The idea that poetry comes from beyond
oneself is vital, as is the sense that one writes a poem in a condition that is
often associated with a spiritual position, i.e., the condition of humility.
One doesn't know what one's doing and is inspired in that respect. But it
doesn't mean one's completely inert, or passive; rather it's just about
allowing a poem to come from wherever it comes from and getting it into the
world
—Paul Muldoon, winner of the 2003 Pulitzer Prize
Here we are again! In just three
days’ time, we’ll begin National Poetry Month and a month-long celebration of
poetry.
Established by the Academy of
American Poets in 1996, National Poetry Month begins on April 1st and runs
through April 30th. This
month-long celebration of poetry is held every April “to widen the attention of
individuals and the media to the art of poetry, to living poets, to our complex
poetic heritage, and to poetry books and journals of wide aesthetic range and
concern.” During April, poets, poetry lovers, publishers, booksellers, literary
organizations, libraries, and schools throughout the US celebrate poetry.
One of the challenges of NPM is
to read and/or write a poem every day. So ... in the spirit of the observance,
as I’ve done for the past few years, I offer you inspiration words/phrases and
related poems for each of April’s thirty days.
This year, I’ve taken titles of
poems by some of my favorite poets and used them as inspiration words and phrases.
Links to the poems appear beneath. You may wish to read, write, or do both. If
you choose to write, be sure to extend the inspiration and travel away from the
example poems.
Tips:
1. Don’t feel compelled to match
your content to the examples’—in fact, do just the opposite and make your poems
as different as you possibly can. The inspiration titles and the example poems
are only intended to trigger some poetry-spark that’s unique to you, to guide
your thinking a little—don’t let them enter too deeply into your poems, don’t
let their content become your content.
2. Let your reactions to the
inspiration phrases and poems surprise you. Begin with no expectations, and let
your poems take you where they want to go.
3. Give the topics your own spin, twist and turn them, let the phrases trigger personal responses: pin down your ghosts, identify your
frailties, build bridges and cross rivers, take chances!
4. Keep in mind that writing a
poem a day doesn’t mean you have to “finish” each poem immediately. You can
write a draft each day and set your drafts aside to work on later.
5. Whatever you do this month, find some time (a little or a lot) to enjoy some poetry!
5. Whatever you do this month, find some time (a little or a lot) to enjoy some poetry!
As always, your
sharing is welcome,
so please be post
your thoughts and poems as comments!
Regular weekly
prompts will resume on May 3rd.
In the meantime, I
wish you a wonderful and poetry-filled April!
Happy National Poetry
Month!
Let the poeming
begin!
April 1
Inspiration: Taken for Granted
Example: “Taken for Granted” by Marie-Elizabeth Mali
April 2
Inspiration: Street Music
Example: “Street Music” by Robert Pinsky
April 3
Inspiration: And Soul
Example: “And Soul” by Eavan Boland
April 4
Inspiration: Reading Between the Lines
Example: “Reading Between the Lines” by Michael T. Young
April 5
Inspiration: The Summer Day
Example: “The Summer Day” by Mary Oliver
April 6
Inspiration: The Distances
Example: “The Distances” by Henry Rago
April 7
Inspiration: The Partial Explanation
Example: “The Partial Explanation” by Charles Simic
April 8
Inspiration: Anything Can Happen
Example: “Anything Can Happen” by Seamus Heaney
April 9
Inspiration: The Idea of Ancestry
Example: “The Idea of Ancestry” by Etheridge Knight
April 10
Inspiration: Here and Now
Example: “Here and Now” by Stephen Dunn
April 11
Inspiration: Why Regret?
Example: “Why Regret” by Galway Kinnell
April 12
Inspiration: Five Flights Up
Example: “Five Flights Up” by Elizabeth Bishop
April 13
Inspiration: Blueberry
Example: “Blueberry” by Diane Lockward
April 14
Inspiration: Day of Grief
Example: “Day Of Grief” by Gerald Stern
April 15
Inspiration: The Embrace
Example: “The Embrace” by Mark Doty
April 16
Inspiration: What The Living Do
Example: “What The Living Do” by Marie Howe
April 17
Inspiration: The Strange House of the Past
Example: “The Strange House of the Past” by Maria Mazziotti
Gillan
April 18
Inspiration: Suffering
Example: “Suffering” by Joe Weil
April 19
Inspiration: One of the Lives
Example: “One of the Lives” by W. S. Merwin
April 20
Inspiration: I Am Not Yours
Example: “I Am Not Yours” by Sara Teasdale
April 21
Inspiration: The Road Not Taken
Example: “The Road Not Taken” by Robert Frost
April 22
Inspiration: All You Did
Example: “All You Did” by Kay Ryan
April 23
Inspiration: A Blessing
Example: “A Blessing” by James Wright
April 24
Inspiration: If You Forget Me
Example: “If You Forget Me” by Pablo Neruda
April 25
Inspiration: Where the Sidewalk Ends
Example: “Where the Sidewalk Ends” by Shel Silverstein
April 26
Inspiration: When You Are old
Example: “When You Are Old” by William Butler Yeats
April 27
Inspiration: Some Days
Example: “Some Days” by Billy Collins
April 28
Inspiration: Unfolded Out of the Folds
Example: “Unfolded Out of the Folds” by Walt Whitman
April 29
Inspiration: A Dream Within A Dream
Example: A Dream Within A Dream” by Edgar Allan Poe
April 30
Inspiration: Kindness
Example: “Kindness” by Naomi Shihab Nye
http://www.poets.org/viewmedia.php/prmMID/23309
P.S. If you missed the National Poetry Month blog prompts for 2013 or 2012, you can check them out by clicking on the links below.
National Poetry Month 2013
National Poetry Month 2012
P.S. If you missed the National Poetry Month blog prompts for 2013 or 2012, you can check them out by clicking on the links below.
National Poetry Month 2013
National Poetry Month 2012
