Poetry Challenge #61

Riffing off Queen

If you were of listening age in the seventies go directly to the theater to see Bohemian Rhapsody, the new biopic about Freddy Mercury and Queen. Not to give anything away (we all know Queen was a success) a high point in the movie comes when the band plays its first stadium concert. They look out over the crowd and realize everyone in the stadium is playing-singing-performing with them!

Freddy baby totally rocking it!

According to the movie, this prompts Brian Mays to create songs for the audience to perform. And thus, the blockbuster anthem We Will Rock You came to be. Regardless of whether we know (or can/could ever understand) the lyrics, everyone knows the rhythm:

stomp-stomp clap/

stomp-stomp clap/

baam-baam boom!

Write a rhythmic poem about something that rocks you. Or, about a rock…or a rolling stone (if you like Dylan or the Stones better).

First, set that classic We Will Rock You rhythm in your head by actually, physically, pounding out the beat: stomp-stomp clap/stomp-stomp clap/ baam-baam boom. Continue pounding out the beat as you compose each line of the poem.

Who knows, you may create another Mega-hit! At best, have fun trying. Rock on!

Set the timer for 7 minutes.

Start writing!

Don’t think about it too much; just do it.

*Kelly Bennett and I began this 7-Minute Poetry Challenge over 900 days ago. We now take turns creating our own prompts to share with you. If you join us in the 7-Minute Poetry Challenge let us know by posting the title, a note, or if you want, the whole poem in the comments.