Poetry: A Must-See Film for Poets (and the people who love them.)

I first heard about “Poetry” written and directed by Lee Chong Dong and simply had to see it. I sought a venue within a reasonable driving distance from Bakersfield.  A movie house specializing in art and foreign film in Santa Monica became my poetic and cinematic mecca on that day in 2010. Emma, who was twelve-years-old at the time didn't want to go because she thought subtitles would be "boring." Within moments of the film beginning, she discovered the joy of foreign film. It was through experiencing this captivating stories she learned subtitles do indeed disappear within a well-hued story.

I have linked to a video which includes snippets from the movie and a gloriously written review from the New York Times as a melodic counterpoint. It is only five minutes long.

Please take a moment to visit YouTube to watch the video (The owner does not allow me to embed it here) and consider how movies about poets, poetry and leading a poetic life may make your experience of any writing challenge more rich and rewarding.)

Because I also wanted to include some video from Poetry you could see here on the blog, here is the trailer:

 

What movies inspire you as a poet?

-- Julie Jordan Scott

Can Writing Poetry Transform You?

“Practice is the hardest part of learning, and training is the essence of transformation.” 
― Ann Voskamp, One Thousand Gifts: A Dare to Live Fully Right Where You Are

I decided to share with you today some of the comments that have been said about OctPoWriMo, the tips and prompts, how it has helped the writers/poets get their words onto the page, and sometimes how it has affected them.

Your prompt saved me today, thank you! on Poetry Prompt 3 - Connecting In JyllianM
This is scary. I can't help but worry what others will think, but I trust that my words may speak to someone's heart as they speak to mine. onOctPoWriMo Poetry Prompt #11 - Write What You Must Write. Esther Spurrill-Jones

What beautiful words, thank you for sharing them. I wrote about digging down deeper still,and included a great song to go with it from Marc Cohn. http://mademorebeautiful.com/2012/10/12/deeper-still/ on Poetry Prompt Day 12 - Where Passion Resides Jenna

This was another very painful poem for me. I chose a subject that can be very controversial but my views on the issue are not political, but very personal. on Poetry Prompt Day 16 - Which Side Are You On Esther Spurrill-Jones

I just want to thank you tons and tons and tons for running this challenge. It has kept me blogging and at least one or two of my poems are keepers. :) Thanks again! on Poetry Challenge Steph Beth Nickel

Thank you for organizing all the prompts for Octpowrimo. Many were inspiring, and many were extremely challenging! I'm glad I saw it through. on OctPoWriMo Poetry Prompt 31 - Infinity VivinFrance

You know what? This post makes me feel less nervous about diving in. I sometimes worry I'm not enough. But this reminds me how personal poetry is. If its good enough for me, its good enough. on Simple Or Intricate? JenKehl.com

Participating in these challenges has helped me feel a little bit more confident about what I write. Thank you for hosting this :) on Poetry Prompt Day Five: Writing a List Poem SamanthaFain

I am in awe of all the amazing narrative poetry I'm reading from you all today! Really, I'm charmed, inspired, uplifted, and enthralled. So glad I decided to take the OctPoWriMo journey. on Poetry Prompt Octrober 7: There is Power in Narrative Poetry Christine

This prompt was a tough one for me! I considered giving up for today, but I'm glad I punched through the writer's block. on Poetry Prompt Day 9: Lyrical Poetry Christine

This was the hardest prompt for me, and I'm glad you have it .. It helped me come up with my first haiku :) on Poetry Prompt Day 17 : Games We played Sonalika Chaturvedi

This is definitely one of the best prompts - EVERYONE has come up with lines of perfection.. Thanks for this :) on OctPoWriMo - Poetry Prompt Day 21: Short, Sweet and Simple Sonalika Chaturvedi

Sexual abuse is often a topic I have written poetry about. Women and children issues are often close to my heart but I avoid blogging much about it as its tough to coin poetry on it. Thanks for giving the opportunity to try doing that again :)) on Poetry Prompt Day 30: Writing about the Hard Stuff Lady Whispers

I am so so so so grateful for being a part of this wonderful place and it has given me so much that I can't thank enough and and and I am definitely going to miss it a lot on OctPoWriMo Day 31 - Endings and New Beginnings Enchantress 

And from Twitter:

Beth Camp ‏@bluebethley  Oct 2#octpowrimo What a lovely way to begin the day with reflection and a poem Thank you @MDragonwillow http://tinyurl.com/p7gtlxm 
Meg Hammil ‏@thehachmom  Sep 22What a poet is and isn't #OctPoWriMo 2013:   Whether we like it or no, poetry and poets have ... http://www.octpowrimo.com/2013/09/whether-we-like-it-or-no-poetry-and.html?spref=tw …
Tui Snider ‏@TuiSnider  Sep 18Makes me wanna play hooky! RT @MDragonwillow Intuitive Writing: Is this Message for You http://morgandragonwillow.com/2013/09/intuitive-writing-is-this-message-for-you.html … #poetry #OctPoWriMo #StoryDam
Annie Gray ‏@AnnieSoulFire  8 Nov 2012Today I'm going to visit my best fiend from my poem To City Girl http://aforceoflove.blogspot.com/2012/10/day-8-poem-to-city-girl-my-best-friend.html?m=1 … #playingwithwords #OctPoWriMo
Annie Gray ‏@AnnieSoulFire  30 Oct 2012I had a tough time today with writing and other stuff here is my mixed up poem titled "My Today's Feelings" http://aforceoflove.blogspot.com/2012/10/day-30-poem-my-todays-feelings.html … #OctPoWriMo
Leslie Moon ‏@moondustwriter  25 Oct 2012Randomly Blessed: A Haiku for Day 22 #OctPoWriMo http://goo.gl/DvEO4  via @shahw1 

As you can see, participating in OctPoWriMo gives you the opportunity to expand your poetry, challenges you to go deeper, and possibly transforming in the process.

What do you say, will you be joining us this year?

Count Down: 20 Days until OctPoWriMo!

Morgan Dragonwillow is a rebel dancing with words, intuitive cook, recovering perfectionist, poet and indie author that (mostly) doesn't let her fears get in the way of her passion for writing and creating. She is team leader at @StoryDam and creatrix of #OctPoWriMo. She lives in Marietta, Ga. with her loving and patient partner, their dog that thinks she's a princess, and the cat that reminds her that she isn't.

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OctPoWriMo - The Choice is Yours: To Write Poetry or to Not Write Poetry

One of my poet friends commented on my blog yesterday:

"I miss your poetry. Please join us today, our topic is love and romance." I scowled and quickly jotted a first draft:

She asked me to write of love and romance
and all I can think of is other poet's lines:

Gibran said, "Work is love made visible."
and Browning croons, "“Grow old with me,
the best is yet to be.” and I growl,
I pace, I grumble and pout and stammer

Mary Oliver taps on my shoulder, looks
me in the eye and soulfully states:
"“I have been in love more times than one,
thank the Lord."

I quote Pat Benatar lyrics,
"Love is a battlefield" and shout
J. Geils, "Love stinks" and my own,
"Love doesn't read my poetry
anyway so why bother, really?"

My socks are wet
I'm still wearing my jammies
and I am expected to
be inspiring to many in
just 30 minutes

What does love have to say about that?

I feel a sense of smiling between
my shoulder blades
I take a gulp of now cold coffee

I choose to stop grousing and
start writing
because more than once
my love has been found
first there, between and
among the words
even becoming
the love, itself

I may not know love like
Robert and Elizabeth
or Rumi and Shams or
Mary and Molly or
those tricky kids
Romeo and Juliet AND

I do have word-love
I'll write to that...

= = = = =
Every day we have a choice to write or to not write. We have a choice to write poetry or to not write poetry.

It is that simple.

It is a privilege.

What will you do?

-- Julie Jordan Scott

OctPoWriMo - Use Your Words

from http://www.keepcalmandposters.com/poster/keep-calm-and-use-your-words

How many times growing up were you told to "use your words" rather than some other less appropriate action? I know I said it to my boys when they were younger. Turns out there's a deep wisdom to using our words. On Friday, I shared my story of how writing poetry was part of my own healing process. As I began finding my voice through poetry, I wanted to help others do the same. I had heard of dance therapy, music therapy, and art therapy before, but I'd never heard of poetry or writing therapy. Who knew that it was a simple Google search away?

For those of you in the United States, check out the National Association for Poetry Therapy. There you can find information about the history of Poetry Therapy, details about their annual conference, and a wealth of links to other resources including information on how to become a credentialed poetry therapist.

There is a place

Where you will find out

That you are not alone,

That your story is not the only story

That we are all part of the same verse,

The universe of words.

This poetry that heals

And makes us whole.

Come,

We’ve been waiting for you.

-Richard Brown

I also came across the website for The Institute for Poetic Medicine. The institute was founded by John Fox, Certified Poetry Therapist, is a poet and author of Finding What You Didn't Lose:  Expressing Your Truth and Creativity through Poem-Making and Poetic Medicine: The Healing Art of Poem-Making. He offers workshops and writing retreats in Europe (UK and Germany), Canada (British Columbia), and the United States (Portland, OR and Asheville, NC). 

The International Federation for Biblio/Poetry Therapy  provides information about becoming a credentialled poetry therapist or poetry facilitator, details on where to find poetry therapists/facilitators, and offers resources for setting up your own practice in the field. 

Interested in becoming a poetry therapist? Check out the International Academy for Poetry Therapy. They are a credentialling organization that offer online classes by teams of mentors that guide you to becoming recognized as a poetry therapy practitioner. 

Put your love of poetry to use in a new and growing field. Consider becoming a poetry therapist!

~Amy McGrath

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