There's a Word For It
Learn something new every day
I have dribbled
I have dabbled
There've been times I gushed and babbled
Sometimes even won at Scrabble,
Turned the channel to avoid drivel and gabble,
Smiled and played nice to not inflame the rabble,
I know life is a game often played through wit and hardscrabble,
Or late at night online, blowsy and in dishabille,
Experienced? Sure. But perplexed by the sudden flood of Drabble.
~
I've stood in line to get a ticket
Avoided learning the rules of cricket
Know a scab won't heal unless I no longer pick it.
Lost many a shuttlecock in the thicket
Start the car only after my passengers click it,
Used to laugh at a Not Necessarily the News' Sniglet
Won't bite hard ice cream (would rather lick it)
Have been told I have a quick wit
But just learned about a FicLet.
~
I've done Flash Fiction, have I not?
A slice of story and a hint of plot
Tried to avoid spilling all that I've got
Not move to a gallop but stick to a trot.
In Hide and Seek I'm generally caught
I like to learn but dislike being taught
Sometimes my words end up tied in a knot
I think I know, but I don't know squat
Like today I found that there's a story One Shot.
~
Now this musing isn't any of those
Not quite poem, I suppose it's prose
Not a complaint, guess it just shows
Like a watched pot doesn't boil, a closed mind never grows.
It's ok to admit, ok to disclose
No need to pester, no need to pose
I see the Drabbles on my homepage appear in rows
The talent of those that I follow GLOWS!
~
Some definitions I discovered:
One shot: a fic that has only one chapter, regardless of length
Ficlet: a short fic, but there's no firm definition, usually 1000 words or less
Drabble: 100 words exactly (variations exist such as the double drabble (200 words), triple drabble (300 words) etc.)
Flash fiction: very short fiction, like with ficlet there is no set word count but typically less than 1000 words
About the Creator
Judey Kalchik
It's my time to find and use my voice.
Poetry, short stories, memories, and a lot of things I think and wish I'd known a long time ago.
You can also find me on Medium
And please follow me on Threads, too!



Comments (13)
I definitely learned some new words from this. Congrats on your TS!🥳
This is such a delightful and witty exploration of the ever-expanding world of short-form writing! Your playful rhymes and clever observations perfectly capture that feeling of discovering new terms and formats, even when you thought you knew the landscape. It's a fantastic, relatable piece that celebrates both the learning process and the "GLOWING" talent of other writers.
Delightful end rhyme & fascinating definitions… I definitely learnt new things from this read.🤔🙃
Cleverly penned, Judey! I can't decide which part or line I like best; I just like it! Congratulations on Top story. Well deserved!
Great story. Loved the read. :)
Back to say congratulations on your Top Story! 🎉💖🎊🎉💖🎊
Congratulations Judey Learning is fun Being told ..not so much
"I like to learn but dislike being taught" I especially loved this line. And thank you for teaching me what one shot and ficlet are!
Loved this - it very clever. My fave lines are: Lost many a shuttlecock in the thicket Start the car only after my passengers click it, Used to laugh at a Not Necessarily the News' Sniglet Won't bite hard ice cream (would rather lick it) Have been told I have a quick wit But just learned about a FicLet. Shuttlecock is a word I have not used since I remember- but we played badminton and loved the game and the word brought it back! 💕
And now we've all learned that one thing new for the day.
Well, now, you are always teaching me something new. So many terms in literature.
I applaud your creativity.
I know you had fun writing this. It turned out great and I loved this line: -Like a watched pot doesn't boil, a closed mind never grows.-