Writing Prompts – Poetry, Short Prose and Walking

All of these limericks were originally posted to either Esther Chilton’s Laughing Along With A Limerick or her Writing Prompts or derived from those posts during the month of February 2026.

Crazy Or Calm

“Are you crazy?” Not yet. I’m just calm
like a rash that is itching for balm
like a thought I won’t think
like a word with a wink
like a heart beating true in your palm.

Prompt word: “calm” February 2, 2026

Flying

“I am flying. I’m trying. OK?”
said the bird to his mama one day.
Then she jumped in the nest.
Pushed the chick out. The rest
is now history. He’s flying. OK?

Prompt word: “flying” February 4, 2026

There are birds, many birds, in the air. They fly calmly. They all are aware

Poisoned Apple

There once was a queen who thought she
was the loveliest queen that could be
till Snow White came along.
Though that apple was wrong,
the queen’s gone, right or wrong, thankfully.

Prompt word: “apple” February 9, 2026

Talking While Driving Is Driving Me Nuts

I could drive, but I’d much rather walk.
I could fly, if I could, like a hawk.
Since I know that a lie
makes a mess, I will try
not to lie, but beware when I talk.

Prompt word: “drive” February 11, 2026 (modified)

of the waters below waving on to and fro.

Deep Thoughts On Dim Light

The dim light wasn’t bright as was right.
Were it bright I would dim it at night,
but it’s day, as we say
when dark night goes away,
when the sun that’s not dim is quite bright.

Prompt word: “dim” February 16, 2026

Unrighteous Memories

Those odd memories refuse to stop
like a judge seeking justice on top
of your case every day.
All your lawyer need say,
He’s now righteous. So, let the case drop.

Prompt word: “memories” February 18, 2026

They can fly, swim or land. They don’t care.

The Worry Wart Time Machine

All my worries are worrying fast.
They have cast into now what was past,
but today is today
and the past’s gone away
so this worrisome present can’t last.

Prompt word: “cast” February 23, 2026 (slightly modified)

Lacking A Taste For Mushy Stuff

So I told him it’s better to write
a love poem than whine through the night.
But his taste wasn’t for
all that mushy stuff or
he got wrong what he wouldn’t get right.

Prompt word: “taste” February 25, 2026

All of these limericks were originally posted to either Esther Chilton’s Laughing Along With A Limerick or her Writing Prompts during the month of January 2026.

Curly Curls

Well, I don’t think I have much to say
about curls that girls display.
When each curl is true,
then the girl is, too –
so I thought – and still do – come what may.

Prompt word: “curl” January 5, 2026

White Snow

When the trees are all white, there is snow.
It is bright in the light. I will go
out to play in the stuff
till enough is enough,
go inside where I’ll hide from the snow.

Prompt word: “snow” January 7, 2025 (modified)

It’s a wall so I heard after all with strange stuff making up this fine wall.

Farm

There’s a farm in the valley that’s fine.
You can buy there fresh veggies and wine.
There are eggs there as well.
Though some critters may smell,
when there’s sun, then the sun loves to shine.

Prompt word: “farm” January 12, 2026

Lovely Light, Bright and True

Whether red, maybe blue, lovely green,
it is light. It is bright and serene,
but I wonder if you
know that light can be true?
Well, I do and it’s true. I have seen.

Prompt word: “red” January 14, 2026

But whatever it is, it just is what it is.

The Crime Of Rhymeless Rhyme

Though some thought that it should be a crime
and it was, more or less, for the time
when dark poems with words
like loud ravenous birds
made no sense and much worse didn’t rhyme.

Prompt word: “crime” January 19, 2026

The Rhymeless Rhymer Makes His Defense

I have heard it’s absurd. It’s a crime
to be running one’s mouth all the time.
Still, mine’s running so well
even whiners can tell
it’s all nonsense but nonsense with rhyme.

Light and Night Rhymes with Fright

Though the light said it’s day, it was night.
I could see. What a horrible sight!
There were monsters out there.
There were goons everywhere,
but in peace I slept on through their fright.

Prompt word: “night” January 26, 2026

The Games Of Feud

“All the same you are just playing games.”
Well, at least I am not calling names.
At least now I am not.
When the feuding gets hot,
who knows what we will use for our flames?

Prompt word: “games” January 28, 2026