Author | Poet | Artist
Today, the challenge is to write a poem that “talks.” What does that mean? Well, take a look at this poem by Diane Seuss. While it isn’t a monologue, it’s largely based in spoken language, interspersed with the speaker/narrator’s own responses and thoughts. Try to write a poem grounded in language as it is spoken … Read more
NaPoWriMo prompt for today is to write a abecedarian poem. When my 11 year old son heard me say this, he snatched my laptop from me and penned this below poem in about 30 minutes. I couldn’t stop myself from posting it. I didn’t edit or make any corrections, as I wanted to respect his … Read more
Today, the challenge is to write an abecedarian poem – a poem in which the word choice follows the words/order of the alphabet. You could write a very strict abecedarian poem, in which there are twenty-six words in alphabetical order, or you could write one in which each line begins with a word that follows … Read more
Today, the challenge is to write a poem that presents a scene from an unusual point of view. Perhaps you could write a poem that presents Sir Isaac Newton’s discovery from the perspective of the apple. Or the shootout at the OK Corral from the viewpoint of a passing vulture. Or maybe it could be … Read more
Today, the challenge is to write a poem that uses the form of a list to defamiliarize the mundane. Poem: List of mundane, yet not so mundane The grocery list- never seems to be clear, there’s always one on the list The clothes and toys- my kids have outgrown this The fuel in the … Read more
Our prompt for today (optional, as always), takes its inspiration from the idea of a poem as a sort of tiny play, which can be performed dramatically. In the 1800s, there was quite a fad for monologue-style poems that lend themselves extremely well to dramatic interpretations (this kind of work was basically Robert Browning’s jam). And … Read more
Today, the challenge is to write a poem that incorporates homophones, homographs, and homonyms, or otherwise makes productive use of English’s ridiculously complex spelling rules and opportunities for mis-hearings and mis-readings. Here’s my take using some homophones and homonyms. Not my best effort but hope I’ve done justice to the prompt 🙂 The incongruent … Read more
Our optional prompt for the day takes its cue from Prelutsky’s poem, as well as this poem by Dean Young, called “Belief in Magic.” Today, the challenge is to write a poem about something mysterious and spooky! Your poem could be about something that is mysterious and spooky in a bad way (like a witch), … Read more
Today, the challenge is to write a poem about a dull thing that you own, and why (and how) you love it. Alternatively, what would it mean to you to give away or destroy a significant object. Your love letters A cool winter morning, when Sun decided to unwind When a gush of polar … Read more
Today the challenge is to write a poem of origin. Where are you from? Not just geographically, but emotionally, physically, spiritually? Maybe you are from Vikings and the sea and diet coke and angry gulls in parking lots. Maybe you are from gentle hills and angry mothers and dust disappearing down an unpaved road. And … Read more