Lesson 4 Name Life Metaphors Date I. Lifeisa bowl of cherries—or so the optimist says. While the pessimist sees life as one long. e rat race, the cynic sings that life is a cabaret, and the realist salutes both the shadows and the sunshine. Once you start making up “life metaphors,” it's almost an addiction. They're not difficult, Even young children can capture the flavor of victory or fear or other abstract concepts in a one-sentence metaphor. (Example: Loneliness is the echo of your voice in a cold, empty room.) IL. Agreater challenge would be to extend allife metaphor more fully. Here are a few examples to “prime the pump.” Which would you say is/are written by an optimist? By a pessimist? By a realist? ‘A. Life is a sleek cat with soft padded paws. Iscratch his neck and he purrs loudly. Playfully he rolls over on his back and I tickle his stomach. He pretends to fight my hand, and I laugh. Suddenly his claws reach out and slash my fingers. His teeth rip my flesh. He turns and darts away and leaves me wondering. B. Life is a fragile tree, its bare branches covered with snow, its crusted leaves brittle and brown. ‘Winter winds bend it low and all but break its back. ‘Yet, somehow, it stands again, straight and silent, waiting, hoping for spring. C. Life is a piece of bubble gum. It starts off fresh and juicy, with plenty of zip and gallons of give, and a million bubbles just waiting 10 be popped! But then, the taste goes sour and turns to glue. It sticks to your teeth and tightens your jaws. ‘And the only thing to do is toss it in the trash. D. Life is a long winding road lined with barbed wire and poison ivy. It’s filled with ruts and pits and potholes. The jagged stones cut through to your feet as you trudge along, one abreast. First you're shivering, then you're on fire. e First you choke from the clouds of dust, then you're sloshing through mud, drenched to your bones. (continued) © 1988 J. Weston Walch, Publisher 4 Your Tum: 83 Lessons in PoetryName. Life Metaphors (continued) Date UI, YOUR TURN! ‘Using the examples in Part I as a model, write an extended life metaphor. Ifyou wish, you may choose one of the following images. Life is a(n) . book of matches wrestling match nursing home gift certificate Christmas tree nursery rhyme ice cream cone Jong, dark corridor grapefruit pile of lumber traveling circus sidewalk cafe bolt of cloth rodeo salad bar . supermarket chorus line chemistry set Jump of clay service station rocky slope baseball game : cemetery camping trip restaurant subway car Trailways bus magic show suspension ladder art museum garage sale African violet set of blocks stereo system dance marathon folk tune fabric store clothes closet (continued) (© 1988 J. Weston Walch, Publisher 5 Your Turn: 83 Lessons in PoetryName Life Metaphors (continued) Date Il. YOUR TURN! (cont.) @ pan of bread dough roller-coaster ride pair of shoes baby bird tapestry kitchen table steep hill football stadium pantry shelf candle taxicab courtroom spelling bee picnic basket phys-ed class stained-glass window variety show luxury liner slant seesaw — fertile field @ airport terminal box of donuts superhighway word processor - ‘bank account CB radio toaster-oven amusement park backyard pool license plate delivery truck telephone blackberry bush desk drawer credit card undiscovered galaxy coloring book delicatessen Each of the above could be extended by an optimist, a pessimist, or a realist. Choose one e@ (or use your own), and bring it to life! € 1988,. Weston Waleh, Publisher 6 Your Tur: 88 Lessons in Poetry