Thursday, May 12, 2016

Kerry Says ~ Let's Visit the Family

Here, I am not suggesting we crack open our ancient family albums (although you are welcome to if that sounds like an interesting place to start) but encouraging us to pay a visit to to a Word Family.

Source


According to Oxford Learner Dictionaries, a word family has two definitions:

1) a group of related words that are formed from the same word a word family consisting of “help,” “helper,” and “helpful”




2) a group of words with particular features in common “Cat” and “hat” are in the same word family.




To these, I want to add another related idea of the word family, such as one finds in a Thesaurus, namely synonyms and antonyms ( Those more or less fortunate cousins and prodigal siblings).



Take, for example, the word BELIEF.
A list of synonyms abounds: credence, credit, assurance, faith, trust, presumption, conviction and so on.
The Thesaurus then offers its antonym, DOUBT, with a range of related words and phrases: miscreance, infidelity, skepticism, suspicion, question, demur, dispute.

It is my belief that all writing begins (and often ends) with a mastery of words. Let us see this as an opportunity to explore the words and the way they work in our poems today, whether you choose the families of words that can be used as rhymes, derivatives of words which can be played with in many ways or a keyword, along with its synonyms and antonyms. The theme of the poem itself is of your own choosing, as is the length, form and style of your piece.



14 comments:

Anonymous said...

thats really interesting,, I had never thought of it like that,,

Anonymous said...

So sorry all that I have been MIA--busy busy, which is NEW FOR ME. But I am going to join in today, read yours, and catch up on your blogs as bet as I can!!!

brudberg said...

I will ponder this in my sleep... my whole journey into poetry was through wordplay so I think this will be fun...

Jim said...

This sounds like really fun!!! I do have a button for "rhymes" which site will also tell me synonyms and antonyms. I will try to use "those more or less fortunate cousins and prodigal siblings." Unless I change my mind.
..

Susan said...

FYI, Kerry, you helped me to write my bird poem for PU: http://susanspoetry.blogspot.com/2016/05/bird-song.html

Outlawyer said...

Kerry--it is a very creative prompt. I am still really worn out and rather stressed and just not feeling very blog oriented, but I just wanted to register that it's a super cool prompt. k.

जमशेद आज़मी said...

Your blog is too good. A nice post here.

Kerry O'Connor said...

I know this is quite a simple challenge, but we've come through the taxing month of April, and I am also not feeling up to much higher order thinking myself, with post-operation blues.

Bekkie Sanchez said...

I have been out of town this week and am not home yet but wanted to check in. This sounds lovely Kerry but I won't be joining in until tomorrow, probably too late.

Cant' wait to start writing again, a week off has been nice but I'm itching to write again. I did post an old haiku of mine on my site if anyone wants to check it out but I won't link it, it's not for this.

Hugs! Bekkie

Susie Clevenger said...

Great prompt Kerry!!

Anonymous said...

thank you Kerry- just what was needed to msuter the Muse. Enjoyed the prompt immensely and learnt a lot too

Margaret said...

Thank you... with my crazy life this next four weeks (moving & graduations, etc), I appreciate a slice of whatever time I will have to write poetry and these prompts certainly help - but the quality of my work might take a hit ;P

Margaret said...

I am off this morning driving a few hours - but will be back later Saturday evening to visit and comment.

Hannah said...

Thank you, for the challenge sorry to be so late...hope you're healing well Kerry...best to you. ♥