Tuesday, September 4, 2012

Native America (State Slogan Poems/Aphorisms)

Having already written found poems, book-spine poetry, and hybrids comprising titles of songs, musical albums, and books, I looked to state slogans for a challenge, using only the words in the slogans. Try your own hand with the prompt. You might surprise yourself with the result.

State mottos and state nicknames also can be used to write poems, aphorisms, or new slogans.

Native America*

Come see for yourself
where the rivers run,
land of enchantment
wide open,
full of surprises,
life changing.

Find yourself here
beyond your dreams.**
So much to discover
within your reach.**

Make it yours
like no place on earth.
Share the wonder.

Unwind.
Stay just a little bit longer.
We love dreamers,
smiling faces, beautiful places.

The stage is set for you:
mile after magnificent mile
stars fall on Alabama.***
A better place to be
feels like coming home.
______________________________

* The title is Oklahoma's slogan.

** I broke the slogan "Beyond Your Dreams, Within Your Reach" into two lines.

*** I took liberty here, changing "fell" to "fall".

States Represented Line by Line, in Order of Slogan

Stanza 1: New Jersey, Missouri, New Mexico, Nevada, Connecticut, Iowa

Stanza 2: California, Alaska, Ohio, Alaska

Stanza 3: Massachusetts, Wyoming, Alabama

Stanza 4: Rhode Island, Wisconsin, Oregon, South Carolina

Stanza 5: Tennessee, Illinois, Alabama, North Carolina, Mississippi

8 comments:

Tabatha said...

Clever! Educational, too. Thanks for sharing this.

Louise Gallagher said...

Okay. It's official.

You are amazing!

Not that I didn't know it before -- but seriously -- this is so clever!

robkistner said...

Very very cool... :)

Anonymous said...

Nicely done! I like how they all work together. Greetings from the state that offers mile after magnificent mile. :)

S. Etole said...

This is so clever and fun!

Brian Miller said...

ha i like how you wind these together...so many wonders to behold yet feels like home....like it much...

Anonymous said...

Wonderfully done.

Dick Jones said...

A skilful bit of weaving!