Wow, words exist out of the dictionary?

A bit morbid but I just love dark humor.

I really wanted to get a post in today. You know, see how long I can keep the daily posting up in 2011. But as the day winded down I realized I still hadn't gotten around to writing anything, and I was at a loss for a topic anyway.

So I decided I would whip out a dictionary, flip to a random page, land on a random word, and that would be my topic. After a beat of excitement my smile faded...I don't own a dictionary. Is that wrong for a writer to not own a dictionary? Really there is no need with dictionary.com right? So I went to the website but soon discovered that they don't have a random word generator.

All my searches for random word generators on Google just brought me to sites that supply you with words like "hultwerner" or "fiatelry." Words that don't exist and are truly just random. Why would you need that? I have my own random word generator that is more fun. It's called have your cat walk across your keyboard and see what pops up.

  Some cats really are just looking for a creative outlet. 

But then I realized I do have a ASL dictionary and that would suffice. I flipped to two random pages and randomly selected the words birdcage and tree.  (You know...I realize now could have just done that with any book. My mind was too set on a dictionary I guess to think of anything else.)

So here is the results of my random creative writing exercise based off the words Tree and Birdcage. I turned them each into their own poem because, well, I'm running out of time here. 
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Birdcage

All your life you wanted to leave me

Fly free

Away from me

I held you back

forced to stare out at the world that could have been

You dreamed of better things

And resented me for your “imprisonment”

I was trying to protect you

from the dangers outside

But forgot about

the dangers within

I was wrong

And now you’re gone

And I am empty

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Last Tree Standing

I stand tall

Alone

Amongst the wreckage of my friends

You thought I would fall

But I’m stronger than the others

I am cut,

And I’m bruised

but

My roots are deep

And I’m not leaving

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Yay! I can post this before the day is up. Two posts in a row. It's a miracle. Well for me anyway.

Do you have any favorite writing warm ups to do like this? What do you do when you want to write and can't think of a topic?


~Lissa


PS. Here is a picture of my actual cat.

She likes to watch Sesame Street. All the movement they do to keep kids entertained really works on her.