#national poetry challenge

[brinemcallister]

Door View Soap Opera

I press up against the door and search the hallway for adventure. Look for the stranger  sleeping outside my door. Watch another stranger plug their phone  into the wall  then smoke a joint. I listen for the chime of thundering feet and low tone nomads, then posture myself against door to watch the drama of slurring tongue whispers and floating eye arguments. My fingers tango with…

[env0writes]

NaPoWriMo Vol. 3, 4.1.24 “A Sword-Of..."

By any rights there is a tip In which to puncture, pierce, or point To take direction, or which to lead Articulated as one would a joint From that tip, so sharp as to let blood drip Befalls a blade as sharp and shattered as battle let It serves its purpose in its own service bled To execute all direction, duty-pointed who have met From tip to blade to hefted-hafted handle Across from whom would so carefully guard Where upon I place my hand To carry this is not awfully hard With swift movement to darken nightlight’s candle This is not a heavy thing, yet burdensome to bear Pommeled steel hold all so tight; yet little goes as planned By my side with ease to wear From heft to hit a sword is held As civil shield or callous cutpurse; with it the world – be felled

@env0writes C.Buck   Ko-Fi & Venmo: @Zenv0 Support Your Local Artists!   Photo by my friend Mika

[spinningjupiters]

Not mine //

Somewhere out there

A dancer may learn

How to let go

Of her body

To be able to move

A writer

Might make their

First rhyme

To save their soul

A scientist

Might have had

A moment

Of hallelujah

A earnest prayer

May have been answered

Somewhere

A crack in the pavement

Made room for life

And it continues to breathe

Somewhere out there

There is life

Even if it's not mine

[jasminesuntrell]

Un-infatuated (28/30)

The embodiment of what you thought you desire stands before you. She gifts you a heart eager to love you in all the ways you crave. You realize not all dreams are meant to come true and leave.

[authormarialberg]

Wild and Mysterious Poetry

This week I talked about being unpinnable, the violence of language, and survival, so I was drawn to my Sasquatch poetry kit (assoc link). Sasquatch Sijo by Maria L. Berg 2024 The Prompts NaPoWriMo: Write a sijo. “This is a traditional Korean verse form. A sijo has three lines of 14-16 syllables. The first line introduces the poem’s theme, the second discusses it, and the third line, which is…

[momoetry-blog]

T is for tears

T is for tears Streaming down my face I’ve hit a patch of life Where loss becomes more commonplace T is for tears I am terrible at letting go But I am amazing at loving I make my feelings known T is for tears Please don’t leave, FIGHT It’s selfish for me to want you to stay But without you here, I can’t imagine life. -Nicole Smith, Momoetry 2024 A-Z Challenge and National Poetry Month

[adreamingskin]

Poetry Competitions, Submissions & Opportunities – MARCH 2024

Spring is here and with it (finally) over 150 poetry competitions, writing submissions and opportunities open or with deadlines in March 2024.​For the first half of this month I was in autistic shutdown due to a very difficult personal situation that is coming to a head this week after 16 years. I am hopeful that this release will remove significant stress from my life and allow me to give time,…

[gtunesmiff]

2023 APRIL POEM-A-DAY CHALLENGE: DAY 30

Well, well; here we are again (or for the first time for some of you): Day 30!

I'll admit that I was a little worn out at the beginning of the month and not sure how my poeming was going to go. 

But, as is usually the case, I surprised myself with some fun poems I can't wait to go back and play around with. 

I hope your month of poeming has left you with similar drafts!

For today's prompt, write a surprise poem. 

This prompt was actually changed at the last minute after reading Laura Shovan's "How the Neuroscience of Surprise Can Improve Your Poetry Practice," and it got me thinking about all the good and bad surprises we encounter on a daily (or almost daily) basis. 

Let's finish this month by focusing on one or three of those.

Remember: These prompts are springboards to creativity. Use them to expand your possibilities, not limit them.

from, as usual, Robert Lee Brewer’s Writer’s Digest blog, Poetic Asides.

[faecorpspublishing]

Pad Challenge Day 20

[swantonlibraryteens]

Day 10: Spring Colors

Our entry display celebrating National Poetry Month!

[brinemcallister]

Invasive Negativity

Negativity invades thoughts and reshuffles happiness into sadness. It creeps under the skin until nags at each nerve. Weighs down shoulders until hunch forward with snap and snarl. It clouds over smiles until thunderclaps spill from mouth. Negativity knows how to grow and spread through emotional forest and leaves body sick gasping for laughter. It know how to choke out the sky so…

[acelessthan3]

Still behind on my National Poetry Month Challenge (7.5 poems/30), but the two I worked on today feel much more complete and that's what matters

[shiningdesignersreflections]

Chapter 2: Firework Challenge

Narrated by Vermillion Snow.

Chi Xiaoyu: Do you realize what this is?!

Narrator: Chi Xiaoyu charges into the dorm, waving two invitations around madly. She looks like she just won the lottery.

Chi Xiaoyu: Cloudcrest is holding a New Year’s Challenge. Complete 50 challenges and you get to light the fireworks at the Fireworks Show.

Chi Xiaoyu: There aren’t many invitations! The school’s giving them to students stuck at the college over New Year’s!

Narrator: Chi Xiaoyu opens the website link on the invitation and a list of New Year’s challenges pops up.

Narrator: Excitedly, I put down the paper decoration I’m making and run over to the computer to look at the list.

Chi Xiaoyu: Well, seeing your parents aren’t here... and our dorm is a home away from home and we’re roommates... That makes us family!

Chi Xiaoyu: If we take part in the fireworks lighting ceremony, your New Year’s wish would come true! Right, Reddish?

Narrator: I was just beginning to feel the love, when Chi Xiaoyu used my real name!

Narrator: I roll up my design and start hitting her about the head with it.

Vermillion Snow: DO. NOT. CALL. ME. REDDISH!

Narrator: Eager to be part of the fireworks lighting ceremony, we waste no time getting started.

Vermillion Snow: Mission: Make a paper decoration. Done!

Narrator: I take a video of the paper decoration and upload it onto the website.

Chi Xiaoyu: Do a New Year’s drawing... Does your New Year’s outfit design count?

Narrator: Chi Xiaoyu grabs my design, takes a photo of it, and uploads it.

Vermillion Snow: Stick up some spring couplets, hang a lantern, eat a New Year rice cake... Done, done, and done!

Narrator: Five more days to go until New Year’s. Five days to finish the challenges. No doubt they will get a lot harder as we go.

Vermillion Snow: Spend at least 3 minutes wishing one of your teachers a Happy New Year.

Vermillion Snow: Ask an old lady in your neighborhood to join you for a dance in the public square... Who comes up with this stuff?

Chi Xiaoyu: All the teachers have gone home for New Year’s. Who can we wish Happy New Year to?

Vermillion: I know! How about your home tutor during high school?

Vermillion Snow: The one who gave us a lecture last semester? What was her name again... Xitong?

Chi Xiaoyu: NO WAY! I had a big quarrel with a few stans of hers on the internet the other day.

Vermillion Snow: But we don’t have any other choice. It’s decided then! Let’s go and find Jiang Xitong!

Narrator: The Cloud Empire Museum closes tomorrow for the public holiday.

Narrator: Jiang Xitong appears at the entrance. I drag Chi Xiaoyu over, though she is clearly not happy about it.

Vermillion Snow: Ms. Jiang...

Narrator: I bow deeply and start to deliver the long litany of greetings I’ve prepared.

Vermillion Snow: We, Vermillion Snow and Xiaoyu wish you a very, very Happy New Year...

Jiang Xitong: Uh...

Chi Xiaoyu: We hope everything works out for you this year and all your dreams come true...

Jiang Xitong: Wait a second...

Vermillion Snow: We hope you stay healthy and live to a ripe old age!

Jiang Xitong: ...

Vermillion Snow: Phew... That’s it! Do you mind taking a photo with us, Miss Jiang?

Narrator: Not waiting for her to reply, Chi Xiaoyu and I squeeze in beside her, take a selfie, and then run for it.

Vermillion Snow: Thanks, Ms. Jiang! Bye!

Jiang Xitong: Hey! You two! Stop!

Narrator: We haven’t got two steps when the shaken Xitong commands us to stop.

Narrator: We turn around, expecting to be grilled, only to find the usually stern-faced Xitong smiling happily at us.

Jiang Xitong: Thank you! And... Happy New Year to you, too!

Chapter 1

Chapter 3

Chapter 4

[jasminesuntrell]

Cirque de la Douleur (30/30)

I was born into a circus full of chaos and horrors and freaks and sideshows and dangerous stunts and creepy men left to run amuck. So it's no wonder I've always been somewhat of a clown. A sad one at first, with a smile painted on top my perpetual pout. And it's no wonder I grew to be the clown bouncing around while spinning plates. Keeping busy, keeping balanced but really it's a distraction. A way to ignore my deep rooted sadness. But, now, I'm trying to use my talents to my advantage. Keep them focused on my antics and escape this perpetual nightmare. Leave the clown shit in the tent and find joy in learning a new act.

[photosbyjez]

Exploring Rabbie Burns Cottage and Gardens: A Historical Scottish Delight -- Fan Of...

Exploring Rabbie Burns Cottage and Gardens: A Historical Scottish Delight -- Fan Of...

Hi all 😁 Feel free to join this weekly challenge whenever you think, “I’m a fan of…” (see below for how-to). 👇 Join the fun 👇 Create a Fan Of… Photo Post. Add a link to your Fan of… blog post in my comment box or create a pingback by linking to my post. Title your post Fan Of… or add a Fan Of… tag. Here we are in the wee town of Alloway, Ayr, at Rabbie Burns Cottage. For more information,…

[momoetry-blog]

F is for Fat

F is for Fat A word I let define me I let it overshadow My personality A word when said maliciously Made my heart bleed For years I craved the thin life I’d never get, and I grieved Fat meant I was worthless, a failure, unloveable, Something I was taught and I accepted I practiced disordered eating, celebrating all losses Losing equaled success My size made me undervalued By…