Better expression for a poem
May 24, 2019 4:46 PM Subscribe
I'm writing a poem for my beloved youngest niece's wedding.
My sister, also a fine writer, just pointed out to me that "tilting at windmills" has something of a lost cause connotation and possibly not appropriate for a wedding. Well, I thought it meant something else, like brave if slightly off.
Here is the child: Brave, smart, sassy, funny, kind (she's the only female paramedic working in a rural county!)
What would be a better descriptor of the above?
It can be a well-known saying or something completely original. (I will give you credit.)
Time frame: The poem is done and approved by my sister (not only as a writer, but as her mother), and I'd hope to present it to her tomorrow at the shower, although the actual wedding is two weeks away.
My sister, also a fine writer, just pointed out to me that "tilting at windmills" has something of a lost cause connotation and possibly not appropriate for a wedding. Well, I thought it meant something else, like brave if slightly off.
Here is the child: Brave, smart, sassy, funny, kind (she's the only female paramedic working in a rural county!)
What would be a better descriptor of the above?
It can be a well-known saying or something completely original. (I will give you credit.)
Time frame: The poem is done and approved by my sister (not only as a writer, but as her mother), and I'd hope to present it to her tomorrow at the shower, although the actual wedding is two weeks away.
Best answer: https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Knight-errant ?
Heroic?
Paladin?
posted by Jacen at 5:19 PM on May 24, 2019
Heroic?
Paladin?
posted by Jacen at 5:19 PM on May 24, 2019
brave if slightly off.
In keeping with the general tone of knights and bravery maybe
"rides beneath her own (brave) banner"?
It's not a common expression that I know of, just seems to convey that image.
posted by evilmomlady at 5:34 PM on May 24, 2019
In keeping with the general tone of knights and bravery maybe
"rides beneath her own (brave) banner"?
It's not a common expression that I know of, just seems to convey that image.
posted by evilmomlady at 5:34 PM on May 24, 2019
Marches to her own beat
posted by Ausamor at 5:36 PM on May 24, 2019 [1 favorite]
posted by Ausamor at 5:36 PM on May 24, 2019 [1 favorite]
Beat of her own drummer? Sui generis? What if you didn’t use an idiom at all, but came up with your own metaphor?
posted by chesty_a_arthur at 7:31 PM on May 24, 2019
posted by chesty_a_arthur at 7:31 PM on May 24, 2019
Response by poster: Fabulous, all!
heatherlogan, my sister had already told me not to use it, and so I won't.
I like paladin and sui generis and I would never have thought of those.
And chesty_a_arthur, I would have left the Ask out entirely if I thought I had enough time and/or brain power left to come up with something else.
Thanks, all. Keep those ideas coming.
posted by intrepid_simpleton at 7:49 PM on May 24, 2019 [1 favorite]
heatherlogan, my sister had already told me not to use it, and so I won't.
I like paladin and sui generis and I would never have thought of those.
And chesty_a_arthur, I would have left the Ask out entirely if I thought I had enough time and/or brain power left to come up with something else.
Thanks, all. Keep those ideas coming.
posted by intrepid_simpleton at 7:49 PM on May 24, 2019 [1 favorite]
Best answer: I like 'torchbearer', especially since light in general is such a nice metaphor for the feeling that passionate, driven advocate types can bring to people. 'Champion','Guardian','Protector' are all similar, too. For existing sayings, I don't know if The Hunger Games would be well known enough, but Katniss' "I volunteer as tribute!" speech sums up a lot of the qualities you mention.
posted by Jon Mitchell at 8:30 PM on May 24, 2019 [1 favorite]
posted by Jon Mitchell at 8:30 PM on May 24, 2019 [1 favorite]
Does she have any female role models you could mention? Like you could mention Wonder Woman or Jane Goodall or whoever she really likes.
posted by mermaidcafe at 9:17 PM on May 25, 2019
posted by mermaidcafe at 9:17 PM on May 25, 2019
Also, this is kinda weird but so are my poems.
What if your new metaphor related to her work as an EMT? Like if you wanted to say her heart was brave but slightly off, could you mention tachycardia? Or can this not be funny?
I like the idea of including details that are personal to her.
posted by mermaidcafe at 9:21 PM on May 25, 2019
What if your new metaphor related to her work as an EMT? Like if you wanted to say her heart was brave but slightly off, could you mention tachycardia? Or can this not be funny?
I like the idea of including details that are personal to her.
posted by mermaidcafe at 9:21 PM on May 25, 2019
This thread is closed to new comments.
Don't use "tilting at windmills". It's a reference to Don Quixote and means attacking imaginary enemies.
posted by heatherlogan at 5:18 PM on May 24, 2019 [2 favorites]