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In this challenge four words are selected and written below. Writers and poets are then invited to write a 50 word story or poem that incorporates these four words. Send your submissions to [email protected] and they will be published on this page. Good luck! Four words 2024 is available to purchase now.
This challenge is thanks to Kamla Daya in New Zealand whose own writing group does this very exercise. We thought it was such a good idea we'd share it with you. |
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December 2024
limerence
atavistic
querulous
inanity
Chamber boy
Every day he felt more and more querulous that his atavistic lust for her Rubenesque figure, would never lead to her sharing his limerence. A mere chamber boy, he watched as she sat next to her King. Hoping for a look of some substance, but receiving only inanity.
Kamran Connelly
April 2024
palpate
paean
finagle
vituperative
Daddy’s money
“I bet he had to finagle that,” started the vituperative commentary as a handsome man exited a red Ferrari, whistling a paean to luxury. His hand ran along the body to palpate its beauty. He shot a wink at the friends watching him. “Probably Daddy’s money.”
Kamran Connelly
A Paean Song
The doctor was not vituperative, by any means, quite the opposite.
This had been someone attempting to destroy his reputation by finagle.
The doctor’s palpate examination, and the x-ray report, confirmed all is normal.
A paean song, sang in Charlie’s heart, as she exited the medical centre.
Karen Lee Mills
Dodgem Dave: An early demise
By palpating the swellings, forensics could tell that money had been snatched and finagled from fairground worker Dave Smith's pockets. Someone had been vituperative towards him, on the dodgem ride. Nearby, a paean wafted from a church loft, celebrating Easter holidays, happy for some maybe, but not for others.
Laura Sanders
To the palpate of the organist's hands
the paean of music filled the nave.
Finagled; the composer, indignant
recognised every note.
It had to stop. Vituperative; he
angrily walked down the north aisle to the
organ loft.
As he regained his seat the organ moaned
to a halt.
He smiled.
Mary Buchan
Champions!
I finagled an Arsenal match ticket from a tout. Goalless with two minutes left, our star striker was poleaxed, VAR….PENALTY! The trainer palpated the striker’s calf, he was okay. He took the penalty, GOAL!. The away fans were vituperative, the home fans sang a paean in unison.
Garry Davidson
The paean for his opponent
annoyed him. Undeserved, he thought.
It sought to palpate the worst of his senses.
‘Not fair; how dare they finagle this event.’
He stood up to vituperate the singer.
Strode out to raucous boos from the crowd.
Leela Gautam
It’s a thunderstorm to endure someone’s constant complaining
self-inflicted regrets camouflaged as neglect that keep on raining
finagle pity and be vituperative while you can
or a look inside might produce that self paean
a palpate of the heart in more ways than one, is life sustaining.
Tom Bowler
The Electoral Pitch
‘Winning is about managing the press,’
the political strategist said.
‘It’s not about the odd public address,
It’s how widely your message is spread.’
‘No, we have to palpate opinion,
massage it until it warms to our touch.
and this is really my dominion,
a professional spin doctor as such.’
‘I can finagle my way into hearts,
without any comeback to the party.
I’m known as the master of dark arts.
In tune with all from brainy to arty.’
‘That’s all well and good,’ said his leader.
‘But I sense discontent in the nation.
Stirred up by the opposition ringleader,
with his abusive vituperation.’
‘I have his measure,’ the strategist said.
‘I’m familiar with all of his ways.
I know that I can avoid any bloodshed,
and guarantee you a paean of praise.’
Paul Budd
March 18, 2024
equanimity
imbibed
obdurate
averred
Harriet with a placidity that defied her age
slid out of bed.
She stood at the open window, each breath
imbibed the sun warmed bird song air.
Absolutely obdurate no-one was putting her
into a aare home.
Cajoled with promises, Harriet averred with
her how dare you, glare.
Mary Buchan
The courtroom
He composed himself with equanimity,
for he found himself in close proximity
to the head judge.
So he averred his innocence
but to the jury his testimony made no sense.
They imbibed his close friend, his alibi
- his obdurate gaze made them sigh.
"Guilty."
"Not guilty."
Which would they cry?
Laura Sanders
A Problem
He watched for all the familiar signs,
knowing they’d been absent for quite a while,
furtive eyes, peppermint breath, practiced lines,
a forced equanimity, the pale smile.
But she was now obdurate in her approach.
Short with him where once she had been patient.
With nagging doubts came bitter self-reproach,
worried that he’d been overly complacent.
He considered what this would mean to them,
the strength he’d need to challenge her anew
the anger, denial, near total mayhem,
for he’d discovered his worst fears were true,
So, he summoned up all his daring,
and in his careful, sober way described
his love for her, his deep and tender caring.
Then he asked her how much she had imbibed.
She averred it, lies, her visage dour,
and claimed she had amazing self-control.
She’d only had a single whisky sour,
no reason for this boring rigmarole.
He told her once again how much she meant,
but, of course, he’d heard it all before.
She needn’t hide the problem’s true extent.
He’d discovered her secret vodka store.
Paul Budd
On to Richmond
There’s ironies in the traits of a great man
equanimity and an imbibed condition were both General Grant
if the rebels didn’t know him before, they did after the war began
they averred, though enemy, his was equal their elan
Grant’s obdurate nature was about can do not can’t
Tom Bowler
Cult loyalty
Obdurate, he refused
to accept the result.
"Rigged," he said.
He averred he was the chosen one.
His place had been stolen.
He had won.
They imbibed his message,
not with equanimity,
but with the fierce agitation
of cult loyalty.
Leela Gautam
The epitome of equanimity
I am the epitome of equanimity.
But this man has pushed me too far.
He has imbibed too many whiskies,
and crashed into my car.
“I’fe not beeen dreenkin” he slurred at me,
that clearly wasn’t the case.
I could smell the booze on his breath,
see it etched into his face.
“I’ve called the police, they’ll be here soon,
let’s see what they have to say.”
He jumped straight back into his car,
attempting to drive away.
But I had removed the ignition key,
of which clearly he wasn’t aware.
He became extremely flustered,
grasping for something that wasn’t there.
The police arrived, I stated my case,
the drunk was inclined to disagree.
“Occifer, I haven’t tushed a drop,
he basshhed hish car into me.”
The officer gave him a breath test,
the drunk was obdurate.
“Occifer I musht get on,
my wifesh eshpectin me at eight.”
“Sorry sir, you’re going nowhere,
“I’m shober,” the drunk averred.
“I’ll letch you know the comisshener’s a friend,
thish ish all compleetelee abshurd.”
Garry Davidson
limerence
atavistic
querulous
inanity
Chamber boy
Every day he felt more and more querulous that his atavistic lust for her Rubenesque figure, would never lead to her sharing his limerence. A mere chamber boy, he watched as she sat next to her King. Hoping for a look of some substance, but receiving only inanity.
Kamran Connelly
April 2024
palpate
paean
finagle
vituperative
Daddy’s money
“I bet he had to finagle that,” started the vituperative commentary as a handsome man exited a red Ferrari, whistling a paean to luxury. His hand ran along the body to palpate its beauty. He shot a wink at the friends watching him. “Probably Daddy’s money.”
Kamran Connelly
A Paean Song
The doctor was not vituperative, by any means, quite the opposite.
This had been someone attempting to destroy his reputation by finagle.
The doctor’s palpate examination, and the x-ray report, confirmed all is normal.
A paean song, sang in Charlie’s heart, as she exited the medical centre.
Karen Lee Mills
Dodgem Dave: An early demise
By palpating the swellings, forensics could tell that money had been snatched and finagled from fairground worker Dave Smith's pockets. Someone had been vituperative towards him, on the dodgem ride. Nearby, a paean wafted from a church loft, celebrating Easter holidays, happy for some maybe, but not for others.
Laura Sanders
To the palpate of the organist's hands
the paean of music filled the nave.
Finagled; the composer, indignant
recognised every note.
It had to stop. Vituperative; he
angrily walked down the north aisle to the
organ loft.
As he regained his seat the organ moaned
to a halt.
He smiled.
Mary Buchan
Champions!
I finagled an Arsenal match ticket from a tout. Goalless with two minutes left, our star striker was poleaxed, VAR….PENALTY! The trainer palpated the striker’s calf, he was okay. He took the penalty, GOAL!. The away fans were vituperative, the home fans sang a paean in unison.
Garry Davidson
The paean for his opponent
annoyed him. Undeserved, he thought.
It sought to palpate the worst of his senses.
‘Not fair; how dare they finagle this event.’
He stood up to vituperate the singer.
Strode out to raucous boos from the crowd.
Leela Gautam
It’s a thunderstorm to endure someone’s constant complaining
self-inflicted regrets camouflaged as neglect that keep on raining
finagle pity and be vituperative while you can
or a look inside might produce that self paean
a palpate of the heart in more ways than one, is life sustaining.
Tom Bowler
The Electoral Pitch
‘Winning is about managing the press,’
the political strategist said.
‘It’s not about the odd public address,
It’s how widely your message is spread.’
‘No, we have to palpate opinion,
massage it until it warms to our touch.
and this is really my dominion,
a professional spin doctor as such.’
‘I can finagle my way into hearts,
without any comeback to the party.
I’m known as the master of dark arts.
In tune with all from brainy to arty.’
‘That’s all well and good,’ said his leader.
‘But I sense discontent in the nation.
Stirred up by the opposition ringleader,
with his abusive vituperation.’
‘I have his measure,’ the strategist said.
‘I’m familiar with all of his ways.
I know that I can avoid any bloodshed,
and guarantee you a paean of praise.’
Paul Budd
March 18, 2024
equanimity
imbibed
obdurate
averred
Harriet with a placidity that defied her age
slid out of bed.
She stood at the open window, each breath
imbibed the sun warmed bird song air.
Absolutely obdurate no-one was putting her
into a aare home.
Cajoled with promises, Harriet averred with
her how dare you, glare.
Mary Buchan
The courtroom
He composed himself with equanimity,
for he found himself in close proximity
to the head judge.
So he averred his innocence
but to the jury his testimony made no sense.
They imbibed his close friend, his alibi
- his obdurate gaze made them sigh.
"Guilty."
"Not guilty."
Which would they cry?
Laura Sanders
A Problem
He watched for all the familiar signs,
knowing they’d been absent for quite a while,
furtive eyes, peppermint breath, practiced lines,
a forced equanimity, the pale smile.
But she was now obdurate in her approach.
Short with him where once she had been patient.
With nagging doubts came bitter self-reproach,
worried that he’d been overly complacent.
He considered what this would mean to them,
the strength he’d need to challenge her anew
the anger, denial, near total mayhem,
for he’d discovered his worst fears were true,
So, he summoned up all his daring,
and in his careful, sober way described
his love for her, his deep and tender caring.
Then he asked her how much she had imbibed.
She averred it, lies, her visage dour,
and claimed she had amazing self-control.
She’d only had a single whisky sour,
no reason for this boring rigmarole.
He told her once again how much she meant,
but, of course, he’d heard it all before.
She needn’t hide the problem’s true extent.
He’d discovered her secret vodka store.
Paul Budd
On to Richmond
There’s ironies in the traits of a great man
equanimity and an imbibed condition were both General Grant
if the rebels didn’t know him before, they did after the war began
they averred, though enemy, his was equal their elan
Grant’s obdurate nature was about can do not can’t
Tom Bowler
Cult loyalty
Obdurate, he refused
to accept the result.
"Rigged," he said.
He averred he was the chosen one.
His place had been stolen.
He had won.
They imbibed his message,
not with equanimity,
but with the fierce agitation
of cult loyalty.
Leela Gautam
The epitome of equanimity
I am the epitome of equanimity.
But this man has pushed me too far.
He has imbibed too many whiskies,
and crashed into my car.
“I’fe not beeen dreenkin” he slurred at me,
that clearly wasn’t the case.
I could smell the booze on his breath,
see it etched into his face.
“I’ve called the police, they’ll be here soon,
let’s see what they have to say.”
He jumped straight back into his car,
attempting to drive away.
But I had removed the ignition key,
of which clearly he wasn’t aware.
He became extremely flustered,
grasping for something that wasn’t there.
The police arrived, I stated my case,
the drunk was inclined to disagree.
“Occifer, I haven’t tushed a drop,
he basshhed hish car into me.”
The officer gave him a breath test,
the drunk was obdurate.
“Occifer I musht get on,
my wifesh eshpectin me at eight.”
“Sorry sir, you’re going nowhere,
“I’m shober,” the drunk averred.
“I’ll letch you know the comisshener’s a friend,
thish ish all compleetelee abshurd.”
Garry Davidson
