Songwriting Club – Exercise #3: Paint the Picture of Place
- Aug 18
- 1 min read
Due Friday, August 28 and Friday, September 4, 2026
Aloha Songwriting Club!
As we continue exploring our 2026 theme of place, this next exercise is all about learning how to show a moment instead of simply explaining it. Sometimes the smallest details can say the most.
Part 1: 8–12 Lines About Your Favorite Place (Due Friday, August 28, 2026)
Write 8–12 lines about your favorite PLACE.
It does not have to be dramatic, important, or even somewhere you think would make a great song. Just pick the first place that comes to mind and start writing!
Extra Credit: Don't explain the feeling. Instead, paint the picture of the moment.
Instead of:
"I was really nervous."
Try something like:
"I hesitated before I opened the door."
Along with your 8–12 lines, include:
A Title: Give your piece a title, even if you're unsure about it!
Your Favorite Line: Choose the one line you wrote that you're most proud of.
Don't worry about rhyming or turning this into a song yet. The goal is to practice using details, actions, and imagery to help someone else see and feel the place through your eyes.
Part 2: Leave Comments on at Least Two Other Posts (Due Friday, September 4, 2026)
Read through your fellow Songwriting Club members' pieces and choose 2–3 lines that stand out to you to comment on.
If someone already has 2–3 comments, try to choose someone else's post so we can make sure everyone gets some love and feedback!
Happy writing!
— Kala'e
Kapena School of Music & Creative Expression
Always Warm:
The sun is setting over Kapolei
The pink and orange skies
Reach out their hand to Diamond Head
The highways and side streets lead back to the house
The open door beckons us inside
To a kitchen full of smoke and steam
In the garage a long table is set
For hugs and kisses and food and stories
The blue wind blows cold from over the mountain
But the home is always warm
Favorite Line:
My favorite line from these lines is "The highways and side streets lead back to the house" because the idea is that every road taken leads back to home, a place where the door is always open, the table is always set, and…
Halfway to Hana
Driving down the curvy road, windows down
Getting a whiff of freshly smashed guava
Driving past the pond, hearing water rushing down
Seeing the cousins jumping off the bridge
Go fruit stand to get banana bread
Then head back to Ke'anae uka to jam and talk story
Hearing mo'olelo about my kupuna
Learning more about my mo'okū'auhau
Go down and do some hana in the lo'i with my cousins
Earning some time to chill in the flume
Needing to go but no wanting to
I say goodbye to my papa
And farewell to the haven
I have a lot of favorite places but I chose to write about east Maui. My favorite line is driving past the…
HOME
I think of my 2 dogs and 2 birds when I'm not home
Greeted by barks and chirps
Excitement and happiness
Love jamming and being in the zone
Calm and relaxing environment
Makes it easy to fall sleep
Looking out the window at an empty field
Remembering the days it was filled with kids playing
But people move and get older
Cozy on the couch watching my favorite shows and movies at night
Occasional board games that last all night
Full of nostalgic feelings, safe and comforting space
Favorite line: Greeted by barks and chirps. Because that's one of the best things about coming home is to have my dogs barking and birds chirping with excitement to see us.
HIKING
Starting the journey with excitement and glee
For the unknown awaits, there's so much to see
The backdrop is thick of trees and lush greenery
Thankful to be surrounded by such beautiful scenery
The dense forest so thick it mutes your sound
If you get lost, it may be hard to get found
The feeling of liberation being on a mountain top
Being careful on narrow pathways that lead to a big drop
Footsteps thud down on a carpet of moist leaves
Taking it slow for the slippery root that weaves
Stopping to take pictures throughout the day
To remember these adventures when memory fades away
Muscles can relax after accomplishing a long trail
Time to…
The windy road will lead you home.
Through greenest greens
you’ll ever know.
One lane bridges
and blind corners
have you nervous;
Once we get there, it’s all worth it.
Smell the sweet white ginger.
Feel the thick air linger.
Hear the water rushing,
Feel the pull pushing.
Calling you to jump,
but you know you won’t.
Run down instead
And don’t hesitate
Your soul will be fed
as soon as you get in.
Title would be either: "Going Home" or "Worth It"
Favorite Line: "The windy road will lead you home." because I know when I make my way on the Hana Highway and the windy road starts, I will be home soon...but not before taking in all the…