A fresh start | Poetry Prompt

It's that time of year where we're Spring cleaning. The year isn't quite as new anymore. There's talk of resurrections and shedding of the old and trying out the new. I've been thinking about this a lot this month. About the things that have been holding me back, whether it's old expectations or fears. There's so much in life to gain, to see. Maybe it's time to shed the old skins and start anew.

Poetry Prompt:

Write a poem about someone shedding something that's holding him/her back. This thing is the literal abatross around her neck. Help her to shed it so she can come back refreshed and renewed. If there's something in your life that you need to shed channel it through this poem. Give yourself freedom to let go and start over.

Word Prompts: 
Starting over
Shedding the old
Rebuilding
Resurrection
New beginnings
Renewed

Musical Inspiration:

Tamara Woods writes, because she can’t imagine any other life. She grew up in the poorest state in the U.S., West Virginia, as a laid-off coal miner’s daughter. She learned from this that money isn’t the root of all happiness, but it sure makes it easier. One fateful summer at a youth workshop she learned both the art of stolen kisses and being open in her poetry: lessons she’s never forgotten. Tamara’s poetry is spoken word with a heavy emphasis on things that we all know and do. Her fiction hits on darker, uncomfortable subjects, because she’s a firm believer that stories can be beautiful without being pretty. She is the Editor of The Reverie Journal, online poetry site. She is the moderator of #writestuff a writing tweetchat that's every Tuesday at 9 p.m. EST. Find her poetry on her blog PenPaperPad. Connect on Social Media: Follow her on Twitter, like her on Facebook, and check out her book and writing videos on YouTube.

Better Late than Never

Happy Friday, fellow word artists!

First of all, I want to apologize for not having my prompt ready and shared with you on Monday. I'm currently in art school and the last couple of weeks have been CRAZY getting work prepared for our student art show while continuing to work on new projects for class. Thank you for your patience and understanding.

I decided to embrace my tardiness in posting this week's prompt by making TIME the motivator for our words. Also, since our time until the next prompt is limited, let's consider using a very short and very contemporary poetic form - micropoetry. For those who may be unfamiliar with this form, here's a good website to explain it, full of original micropoem examples: The Micropoets Society.

In addition to our usual linkup, if you'd like, please share your micropoem on Twitter and tag me @ladywithadream.

Word Prompts: time, first time, next time, this time, early, late, prompt, last time, overtime, just in time, yesterday, today, tomorrow, right now

Suggested Form: Micropoem

Enjoy your weekend!

Amy McGrath

Prompt: Allow, Invite, Trust and Know - A Poet's Affirmation and More

A Poet's Affirmation:

I allow myself to be pure,
raw and completely myself.

I invite myself to
grow with each word I write.

I trust myself as a
poet and as a person.

I know my right readers
connect with my heart message no matter what
shape or direction my poetry
takes today.

= = = = =
Our deepest feelings yearn to be expressed.

I am not talking about red-hot-anger or
lack-based-ranting, I am talking about heartfelt,
truth-filled and sacred responses to life.

A story, today, to invite your words onto the page --

The little bunny slowly scampered towards
its home. It wasn't hampered by fear of me
or my blonde-curly-furred dog.

I had never seen anything like it.

I greeted the bunny and moved along.

All of a sudden there was an identical relative
to the earlier bunny.  It was neither quick nor
concerned. He stood watching us and was
apparently as intrigued by our presence
as we were with his presence.

Sandy wagged his tail in delight, not pulling
on the leash or chasing the little
furry-fluffy-cutey.

We kept walking.

We saw another bunny. And another bunny.
And another bunny. We saw
so many I stopped counting.

As we rounded a corner, two larger bunnies
darted down the hill. I could feel their little
hearts palpitating in distress.

My heart responded with a like, fast,
staccato rhythm for just a
split second.

I would rather be the first bunnies. These
bunnies had not yet learned a fear response.
Instead, they held their moments in their
awareness. They watched  Sandy and me
and saw we didn’t pose a threat. They
released any concern and hopped
peacefully home.

I am a person who is curious, calm, and
deliberate in movement. My tendency is
towards courage, of intentionally not
choosing to be afraid. I want to be like
the courageous bunny, not a person
who races fearfully from a perceived,
non-existent threat.

Some might look at those baby bunnies
as foolish and naive.

I see them as gatherers of right information.
They witnessed what was so and released
any need to be fearful.

They chose peace.

What are you choosing today?

What will you choose to write today?

Word Prompts:

 Allow, Invite, Trust and Know

Thematic Prompt:

Write a Poem of the Bunnies - naive or brave, courageous or gathering information.
Write from the perspective of the Bunny or the perspective of the human, watching the bunny.

Perhaps weave in the word prompts.

Repeat the Poet's Affirmation as often as you feel compelled this week - see what it awakens in your poetry and prose.

Most of all --- enjoy the process

= = = = =
Add your poem here: 

Poetry Prompts - Dare to Love Yourself...

“Dare to love yourself as if you were a rainbow with gold at both ends.” ― Aberjhani, Journey through the Power of the Rainbow: Quotations from a Life Made Out of Poetry

Photo courtesy of PublicDomainPictures.net by Axelle B.

A lot of people are walking around wanting love from someone else but haven't figured out how to love themselves.

Poetry Prompt:

Write for ten minutes about what it means to love from the inside out. Or, write a poem to yourself.

Word Prompts:

Love

Compassion

Self Care

Boundaries

Saying Yes

Saying No

Possible poetry type: 

Shape poetry

Music Prompt:

Have a great week exploring poetry.

Peace,
Morgan Dragonwillow
Read, Dance, Write, Repeat.

Morgan Dragonwillow is a poet, author, encourager, and facilitator of magical circles. She is team leader at @StoryDam, #OctPoWriMo and #PoetsonthePage You can find her Playing with Words and dancing on her blog.

Yes she is on Google+ too!

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Poetry Prompts - Extraordinary Choices

“A tree can be tempted out of its winter dormancy by a few hours of southerly sun—the readiness to believe in spring is stronger than sleep or sanity.” ― Amy Leach, Things That Are

Photo courtesy of PublicDomainPictures.net by George Hodan

You can feel the energy of Spring on its way, days getting longer, sun growing warmer and the hint of blossoms in tiny tight buds beginning to form. But for now, we are still in the in between, not really Winter, not really Spring, just the anticipation of new beginnings over the horizon.

I've already started my spring cleaning, something that is over due from last spring, yes I procrastinate. Poetry has pushed it's way to a back burner for me, I imagine I should allow myself to get back into a poetic mood and get writing again. Of course my goal is to write all of my poems for the April A to Z challenge before April begins, I guess I better get started. Will you be joining us for the April A to Z Poetry Prompts in April?

Photo courtesy of
PublicDomainPictures.net
by Kim Rempel

Choices, we all have them, we all make them every single day. Some make choices by not making a choice, either way life continues, seasons pass, are you making a difference in someone's life? Are you making a difference in yours?

Poetry Prompt: 

How do you fill your time during this in between? Are you prepping your garden, preparing the way for new projects? Write for ten minutes exploring how you want to spend your spring and what you can do to prepare for it.

Here is a second choice as today is February 29th, which only happens once every four years. I personally think it should be a holiday since it is an extra day, like a freebie, why shouldn't we have one day every four years that we could do whatever we want. What would you do if you had a day where you could do anything you wanted, no matter what?

Word Prompts:

In between

floating

anticipation
choices

unusual

extraordinary

I think this house is past spring cleaning,
more like it may need ghost cleaning.
Photo Courtesy of
PublicDomainPictures.net
by Kate Friesen

Possible Poetry Type: Sedoka

Happy end of the month, whatever you may be doing, wherever you may be, I hope you make extraordinary choices for yourself today.


Peace,
Morgan Dragonwillow
Read, Dance, Write, Repeat

Morgan Dragonwillow is an author, encourager, and facilitator of magical circles. She is team leader at @StoryDam, #OctPoWriMo and #PoetsonthePage You can find her Playing with Words and dancing on her blog.

Yes she is on Google+ too!

Make sure you sign up to receive our updates, tips and prompts to share in all the poetry fun!

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Poetry Prompt- A Season of Relevance

When I was in junior high, I first learned about poetry. My brother's girlfriend at the time had created an assembly for the kids at my school. She wanted me to read "Still I Rise" by Maya Angelou in front of the entire school. The entire idea filled me with dread. Getting up in front of everybody and reading this poem? I couldn't do it. I didn't quite understand the meaning behind the poem. I hadn't reached a point where that poem had significance to me.

What I found so interesting about this piece is that with age came understanding of what it truly meant to me. I think that is the way of a lot of writing that passes through our lives. It is very relevant for a time period or a season. Sometimes it will vibe with you throughout life. It's all so very subjective and something I'd like to explore this week.

Poetry Prompt:

To tip a hat to Black History Month, choose a poem written by a black poet. Read over it a couple of times and ruminate on it. Can you relate to this at this stage in your life? Can you relate at all? How does it make you feel? Write down the feelings it invokes in you. After you've done this, write a poem including those emotions. Here's an article that mentions 20 famous black poets to help you along. You can use any poem from any black poet, famous or not. The article is just a suggestion.

Here's the poem that I was talking about and the inspiration for my poem:

Tamara Woods writes, because she can’t imagine a life where she didn’t. She grew up in the poorest state in the United States, West Virginia, as a laid-off coal miner’s daughter. She learned from this that money isn’t the root of all happiness, but it sure makes it easier. One fateful summer at a youth workshop she learned both the art of stolen kisses and being open in her poetry: lessons she’s never forgotten. Tamara’s poetry is spoken word with a heavy emphasis on things that we all know and do. Her fiction hits on darker, uncomfortable subjects, because she’s a firm believer that stories can be beautiful without being pretty. She is the Editor of The Reverie Journal, online poetry site. She is the moderator of #writestuff a writing tweetchat that's every Tuesday at 9 p.m. EST. Find her poetry on her blog PenPaperPad. Connect on Social Media: Follow her on Twitter, like her on Facebook, and check out her book and writing videos on YouTube.

Poetry Prompt: I Love You

Image by Marina Shemesh

I am writing this post on Valentine's Day and the obvious prompt for the week would be to ask you to write a love poem. That's exactly what I'm going to do, but I want this to be no ordinary love poem. Instead of delving into romantic love or eroticism, I want us to all take a few minutes to take a good long look ... IN THE MIRROR.

I'll be honest with you. This is going to be really uncomfortable for some of us (me, included)! Look in the mirror and silently, without criticism or judgement, look at yourself as you would gaze upon your best friend or even your lover. Force yourself to see past the flaws that we all see in ourselves and look deep into your own eyes. After a few minutes have passed in honoring silence, say the words out loud to your own reflection, "I love you." Repeat them, if necessary. Speak from the depth of your wonderful, passionate heart and speak with conviction. "I LOVE YOU."

Now, was that so bad? If possible, take the next few minutes to write a love letter to yourself right there in front of the mirror where you can bear witness to your creative self in action. 

Use this experience as a springboard to write a love poem for yourself. You deserve it. 

Poetry Prompt: Make a list of everything wonderful about you. Ignore the voice of the inner critic that is sure to try to resist this activity! Use this list as a starting point to write a love poem for yourself. 

Word Prompts:

Self-love

I love ME

Suggested Poetry form: Sonnet

~ Amy Phelps McGrath