Month: November 2022

One-Word Poems are on the menu at the Open Write today at http://www.ethicalela.com/one-word-poems/

Our Hosts

Kim Johnson, Ed.D., lives in Williamson, Georgia, where she serves as District Literacy Specialist for Pike County Schools. She enjoys writing, reading, traveling, camping, and spending time with her husband and three rescue schnoodles – Boo Radley (TKAM), Fitz (F. Scott Fitzgerald), and Ollie (Mary Oliver).  You can follow her blog, Common Threads: patchwork prose and verse, at www.kimhaynesjohnson.com. 

Kyle Vaughn is the author of Calamity Gospel (forthcoming from Cerasus Poetry, 2023), The Alpinist Searches Lonely Places (Belle Point Press, 2022), and Lightning Paths:  75 Poetry Writing Exercises (NCTE Books, 2018), and is the co-author/co-photographer of A New Light in Kalighat (American Councils for International Education, 2013).   His poems have appeared in journals such as The Journal, A-Minor, The Boiler, Drunken Boat, Poetry East, Vinyl, the museum of americana (2022 Best of the Net nomination), and The Shore (2021 Pushcart Prize nomination).  He teaches English and is the Director of the Writing Center at Pulaski Academy in Little Rock, Arkansas.  Find him at  www.kylevaughn.org / twitter: @krv75 / insta:  @kylev75

Inspiration 

In his book Lighting Paths: 75 Poetry Writing Exercises, Kyle Vaughn encourages writers to explore the power of a one-word poem. He describes the process of distilling favorite poems or lines down to one word to create one-word poems.  Orlando White says, “The process of writing a one–word poem on the page involves playfulness, along with the willingness to take risks with imagination —much like a toddler who scribbles letters for the first time on paper, using the crayon to draw what a word might look like, and creating language outside the boundaries of standard writing.” (Play and Imagination: On the One-Word Poem by… | Poetry Foundation) This form may seem simple at first, but it could prove to be one of the most challenging forms of poetry we ever write.  Let’s try!  

Process

The interplay between the title and one word can provide context, illumination, and clarification, emphasizing the importance of title in poetry.  The title can be as long as you wish. Write a one-word poem.  You may choose to read a favorite poem and then let it simmer down to one distilled word, or you may write one without another poem driving yours.  No need for rhyme scheme, either!  🙂 

Kim’s Poem

Books, Runways, and Conversations

Portals

Your turn.

This morning, a group of EthicalEla writers will be gathering at the NCTE green couch in the Anaheim Convention Center at 9:00 PCT to write. Some members of group are here in person for a presentation we gave yesterday on different poetry forms and the ways we can use writing in our classes. Join us if you’re here. If not, check back later for pictures of our time together and join the writers in the link below. I’ve been writing through Kyle Vaughn’s Lightning Paths this month, so I’ve asked him to come along on this month’s journey with us. I’m posting the full prompt below, and the link to the site here: http://www.ethicalela.com/the-monostitch-one-line-poem/

The Monostitch: One-Line Poem 

Our Hosts

Kim Johnson, Ed.D., lives in Williamson, Georgia, where she serves as District Literacy Specialist for Pike County Schools. She enjoys writing, reading, traveling, camping, and spending time with her husband and three rescue schnoodles – Boo Radley (TKAM), Fitz (F. Scott Fitzgerald), and Ollie (Mary Oliver).  You can follow her blog, Common Threads: patchwork prose and verse, at www.kimhaynesjohnson.com. 

Kyle Vaughn is the author of Calamity Gospel (forthcoming from Cerasus Poetry, 2023), The Alpinist Searches Lonely Places (Belle Point Press, 2022), and Lightning Paths:  75 Poetry Writing Exercises (NCTE Books, 2018), and is the co-author/co-photographer of A New Light in Kalighat (American Councils for International Education, 2013).   His poems have appeared in journals such as The Journal, A-Minor, The Boiler, Drunken Boat, Poetry East, Vinyl, the museum of americana (2022 Best of the Net nomination), and The Shore (2021 Pushcart Prize nomination).  He teaches English and is the Director of the Writing Center at Pulaski Academy in Little Rock, Arkansas.  Find him at  www.kylevaughn.org / twitter: @krv75 / insta:  @kylev75

Inspiration 

In his book Lightning Paths: 75 Poetry Writing Exercises, Kyle Vaughn challenges writers to create Monostitch poems (one-line poems), stating, “I believe strongly in the power of a small poem…as a zenith of brief, bursting expression.” One-line poems aren’t easier than others to write – but the strong sense of connection between a title and a poem of one line inspires the writer to consider the relationship between the title and the word.  

Process

Write a one-line poem today, bringing your life to paper through a pen ready to capture your moment or thought, wherever you are. 

Kim’s Poem

Vintage Serro Scotty

cloud and aquamarine dream with #1 problem: no potty

Your turn.

Today at NCTE our Ethicalela.com writers’ group presented a round table poetry session.

poeming

I’m sharing pictures
writers writing side by side 
poeming their souls

I’ve been reading Kyle Vaughn’s Lightning Paths and completing the writing exercises daily. Today’s prompt is to write a poetry triathlon – a poem in 3 sections : writing after 1) running while your heartbeat is fast; 2) toying with a machine or mechanism; and 3) in the presence of water.

No Triathl

broken ankle folks
can't run - we can barely limp
our way place to place

we fight with the boot
velcro-twisted air pumped socks 
cold toes in winter

warmth of epsom salts
soothing  achy ankle pain
please put my bath on

I’ve been reading Lightning Paths by Kyle Vaughn and engaging in the writing exercises daily. Today’s exercise is writing a poem that celebrates activism.

Stop

stop dividing us
your reign is finished. over.
accept it.  move on. 

I’ve been reading Kyle Vaughn’s Lightning Paths and completing his daily poetry prompts for the past few weeks. Today’s challenge is to think of the opposite of a manufactured landscape poem and get to the roots of nature in a Reclaiming Our Environment poem.

At the end of the work day when I’m coming home to decompress, I check the mail down at the road and begin the slow crawl up the winding driveway to my house, through the oak grove to the dense pines that line both sides. And there is something I do every afternoon that lowers my blood pressure and pushes my reset button:

Windows Down

I put my windows
down, listen to the crunch of
under-tire gravel 

then watch from the porch
as the leaves let it all go
to enjoy the ride

I’ve been reading Lightning Paths by Kyle Vaughn and finding inspiration in his daily exercises. Today’s exercise is to write a poem about something undergoing a transformation and take it from its beginning stage to its end.

Collector

paring down a life
disposing of collections
now minimalist

I’ve been reading Lightning Paths by Kyle Vaughn, and today’s challenge is writing a poem about a manufactured landscape with human handprints.

stargazing

cultivated camp-
sites: stargazers’ sunset seats
front-row fabulous! 

I’ve been reading Lightning Paths by Kyle Vaughn, and today’s challenge is writing a poem about what’s in a filing cabinet.

Truth

In the back corner
stained divorce papers hold the 
truth of your affair

I’ve been reading Lightning Paths by Kyle Vaughn. Today’s exercise is to write a poem about a trinket.

Carabiner Clips

never too many,
never enough ~ assorted
carabiner clips

keeping my car keys
always clipped at the ready~
organized living!