Poetry Writing tips and Challenge #1

You don’t think you are a poet?

I don’t believe it! Writing poetry is something everyone can do.

Poetry is putting your own thoughts down on paper, so how can that be wrong?

Benefits of a Poetry Challenge

Poetry writing can be a great way to express deep-seated emotions in a constructive way, helping us to process their inner meanings and significance.

Then again, your poetry might just be a little bit of fun. Rhyming poetry for instance.

Fellow blogger and writer, Ineke from scrapydo2.wordpress.com and myself, Amanda from Something to Ponder About , are jointly hosting an upcoming poetry challenge in English and in Afrikaans, in the WordPress community.

You are invited to join in. See instructions below.

Poetry Writing Tips

Honour the miraculousness of the ordinary. What we very badly need to remember is that the things right under our noses are extraordinary, fascinating, irreplaceable, profound and just kind of marvellous.

Look at the things in the foreground and relish stuff that can lose its glow by being familiar. In fact, re-estranging ourselves to familiar things seems to be a very important part of what poetry can do. [Source: From http://www.bbc.com/news/entertainment-arts-29538180:]

On Using Rhyme: https://www.creative-writing-now.com/rhyme-schemes.html

Tips on Getting Started:

“The first step in any poem is coming up with something to write about. Don’t feel that you have to choose profound or “poetic” material. It’s easiest to write a good poem about something you know well, that you have experienced first-hand, or that you have nearby so that you can observe it carefully. This is because what makes the poem profound and interesting will be the hidden details or qualities you discover, or what the subject reminds you of, your unique perspective. With poems, as with other things (or so I hear), it’s not the size that matters, it’s what you do with it.In the beginning, you don’t have to worry about “style,” about writing in a “beautiful” or a “poetic” way. In fact, if you start to think about “being poetic,” it can distract you from what you’re actually writing about and hurt your poem.”

Challenge Hosts Amanda and Ineke

Why a Poetry Challenge?

Read more here here

What is it?

The Poetry challenge is open to everyone, from complete beginners to advanced writers, and will run from March to October in 2018.

Each month we will post a prompt and helpful sites to getting started in poetry.

You can write in any language, it certainly doesn’t have to be in English.

Ineke will post the challenge in Afrikaans on her blog, so if that language suits you better, visit her here.

You Can write any kind of poem that you like. If you need inspiration to get you started:

The March Prompt:

Grab the closest book. Go to page 29. Write down 7 words that catch your eye. Use 5 of the words in a poem.

Here is my Poem for March.

Perhaps!

Perhaps, I will grow up to be a movie star or a nurse.

Perhaps, I’ll travel the world – when I’m all grown up –

Perhaps!

So perhaps, I will walk to school, run wild in the streets at weekends, have few time limits and even fewer parental eyes.

Perhaps, life will be simple and there will only ever be friends and enemies –

Perhaps!

But then, perhaps I will live a carefree life aboard a yacht floating the waterways  –

Perhaps, I will have a husband and five children and be up to my ears in snotty noses and wet nappies.

Perhaps!

Then, again, perhaps I will have an abusive spouse, end up penniless or in a hospital Emergency room,

losing my confidence and self esteem.

Perhaps, I will slowly rebuild my life and my identity, whilst forever remembering the scars.-

Perhaps!

And then perhaps, I will find a kindred soul, a kind family and be content.

Perhaps, I’ll find my passion in life that takes me places I never dreamed –

Perhaps!

So perhaps, it will be that I’ll face the sun so the shadows will fall behind me.

Perhaps, I will find that expectations and disappointment go hand in hand –

Perhaps!

Or perhaps, I’ll find that dementia steals away memories as I sit in an aged care facility, living out fantasies that won’t come to pass.

Perhaps, when my time is over,  I’ll make terms with the next journey –

Perhaps!

Or perhaps the mysteries and purpose of life will always be elusive.

Perhaps, just perhaps, there’s no certainty, only Perhaps.

Amanda

Now it is your turn to write –

Instructions for Joining the Poetry Challenge:–

Sign up by leaving a comment on this post, so we know you are interested.

Ineke and I will post a poetry prompt and writing tips and links, around 1st day of each month.

You might need to follow our blogs so that the posts show up in your WP reader.

• Using your own idea,  or the monthly prompt supplied, write a post with a poem, either fun or serious and post before the 27th day of that month.
• Include in your post a link or pingback to both:

  scrapydo2.wordpress.com

 Something to Ponder About – forestwoodfolkart.wordpress.com

• Add the tag A and I Poetry Challenge to your post.
• As ping backs sometimes don’t work, please also leave a comment at Ineke’s blog, scrapydo2.wordpress.com and Amanda’s blog, Something to Ponder About, with the url link to YOUR blog post on the challenge post for that month.   N.B. If you do this, others can find their way to your challenge post and create a supportive community too.

• Include the Poetry Challenge badge in your post, if you so wish. (optional)

That is it!

Oh, and have fun writing!! Any questions? Just ask.

Ineke and I will post link backs to the blogs who have joined in with the challenge in the poetry challenge post in the following month, so that you can all find each other’s blog posts and build a new poet’s community!!