I do appreciate a good metaphor.
(Club name pops to mind as I write this post –
Metaphor Appreciation Club: For Linguists, Poets and Wannabes) (Yeah, that “Major Geek” tag on my page isn’t just random flair…)
Metaphors are my method of choice in describing an object in print. Oftentimes, I actually think in metaphors — which can, unfortunately, lead to paint-drying rabbit trails in my speaking as I try to explain how I arrived at Point A from Point B. (This is called, “Abstract Indexing” and if I ever went back to school, it’d be for Major in Library Science, studying various forms of indexing, with a minor in Journalism) I digress…
Today’s wikiHow-of-the-Day (an iGoogle app), How to Write a Metaphor, was inspiring.
One of my personal techniques for metaphor writing is to first think about the object for awhile – it’s shape, color, where it is used, how it is used, where in the world it is found, etc.
Then, I think of things with similarities to the descriptions I’ve already discovered.
Next, I test it by putting into one of those annoying analogy phrases found on SAT tests. Here’s an example from my seat: A _mouse_ is to _cheese_ as a _moth_ is to _light_. The “is” here refers to a similar, sometimes even fatal, attraction. Mousetraps and Bug Zappers come to mind.
An example metaphor application can be found in my haiku, “Coffee”. The sound of coffee brewing reminded me of the sound of thunder. In this case, by use of a metaphor, I didn’t even have to say outright I was brewing coffee to convey the scene to the reader.
Do you have a favorite metaphor? Please leave it as a comment ;)
PS: NO WAY!!! There’s a Metaphor and Symbol Journal!