Today's prompt over at napowrimo is to write a poem consisting of kennings. Which is, apparently, "calling something not by its actual name, but by a sort of clever, off-kilter description." When I first read this, I thought my family was made for this! We tend to call things by kennings all the time; for example if you hear someone in my family refer to "Hot Topics Geek Squad" we are actually talking about the popular tv sitcom, "The Big Bang Theory" and just the other day I was talking to my mom and told her my "age card" was going to expire and she knew that I was referring to my driver's license. I think the impressive thing about my family's use of kennings is that even if its the first time we've ever used a particular kenning, we almost always know what we're talking about. So I was confident . . . at first. But then I couldn't think of multiple kennings to describe one person, place, or thing, so I guess we'll see if I manage to come up with anything . . .
Poem for Westley
Wild and crazy guy
Of cinematic origins
Charismatic
Friend to all
Sometimes you're a pillow stealer
Other times you're a laundry sleeper
Often a furious chewer
Always a voracious eater
You who tilt at wind
Excavator of my bed
Usually quiet, almost to the point of muteness
Startled sound maker
Squeaky toy lover
Happiness you always spread
Sometimes I wonder
If you're a ghost noticer
Or just a supersonic hearer
You could be called Sir Pants-a-lot
Smartly mischievous
Layer beside me
A velcro dog, you probably are
Company keeper
"Pure comfort" some might say
Probably a foodie
But for sure
The conqueror of my heart.
Not sure these would be classified as kennings; I think they are more like near-kennings. Westley is my puppy by the way; I could explain more, but I think its more fun this way.
-Sharon
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