Strawberry Shortcake

By Laurie Epps

When I went to the Blue Ridge Christian Writers Conference, I attended a Marketing class where we talked about shocking BROCA. This technique basically embodies the spirit of doing something different to stand out among the other submissions. But I couldn't resist attending a Poetry class taught by my dear friend, Pam Zollman.

Pam talked to us about using some more unusual types of poems to make you stand out to a publisher. So we practiced a few in class together, and I was not prepared to actually work in these classes. But it just goes to show you, that the brain is still working, and we learned a few things they are looking at when you are pitching to Highlights Magazine.


One of the forms we talked about was the Diamante Poem. Here's the basic structure:

1-Noun

2-Two descriptive words

3-Three -ing words

4-Two short phrases

5-Three -ing words

6-Two words describing new subject

7-Names new subject

Strawberry Shortcake

by Laurie Epps

Strawberry

Red Delicious

Plucking Tantalizing Cutting

Sweet berries, cooled cream

Whipping Beating Foaming

Dolluped Top

Shortcake

Laurie Epps is a senior at Anderson University majoring in Creative Writing. Already Laurie is most published as a feature article writer, essayist, and poet. A seeker of beauty and world traveler, Laurie hopes to grow into a career in travel writing illuminating the many stories that make us human despite our differences. Currently, Laurie also has a Monday Morning Book Club column dedicated to writers everywhere, and column called Fiction to Film that is an accompaniment to English 365 at Anderson University.