Tag Archives: Judy’s Writing Prompt Invitation: Absence of Malice

“Absence of Malice” Judy’s Poem and Reissue of the Challenge!!!

                     “Absence of Malice”  Judy’s Poem and Reissue of the Challenge!!!

IMG_1690

You never told me you wanted the head of your bathtub rubber duckie attached, Mom!

Okay—the first person to answer my challenge was Marilyn Armstrong. She commented on her own Scottie named Bonnie, which made it a bit hard to construct a poem using as my first words the first words of her eight sentence essay. I actually used each of her first words twice, to enable me to construct a 16 line poem. Here it is:

I’m the owner of a Scottie.
I watch him tear around––
bonnie little terrorizer.
Terriers get around!

Which apparel did he chew up
that I wear every day?
It probably was not his fault,
most Scottie folks would say.

I’m guilty of the dumbest act.
I should have known the pup.
Bonnie little masticators,
terriers like to sup.

Which are the things they like to chew?
That is hardly recent news.
It seems that what their jaws like best
most certainly are shoes!

I’m still waiting for more entries for the challenge. Check out the quote and explanation of the prompt posted on my earlier posting HERE and post a link to your entry in my comments! If I find a juicy one on a topic other than dogs, I’ll write another poem as well, using the first word of each of your sentences  as the first word in one of my lines., in order. Your entry can be a story, poem or essay.

 Here is Marilyn’s comment I used to spark my poem:

“I’m glad sweet, retiring, shy little Morrie seems to be growing out of his “my jaws, the world” phase. I had one hound who never grew out of it and we lived in a state of siege for 12 years. Bonnie settled down around 2 years old, which is when most dogs seem\ to release those final gas bubbles from their funny little brains. Terriers mature slowly and stay puppy-like longer than most breeds. Which makes them terrorists — but lovable; you may WANT to strangle them, but usually wind up laughing.
That quote has worked for me in so many ways. It reminds me (often) that acts of true malice are relatively rare. Most stuff is done by accident or ignorance or just a flash of “duh” … to which, sadly, we all are prone.”

(Sorry, Marilyn. I missed this last line because it was on a separate page of my document. Since I’d already written the poem and since it would have added an extra line to the second and fourth stanzas, I didn’t go back and add it. Here is Marilyn’s last overlooked line: “But not Morrie! He’s always smart!”

Judy’s Writing Prompt Invitation: Absence of Malice

IMG_1540
Absence of Malice

“Never attribute to malice that which is adequately explained by stupidity.”
                                                                         ––Robert Hanlon

My friend Marilyn Armstrong sent me this quote, which at the time applied perfectly to a stupid act I had just unknowingly committed.  I’ve decided as penance for my action that I should write a poem to this theme and invite anyone who wishes to join me to do the same–poetry or prose.

The first person who answers this prompt will be my further prompt.  I will take the first word of each of your sentences for the first word in each of my lines of the poem. Please note that your entry need not be a poem, but if it is a very long essay or story, I will just take the first words from the first twenty or thirty lines or sentences, lest my poem run on for too long. Use the quote above for your theme and send a link to your piece in the comments below.

Will whomever it was who asked me to post another quotation prompt please identify herself so I can give her credit?  I’m crazy busy right now and tried to find your comment, but couldn’t!!!  Thanks in advance for the suggestion!!!  Judy

P.S. The picture above is not intended as a prompt.  It is just an illustration of my stupidity coupled with Morrie’s absence of malice in creating this mess and severely limiting the supply of toilet paper in my house.  We all know he went on to much more destructive acts–all with absence of malice.  He’s tamed down some and his present hi-jinks have been limited to a construction worker’s back pack and four sponges used to smooth the stucco. And any errant plastic cup that gets in his way.

Marilyn Armstrong was the first to answer this prompt.  Go HERE to read my poem based on her essay. I’m still accepting entries for another week, so please give me a link to your blog in my comments section of this post and on November 12th, when the entry period is over, I’ll list the entries of merit and links to all your blogs.