March Madness "Fungibility"

3/20/2014

I've been on hiatus from my blog because we were moving. We have moved, and I'm in love with our new artsy house, but now we have to fix up our old place to get it on the market. I really don't enjoy the whole real estate thing; it eats up so much time. I'd rather be writing and blogging. What got me to post today is my involvement in March Madness. I was assigned the word, fungible, a word I had never heard of before. I felt like I was back in college, pulling an all-nighter, but it was a good feeling in a way to be so involved in producing one poem in a short period of time. We had 32 hours, but of course some of that had to be spent sleeping (not much, but some). In any case, I've linked to Ed DeCaria's Think Kid Think site below. Ed is the mastermind behind March Madness and I think it gets bigger and better every year. If you haven't checked out the Madness before, it's really a lot of fun to read and vote on the poems!

Voting for my match has begun. "Strewn" vs. "Fungibile". Please cast your vote!

18 Comments

Karyn Linnell AKA Mother Streusel link

3/20/2014 05:40:26 pm

Love your poetry. I am so grateful for all the incredible poets and their work that I've been introduced to through this competition. I will keep following you after it's all done!

B.J. Lee

3/21/2014 04:44:43 am

THank you so much Karyn! I saw your comments as Mother Streusel and wondered who you were. Now I know.

Linda Baie link

3/21/2014 12:37:52 am

I'm glad you "came back" for the Madness, BJ. It's a beauty of a poem, with an unusual word that taught and entertained! I went through the real estate thing last year, had already moved, then spent much of Jan-Feb getting the old house ready-lots of workmen dealings. I think I just tired of making decisions! Best wishes in all of it, but happy you like your new house!

B.J. Lee

3/21/2014 04:46:28 am

Hi Linda! THanks for the compliment and Yes, real estate is the worst. My husband and I just want to get back to writing. But the end is in sight, at least I think so. :)

Diane Mayr link

3/21/2014 12:54:32 am

What can I say? All of you MM poets are a wonder! The best of luck, Ms. Fungible.

B.J Lee

3/21/2014 04:47:27 am

thank you, Diane. They've always called me Ms. Fungible.

Michelle Heidenrich Barnes link

3/21/2014 03:57:56 am

I've said it before, I'll say it again: FABULOUS!

B.J. Lee

3/21/2014 04:48:40 am

Thank you, Michelle! You're fabulous, yourself!

Tara link

3/21/2014 09:14:35 am

Bravo to all you MM poets - this was a lovely poem, BJ, and so very true, too.

B.J. Lee

3/22/2014 02:27:36 am

Thank you, Tara!

jama link

3/21/2014 10:22:09 am

Will say again how much I love your poem. You were given a very difficult word and did an amazing job! I bow to you :).

B.J. Lee

3/22/2014 02:29:57 am

thanks so much, Jama. No bowing necessary! LOL. When I first got the word, I had no idea what it meant and even when looking it up, it seemed to be about exchanging commodities such as pork bellies and such. I was so overwhelmed. But the more I worked with it, I came to love the sound of the word and, especially, of the made up form "fungibility." I think the sound of the word is what saved me.

Myra from GatheringBooks link

3/21/2014 10:53:50 am

March Madness is always a lot of fun, great to see that you're part of it. Best of luck BJ and hope that your move is going smoothly.

B.J. Lee

3/22/2014 02:31:08 am

Thanks Myra. We have moved but everything is still a mess. I'll have to wait till the madness is over before I recommence unboxing. :)

Liz link

3/21/2014 11:35:26 am

Well done! That dastardly Ed gave you a ridiculously hard word and look what you did with it! Very well done.

B.J. Lee

3/22/2014 02:32:51 am

Yes, Liz! I did think that Ed was quite dastardly to give me that word. Oh how my heart sank when I first saw it, but you know, I came to love the sound of the word and especially the made up form, "fungibility"- at least I think it is made up. :) I hope he is less dastardly in Round 2!

Mary Lee Hahn link

3/21/2014 10:40:22 pm

Great job with a hard word!

B.J. Lee

3/22/2014 02:33:24 am

Thank you so much, Mary Lee!

Author

B. J. Lee is a children’s author and poet. Her picture book, There Was an Old Gator Who Swallowed a Moth, is launching with Pelican Publishing on February 15, 2019. She has poems in 25 poetry anthologies published by Little, Brown, Wordsong, BloomsburyUK, National Geographic, Otter-Barry Books, Pomelo Books, and Chicken Soup for the Soul. She has worked with anthologists Lee Bennett Hopkins, J. Patrick Lewis and Kenn Nesbitt. She has written poems for such children’s magazines as Spider, Highlights and The School Magazine. Follow her on Twitter @bjlee_writer.

Poets' Garage website

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Includes my poem "The Red Crabs of Christmas Island"

Coming in 2018 National Geographic's book of US: 200 Poems of People, Places, and Passions (edited by J. Patrick Lewis.)
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