Most Favourite and Least Favourite Words Poetry Challenge
Another challenge from me.
Do you love words, people? Of course you do, and I love words too.
Words have so much power. Words can bring joy, but also bring pain. Words can make you laugh and can arouse you (apart from anything written in Fifty Shades, yuck).
Words, it seems, can also incite to violence, and even in less extreme cases, just annoy, irritate and give people a general sense of the ick.
Words like moist seem to elicit repulsion from many people. I don't see it, myself. I love moist. But, then...I love cake.
Here is an article I found that talks about some of the words that people tend to hate. I mean who really hates squirt, phlegm and smear? Hands up, and no hiding!
The c word, not going to say it because I don't like using it, but I kinda love how much fuss four little letters, how a correctly placed t, c, u and n can cause a whole lot of fuss.
Why the hell am I rambling on about words? Well...I have a new challenge. Thanks to the overwhelming success of my last challenge, I have wanted to do another one. I was going to do it later in the month, because I am currently working on two major things (more on those when things have finalised)...but with both, I have done as much as I can for the moment, so in the interim, it's challenge time.
As the last challenge was fiction and horror, see above, I wanted to do something different, something poetic. Something a little more inclusive, probably, too.
There was a total of 13 entries and an incredible 7 Top Stories, so no pressure at all!
The Challenge
So, here's the deal.
I want you to tell me about your most favourite and least favourite word sand use both of them in the same poem. You can write a bit of blurb to explain why you love and hate the words, or you can do that in the poem, I'll leave that up to you.
The poems don't need to revolve around the words, but they should at least be a focal point.
The Rules
1. You must include a link back to this challenge (https://vocal.media/writers/most-favourite-and-least-favourite-words-poetry-challenge) somewhere in your post, preferrably at the beginning and include the challenge title "Most Favourite and Least Favourite Words Poetry Challenge" in the subtitle.
2. Poems can be any length and must be submitted to the Poets community. Provide a link to your entry in the comments to this article to be included.
3. Strictly one entry per person.
4. Poems must feature your most favourite and least favourite word.
5. Explain, either within the poem, or afterwards, why you love and hate those words.
6. The winner will be awarded $10 in the form of a tip and two runners-up will be awarded £5 each in the form of tips.
7. Submission deadline is Monday 18th December.
I had a hard time really thinking of a word I absolutely hate, other than modern things like selfie and stuff like that. So will be interested in seeing what you all come up with.
The Entries
Celia in Underland - Yūgen
Matthew Fromm - Sand
Cathy Holmes - A Bunch of Words and Silliness (Awarded Top Story)
Poppy - Chrysalism
Natasha Collazo - Oh, Stupid Cupid!
ROCK - Speechless
Angie the Archivist 📚🪶- It's not nice to loathe!
Kristen Balyeat - words ta loue 'n' wurds tae hate
Shelby Hagood - Champagne Mooch
Lamar Wiggins - An Anti-Ode
Randy Wayne Jellison-Knock - Existential Evanescence
Raymond G. Taylor - Gobsmacked? You should be
Mackenzie Davis - Hymnal to the Clouds (Awarded Top Story)
Hannah Moore - Vileous and Virtuous Vocables
Sara - hate
Kendall Defoe - Vinyl Colon
RM Stockton - These are a Few of my Favorite Words
Gerard DiLeo - Funny Words On A Rainy Day
Thank you for taking the time to read this and I look forward to reading through your entries!
About the Creator
Paul Stewart
Scottish-Italian poet/writer from Glasgow.
Overflowing in English language torture and word abuse.
"Every man has a sane spot somewhere" R.L Stevenson
The Accidental Poet - Poetry Collection is now available!
https://paulspoeticprints.etsy.com
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By trap kidvokeabout 7 hours ago in Writers
Comments (34)
Great idea Paul!
These are so fun, I just couldn't resist! https://vocal.media/poets/these-are-a-few-of-my-favorite-words
https://vocal.media/poets/hate-f616c09ym
Given the kids had too much homework for the planned baking marathon, I give you my efforts. https://vocal.media/poets/vileous-and-virtuous-vocables
I finally got it done! See, I promised today, and I did it! I love it when I can keep my word. https://vocal.media/poets/hymnal-to-the-clouds
Poetry is not my thing but, desperate not to miss out, I have made my best attempt. To those not familiar with the term 'gobsmacked' (I imagine you are, Paul) it is a UK expression of astonishment, literally to be punched in the mouth (gob). As in "When they told me I had won a poetry competition I was totally gobsmacked." Thanks for setting the challenge Paul and here is my entry: https://vocal.media/poets/gobsmacked-you-should-be
So here it is. Don't say I didn't warn you. (I mean, it's me. You have to expect something like this, right?) https://vocal.media/poets/existential-evanescence
Great challenge, Paul. I have a couple of words but struggling to poetryify them. We'll see! As to c**t I would personally like to see the word rehabilitated. The word derives from Anglo-Saxon, a language from the low countries that became the main components of modern English. The word was used in Anglo-Saxon times with something of reverence, being thought of as the source of human life (not fact checked). The English river Kennet may have been named for this reason, given the shape of the estuary. And why is to be called by this word a much greater insult that being called a prick? And why must I blank the former and don't feel the need to with the latter? I guess this is about the historical gender power balance and views on the feminine anatomy. Like I said, would be great if we could rehabilitate a word that describes the place where all human life springs from.
Annnnd here ya go! https://vocal.media/poets/an-anti-ode-rg35l0ver
Ok pal, here it is: https://vocal.media/poets/wurds-tae-loue-n-wurds-tae-hate
working on my poem for this!
https://vocal.media/poets/it-s-not-nice-to-loathe Phew... I made the deadline!
https://vocal.media/poets/oh-stupid-cupid
I have ideas...
Here’s mine :) https://vocal.media/poets/chrysalism-875h04n7
This actually seems really hard. Lol I have a fav word, but I a have a few words I dislike. But I’m not sure how to tie them together in a poem. This is def a challenge. Gonna ponder some ideas! BRB
Oooh! I’m gonna have to finally publish something on Vocal! Lol. Super excited for this one. Imma need to think though….
I know my favorite word & have an inkling for my least favorite, but I'll have to think upon it for a while.
Hate=oriented because most people say, "orientated" and it's like scraping chalk on the chalkboard to me Love=serendipity because it's like a kiss from angels
You asked for it, buddy. https://vocal.media/poets/a-bunch-of-words-and-silliness
Oo ooo OOOHH it’s here!!!! This is a brilliant idea (obviously) and I’ll need to get back to one of my drafts. Thanks for the awesome challenge Paul!!
I am all out of clues! Yet I liked your referenced words!! 🤣 Let me have a think…
Lol, I only managed to write something that fits your horror challenge wayyyy after your challenge ended. So yea, I can't give you my word when I'm at the mercy of Mr Brain 🤣🤣
Oh, jeez, buddy. So many words... I'll have to think on this one.
Argh, will I get time? It might prove to be vocal OR a Christmas movie this year!