Today, as National Poetry Month draws to a close, there’s a special treat in store for you.
Peyton Price, poet/author of the new Suburban Haiku: Poetic Dispatches from Behind the Picket Fence has delivered a few fresh haiku, as well as your chance to win some POETRY SWAG.
A resident of suburban Maryland, Peyton’s been capturing the essence of the ‘burbs in haiku form (three lines that employ a total of 17 syllables, broken into phrases of 5-7-5) for quite some time now, and she’s elevated it to high — and hilarious — art. Some of my faves from her book:
I keep a close eye
on the hummingbird feeder.
Yep. It’s still putrid.
For tonight’s potluck
please mark what is Gluten-Free
so I don’t eat it.
Dare I say something?
I think her carpool “conflict”
is hating carpool.
Now that you’re all warmed up, let’s get to the giveaway. We’re challenging you to create a mashup of a movie critique and a haiku: a haiku review.
Get inspired by the following examples from Peyton and yours truly, then visit the comments section below to post your own movie review in haiku form (three lines: 5 syllables, 7 syllables, 5 syllables). Enter as often as you like in the next week. Contest ends May 7, 2014. All entries will go into a pool and one randomly drawn poet-winner will get their very own copy of Peyton’s adorable-but-subversive little book.
From Peyton:
DIVERGENT
Like Hunger Games, yes
but with sexual yearning.
(What? That guy is hot!)
MUPPET MOVIE
The audience laughed!
In fact, there was some shushing
from embarrassed kids.
From me:
SPIDERMAN
Tobey’s got talent —
Nimble in Spandex; good at
upside-down kissing.
Have fun — and thanks for playing!
Find more to chuckle about on The Well-Versed Mom’s Facebook page.
(And don’t forget to “like” me, okay? It’s good and good for you.)
The Well-Versed Mom 
TWELVE YEARS A SLAVE
Don’t fiddle around
with jesters who won’t divulge
how much time it takes.
-tony burnett – Apr.2014
WOLF OF WALL STREET
Drugs, cash and crotch shots
Was mortified to watch it
with teens at my side
THE PRINCESS BRIDE
A tale of True Love –
Doubt that it ends as you wish?
INCONCEIVABLE!
I’d let it go,
Before it’s Frozen.
Her name is Adele Dazeem
Just ask Travolta.
MUPPETS MOST WANTED
Inspirational?
Sensational? Not so much.
Click. Out go the lights.
Julie M wins for me! well done, I won’t even try.
Avengers save us/Learn how they fit together/Now I want schwarma.
Or…
New Pooh Bear movie/We, as with many movies/Re-cast with our kids.
Moulin Rouge
Tragic, moody past
Paris romance, jealousy,
pop songs and True Love.
Moulin Rouge
Surprise-Nicole sings!
and Ewan belts Elton John-
So Spectacular!
THE GRAND BUDAPEST HOTEL
Gustav and Zero
with panache and zeal, lust for
finer things in life.
PHILOMENA
Searching for her son
Will she find him at long last?
Irish nuns think not.
DISNEY’S BEARS
Mama and her cubs
Alaskan salmon hunting
Sleep, search, eat, repeat.
ONLY LOVERS LEFT ALIVE
Jarmusch’s vampires
night loungers drink stolen blood
and lounge some more. yawn.
THE JERK
Navin R. Johnson
Said, “Was born a poor black child.”
The new phone book’s here!
HARRY POTTER AND THE SORCERER’S STONE
Eleventh birthday
Brings boy out of the closet
Details at Hogwarts.