Day Twenty-Four
on APRIL 24, 2022
Wow, we’re down to the final Sunday of Na/GloPoWriMo 2022. What a fun month
this has been. The moment we’re done with April, I’ll hit the ground running and
probably hibernate from this for a while: I have so much to do.
But for now, let me enjoy what’s left of this amazing experience. Thanks to everyone
who visits, and thanks to Maureen Thorson for the exceptional daily challenges.
“I went out on a date with Simile.
I don’t know what I metaphor.” ~ Tim Vine
Prompt for the day (optional, as always). Hard-boiled detective novels are known for their use of vivid similes, often with an ironic or sarcastic tone. Novelist Raymond Chandler is particularly adept at these. Here are a few from his novels: - A few locks of dry, white hair clung to his scalp, like wild flowers fighting for life on a bare rock. - Dead men are heavier than broken hearts. - From 30 feet away she looked like a lot of class. From 10 feet away she looked like something made up to be seen from 30 feet away. - She smelled the way the Taj Mahal looks by moonlight. - He looked about as inconspicuous as a tarantula on a slice of angel food. Today, I’d like to challenge you to channel your inner gumshoe, and write a poem in which you describe something with a hard-boiled simile. Feel free to use just one, or try to go for broke and stuff your poem with similes till it’s . . . as dense as bread baked by a plumber, as round as the eyes of a girl who wants you to think she’s never heard such language, and as easy to miss as a brass band in a cathedral.
running on empty
like a stolen car
we ran.
ran on borrowed time
and lies
like adultery.
skirting on highways,
heads high as the clouds
till the kick of the chase cheapened
tank empty as a fool’s mind
got pulled over
nothing to wrangle
for;
nothing was
ever ours
‘cept Machiavellian foxery
*
© 2022 selmamartin.com
“A simile is like a pair of eyeglasses,
one side sees this, one side sees that,
the device brings them together.” ~ George McWhirter
Happy Writing and Thanks for reading.
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This post: a Sunday gift to me/ as well matched to my simile/ as my current mug of just-right tea/ a foil for chocolate liberty xxx
Your words, always so touching, poetic. You are a true inspiration. Thanks for blessing me this way. I bless you back. And wish you miracles. xoxo
Good stuff, Selma 👍❤️
Pulled out of spam from 4/25. And thanks for the vote of confidence, dear Yassy. I appreciate you. Stay sweet.
My pleasure dear Selma ❤️be well.
nothing was
ever ours
‘cept Machiavellian foxery
Loved this Selma!
It was my fave line as well. So glad it resonated with you too. blessings.
congratulations on going for it Selma!
Laughing… – 😂
From 30 feet away she looked like a lot of class. From
10 feet away she looked like something made up to be seen
from 30 feet away.
I chuckled at that genius spot too. hehe. Great fun. Thanks, Cindy. Stay sweet and laughing…
What an apt hard-boiled simile, Selma: “tank empty as a fool’s mind”!💜🍃
Ecstatic you like that. It came from nowhere (not nowhere, right? it came from that place whence words come from– we know) Thanks for reading and commenting. Stay sweet.
What a great poem Selma, you did the prompt true justice 🙂
How pleased I am to hear you say that, Deb. Thanks.
Selma, I just love this!
“ran on borrowed time
and lies
like adultery.”… exceptional!
hehe, so glad to know. Thanks for reading and supporting my efforts. Bless you.
Went for broke and we are the richer for it!
Thanks for laughs in the tank!
hehe, Jules, so you liked the part about the empty tank. haha. Thanks for saying. I bless you. Stay sweet and laughing. xoxo
🙂
Love the tension in this. It raises so many questions! I adore those last three last lines:
“nothing was
ever ours
‘cept Machiavellian foxery”
<3