comfort zone

I must admit I don't understand where Paul B means by this prompt so I suggest you translate it the way you see it and hopefully make something of it.

The prompt is striving striving beyond your comfort zone.

'tis the season

Tasha is in a holiday mood and is looking for poems about the Christmas Season .           
"Tis the season so how about Merry and Happy as a theme. You can even do a Bah Humbug if you like! Let Christmas ring..

The Overnight Train

This week's prompt is from Tad who says: 

I'm going back to the book I got the page 29 poem from. Here is a line at random from the book.

He hung up and went to the station where he was seen boarding an overnight train. 

Do something with that. You don't have to use all of it, you can even change the words, but take your inspiration from that sentence

page 29

Linda Bole offers us this challenge for this weeks prompt, Find the closest book and turn to page 29. Choose 10 words  from page 29 and use at least 7 of them in a poem.

Monsters

Paul Fowler wants us to write about the monsters in our lives. Real monsters or the ones that hide in our closets or under our beds. Or maybe the movie monsters who thrilled us as children... you remember The Mummy, the Wolfman...etc... let your imagination lead the way.

List

Vic's prompt.

Write a list poem. It could be a Christmas list, a list of faults, a list of whatever your little heart desires, or even a list of lists. 

Street Signs

Take note of the words on signs and street names you pass while driving, walking, or riding the bus. Write a poem starting with one of these words you notice.

I apologize for the delay. Waited all day for Paul Fowler to text me his prompt but he hasn't sent one. So I figured I'd just post one and if he sends one we can use his next week.

Knowledge: the final frontier

this weeks prompt comes from Paul Bole... the paragraph below is from the link that follows

Knowledge: The final frontier. 

In the deepest depths of our brain, we all hope to find a steady, informed sense of consciousnesses, and a well-developed set of personalized skills- The ideal mind. But has the internet succeeded in helping or hurting this general human goal? In other words, has the internet made us more knowledgeable, rather than simply providing us access to information?  

https://sites.google.com/site/knowledgephil123/

Yesterday, Today, and Tomorrow

This week's prompt is from Tasha:

Time is on my mind with daylight saving. Write about today, yesterday or both at once. Have fun!

7 lines

I love this prompt from Tad. Sorry I'm so late posting it.  Write a poem that is exactly seven lines long, and ends in a different location from where it started.

3 Wishes

Linda Bole says - it's time to make 3 wishes. Your fairy god elf came to visit and offed 3 wishes. Make sure they're good ones!!!

Baby

The prompt this week is simply "baby." You can write about a baby face, baby steps, baby boomers, baby corn or carrots, crybabies, baby dolls, baby grand pianos, or "ooh, baby, baby." Or of course, you could even write about an actual baby.

Begins and ends with....

write a poem starting and ending with the line... she walked out into the icy rain

it can be form (villanelle - kyrielle - pantoum - etc) or rhyme or free verse... no restrictions on the form you choose. Just have fun with this and wrap a poem around the line. 

Places Where We Long to Go

Paul Fowler wants us to write about write about a country or place we've always wanted go to but have never been. It can even be the moon!

Music

Paul Bole wants us to write about the magic or the madness of music. From any time and any kind.

PS...Linda and Paul have been without a working computer for awhile but hope to get a new one this coming week. They promise to catch up with comments and poems once they get the new one and get it set up. They thank you for your patience.

Hands

This week's prompt is from Tasha:

My prompt for this week is Hands: There are a number of ways his word can be used: Someone hands someone something, Hands the noun meaning appendages at the end of arms or workers on a ship- as in all hands on deck. Have fun however you wish to interpret the word, just use it in a poem or two!

Left out...

From Tad Richards:

Write a poem about, or including a reference to, someone you’ve never included in a poem before. Someone you know, or someone in your family, not a celebrity.

Time

Linda Bole gives us this prompt and apologizes for not having posted or commented for the last prompt. Her internet has been down and it was supposed to be up by the end of this week. Hopefully it is...

Write about anything to do with time. Time is on your side (The Rolling Stones). Time travel. Use your time wisely and write a time oriented poem.

A Week's Worth of Prompts

I haven't done this in a while, and I'm fresh out of ideas today, so here are this week's prompts from "A Writer's Book of Days." Pick one or more.

PLEASE NOTE: The limit of poems for the prompts is still a TOTAL of two poems.

Aug 26 -- Write about what has yet to happen.
Aug 27 -- You are in the backyard.
Aug 28 -- Write about a dangerous ride.
Aug 29 -- My mother once told me ...
Aug 30 -- " ... and her red hair lit the wall." (after Victor Hugo)
Aug 31 -- "It's my belief we're all crazy." (after Trudy, the bag lady.
Sep 1 -- Write a December memory.

What's in your pocket?

We all do it. Shove that stray receipt, coins, Kleenex etc in our pockets and if you're like me, on laundry day, somethings might get missed and left in your pocket. So tell us, in a poem, what's in your pocket?

Picture Frames

From our newest contributor, Kev Matt.  

Picture Frames

Red White and Blue

From Paul Fowler...red, white and blue ". could be about anything. red blood. white clouds, blues music, or flags and what they mean.

Sun

Paul B says.this is your day in the sun, will the sun last forever? write a poem about the sun and your personal feeling about the suns effect on you and your world..

Treasures

Tasha wants us to write about our treasures - what do we treasure most in life. Or write about treasures in general (pirates treasure, buried treasure) or even someone else's treasure.

dogs and kitchen utensils

Tad wants us to write a poem that includes at least one dog and one kitchen utensil. Okay, this is going to be fun! I can't wait to see what everyone comes up with for this one!

Sunny days and memories

Linda wants you to write about your sunny day memories... those lazy hazy crazy days of summer.

Traveling

Oh where have you been, my blue eyed son?
Where have you been, my darling young one?
I've stumbled on the side of twelve misty mountains
Walked and I've crawled on six crooked highways
Stepped in the middle of seven sad forests
Been out in front of a dozen dead oceans
I've been ten thousand miles in a mouth of a graveyard

It's a hard and it's a hard and it's a hard and it's a hard
And it's a hard rain's a gonna fall

Since Victoria is on the road this weekend I guess she has traveling on her mind. Write a poem about your travels, how you feel about traveling, or anything that involves traveling.

Life after death?

Write a poem based on your belief about life after death... or about what you WISH you believed.

The Joy of Cooking

From Paul Fowler:

While you might want to use the common definition of cooking as the preparation of food you could get even more creative like "the joy of cooking the books" or use the old adage "too many cooks spoil the broth". Use your poetic imaginations and let's get cooking.

PANTOUM ANTHOLOGY

Tad send me this: UPDATED CALL!! Poets are invited to submit pantoums for an upcoming anthology, tentatively titled, “Pantoums for the 21st Century.”

Send up to three pantoums, which meet the following criteria: the poems must be recognizable as pantoums; although the poets may be international, the pantoums must be in English; and, finally, the pantoums can be previously published in a print or online journal or magazine where the author holds copyright, but I will not accept pantoums previously published in books. Also, no translations, please.

I prefer that pantoums not have the word “pantoum” in their titles, for obvious reasons. Payment TBD.

The collection will be edited by Carol H. Jewell (that's me), whose first book, Hits and Missives, was published in 2017, by Clare Songbirds Publishing House (Auburn, NY), and which contains numerous pantoums.

Send submissions in Word, as PDF, or in the body of your email. Please put “Pantoum anthology” in the subject line. If your Pantoum(s) is/are chosen, you will be asked to provide a brief biographical statement. Send your pantoums to cherbiej@gmail.com before December 31, 2018.

Energy

High energy, low energy, energy bars, energy drinks... energy energy energy… our bodies need it but don't always have it. Write a poem of how energy affects your daily life. Or use energy in your poem in a unique way that will surprise us.

Weather

Prompt from Tasha:

"Everyone talks about the weather but no one can do anything about it." So for this week, please write anything you like about the weather or weather in general or in particular.

The Last Time

Prompt from Tad Richards this week:

The last time..

Time

This weeks prompt is by Linda Rivas Bole... Take a period in time in the past, present or future. Put yourself in the scene and write about that time. Time is of the essence as we only have a week to do it. :-)

I remember

Since last week's post was "I forgot," I thought it would be fun to the opposite. So this week's prompt is:

I remember. Any take on this from remembering your mom on Mother's Day to remembering what you went into a room to get.

I Forgot!

Been a lot of forgetting going on today so it seemed only just that the prompt should be just that... I forgot. Write about something you forgot (if you can remember what is you forgot) or something you would like to forget. I was going to add more but for the life of me I forgot what I was going to say. Have fun!

2018 PAD Challenge - Day 30, Closing time

From: Robert Lee Brewer

Here we are again: the end of another challenge. Thank you so much for showing up and poeming along with me. It’s always a great deal of fun.

For today’s prompt, write a closing time poem. Or another way of coming at this prompt is to write a poem in which something is coming to an end–like this month’s poetry challenge. Could be the end of a concert, an era, or whatever else must come to a close.

2018 PAD Challenge - Day 29, Response

From Robert Lee Brewer:

For today’s prompt, write a response poem. Respond to whatever helps you get your poem written, but my thought is that you should respond to one of your poems from earlier in this challenge.

2018 PAD Challenge - Day 28, (blank) Wave

From: Robert Lee Brewer

For today’s prompt, take the phrase “(blank) Wave,” replace the blank with a word or phrase, make the new phrase the title of your poem, and then, write your poem. Possible titles include: “Tidal Wave,” “Next Wave,” “Friendly Wave,” “Heat Wave,” and/or “Sound Wave.”

2018 PAD Challenge - Day 27, Story poem

From:Robert Lee Brewer

For today’s prompt, write a story poem. Think of a story, could be a long, complicated, winding story, but for a poem, it may make more sense to make it a short, direct story.

2018 PAD Challenge - Day 26, Relationship

From: Robert Lee Brewer

Happy Poem in Your Pocket Day! For today’s prompt, write a relationship poem. Of course, there are human relationships, but there are also plant-animal relationships, animal-animal relationships, and even mathematical relationships. Good, bad, healthy, and not-so-much. Dive deep today.

2018 PAD Challenge - Day 25, Intriguing words

From: Robert Lee Brewer

For today’s prompt, pick an intriguing and/or seldom-used word, make it the title of your poem, and then, write your poem. If you have a limited vocabulary, try out brabble, dandle, feracious, impavid, lippitude, or vulgus. Or pick up a dictionary or thesaurus.

2018 PAD Challenge - Day 24, Roundelay or anti-form

From: Robert Lee Brewer

Closing in on the finish line of another April Poem-A-Day Challenge, so today I’m upping the stakes for anyone who wants an extra challenge!

For today’s Two-for-Tuesday prompt:

1. Write a roundelay. Guidelines here. Or…
2. Write an anti-form poem.

2018 PAD Challenge - Day 23, Action

From Robert Lee Brewer:

For today’s prompt, write an action poem. So many actions are available to the poet: singing, running, clapping, working, and–umm–poeming. Yes, there’s a world of possibility today–all ready to act.

2018 PAD Challenge - Day 22, Plants

From Robert Lee Brewer:

For today’s prompt, pick a plant, make it the title of your poem, and then, write your poem. Pick a favorite vegetable or fruit, a flower, a tree, even a shrubbery.

2018 PAD Challenge - Day 21, Danger

From Robert Lee Brewer:

For today’s prompt, write a danger poem. There are various levels of danger out there–from physical danger to the danger of being discovered doing something you shouldn’t (or doing something that might embarrass you–or someone else). Even the act of writing and sharing a poem brings with it the potential for danger.

2018 PAD Challenge - Day 20, Take a line

From Robert Lee Brewer:

For today’s prompt, take a line from an earlier poem (preferably from this month) to begin your poem for today. For instance, I took the final few lines of my poem from day 12 to start my example poem below. So scan through your earlier stuff to figure out where to start today.

2018 PAD Challenge - Day 19, (Blank) Thread

From Robert Lee Brewer:

For today’s prompt, take the phrase “(blank) Thread;” replace the blank with a word or phrase; make the new phrase the title of your poem; and then, write your poem. Possible titles include: “New Thread,” “Old Thread,” “Twitter Thread,” and “Blue Thread.”

2018 PAD Challenge - Day 18, Temptation

From Robert Lee Brewer:

For today’s prompt, write a temptation poem. Nearly everyone is tempted by something: fame, glory, money, chocolate. Today is the perfect day to give in to the temptation to write about your (or “a friend’s”) temptation. Also, I totally understand the temptation to write about The Temptations today.

2018 PAD Challenge - Day 17, Love/Anti-love

From Robert Lee Brewer:

For experienced April PAD Challengers, today’s prompt will seem familiar. In fact, I kind of tipped my hand yesterday with my example poem of what today’s Two-for-Tuesday prompt would be.

For today’s Two-for-Tuesday prompt:

1. Write a love poem. 
2. Write an anti-love poem.

2018 PAD Challenge - Day 16, Favorite

From Robert Lee Brewer:

 For today’s prompt, write a favorite poem. Maybe that sounds a bit silly, but what I mean is to write a poem about something that’s your favorite. A favorite teacher. Favorite movie. Favorite ice cream flavor. I don’t know, because I have my own list of favorites. Only you can do you … and your favorites. Who knows? Maybe this will end up being your favorite prompt this month.

2018 PAD Challenge - Day 15, Metaphor

From Robert Lee Brewer:

For today’s prompt, write a metaphor poem. That is, write a poem built around a metaphor. Remember: Metaphors actually take on another object (like “I am a Tree” or “I am a Rock“). This is not to be confused with similes, which are like metaphors (for instance, “I am like a tree” or “I am like a rock”), but not quite. Dig? If so, then you are a shovel or spade or bulldozer. Now poem the heck out of metaphors today.

2018 PAD Challenge - Day 14, Report

From Robert Lee Brewer:

For today’s prompt, write a report poem. I know, I know: Writing a report sounds about as far away from poetry as flying is to a penguin, but many poems report on a moment or an instance or a scene. In your poem (or poems) today, report on something big and important or small and inconsequential (or small and important–or, well, you get the idea).

2018 PAD Challenge - Day 13, Insects

From Robert Lee Brewer:

For today’s prompt, pick an insect (any insect), make it the title of your poem, and then, write your poem. Possible titles include: “Praying Mantis,” “Ants,” and “Grasshoppers.” I’ll even except other creepy crawlies, like spiders, slugs, and leeches (shiver). Sorry in advance if this prompt gives you the heebie-jeebies; feel free to use insect repellent in your verse.

2018 PAD Challenge - Day 12, Lament

From Robert Lee Brewer:

For today’s prompt, write a lament poem. Maybe you lament a relationship or a missed opportunity. Or maybe it’s that doughnut (maybe speaking from personal experience). Whatever it is, today is the day to let it all out–in poem form, of course.

2018 PAD Challenge - Day 11, Warning

From Robert Lee Brewer:

For today’s prompt, write a warning poem. Warnings can be found everywhere: on the labels of medicine, in the speeches of leaders, and in the advice of parents. Even stories and poems have been known to harbor warnings.

2018 PAD Challenge - Day 10, Deal/No Deal

From Robert Lee Brewer:

For today’s Two-for-Tuesday prompt:

1.  Write a deal poem. 
2. Write a no deal poem.

2018 PAD Challenge - Day 9, Battle (blank)

From Robert Lee Brewer:

 For today’s prompt, take the phrase “Battle (blank);” replace the blank with a word or phrase; make the new phrase the title of your poem; and then, write your poem. Possible titles include: “Battle Tested,” “Battle of the Sexes,” “Battle of the Bands,” and “Battle of the Bulge.

2018 PAD Challenge - Day 8, Family

From Robert Lee Brewer:

For today’s prompt, write a family poem. Good, bad, big, small, adopted, imaginary, nonexistent–everyone has to deal with family (even if that involves running from it or chasing it down). I have a feeling today’s prompt is going to stir up some really good poems.

2018 PAD Challenge - Day 7, Senses

From Robert Lee Brewer:

For today’s prompt, write a senses poem. That is, write a poem that uses one or more of your senses. Smell, taste, touch, sound, sight, or even a sixth sense. Focus in on one of them or try to incorporate them all.

2018 PAD Challenge - Day 6, Food

From Robert Lee Brewer:

For today’s prompt, pick a food, make it the title of your poem, and write your poem. It can be a food you love, food you hate, or food you’ve never even tried before. Your poem can be about the food–or not. Your choice.

2018 PAD Challenge - Day 5, Intelligence

From Robert Lee Brewer:

For today’s prompt, write an intelligence poem. Of course, intelligence is subjective. What is common sense for one person makes no sense to another. But intelligence is more than IQ and test scores. There’s artificial intelligence, intelligent animals, and military intel. And I’ve found that many poets have a special intelligence.

2018 PAD Challenge - Day 4, Case...

From Robert Lee Brewer:

We’re now 4 days into this challenge, which means we’re developing a routine. Let’s keep the momentum going.

For today’s prompt, take the phrase “Case (blank);” replace the blank with a word or phrase; make the new phrase the title of your poem; and then, write your poem. Possible titles include: “Case of Water,” “Case in Point,” “Case Study,” and “Case of the Missing Person.”

I hope everyone has a case of easy poeming today!

2018 PAD Challenge - Day 3, Stop - Don't Stop

From Robert Lee Brewer:

 ... Two-for-Tuesday prompt, which means you can pick one prompt or the other, do both separately, or mix both together. Do whatever makes you feel good. Here are the prompts:

1. Write a stop poem. 
2. Write a don’t stop poem.

2018 PAD Challenge - Day 2, Portrait Poem

From Robert Lee Brewer:

For today’s prompt, write a portrait poem. You can use an actual portrait to write an ekphrastic poem. Or think up an image from real life. Or fake life. Or don’t be so literal; instead of writing a poem that describes a portrait, use the poem to frame a moment or lifestyle or whatever. By the way, how many times did I type “or” in this paragraph?

2018 PAD Challenge - Day 1, Secret Poem

It's HEERRREEEE!!!! April 30 Day Challenge. Given that my instructor is coming down from CT to test two of my students for black belt this month, I'm afraid this may be a month of  "used" poems or haiku/senryu! LOL. But I'll give it a go!!

From Robert Lee Brewer:

For today’s prompt, write a secret poem. This poem can reveal a secret, incorporate a secret activity, or involve any other secret interpretation. Poem written in code (acrostic, anyone?) or with double meanings.

Songs that saved my life

"Music has charms to soothe a savage breast," spoken by Almeria in Act I, Scene 1 of The Mourning Bride came to mind when Paul Fowler sent me this prompt for this week. I know music has an emotional affect on me and can take me back in time reminding me of 'The Way We Were'. I hope everyone can find that music in their souls and write about a song that had a profound affect on them at some time in their life.

Indecision

Paul Bole just could decide which way he wanted to go with this weeks poetry prompt so as he was undecided the prompt for us is indecision. Go for it! How does indecision affect your life? or maybe a funny poem about someone who can't make a decision? serious or funny you really have to make up your mind and make a decision :-).

Magic Mirror

From Linda:

Write a poem about a magic mirror.

Gender-swapping

Write poem that puts a male in a traditionally female role, or vice versa. Or both.

Something a little different

When I was hosting open mic poetry night here in Sumter, my husband, a math professor wouldn't attend. Then one day he said if I could write a poem using math terms that wasn't about math he would come to my open mic. I did it. And yes he did attend.  My challenge to you is to take a topic, any topic, and write a poem using terms about that subject but not write about that subject. I will post my Calculate That as an example. Some choices would be knitting, martial arts, biology, candy bar names, cereals, airplanes, anything you choose. Have fun!

If X equals me
and Y equals you
then X plus Y
equals me plus you
But if Y is
dividing itself by 2
then X isn't getting
100% of you.
You say at 59
you're in your prime
well honey listen to me
things aren't what they used to be.
Did you ask what's my cosine
what's my angle?
Don't get your undies
all in a tangle,
you aren't the only one
with a young one on the side
and mine takes me
on an all night ride.
And remember this old axioms true
18 goes into 59 more often
than 59 goes into 18
absolute values rule!
Piecewise the variables work for me,
by your expression I calculate
you're finally seeing the formula
seeing how I evaluate
that if X equals me
and Y equals you
then X-Y equals
me minus you.

Calculate That!

Tough Going

I'm not sure how many of you know Tad has been going through chemo and radiation for throat cancer. This is his week for a prompt, and although he wants to stay in the rotation, he said that it's "still tough going." So I asked him if we could just use "tough going" for a prompt. So, that's it for this week. Tough going.

The Many Kinds of Love

From Tasha:

The Many Kinds of Love There are three Latin words for love, and 96 in another language I read about, Poems about how you love, what you love, how you see love, and who you love, just to name a few thoughts...A valentine to love,

Plastic World and Freedom

Yes, Paul Fowler has given us two prompts again. Write about one or the other or if you want to really challenge yourself write a poem that includes both prompts.

NOTE from Victoria, the Keeper of the Blog. Please note the prompt list with dates above as well as the new "Rules of the Blog." As we get more members of the blog, it becomes necessary to lay out a few rules. Not many. Thanks.

Poetry about poetry

From Paul B:

Poetry, anything you want to write about poetry, what it means to you, how you feel about it, anything at all

It's Alive!

From Linda:

Write a poem about something that makes you feel alive.

Reality Salon Sale!!

I almost didn't do this because Bonnie did a "use these words" prompt last week. But I've been waiting since my last prompt to do this, so I said, "What the hell." This screenshot if from a game Bonnie and I play called Puzzly Words.  You get 16 letters and have to make 3 words. You compete against other people online. Sometimes I get the urge to rearrange my words because they sound more like a poem. So I thought I'd screenshot one that worked and use it as a prompt.

So for this week, choose at least THREE words from among the 11 here (because of one duplicate) in your poem. Here's the list in case you can't see the picture:

• reality
• salon
• sale
• solitary
• lean
• trolley 
• saline
• aas
• lastly
• raise
• alone

Earth Wind Fire and Rain

Write a poem encompassing those four words. It does not have to be about the earth, the wind, etc, but must have those four words in the poem.