August 1st is Spider-Man Day and I initially thought I would pay sort of a tribute to the original Spiderman theme song in my Poetic Sundays. Do you know what I am talking about? Spiderman, Spiderman / Friendly neighborhood Spiderman…. But then I remembered word webs of numerous uses. So here is to creating poems with wondrous word webs…

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Poetic Sundays: Verses From Word Webs

The Basics of Word Webs

So what is a word web? It is a mind map or a style of graphic organizer built around one focus word. The focus word usually is in the middle with related words, phrases, examples and meanings radiating out from it. This helps students get a deeper understanding of the word(s) and to make connections with other words or phrases they might already know, thus strengthening the learning.

In addition to the focus word, the word web can include some or all of the following:

• definition and pronunciation guide
• parts of speech
• synonyms and antonyms
• usage examples
• word origins and stems
• and more

Using the above template, for the focus word – perks, definitions are: perquisites, to cheer up, to thrust up the head; synonyms include bonus, brighten; usage includes: to perk up one’s ears, the perks of the new job were not too attractive.

Note that all word webs do not need to be like the above template. You can decide what the radiations will include. They could simply be related words, like red, white, blue, green, and so on. Or any other relation you choose. Plus, you can add on more word webs to this if you wish, and make it a web of webs to use to learn, and also as the prompt for the poem!!

What is a Word Web Verse?

To put it simply, a word web verse is a poem made up of words from word webs along with other words needed to fill in the gaps. The only rule is (well, not really a rule since there is no poetic form like this but just something I thought can be a fun poetry/writing prompt!!!) that you use all the words in the word web.

The word web itself could be something you made, or some random word web you saw online. Pick a poetic form of your choice to write your poem. Maybe you could be inspired by the Spiderman theme song and write a one-stanza poem using the rhyme and rhythm of the first (or any other) stanza in the song. For example, the first stanza of the song has a syllabic count of 6/8/6/6/8 and a rhyme scheme of aabba. The first stanza of that familiar song is below for reference and Spidey inspiration!

Spider-Man, Spider-Man
Does whatever a spider can
Spins a web, any size
Catches thieves, just like flies
Look out! Here comes the Spider-Man

Steps and Tips to Write Poems Using Word Webs

• Create a word web (select your focus word, decide what you need as radiating options and fill those up). This kind of creates the theme for your poem. You can also use this random word web generator if you so wish.
• Pick any poetic form of your choice.
• Now write the poem using all the words in the word web, and any additional words you need to write the poem.
• Tell a story, or nothing at all..

My Attempt at a Verse from a Word Web

Auto-generated from wordwebs.app

Scribbled Serenade
There she was, lost within
A book, word-world, where dreams begin,
Where words float on the page,
like stars upon a stage
act out plays, and wondrous tales spin!

These stories, they twist, turn,
Intervene and hearts do yearn.
A smile her face displays
A faint echo, a trace
Of laughter that left to return.
~ Vidya @ LadyInReadWrites

This Week’s Celebrations

The Literary and Close-to-it Celebrations

• The birthdays this week: July 31st is J. K . Rowling and Primo Levi; Herman Melville on August 1st; Isabel Allende and James Baldwin on the 2nd of August; Leon Uris and P. D. James birthdays on August 3rd; Percy Bysshe Shelley, Jojo Meyeshe, Robert Hayden, and Dennis Lehane on the 4th of August; David Baldacci on Aug 5th; Alfred Tennyson on the 6th
• The 1st is Spider-Man Day!
• August 2nd happens to be National Coloring Book Day
• and the 5th celebrates blogging with Blogger Day

The Foodie Celebrations

• The 31st of July is  National Avocado Day 
• Begin August with sweetness for it is National Raspberry Cream Pie Day on the 1st of August!
• Follow it up with National Ice Cream Sandwich Day on the 2nd!!
• The 3rd is National Watermelon Day and National Grab Some Nuts Day
• National Chocolate Chip Cookie Day and Braham Pie Day are on the 4th of August for those who need more sweet treats! And it is International Beer Day.
• It is National Root Beer Float Day on the 6th
• August is National Brownies at Brunch Month, National Panini Month and National Sandwich Month

The Other Celebrations

• The 1st of August is World Scout Scarf Day and National Girlfriend Day.
• Take a Penny/Leave a Penny Day is observed on the 2nd of August.
• While the 3rd is Clean Your Floors Day
• It is Hooray for Kids Day on August 4th
• and then it is Sandcastle Day on the 5th of August
• A fun holiday on the 6th with National Wiggle Your Toes Day!!
• It also happens to be the first Sunday of August and thus celebrates friends and family with National Sisters Day, American Family Day, and National Friendship Day.
• August happens to be International Peace Month,  Family Fun Month, Happiness Happens Month,  Romance Awareness Month, and National Crayon Collection Month 

Wrapping up my Sunday Scribblings

So dear reader, this was it for this post. As always, appreciate and totally welcome your thoughts, comments, and suggestions on these scribblings on Sunday! And which of these days in this wonderful week do you plan to celebrate? And what about you, dear reader – will you be finding poetry this week?

Linking this to the Sunday Post over at the Caffeinated Reviewer and the Sunday Salon and of course the UBC