Challenge from Stacey Joy: Write a family trait poem – – modeled after Sandra Cisneros’ “Hairs.”
Traits are randomly scattered through my family – –
some are well-loved by everyone,
soft grandma-hugs no one resists
others are avoided and even shunned
barely tolerated, I’ll tell you
some stand at odd angles
gaps of uncomfortable social distances
others stand stoically shoulder-to-shoulder
in a steadfast show of solidarity and unity
some consider themselves high above others
showcased with spine tattoos that proclaim things
others are falling apart at the seams
held together by mere threads
some stick to their own homes
rarely a rendezvous, while
others venture out
wandering and visiting like dementia ward escapees,
until they are found and returned home where they belong
some have unsung talents
those obscure, never-made-popular voices that rival the famous
others drone on and on and on and on
incessantly chattering about what isn’t mattering to anyone
some speak in ambiguous code
others tell it flat like it is – like it or not
some spill all the family secrets
others disguise their own truths
“asking-for-a-friend” style, never admitting anything
some are painfully shy and soft-spoken
others lead the charge and WILL NOT! be silenced
some are well-traveled
have wined and dined and slept around with too many to count
others are pristine virgins
untouched, undesirable as yet
all have a place in the concerted chorus –
some blending,
others transcending
doing their best to cover those a bit off-key
unkempt books that fill my family shelves
some awake, vertical
others lazily dozing, horizontal
all waiting to be read and loved and accepted for who they are
Challenge: write a remade ransom poem.
Challenge from Glenda Funk: Write an Etheree poem. 10 lines, with each numbered line having that many syllables in it.
Challenge from Glenda Funk: Write a Blitz Poem, using repeating ending words in paired lines from 1-48. Line 49 is the last word of line 48, and line 50 is the last word of line 47.
Hands of Tomorrow
Wash your face
Wash your hands
Hands that scold
Hands that hold
Hold each other
Hold our children
Children who write
Children who read
Read people
Read books
Books that inspire
Books that change
Change our world
Change our outlook
Outlook of reality
Outlook of hope
Hope that launches
Hope that heals
Heals broken lands
Heals broken people
People who suffer
People who pray
Pray for restoration
Pray for peace
Peace of mind
Peace of spirit
Spirit of humanity
Spirit of love
Love one
Love all
All who live
All who give
Give of your self
Give of your time
Time to talk
Time to listen
Listen to reason
Listen to hear
Hear our people
Hear their cries
Cries of sadness
Cries of joy
Joy for today
Joy for tomorrow
Tomorrow brings promise
Tomorrow brings unity
Unity of humankind
Humankind
Unity
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LfOEd6VME6Y
Let’s make Mashed Potato Poems today! Take various lines from existing poems and write them on paper strips. Rearrange into the order you like best to create a whole new poem, and credit the original poets at the end. Here’s mine:
Carefree Days
The sky is big enough for all my dreams
As long as you know how to dream
I should like to rise and go where the golden apples grow
Where she has left her fragrance like a shawl
By the craggy hill-side through the mosses bare
And then my heart with pleasure fills
and dances with the daffodils
And all I ask is a cloudless sky with the bright sun burning
To fling my arms wide in some place of the sun
Shhh…..listen carefully, and you can hear
the crickets singing
Soon, there’s a comma of a moon.
As long as you know how to dream
I should like to rise and go where the golden apples grow
Where she has left her fragrance like a shawl
By the craggy hill-side through the mosses bare
And then my heart with pleasure fills
and dances with the daffodils
And all I ask is a cloudless sky with the bright sun burning
To fling my arms wide in some place of the sun
Shhh…..listen carefully, and you can hear
the crickets singing
Soon, there’s a comma of a moon.
(I borrowed lines from Pat Mora, Evelyn Wade, Robert Louis Stevenson, Langston Hughes, Edna St. Vincent-Millay, Lilian Moore, Robert Frost, Robin Blackburne, William Allingham, and William Wordsworth).
For the first day of National Poetry Month 2020, celebrate with a #hashtag acrostic. Think of words or phrases that describe you and that begin with the letters in your first, middle, and last names. Introduce yourself below!
#hashtagletmeintroducemyself
#kayakpaddler
#ilovedogs
#meditativewriter
#booknerd
#eagertraveler
#ratherbereading
#listensmorethantalks
#yinyangimbalance
#happieraftercoffee
#asksquestions
#yestonewchallenges
#naturelover
#experienceinspireswriting
#seeksadventures
#jumpsinfeetfirst
#overeatssweets
#hasabutterflygarden
#notashopper
#simplifiesthecomplex
#overjoyedonfireplacesnowdays
#nonfictionpreferred
Challenge from Sarah Donovan:
Write a Credo poem – – a mantra about what matters to you.
#gottaSHOWUPunannounced
I see it in the old photographs –
young minister at his desk
writing
books piled high
baby in the middle
wallowing in the books,
chewing the pen
two fully immersed
in words, texts, pens, paper, creating,
passion pumping through veins
like ink through a fountain pen.
That baby was me.
Literacy guaranteed.
But what about the Shunwells?
Who ignites their flames?
Because
knowing about basketball
writing about basketball
watching a basketball game
isn’t enough.
#gottaSHOWUPunannounced
#gottaread
#gottawrite
#gottaaccept
#gottarelate
#gottarespect
#gottainspire
#gottainfluence
#gottaencourage
#gottaembrace
#gottalove’emall
#gottagetinthegame
and get my arms around kids
#gottareframethatpicture
and perpetuate that legacy
#gottapickupthatfoutainpen
and revise the playbook
-Kim Johnson
Inspired by my father, Dr. Felix Haynes, and the greatest of the great at showing up unannounced – Kwame Alexander – watch here: https://youtu.be/LJvx6ZNYHVw
Challenge from Jennifer Jowett: write a haiku about a nature-oriented Japanese word character.
I chose the Japanese character for fire, which looks like a K with a wayward eyelash off to the side of its backbone.
flames licking upward
providing warmth on cold days
and light on dark nights
providing warmth on cold days
and light on dark nights
Challenge from Jennifer Jowett: write an origin poem – what are your roots?
Waycross Welcoming
on Ware Street
in Waycross, Georgia
in the wee hours
of July 8
water breaks
hospital-bound
Felix heart-pounding cool
Miriam painfully excited
about the happy and
interesting journey ahead
drama-filled waiting room
Felix sweating it out
family gathered
1966-style:
NO DADS ALLOWED! birthside
new parents, driving home
humming
singing
praying
wondering
What are we in for?
beneath Plant Avenue
by the landmark Green Frog
I answered…
with an undeniable gas bomb…
they understood a little more
I was christened
with family tears of joy
Miriam as beautiful through birth
as when she left us in 2015
our mournful tears, deathside
welcomings, homegoings
different origins
little blips on the dash –
joys and sorrows
of consummation
Common Threads 
tail
wagging
beckoning
raising bottom
guarding his knot toy
chinning floor, front legs flat
cutting vicious eyes at me
daring me to move a muscle
growling an invitation to die
angels fear to tread in morning standoffs