Secret Subject Swap, August 2014

Welcome to another Secret Subject Swap. This week 14 brave bloggers picked a secret subject for someone else and were assigned a secret subject to interpret in their own style. Today we are all simultaneously divulging our topics and submitting our posts.

My subject is: Write a poem using exactly 14 words (“the”, “a”, “I”, “is”, “and”, “or”, “if”, “are”, “it”, “so”, “because”, “you”, “me”, “my”, “but”, & “an” don’t count towards the 14 words). It was submitted by The Bergham's Life Chronicles.

When I first saw this prompt I knew I was in big trouble. I mean I’ve written poems before for this blog and let me just say that . . . well . . . I suck at it. Words I Never Want To Say Again, Ode To A Reader, It's Been Quite A Ride, and Things To Do On A Rainy Day (written “Cat in the Hat” style) are more apt to make it into my Hall of Shame than any Hall of Fame.

So I knew the poem part would be a challenge, but the number of words? Holy bang-your-head-up-against-the-wall hell, that was hard. First I had to decide what I wanted the poem to be about and write it. Then I had to count the words and subtract for the allowed words, then edit, count words, subtract, edit, count, subtract, edit, count, add more words ‘cause I edited too much. This went on for quite some time. Longer than I’d like to admit, actually. It’s possible I’m not the brightest bulb.

Sadly, ultimately, all I could come up with was something like this (I know you’re counting words so I highlighted the “free” ones in color):

The fourteen

is thirteen

if twelve

are eleven,

so ten

is nine

because eight

and seven

are six

or five.

I four

my three,

if you two

a one.

Unfortunately that’s really not much of a poem. Evidence of those deceased brain cells maybe, but not really a poem.

One Strawberry Lemonade Cheesecake Square later and there’s a little sugar running through my veins. Let’s give this another try.

Strawberry Lemonade Cheesecake Squares

Apparently there was a brain cell or two left getting lonely up there in my skull because I actually wrote another one. And don’t look now (well, go ahead, I’ll let you look) it actually makes sense. No more though, I think ALL of those pesky brain cells are officially deceased. Rest in peace.

Take two:

When I look into their eyes,

even a passing glimpse,

I see:

My past.

Our present.

Their future.

Here are links to all the sites now featuring Secret Subject Swap posts. Sit back, grab a cup and check them all out. See you there:

The Momisodes

Spatulas on Parade

Confessions of a part-time working mom

Juicebox Confession

Evil Joy Speaks

Sparkly Poetic Weirdo

Follow me home . . .

Someone Else's Genius

Crumpets and Bollocks

Stacy Sews and Schools

Climaxed

The Bergham's Life Chronicles
Dinosaur Superhero Mommy 

Strawberry Lemonade Cheesecake Squares 

                                                                      ©www.BakingInATornado.com
 
Printable Recipe
 
Ingredients:
1 sugar cookie dough: you can use a packet mix, your own recipe, or use this recipe: http://www.bakinginatornado.com/2012/09/read-this_3.html
3 oz LemonHead candies, crushed
OPT: yellow food coloring
 
12 oz cream cheese, softened
1 cup Strawberry Lemonade Powdered Drink Mix (sugar added)
1 ½ cups heavy cream
3 TBSP powdered sugar
½ # strawberries, rinsed, hulled and chopped
 
½ cup heavy cream
1 TBSP powdered sugar
 
Directions:
*Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Grease a 9 X 13 pan.
*Make the sugar cookie dough. Mix in the crushed candy and food coloring (if using).
*Press the dough into the bottom and part way up the sides of your greased pan.
*Bake for approximately 12 minutes or until it’s just starting to brown. Cool on the counter for ½ hour, then move to fridge and cool completely.
*Beat cream cheese with Strawberry Lemonade Drink Mix.
*In another bowl, beat 1 ½ cups heavy cream and powdered sugar until soft peaks form.  Beat in cream cheese mixture. Mix in the fresh strawberries and pour into the crust.
*Beat ½ cup heavy cream with 1 TBSP powdered sugar until stiff peaks form. Pipe onto the Strawberry Lemonade Squares.
*Refrigerate at least an hour before slicing and serving.