Groups And Nonsense Poetry

As a culture consultant, I have the opportunity to work at a mental health crisis shelter that has both crisis guests and IRTS (Intensive Residential Treatment Center) guests.

We will occasionally write a nonsense poem, where each guest will write a couple lines or a paragraph of the poem. They can start with a familiar line or two or change them as they wish. Rhyming is optional.

Writing poetry/rhyme is healing as is laughter and we got a few chuckles from the nonsense below. The first two are from the Crisis Shelter and the second bunch is from a contest of nonsense poetry from my writers' group on Facebook:

Roses are red

Violets are blue

Bluebirds can't chew

I wonder who

is true blue

~

Lips as red as a rose and as fragile

one kiss can make them bloom or crumble

~

Tiddle dee tiddle dumb

sitting here on my thumb

can't get aging off my mind

I don't feel very kind

~

Roses are red

Violets are blue

Cactus are pokey

and so are you

~~

And another nonsense rhyme

Look at that bird

He looks like a turd

flying through the air he knows he is the word

even though he may be a turd

the turd from the bird

fell from the sky, he was almost dead

when he landed on my head

and never was heard!

everything was heard

by the cows in the herd

all can be used even the turd.

Then my writers' group

5. JoAnn Boorman Number One 🥇🏆

My yellow cat named Mr Moose

Always wanted to be a goose

He bought himself a big pill

Guaranteed to grow him a bill

Unfortunately it appeared on his caboose

1. Carol Verant Arola Number Two 🏆🥈

There was a little bunny,

Whom thought himself so funny.

He didn’t like to hop,

But loved to grocery shop.

He always bought more honey.

2. Carol Verant Arola Number Three 🏆🥉

The bunny dreamt of flying.

Really, I’m not lying.

Imagine them up in the trees,

Eating things like nuts and cheese.

Laughing so hard he’s crying.

4. JoAnn Boorman Number Four🏆🏅

There was a lazy gal named Sassy

Who sat all day on her little assy

Her mom finally had enough

And talked to her pretty rough

Sassy said “Mom, you’re not acting very classy”

12. John Lindquist Number Five 🏆🏅

My COVID girl

She has quite the curl

She is ornery as hell

She says my feet smell

My girl puts my mind in a swirl

There were 15 entries and JoAnn Boorman, Carol Verant Arola, and John Lindquist were the winners.