So, I’m still addicted to Wordle and look forward to each daily puzzle. I’ve realized that an upside to writing poems with my word guesses is that there’s a consolation prize to doing poorly at Wordle (aka needing more guesses). For me, it’s easier to write poems with four or five words than with three words. So, even when I’m not doing as well, I have more poetic material to work with. I’ve revised my “rules” so that it’s okay to use different forms of a word as long as the base word is included. Really, I’m just focusing on fun and not on finesse. I enjoy following the words and seeing where they lead me.
Update: What I mentioned last week and failed to mention this week is that credit for the Wordle poetry idea goes completely to Buffy Silverman, not to me.
word guesses: fairy, tried, crimp, prick
Foiled
When child was born
rogue fairy tried
to weave foul magic
to crimp her life–
one single deadly
finger prick.
(Enchanted wheel
should do the trick!)
But evil wishes
don’t prevail
when others work
to change the tale.
Heart-cast magic
with best intent
can alter spells
from malcontent.
©Molly Hogan
word guesses: frame, mouth, mount
Cookie Heist
“I’ve been framed,” she cried
with her mouth open wide
smeared chocolate on her chin
crumbs trailing behind–
All mounting evidence
of a culinary crime.
©Molly Hogan
The Poetry Friday Roundup is hosted this week by Irene Latham at her blog, Live Your Poem. Make sure to stop by and contemplate all things patient.
Nix the comfort zone 
Culinary Crimes! That makes me smile so big. 🙂 Molly, what joy to see where these words take you… thank you! xo
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It’s been fun to focus on play and low stakes writing. A little respite from reality 🙂 Thanks again for hosting!
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Foiled is SUCH a clever compilation! Love the wordplay. And love what you’re doing with your Wordle, Molly. Such fun!
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Wordle poetry is the brainstorm of Buffy Silverman, and I’m so glad she shared her idea!
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So fun! I love the “heart-cast magic” of the first one. Ruth, thereisnosuchthingasagodforsakentown.blogspot.com
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Thanks, Ruth! I hope you’re settling in nicely to your new home.
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I have not allowed myself to even consider Wordle yet. Plate. Full. But it intrigues and your poems so much more so. I know Buffy gave us that idea so I will go back and read again when I decide to give it a go. I think I would like to try and both of these poems are so well done and fun!! Thanks, Molly for sharing your process and your modifications! A new form emerges!!! I hope you are considering the Golden Die contest, did we discuss this maybe? Anyhow, your words also remind me of David Harrison’s WOM poems and I found that in the right writing moments those really triggered some great memories for me, too. Bravo! Clapping and smiling here where we are getting some of the east coast snow before it makes its way north. Not sure of your forecast. But maybe 10 in here by Sat. we are now near Princeton NJ.
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The best thing about Wordle is that you just play one game a day. It really is a minimal time investment. I’m hoping to have time to submit to the Golden Die contest but as you said–Plate. Full. And after tomorrow’s storm we should have a yard full of snow–they’re forecasting 12-18+ inches.
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Your word guesses are such a perfect fit for a fractured fairy tale. And I laughed at the culinary crime. We all know who stole the cookie from the cookie jar!
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Some of the word combos are pretty darn challenging! lol That first one fell together nicely though.
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I’m addicted also, and now you’ve given me an idea of what to do with my guesses. Oh me oh my… I may never get past this! Thanks for the fun idea as well as the fairy tale cleverness… tee hee.
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I’d love to take credit for this brilliant idea, but it was all Buffy Silverman’s, not mine!
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These are delightful! I just love the sentiment in these lines:
But evil wishes
don’t prevail
when others work
to change the tale.
Heart-cast magic
with best intent
can alter spells
from malcontent.
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Thanks. Playing around with these has been such a nice little respite for me.
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Ha ha ha this is so clever and so much fun!
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It IS fun and all Buffy Silverman’s idea 🙂
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What a GREAT IDEA to expand the daily challenge of a Wordle with poetry! And these are so fun!
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Buffy Silverman suggested it and I’ve had such fun with it ever since 🙂
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I’m addicted, too 🙂 Great poems, Molly! I especially like “evil wishes
don’t prevail/when others work/to change the tale.”
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I’ve gotten almost my whole family addicted. Only my husband is holding out right now.
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I love what you have done with the Wordle guesses. I may have to try this soon.
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It’s great fun. It’s like having a daily word prompt in your back pocket.
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Molly, I am intrigued by your Wordle poetry and your perseverance as a player. Both poems are so creative but my heart goes out to #2 with its baking theme. I can always tell when a culinary crime is underway in my house. I try to leave hints that all are off limits but the bell on my new refrigerator catches the thief every time. Hooray for you with your Wordle Fun. Guesses turn into poetry.
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It’s funny because today I guessed in 2 tries–whoa! I was excited but then a bit disappointed because I realized it would be tougher to write a poem with only 2 guess words. lol
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Oh, Molly….love the “rules.” You are so fun. Your constraints are the consolation prize. If that’s not a positive attitude, I don’t know what is. Love your take on fairy tale. I need to get back to some fairy tale writing. I miss it a bit.
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You are such a powerful fairy tale writer, Linda! This one felt so clear from the words that I couldn’t ignore that direction.
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You remain my mentor for this poetry form. My attempts are still too lame to share. And yet YOU manage RHYME!!! (sigh) But I agree about the consolation prize. And sometimes I deliberately try a word that won’t solve the puzzle, but that WILL give me a more interesting poem. Not always a fruitful strategy! 🙂
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Solved one in two words today and then felt a bit sad that it would be tough to write a poem. lol
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I love these! What a great idea–so glad you’ve adopted Buffy’s idea, which I hadn’t seen. I JUST did a Wordle, and this is the first one I’ve totally failed, so I could’ve had all 5 words to play with. You created such playful poems here, and I extra love Foiled!
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I’m writing down my guesses every day so even if I can’t play that day, I can keep them for a “rainy day” prompt.
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I’ve yet to jump on the Wordle bandwagon but I did enjoy your poems today. You’re having too much fun!!
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It’s fun to see where the poems take me 🙂
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Thanks to you and Buffy for the great idea! I’m going to give it a try. Your poems are so well done!
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Thanks! I hope you have as much fun with it as I have had.
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What wonderful Wordle whimsy! Love them. I played the day that prick came up and I had another connotation altogether that wasn’t what I should put into a poem. So clever with the prick trick.
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Oh, my, Margaret! rofl
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We are hooked on Wordle. Your description that it isn’t a “time suck” is so true. For this Sunday morning’s word, Hannah, a friend here in Carpinteria, and I all agreed to start with the same word and go from there in a little friendly competition. This all makes me think the second word is key to getting Wordle in 3 or 4 turns.
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What a fun competition! I’m not sure I want to agree on a shared first word though…I sift through words til one feels right and then go with it.
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Hannah thinks about them during the day prior and settles on her favorite. I like to have a new one every morning. I Wordle after my second cup of coffee in the morning. You?
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I loved that good prevails in your first poem and the humor in both. I have to introduce myself to Wordle.
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Hope you’ve tried Wordle and are enjoying it. I just heard today that the NYT bought it. I’m hoping that won’t lead to an end to its availability without subscription 😦
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Most of my author and bookish friends on Facebook are also going crazy over Wordle – so you are definitely not alone. How awesome that you are able to craft poems out of these random words. 🙂
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I love the random nature of it. Play within constraints.
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I love both of these wordle-inspired poems, Molly. The second one is ‘a-dough-able’! 😉
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Thanks, Bridget! I’ve been a cookie thief a time or two…
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