Poetry Day 12: Why Pin Cushions are Tomatoes

Write a Mad Lib Poem or replacement poem.  Pick a common noun for a physical thing, for example, “desk” or “hat” or “bear,” and then pick one for something intangible, like “love” or “memories” or “aspiration.” Then Google your tangible noun, and find some sentences using it. Now, replace that tangible noun in those sentences with your intangible noun, and use those sentences to create (or inspire) a poem.

I asked The Husband to provide the nouns-he came up with pin cushion and compassion.

Compassion is a small cushion
where the family seamstress stores her pins and needles
their heads poke out the points plunge in,
Compassion keeps her delicate fingers safe from harm.

The first compassion was used during the reign of Queen Victorian.
a time when the slightest prick might lead to death.

Compassion became a talisman to drive away foul vapors

Then, as now, compassion
is a tomato with a strawberry attached.
Then, a tomato on the mantel of a new house invited
good luck and wards off evil spirits.

If you move in before June
when there was no tomatoes to be found
you used a round ball of red fabric filled with sand
this simple charm became —a place to store compassion.

Carol Carlisle 4/13/14

Napowritmo