photo: google images
Hello, amazing poets! WhimsyGizmo here, and it’s my personal favorite day, Quadrille Monday! Today, I want us to drift about our poems using the word balloon.
Pen us a poem that’s full of hot air. Helium up something funny, or sad, or whimsical. Noun, verb, adjective, or a compound word like balloonman – the sky’s the limit. Just make sure it’s exactly 44 words long (not including the title), and contains some form of the word balloon.
Here’s a little inspiration from E.E. Cummings, a poet who always lifts me up:
New to the Q? Here’s what to do:
Just write a poem of precisely 44 words, including the word balloon. Link it up by clicking Mr. Linky below. Then float about awhile and visit some of the most talented poets around. The prompt is open for the whole week, so remember to come back and read (and write!) some more!
whimsygizmo said:
Hey there, intrepid poets! We’re glad you floated over. Hope you find some inspiration here. Now…poem til you pop! I’m pouring chai tea (hot or cold), and helium sunrises (some delicious rum thingy of my own making.) Cheers! And happy writing.
Björn Rudberg (brudberg) said:
Some helium beatbox…
whimsygizmo said:
Oh, HEAVENS. This just made.my.day. Thanks, B!
🙂 !!!!
Grace said:
Woah…woah…..love this Bjorn ~
Grace said:
Balloon my day with colors and tea please ~ Thanks De for hosting ~
Björn Rudberg (brudberg) said:
Love balloon… I have a wonderful memory of a balloon from my childhood… had to share that one.
Björn Rudberg (brudberg) said:
Also had to share one of my childhood songs about a disobedient red balloon…
Grace said:
Me too. I am checking out the videos when I get home~
whimsygizmo said:
Such a wonderful little story, Bjorn. What a good brother you are. 🙂
Björn Rudberg (brudberg) said:
I was mostly a terrible brother, but this was a good moment.
Victoria C. Slotto said:
An article in yesterday’s paper compelled me to pen a rather sad one. Maybe I can come up with something more joyful–that’s what balloons mean to me.
whimsygizmo said:
Victoria, that story broke my heart (as it should.) I hope writing about it gave you some release.
welshstream said:
Now when you start talking balloons ….
whimsygizmo said:
Pooh! Loves me some Tao of Pooh! Thank you! 🙂
Grace said:
Makes me happy 🙂
Björn Rudberg (brudberg) said:
Yay… Pooh is perfect for the day.
kim881 said:
I’m just a little black rain cloud, hovering over your honey tree…
Bodhirose said:
Love that Pooh bear!
frankhubeny said:
Thanks for hosting! I entered one about a balloon wanting me to let it go. I guess I was thinking of popping it so I can see how it might have preferred that alternative. I wonder what sort of ecological damage that might have caused.
whimsygizmo said:
Isn’t it sad that we never knew how much our loosed balloons were impacting the environment? Sigh.
whimsygizmo said:
If you are interested in the challenge of writing One With All the Words (a 44-word poem that includes ALL of the Quadrille words we have offered thus far), here they are:
dance, lull, bubble, grin, melt, shimmer, twist, skip, green, breeze, spill, rose, journey, jar, leaves, open, shadow, cloud, spark, cue, breath(e), scar, curl, whisper, dawn, ghost, giggle, spring, balloon
Björn Rudberg (brudberg) said:
Will come… will come
jillys2016 said:
I do love a challenge! I posted one in which all (I think) the words are used, except that one of them became the title.
Jane Dougherty said:
I wondered where all those words came from! I might give it a try.
whimsygizmo said:
And of course, we shouldn’t forget Nena (you can take the child out of the 80s, but you can’t take the 80s out of the child):
kim881 said:
Oh yes!
frankhubeny said:
Very nice song. I remember the English version.
Bodhirose said:
Always loved this song!
jillys2016 said:
Hi fellow quarillers! I back for some thrillers 🙂 Look forward to reading. Hey De, you got any white sangria back there? Seems like a balloon-appropriate libation, perhaps in a Piglet sippie cup to keep in the spirit of things?
whimsygizmo said:
Sangria in a P-p-p-piglet sippie cup, comin’ right up. I shall throw in a few cherries, red floaty balloons. 😉
jillys2016 said:
I shall hold tightly to those floaty balloons – it’s a blustery day! (Oh, bother- I’ll just eat them right away.)
erbiage said:
Lol!
paul scribbles said:
Balloon(y) fun prompt. I’m in. Off to do all the words next.
whimsygizmo said:
An excellent job, especially with all the words, Paul. It’s getting so hard to use them in creative ways I haven’t before. I am still struggling with that one, today.
paul scribbles said:
It is getting tricky. I’m not looking at previous attempts so there may be repetition.
sarahsouthwest said:
What a bright, bouncy, prompt. I’m going to rub it on my jumper and stick it to the ceiling.
whimsygizmo said:
LOVE this visual, sarah. Static electricity was a favorite plaything of my littles. 😉
sarahsouthwest said:
Kind of obligatory in our house for a while.
Sanaa Rizvi (@rizvi_sanaa) said:
Fabulous prompt, De ❤️ balloons give me the feeling of ease and exultation 🙂 hope you like what I have penned! ❤️
whimsygizmo said:
Loved it, Sanaa. Glad you’re here!
Sanaa Rizvi (@rizvi_sanaa) said:
❤️
kim881 said:
I just got back from an exhausting choir practice in which we recorded our heavy rock version of ‘Happy’: I’m a hot air balloon and I’ll take you to space… So I’m in the mood for balloon poetry. How about some balloon animals? Just please don’t squeak or burst them!
whimsygizmo said:
Making you a dragon, kim. 🙂
kim881 said:
Thanks, De, I think I need it! 🙂 I’m pooped – think I need my bed. I’ll be back in the morning. 🙂
Singledust said:
Nice to see you hosting here and with balloons! What an amazing prompt this is going to be, balloons – its either hated or loved but with much intensity. E.E is one of my favourites too, and loved the one you shared. Looking forward to writing mine and reading the other lovely thoughts.
whimsygizmo said:
So glad you’re here! 🙂
Bodhirose said:
Hi De! I immediately remembered an interesting encounter with a balloon…a rather very large balloon. 🙂
whimsygizmo said:
Crazy stuff, Gayle. I can’t imagine that was a fun ride for those IN the balloon! 😉
Maureen Sudlow said:
great fun…
whimsygizmo said:
Hi, Maureen! Glad you’re here!
Maureen Sudlow said:
Thank you
Gospel Isosceles said:
I don’t think it an exaggeration to say “the best poets around.” I’m inspired and yes, lifted, by everyone’s different take on this prompt. Oh and I just love Cummings’ “flowers pick themselves”.
whimsygizmo said:
Meeeeee, tooooo! His poems make me so happy. Whimsy at its best.
paul scribbles said:
Just got off a long international Skype and am pooped now so reading and comments will follow in the morning. Till then x
whimsygizmo said:
Get good rest, paul. We’ll see you back tomorrow.
Janice said:
I started off thinking about sending off balloons as symbols of dreams…but then I read the news….another inspiring prompt…I’m amazed we’re almost at 30 posts!
whimsygizmo said:
Glad you were inspired, Janice! Welcome!
Truedessa said:
Good Evening, I haven’t been feeling well, but decided to play! Our words ballooning into poems.
whimsygizmo said:
Truedessa, your concrete poem is just perfect! Thank yoU!
crow said:
Blow it up.
whimsygizmo said:
Indeed. 🙂
Mish said:
An awesome word for the quadrille!
Thanks, De. 🙂
whimsygizmo said:
Happy to see you here, Mish!
Colin Lee said:
Just posted my balloony baloney. Thanks, De!
whimsygizmo said:
Thank YOU, Colin! 🙂
frankhubeny said:
Your phrase “balloony baloney” made me realize that one of the side-effects of this prompt is that I finally know how to spell “balloon” correctly. I must have thought there was only one “l” in it like “baloney”. The spell checker kept telling me “baloon” was just wrong.
Colin Lee said:
Perhaps Noah Webster shouldn’t have missed out on cropping that extra “l”, Frank. 😉
Kathy Reed said:
Will add to the fun with a balloon poem…although late per usual.
whimsygizmo said:
Loved it, Kathy. Glad you’re here!
Laura Bloomsbury said:
not much hot air but a lot of fun to this theme –
whimsygizmo said:
Glad you enjoyed it, Laura. 🙂
Dr. Crystal Howe said:
Balloons are one of my favorite things. 🙂 Great prompt, De, thanks for hosting!
Bekkie Sanchez said:
What a fun prompt! I was going to do something different but ended up with the moon anyway. So many poems to read and so little time I better get started!
I am with Frank, I finally can spell balloon correctly after this. Lol!
I had trouble with formatting my poem I wanted to leave blanks but the processor had different thoughts. Group hug!
whimsygizmo said:
Hi, Bekkie! Glad you’re here. What is it about a balloon that makes us think about the moon? Love it!
Bekkie Sanchez said:
I know, it’s like a big white balloon without a string, yet it sticks around. Lol!
merrildsmith said:
This is a fun prompt, and I’m enjoying reading the comments. 🙂 I put mine up, and I may finish one with all of the words, too–because it’s much more fun than doing work.
Now off to read the other poems!
whimsygizmo said:
Happy to see you, Merril! Off to read yours now. I hope you do tackle the one with all the words, too. Quite a challenge!
merrildsmith said:
🙂
revivedwriter said:
Thanks for the inspiration from this post!
whimsygizmo said:
Thank YOU! And welcome!
merrildsmith said:
I wrote another–I think I got all the words. 🙂
whimsygizmo said:
Nicely done, Merril. It’s getting difficult! 😉
merrildsmith said:
🙂