time identifying them because of it. As you can see, the green is very handy for camouflaging them against the grass.

The first shot caught them unawares

and caused them a bit of concern, 

but they decided food was more important.

Definitely more important.

They kept eating, but they kept a very good eye on the camera. I stayed just inside my back door, and they tolerated me photographing them.

When they both bobbed down to collect more to eat, they became very hard to see.

They took one more very assessing look, and then they decided they'd had enough and flew away.

They've been back since, I'm glad to say.

The Cinquain Challenge: The Reverse Cinquain

This week, we’re looking at a third type of cinquain. It can be created using either a Crapsey Form 1 or Crapsey Form 2 cinquain as a base..
For those of you who are new to this series, Adelaide Crapsey was an American poet who was inspired by the rules of Japanese poetry to create her own poetical form, the cinquain.
A cinquain is a five-line poem that has a set number of syllables (or word types) per line. Sometimes the title of a cinquain acts as a sixth line.
The third type of cinquain we’ll look at is called a Reverse Cinquain. This form reverses the order of the lines, with the first line having two syllables, the second line having eight syllables, the third line having six syllables, the fourth having four syllables, and the fifth returning again to two..


Here’s an example, inspired by the squawking rosellas outside my window:
SquawkingThe rosellas fly, elusivedespite red and blue coatsamongst green leaves Hidden
And here’s another one.
StarshipsAwaiting flight plans, they orbittaking shuttles of hope,the starstruck all wantingnew worlds


Why don’t you give it a try? Try writing at least one reverse cinquain for each day of the week. They don’t take a lot of time, but they can be a bit tricky. Here’s one way you might want to approach them:
Decide on a topic;Think of words, phrases, feelings and ideas that relate to your topic and work out the order you want to express those things in;Work out how to express each idea in the right number of syllables for the line it’s on;Write your cinquain;Check there are the right number of syllables on each line; andCentre the poem on your page. Or you can just write them as you go, letting inspiration take you where it will, but remember to check your syllables and centre your poem at the end.
Enjoy!