Poetry Prompt - Open Road

This time of year a lot of people are getting cabin fever from being indoors most of the winter and thinking about where they want to go for a quick getaway. I am no different, though our weather has been greatly improved and conducive to going outside I have been stuck indoors for awhile.

Photo by Larisa Koshkina

Poetry Prompt: What mystery lies waiting on the open road and where would you like it to take you? Write for ten minutes about the open road and/or about mystery.

Poetry type: Acrostic - I love the acrostic form of poetry. One of my favorite things to do is to pick a word from the dictionary and create an acrostic poem out of it. Try it and see where it leads your words on the page.

Here is my last acrostic poem:

Mouths open
Yearning to
Speak the
Truth abandoned
Emancipated words
Randomly taken
Yield freedom

Word Prompt: Mystery

Poetry Prompt: Transforming the Winter Blues

This winter has gone on forever. It's cold, sometimes dark and it can drain our energy and motivation.  So what can we do to summon creativity and joy during a time of intense bleakness? When we're stuck indoors with cabin fever instead of interacting with others as much as we usually do? What about those of us who suffer from Seasonal Affective Disorder? I'm just glad I don't live in Sweden. Can you imagine entire days of darkness? 

Have I depressed you yet? Sorry! There is a point to all of this! For this week's poetry prompt, let's turn our winter frowns upside down with poetry.  Let's find a way to transform the winter blues into a beautiful flower. 

Writing Prompt: Start out with your feelings about the long, cold winter; your observations. And then, over the course of your poem, transform your words and outlook into a beautiful early Spring flower. Let's paint imagery that takes us from bleak to beautiful! 

Poetry Prompt: February Mini Challenge Day 4 - Life Happens and We Write Poetry

This is an actual view from my recliner when I was sick last Spring. 

Life happens.                                                                                                                                           

Kids get sick.

Mommies follow them.

Today, fresh from the doctor's office, Emma makes jokes about her health. My tonsil is invading the world taking it all in one strep at a time! Seriously, she laughed. The doctor is concerned about her breathing being compromised and she, my Emma, laughs.

So - here is a completely different prompt after many different prompts this week.

I was revisiting one of my favorite books about writing poetry - The Discovery of Poetry by Frances Mayes. - today, and was reminded how many poets were (and are) sickly.

Today, write a poem about being sickly yourself or about someone you care about being sick.

I am adding some quotes from John Keats as further inspiration, in case you are stumped, or if you want to see how much beauty he was able to create when he died at only 25.

"Health is my expected heaven."

"Heard melodies are sweet, but those unheard are sweeter."

"The poetry of the Earth is never dead."

Are you ready to write your poem?

I think you are....

As always, grateful to read your words -

Life happens....we write poetry....

Poetry Prompt: February Mini Challenge Day 3 : The Freedom To Write Your Poem.....I Dare You.....

This may sound ironic to you and please, hear me out.

What would happen if you let go of the results of your poem?

What would happen if you accepted it to be just what it is - without critique or worrying about form or being perfect or emulating another great poet?

What would happen if you threw out your most common style of writing and allowed yourself (and your readers) the grace of being a complete beginner?

That's your challenge for today.

We've talked about naming in your poetry yesterday.

We've talked about using the just-right words on Monday.

Today, your challenge is to throw all that out the window and simply be with whatever flows up and through your pencil, pen or fingers on the keyboard AND simultaneously choose to not write in the manner you are most accustomed to writing.

I'm offering you freedom and for some of you this may be frightening.

I actually think it is frightening to each and all of us on varying levels.

What would happen if you simply WERE different and today, allowed yourself to splash in the waters of poetic differences without being so concerned about the outcome of your poem?

I realize some of you are going to just close this window and never think of writing such a poem.
I dare you to write it, even if it feels... oh, there is the dreaded word again: different. So go ahead, write differently. Enjoy the process - I dare you.....

February Poetry Mini Challenge Prompt Name It with Word Love (Day 2)

Wow - I enjoyed yesterday's process so much I wrote a how-to blog post about it on my Julie

Unplugged Blog. If you would like to read it, check it out here.

Now - for today - a brand new adventure in writing poetry that builds upon yesterday's.

This quote provides a preview for us:

"One deep feeling called by its right name names others."
Eudora Welty

I have declared my love for words on a regular basis. I love love love language with all my heart. One of the most important ways to express that love for words is to use words well, especially when writing poetry.

Yesterday we wrote micropoetry after doing one of my favorite writing warm-ups. Our intention was to say the most with the fewest syllables.

What I want us to play with today builds upon that concept: today we will say the most with the best words.

This poem, "Saying Things", by Marilyn Krisl, is a great example of naming things and simply loving the process of lining up words in a way that just oozes love - and straight out lust - for words.

Here's what we will create today:

Choose five things you can look up from where you are sitting and see.

For example, I can see a bottle of tylenol, a salt shaker, my daughter Emma, a copy of "Letters Home by Sylvia Plath" and my flannel nightgown.

My goal, before today is over, is to write a poem naming those things. Not just saying "my daughter Emma" but naming her without saying "my daughter Emma."

Your goal is to choose your five things and then weave all five into a poem for an extra fun adventure in poetry or simply choose one.

Note: if you aren't having fun with this exercise, walk away and then write whatever comes forward.

Ready, set, NAME THINGS!

I look forward to reading your poems so please link up! I love to know you're playing along.

Poetry Prompt: February Mini-Challenge Day 1

Welcome to the February Poets on the Page Mini-Challenge.

The Mini-Challenge is five day "event" for you to write alongside other poets, each using (or not using!) the same prompt in order to build your poetry writing skills and at the same time, build your poetry writing community.

This week we will be building from the first day to the last - with the final poem we write on Friday being a celebration and compilation of all we did throughout the week.

Today, we will begin with simplicity.

Your prompt is an image, a word and a poetry form.

This is your image prompt: what do you notice? Who are you, the viewer, in relationship to your poem?

Your word prompt: Arid

(optional) poetry form: haiku and/or tanka

Poetry Prompt: Today is a Special Day

Image by Rf Vectorscom

February has arrived! Yesterday, we observed Groundhog Day. The "official" groundhog saw his shadow, thus predicting six more weeks of winter weather. I don't know how much I believe in holidays like Groundhog Day, but some of the more "offbeat" holidays are rather amusing.





I did some research and found several interesting celebrations that are assigned to today (February 3):

• National Carrot Cake Day                                   
• National Frozen Yogurt Day                           
• National Day the Music Died
• Constitution Day (Mexico)

February is also observed as a special month:

• American Heart Month                                                            

  

  
  

• Black History Month (USA)
• LGBT History Month (UK)

I've linked each of the days/months above to sites where you can find more information about each.

The Prompt: Choose one of the celebrations above or create a special holiday of your own and write a poem around your chosen special day.

Word Prompt: Special Day or Holiday

Suggested Form: Ode (one of my favorites!)

Share your poetry with us by linking up. Make sure you visit your neighbors one or two before and after. If you are last on the list go back to the beginning of the list. Have fun!

From now until Midnight on February 21st you can enter to win this Playful Poetry Pack here at Poets on the Page! You can come back weekly to Tweet the poetry prompts to enter again and again to increase your chances of winning. During the week long challenge in February you can come back daily.

• Notebook
• InkJoy Pens
• Fun Stickers
• Lindor Dark Chocolate Raspberry 
• Stash Chai Tea
• Ebook, The Poet's Companion - A Guide to the Pleasures of Writing Poetry

Go back to THIS LINK for the points to win!

Have fun and good luck!

~Amy McGrath