In this disposable age where new is king and old is garbage, TV shows like Market Warriors and Canadian Pickers are extremely popular. Pickers travel the country and forage through barns and sheds full of junk seeking hidden treasures to polish up and resell for profit. Pickers, antique stores and flea markets don’t flourish because someone wants a two-foot by four-foot metal sign advertising motor oil or is in desperate need of a child’s three-wheeler tricycle: they flourish because that one item creates a web of memories and emotions from an era in his or her life. (Or wished-for memories of a bygone age.)
I use the following exercise in my Writing for Fun creative writing
workshops.
- Brainstorm a list of childhood toys and activities
- Compose a poem using just things from the list – no adjectives, similes or metaphors. Using short sentences and specific images create a fast-paced dynamic piece
This is my poem (inspired by Bill Manhire’s 1950’s).
1960’s
My paper dolls. My fish and chips
My Tiny Tears. My pick-up sticks
My invisible horse. My invisible friend
My den. My castle. Days without end.
Snakes and ladders. Etch-a-sketch
Sindy. Trolls. Dogs playing fetch.
My hula hoop. My magic wand
My tiddley-winks. A stinky pond.
The Secret Seven. The Famous Five
Swallows and Amazons. The Call of the Wild.
My roller skates. My spinning top
Hopscotch. Elastics. Parachute drop
Pink school milk. Climbing trees
My fishing net. Scabs on knees
Whist. Gin Rummy. Memory games
Rosehips. Brambles. Country lanes.
Poetry works best if it is sparse and specific. As author and humourist,
Mark Twain observed, “The difference between the right word and the almost
right word is the difference between lightning and a lightning bug.”
Points to remember when composing this poem:
- Use ‘my’ as often as you can to show that it isn’t just a random list of items from that time frame.
- Play with the order of the sentences; say them out loud until you find a natural rhythm.
- Making the poem rhyme will force you to dredge your memory for other items and events.
Living in a disposable age means that even young children can draw up a
list of games or activities that date their childhood to a specific time-frame.
I’ve witnessed eight and nine-year olds becoming nostalgic when they take part
in this exercise!
Any one of the phrases in my poem instantly catapults me back to my
childhood – what items or activities do it for you? Post your picker poem
in the comments box – I would love to read it!
If you teach creative writing you can find this and other exercises in Creative Writing: A Teacher’s Guide and Creative Writing for Children (for
tutors and home-schooling) on the Amazon link to the right. Download to Kindle
for PC to print off lesson plans and worksheets. I use the same workshops to
teach both adults and children but do plan to create a book specifically for
adults shortly.
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