Tuesday, November 30, 2010

nov 30

LAST DAYS!

Here are today's two-for-Tuesday poetry prompts:

Write a lessons learned poem. Could be lessons learned by the narrator or someone (or something) else.

Write a never going to learn poem.

Monday, November 29, 2010

nov 29: next steps

"For today's prompt, write a next steps poem. This might be a good opportunity to try writing a list poem. Or it might be a good time to write about your future plans. It might even be a good chance for you to write about spiral staircases. Who knows?"

Sunday, November 28, 2010

nov 28

"If you're feeling worn out by poeming this month, don't worry: We're completing our fourth week of prompts today. Only two days left after today's poem, so dig deep and try to get those last few amazing lines.

For today's prompt, write a "what really happened" poem. Use a real event (or an event from a popular movie) and spin it in another direction. Or use an event described in one of your poems earlier this month and spin it in a new direction. Or refute something that was never even in question. Or just poem any way that you can, because we're almost to the finish line."

nov 25: animal poem

For today's prompt, write an animal poem. Your poem can mention an animal in its title or somewhere in the body of the poem. The animal doesn't have to be the main focus of the poem, but your poem should mention an animal somewhere in it. For instance, my poem from yesterday would've counted, because it mentioned a blue jay. However, I've written a new poem for today (as you should too).

nov 26: on the run

For today's prompt, write an "on the run" poem. You can decide who or what is on the run and what might be causing them to run. For myself, I had to link today's poem to my poem yesterday. But you can run in any direction you want.

nov 27: blame the...card tricks

write a poem that blames something...

blame the participle
blame the rolling stones
blame the aliens
blame the broken toilet handle
blame anything

Wednesday, November 24, 2010

spaces nov 24

For today's prompt, write a spaces poem. Your poem could involve white space, outer space, inner space, a parking space, the space between one day and the next, or something other type of spacing. Allow yourself enough space to play around.

Monday, November 22, 2010

taking a stand

take a stand

or just NODS AND SUCH

Tuesday, November 16, 2010

stacking the decks

or swabbing them??

Today's poem is to be about stacking the decks and/or unstacking (or tearing down) the decks. Or decks. or cards. or bob dylan.

Monday, November 15, 2010

NOV 11 NO ONE WANTS TO READ YOUR HALF BAKED POEMS

2010 November PAD Chapbook Challenge: Day 11

For today's prompt, take the phrase "No One Wants (blank)," replace the blank with a word or phrase, make the new phrase the title of your poem, and then, write the poem. Possible titles include: "No One Wants to Tell the Truth," "No One Wants to Save Their Money," "No One Wants to Write a Sestina," etc. I hope everyone is ready to write a poem today!

NOV 12

For today's prompt, write a "forget what they say" poem. To do this, you could take a familiar saying and spin it on its head. Or comfort someone who's being told they can't do something. Or have the narrator of the poem pledge not to listen to the crowd. Or forget what I've said here, and do it your own way.

NOV 13: ANSWERED QUESTIONS

For today's prompt, make the title of your poem a question; then, the poem should go about trying to answer the question. You can be direct in your answer or a little vague. Possible titles might be: "Why is the sky blue?", "Where are my car keys?", or "How am I supposed to go about writing a poem that answers a question that also happens to be the title of the poem anyway?" I mean, any question will do to get you started, then the fun part is poeming an answer.

nov 13

FORM POEM FORM POEM

FOR GUIDANCE:
http://blog.writersdigest.com/poeticasides/2010/11/13/PoeticFormsListNovember2010.aspx

nov 14

For today's prompt, write a crossroads poem. This could be a poem about a physical, mental, or emotional intersection. For instance, graduating college or getting a divorce often leaves people at a crossroads. Or finishing a ginormous project at work. Or even starting a poem. After all, that blank page (or screen) offers so many new possibilities.

nov 15 let's rock this earthboat

from poetic asides:

"We're already half-way through the month. Today is prompt 15, which means there are only 15 left to go. It's all down hill from here, right?

For today's prompt, write a "just when you thought it was safe" poem. For instance, write a poem about the dangers of going off a diet just after hitting your goal weight, entering the water after it appears the killer shark has been caught (Jaws anyone?), or whatever else could offer a sneaky bit of danger. Of course, with only 15 days of poeming left, it's safe to assume you're going to finish this challenge--or is it?"

Wednesday, November 10, 2010

nov 10

We are 1/3 of the way down the stretch here, and doing ok.

Today's assignment is a love poem.

Thanks to Robert Lee Brewer for creating a writing project easier to tackle than nanowrimo. http://blog.writersdigest.com/poeticasides/

Tuesday, November 9, 2010

November 9: slowing down

For today's prompts, write one of the following poems (or both--if you're feeling ambitious):
1. Write a slow down poem. Could be about reducing actual traveling speed or speed of living or some other interpretation.
2. Write a never slow down poem. Some people love living in the fast lane and believe it's better to burn out than fade away. If you're one of these people or want to write about one of these people, then this is the prompt for you.
Whether you write a slow down or never slow down poem, avoid letting this prompt slow you down too much. After all, there will be another prompt tomorrow morning.

Monday, November 8, 2010

nov 8 agreement

For today's prompt, write an agreement poem. There are a few obvious ways I see to approach this type of poem: 1. Write a poem in which there is an agreement made between two or more people, animals, or things; 2. Write a poem in which the narrator (or a character in the poem) agrees with everything--regardless of whether it's beneficial to the person (or animal); or 3. Write a poem that is a contract (or proposed agreement) with the reader (a la Billy Collins). Hopefully, we're all in agreement to write some poetry today. (from: http://blog.writersdigest.com/poeticasides/2010/11/08/NovemberPADChapbookChallengeDay8.aspx

Sunday, November 7, 2010

Nov 7th--the props poem

Pro-Target

When you're out in the middle
of nowhere sometimes it can feel
like you are out in the middle of nowhere,
and then you walk it up
next to the pregnant lady
at HyVee in platform shoes
and a red mini-dress. I didn't know
they made see-through maternity clothes?
Maybe I shop at all the wrong stores.
Maybe I need to use the better computer.
The one, accordingly to my Dad that is plugged
into a wall. Laptops can't be safe.
Up-side-down jellyfish can't be safe,
but people look at them anyway.
Target might not be safe
for jelly-fish, but if I were
a fleece, that is where
I would want to be.

Friday, November 5, 2010

back up the bus: Nov 1-3


November 1: "closing the door" or "turning the page" poem. finding resolution with the fact that things will not be as they were.

November 2: 1) ready to start poem OR 2) "not ready" poem

November 3: kicatub poem. no, no, location poem. in a location, ok?

No5 : metamorph

For today's prompt, write a metamorphosis poem. This is an excellent opportunity to use metaphors and/or show changes in a season, person, animal, plant, or whatever.

From: (http://blog.writersdigest.com/poeticasides/2010/11/05/2010NovemberPADChapbookChallengeDay5.aspx)

Thursday, November 4, 2010

November 4: containment

From (http://blog.writersdigest.com/poeticasides/2010/11/04/2010NovemberPADChapbookChallengeDay4.aspx)

"For today's prompt, write a containment poem. There are a lot of ways to contain things: Jails and prisons contain people; zoos and aquariums contain animals; and closets contain our clothes (and other "baggage"). Your poem can be about the actual container, the containment of things, or even the attempt to break free of containment. Of course, any other creative interpretation is encouraged as well."


Letter written from a dumpster in the Trader Joe's Parking Lot

I could wax the insides like an old wood floor
and move in here but there is no cooktop.
but what I wanted to tell you is:
there is a lot of food here. Much of it delicious
and barely bruised.

Witness:
oranges, wilted flowers, crackers,
slightly mis-treated maple syrup.
in answer to what we will feed the cats:
sardines and dented cans of tune.

Don't fret, love.
We can quit working
so long as they don't upgrade this metal
with a crushing device to deter
discard lovers like us.

Tuesday, October 26, 2010

32 word poem for dornkess

She wore her brightest dress on a dark day in autumn
Mist, rain, bleak skies
her color was eclipsed by the chlorophyll fade out
by waste products and glucose—
foliage so fly.

Sunday, September 5, 2010

Here at the Gateway

Everybody's kids are all over
the place which could be a wicked
problem, because it is difficult
to say who will be a dentist
and who might take care of you
in your old age. You know you're there
when the sound of the dishwasher at night
is soothing. When the construction worker waves
you on, it is okay to breathe for the rest
of the day. This is the place in the body
where you most easily feel
the spider web. Where the 'B'
written there could be for this breath
and bloodmobile and Buddhism,
another Delivery service
inside us. But everyone knows you
shouldn't leave the spelling up to the incandescent
goose who would never think
about throwing a horse overboard
in the middle of the ocean. That's where I am.
Make the banana bread if only
to get respite from the fruit flies. If you feel
only half of the time, think of what you could do
with the rest of the time. My new neighbors
organize their Chamois and tire black
which requires a lot of swearing. We are hoping
the arborvitae will soak that up. It's impossible
to count the grasshoppers as they pass--
to get enough sleep is suffering. Now
that we have a real microwave, I can make
my way through the dark kitchen
by the light of the digital clock--
here at the Gateway, I've got hay bales
under my skin, the trolley car
that was once a restaurant, is just like
Arkansas, which is just like
Illinois and Iowa, but nothing like
waking up in Pittsburgh where the way
to your heart is a little bit brighter.

Thursday, August 26, 2010

It's Like The Nothing Never Was

Down the shore, it's hard
to imagine anyone mulching or leaves
already falling from the trees in your yard.
One minute there are so many tomatoes
the peppers find it hard to keep
up. It's the asparagus
that doesn't bother with the end
of summer. If all else fails
belly dancing will keep us
looking like we're forty. Is this
the doorway to self-deception
or a doorway to new possibilities?

While we wait for death, heavy petting
on the Pentacrest between the rainbow
splashes of the fountain and the happy
stars on the grass will do. Some day
I think I'd like to own horses just like
I'd like to own an alcohol problem. Glamorous,
but without the acumen of a business
man expanding his temporal boundaries
to alleviate stress. That's one option.
This year the cicadas came
out four years early but your plane
was late. Winter is never
late, and the shore goes on without you.