Carie Juettner

The Poetry Caravan Launches in Austin

Introducing THE POETRY CARAVAN!

I’m so excited to tell everyone about the Austin Poetry Society’s latest non-profit project and so honored to be a part of it. If you’re a poet in the Austin area, please read this and consider participating.

The purpose of The Poetry Caravan is to give free readings and workshops in retirement homes, hospitals, and shelters, taking poetry to people who can’t go to poetry. We will be launching the project in January 2015 with four venues offering one reading per month, but we hope to expand to include more locations and more types of presentations as more poets become involved.

Founded in White Plains, New York, by Usha Akella in 2003, the original chapter of the Caravan has held over 1,000 free readings, led workshops, and produced an anthology with a forward by former Poet Laureate Billy Collins. The Austin chapter will be led by APS board members Usha Akella, Barbara Gregg, and myself, Carie Juettner.

If you are a poet in the Austin area who would like to give a reading through The Poetry Caravan, please contact me (cariejuettner@gmail.com) or Usha Akella (poetrycaravanaustin@gmail.com) and we will give you more information about the readings and send you the sign-up schedule. And if you’re not a poet yourself, please share this information with your writer friends.

The Poetry Caravan will be a wonderful addition to Austin’s creative culture. I’m thrilled to be a part of it and can’t wait to get started. Join me!

Holiday Mad Lib Reveal: Let It Snore

It’s the moment you’ve been waiting for… the Holiday Mad Lib reveal!

Surprise! The “story” you were helping to complete was actually a beloved holiday song. And boy did you butcher it. Here are the results:

Let it Snore

Oh the weather outside is moldy,
But the internet is so bold-y,
And since we’ve no place to go,
Let it snore! Let it snore! Let it snore!

It doesn’t show signs of blowing,
And I’ve bought some hummus for tip-toeing,
The pillows are turned way down low,
Let it snore! Let it snore! Let it snore!

When we occasionally scrape good night,
How I’ll hate going out in the machine,
But if you’ll really drink me tight,
All the way home I’ll be green!

The internet is suspiciously straining,
And, my dear, we’re still feinting,
But as long as you hiccup me so,
Let it snore! Let it snore! Let it snore!

My favorite parts are the moldy weather, the suspiciously straining internet, and the line “How I’ll hate going out in the machine,” because I totally get that. Well done.

Now your job is to sing this rendition aloud at your next holiday gathering, preferably over some hummus, while you have the hiccups. 🙂

I have a funny memory associated with this song. Many years ago, I went caroling with a group of people I barely knew on 37^th Street in Austin. We met at someone’s house first to rehearse (yes, we actually rehearsed) and when it came time to divvy up the guy verses and girl verses of “Let It Snow,” a heated argument broke out over who would bring the popcorn. (Because, in the second stanza, someone usually brings “corn for popping “rather than “hummus for tip-toeing.”)

The conversation went something like this:

Girl – “The girls sing first.”
Guy – “No, the guys start the song.”
Girl – “No, the girls start every year.”
Guy – “You’re wrong. We sing, ‘Oh the weather outside is frightful,’ and you sing, ‘but the fire is so delightful.’
Girl – “No, we don’t. Because in the second verse, we sing, ‘It doesn’t show signs of stopping,’ and you sing, ‘And I’ve brought some corn for popping.’ You bring the popcorn. You always bring the popcorn!”
(Awkward pause.)
Guy – “Why do we always have to bring the popcorn! You bring the damn popcorn for once!”

Ah, the holidays. 🙂

Thanks to those who participated in my little game. Everyone have a happy weekend!

Holiday Mad Lib

Good morning!

I’ve been a little under the weather the past few days, so the blog post I had in mind for this week will have to be postponed. Instead, let’s have a little fun with a Holiday Mad Lib! Everyone knows how to play, right? You fill in the blanks in the story BEFORE you see the story. Then I plug in your random answers, share the results, and hilarity ensues.

Here’s how this is going to work: I’ll provide a numbered list of the types of words I need below. You’ll choose a blank to fill in and post your answer in the comments, along with the number. For instance, if you wanted the adjective in #4 to be “slimy,” then your comment would say, “#4 slimy.” That way I’ll know where the word goes in the story and hopefully nobody will double up.

Oh, and don’t be naughty. Mad Libs have a habit of sounding naughty no matter how tame your answers are, so really there’s no need for any added effort in that area. 🙂

Here goes! I’ll post the finished story when all the blanks have been filled in. Be creative!

#1 – Verb (present tense)
#2 – Adjective (Bonus points if this adjective rhymes with #4!)
#3 – Noun
#4 – Adjective (Bonus points if this adjective rhymes with #2!)
#5 – Verb ending in “ing” (Bonus points if this verb rhymes with #7!)
#6 – Type of food
#7 – Verb ending in “ing” (Bonus points if this verb rhymes with #5!)
#8 – Noun (plural)
#9 – Adverb
#10 – Verb (present tense)
#11 – Noun (Bonus points if this noun rhymes with the adjective in #13!)
#12 – Verb (present tense)
#13 – Adjective (Bonus points if this adjective rhymes with the noun in #11!)
#14 – Adverb
#15 – Verb ending in “ing” (Bonus points if this verb rhymes with #16!)
#16 – Verb ending in “ing” (Bonus points if this verb rhymes with #15!)
#17 – Verb (present tense)

Have fun! And if you need a refresher on the various parts of speech, check out the handy-dandy chart below.