Alphabet Aerobics

My response to Terry Mansfield's challenge to create an abecedarian poem using only one word per letter.

Terry Mansfield challenged all readers to have a go at doing their own Extreme Abecedarian. I couldn’t resist rising up to the challenge.

Somehow, my mind wandered towards wood. I use it as a metaphor that you should not think about writing nor think about the tools you need. You should write.

A

Better

Creation

Done

Excellently

For

General

Happiness.

Inspiring

Juxtapositional

Knick-knacks

Leaving

Minds

Numb

Over

Perfect

Quintessence.

Satisfying

The

Urge

Versus

Wanting

Xylotomists

Yearning

Zebrawood

I feel like I have some explaining to do

A better creation done excellently for general happiness.

Inspiring juxtapositional knick-knacks leaving minds numb over perfect quintessence.

Satisfying the urge

Versus

Wanting xylotomists yearning zebrawood

First, let me help you by pulling the dictionary out:

Quintessence: The pure, highly concentrated essence of a thing.

I must admit I found Xylotomy by searching for words starting with x. I couldn’t believe my luck when I struck gold at this wood-word:

Xylotomy: the preparation and microscopic study of sections of wood.

Now go read those lines again. It should make sense now. Creating quality work is more important than getting a shiny new tool for your workshop. The same applies to writing.

I love to write, but I can’t stop myself to search for tools that help me create. Think about the prose I would have been able to juxtapose to all the great works other authors here on Medium have written! Sadly, I can’t always fight the urge to ̶p̶r̶o̶c̶r̶a̶s̶t̶i̶n̶a̶t̶e̶ find helpful resources.

My work may not be as intricate and fast as Blackalicious’ Alphabet aerobics. Go check it out. Then, when you get back: don’t fight the urge. I yearn for fresh sawdust in my reading space.

I have searched for tools and didn’t find one. I created one myself. And wrote a story about it. That’s two in one! Can’t fight the urge to find out if your story is scheduled for publication? Check with this script.

I have written a tanka about art and what it does to me. I feel it is one of my best works here on Medium. It has received less than 3 views and tallied 0 reads so far. I would be honoured if you give it a read. Feel free to stop following me if you didn’t like it. I’ll take it as feedback.