Been schooled in waste but do my best
Try to conserve, but I’m not blessed
I stumble–fail many a test
Just like the rest, just like the rest.
Bear with me friends I do beseech,
This is a poem, not a speech
Conservation within our reach
don’t want to preach, don’t want to preach.
One day I saw a YouTube clip,
‘Lights on, lights off’–that was their tip
‘Boring’ I thought, but bit my lip
a brainwash trip, a brainwash trip.
Still I aimed for frugality
by cutting electricity–
‘On-Off’ stuck with tenacity
near mastery, near mastery.
New habits grow from what we do
and major benefits accrue
Lights off taps off–to name a few
will get us through, will get us through.
∼
This poem is a ‘true story’. I did see a video that showed a finger turning a light switch off over and over–very lame I thought at the time, but surprisingly the image haunted me. It became my ‘turn off the light’ mental prompt. I couldn’t find that video, so here is a substitute:
The monotetra poem is this week’s Jane Dougherty Poetry Challenge form. For a rundown on the form and to see what other writers did with it, please follow the link.
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Ontheland 
A clever poem with a very sensible message 🙂
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Thanks for the form. It is especially suited for learning how to rhyme because of the repetition in each stanza.
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I must admit, I like this form, and the repetition in the last line gives it that sing-song quality that I like in ballad-style poetry.
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Very sensible. We can do without so much lights on really. My children love switching on the light even during the day, it’s being a lesson in patience 🙂
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I know what you mean–turning on the light can be like a reflex and then you realize that it’s really bright enough without it.
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Not sure that I remember but let me use this opportunity to invite you over for the brunch party that’s taking place on my blog as we speak The title is BRUNCH PARTY live link. Do step in and mingle with other bloggers 🙂
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Thank you for the invitation 🙂
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This is terrific, Janice – an poetic way to get the green message across. Without even seeing the on/off button I can’t get the image out of my head after reading this. Leaving lights on is one my bugbears and I’m forever asking my son to go up to his room as he leaves it to turn off the three lights in there!
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Glad you like it — when your son grows up his memory of your reminders will make him turn off lights. It’s easy to slip up sometimes. I ‘m very motivated yet still sometimes discover a light left on. Can only try 🙂
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I had the very same reaction. I was going to mention that, too. I now how this image of a finger on a light switch turning it on and off going in a loop through my head!
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*now have I’m just waking up. 🙂
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It’s amazing what sticks in our minds 🙂 …that little light switch video seen a few years ago even led to a blog post.
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Nice to find out about another form of poetry Janice, and a very useful reminder too!
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Very witty and captivate poem. Love it!
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Thanks 🙂
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Would love to be a poet but are poet trained, schooled or just plainly gifted. I aint one of the Three scenerio painted
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I like to think that thoughts, life experience, reading,writing and a desire to express are sufficient ingredients for writing. That’s where I ‘m coming from.
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Nicely done, Janice, and very clever!
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Thank you 🙂
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That is one fine poem! BTW, I have an easy energy conservation tip to pass along. I save one kilowatt hour per day just by unplugging my printer. That may not sound like much but… saving 365 KWH per year can be as if your power company is only billing you for ten out of twelve months! There are plenty of other energy hogs in our homes, too, such as audio / video gear. If those devices have remote controls, it means they are in stand-by mode and eating up electricity even when we’re not using them… and that it’d be a good idea to unplug them.
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Some great tips. Thank you! Phantom power adds up for individuals and even more so across a power grid.
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