Spring Loaded: A Message from the Editor top of page | cover page

Welcome to another action-packed issue of Pezhead Monthly. If things seem to be slower here lately, it's not just your mind playing tricks on you. With an extremely stepped up work schedule and a renewed commitment to go the gym, I am finding that I have much less time to devote to this newsletter than I usually do these days. And for those of you who have been accustomed to seeing the new issue of Pezhead Monthly go live on the first of the month, I appreciate your patience as I adapt to other priorities in life. Rest assured that I remain committed to this newsletter and will continue to publish it on a monthly basis. It may not go live until the middle of the month, but darn it, it will be there.

This month's issue- the Do-It-Yourself Guide to Pez Poetry- features a great opportunity for you to become involved in this newsletter and contribute some of your own work to it. Specifically, with the 2005 Pez Poetry Slam set for the May issue, this is the perfect time for you to write a poem about Pez. It doesn't need to be worthy of Shakespeare, it just needs to rhyme. Actually, it doesn't even need to do that. And in this month's issue, I provide a handy little template for those of you who just may not know where to start. There are also online rhyming dictionaries; my favorite one is RhymeZone. In addition, you can also have a look at the three previous Pez Poetry Slams (2002, 2003, and 2004) for inspiration.

Also featured in this month's issue is the requisite Five Questions, along with some Pez Poetry and of course the Pez Almost-Quote.

Thanks very much for reading, and see you next month. And don't forget to submit some Pez Poetry of your own!!

Joe Durrant
Editor, Pezhead Monthly
joe@pezheadmonthly.com

The Do-It-Yourself Guide to Pez Poetry top of page | cover page

For some of us, Pez poetry comes as natural as eating, sleeping, and getting a brain freeze after eating ice cream too fast. For others, not so much. But the secret to writing Pez poetry is that there is really no secret at all. As long as you write about Pez, you're good to go. From that point forward it's only finding some words to rhyme or a structure to put your words in. This is where Pezhead Monthly can help. Here are a couple of ways to make Pez poets out of anyone. Yes, even you. (Having said that, don't feel limited to the formulas below; there are lots of different ways to write a Pez poem. Check out the 2002, 2003, and 2004 Pez Poetry Slams for some more ideas.)

1. The Do-It-Youself Pez Acrostic

Step 1: Build it!

Here's one for everyone: Pick three words that describe Pez (or three things you can say about Pez). One word must start with a P, the next with an E, and the next with an Z.

Up for a bit more of a challenge? Pick eight words that describe Pez (or eight things you could say about Pez). One word must start with a P, the next with an E, and the next with an Z, the next with a C, the next with an A, the next with an N, the next with a D, and the next with a Y.

Feeling really creative? Pick thirteen words that describe Pez (or thirteen things you can say about Pez). One word must start with a P, the next with an E, and the next with an Z, the next with a D, the next with an I, the next with n S, the next with a P, the next with am E, the next with an N, the next with an S, the next with an E, the next with an R, the next with an S.

Step 2: Bring it on home!

Put each of your three (or eight, or thirteen) words or phrases about Pez on a separate line, one following another in sequence. Make sure that the first letter of each line is capitalized and bolded.

Step 3: Woo Hoo!

Congratulations, you just created a Pez acrostic! You can submit it to the 2005 Pez Poetry Slam at joe@pezheadmonthly.com.

2. The Do-It-Youself Pez Limerick

Step 1: Build it!

Pick a name, any name: _________
Okay, now pick a word that rhymes with that name: _________
Finally, pick another word that rhymes with the name you picked : _________

Step 2: Bring it on home!

Fill in the blanks below in the same order. (If you picked a woman's name, then replace the "He" in the foruth and fifth lines with "She").

There once as a Pezhead named _________
Who worked all week long doing ________
But when Saturday came,
He just couldn't be tamed,
He hunted for Pez like a ________

Doesn't quite make sense? Well neither does the mystery and wonder of Pez, so there you go.

Step 3: Woo Hoo!

Congratulations, you just created a Pez limerick! You can submit it to the 2005 Pez Poetry Slam at joe@pezheadmonthly.com.

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