Poetry Experiments: Words I Confuse

Confusing words or simply wondering about the similarity in sound but the polar differences in meaning is where the tension for your poem might be found.  The confusion around pairs of words might be attributed to their being homonyms or homophones, because there are multiple meanings to the word or even additional connotations. Sometimes the confusion can occur in the speaking of the word, depending on which syllable is stressed, the meter of a sentence, learning words in another language, and even the tone when the word is spoken.   This confusion is the impetus for today's poetry writing challenge.

 "Oblation" by Tanya Grae introduces the free write prompt, and "Persimmons" by Li-Young Lee precedes the poem prompt.  

Free Write Prompt

​Write about words you confuse or have confused in the past.  Write about the juxtaposition of these "sound alike" words.   Include their meanings, or use one of the words in the poem and imply the other, as Grae does in the poem "Oblation" wherein an "ablation" process is being described.  Write about the situations where the words come up; describe parallel things that are happening in relation to these situations.  If you need commonly "confused" words, here are some suggestions.  (Write for 10 minutes.)

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Poem Prompt

 Write your “confused words” poem.  What do these confusions mean? Feel free to explore the parallel stories, the tangents that go with the words, as Lee does in "Persimmons."

Something Extra

 This last poem plays on the various meanings of the word "lie." 

Comedians and "confused words"  Norm Crosby's classic act includes malapropisms and Ismo, Finnish comedian, capitalizes on language differences.

Share your "confusing word" anecdotes or poem excerpts below.

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