Calling all poets! April is National Poetry Writing Month — NaPoWriMo for short. Modeled after National Novel Writing Month (NaNoWriMo), NaPoWriMo is an annual project encouraging poets to write one poem each day in April.
We love discovering poetry in the Reader and are proud of the poets who call WordPress.com their online home, like Pushcart-nominated poet Kellie Elmore. If you’re an established or aspiring poet, or want to dabble in free verse, lyric essays, and more experimental prose, we encourage you to participate this month.
A poem a day
First time participating in a post-a-day project like this? We asked poet and publisher Maureen Thorson, the founder of this project, for advice:
Be open to the possibilities. The point isn’t to turn out a fully formed sonnet each day — although if anyone wants to try, I’m not going to discourage them! The point is to just get something down on the page without worrying about doing it “right.” Many people, including published poets, avoid writing because their inner editor keeps saying, “oh, that’s not good” or “you’re not taking this seriously.” But then you end up writing nothing at all.
I’d suggest that people “let go” of any preconceived notions of what poems have to look like or be about. A poem can rhyme, or not. It can be in a traditional form, or not. It can be about something like love or death, or . . . it could be about how much you like the smell of new erasers. Again, this project is more about getting words down than on making sure they’re perfect. You can always edit later — like in May!
Ready to participate?
For more inspiration, visit the NaPoWriMo website throughout the month — Maureen posts daily prompts to give you an extra boost.
Tag your poems with NaPoWriMo so other participants and the rest of the WordPress.com community can find your posts in the Reader. We’re excited to follow along and will share our favorites at the end of the month.
It’s day one of your challenge. Onward!
I was Divinely Guided, via a dream I had this morning to write a poem on my blog; I AM actually in the middle of writing it now.
I had no idea about National Poetry Writing Month, but I AM in and shall participate. Thank you for this post.
Great motivation. Thanks!
Reblogged this on The Considered Kula and commented:
Even though poetry is not a major focus of this blog, there’s a fair amount of it on here. I mean, come ‘on, it’s poetry. How can one accompany any reflections on the human spirit without poetry? I’m glad I haven’t missed it this year.
Here’s another kind of poetry challenge, for anyone interested!
http://anexerciseindiscipline.com/2013/03/28/poetry-challenge-for-april/
Cheers, and Happy Poetry Month!
Melissa
I just posted a verse…http://wordwriter1958.wordpress.com/2013/04/01/springtimemarantha-d-jenellenapowrimo/
I would like to join the challenge.
willing to try this one….
I”m going to try it and see if I can muster a poem. I used to write a lot when the kids were small…so maybe it’s time to try again!
Poem a day sonnet
Think how productive we would be–
couldn’t be as daunting as it seems
the paper alone we would count in reams–
a poem a day, hey, maybe three.
Write about food and cooking and sex
make believe, god –just your best
just words, that’s all, and then rest.
maybe a spell or two or a hex, then
Lay your head on the pillow of your words.
Nap knowing you’ve done all your chores
quick before baby or hubby or those bores
who mark time by the sucklings and the wars
Come calling, come knocking on your door.
For the poem is why you live,
within it contained all you can give,
stanza and line, one two three four.
They needn’t be special or erudite
They don’t need to be long,
or good or even a song
They needn’t give you a fright
or goosebumps or even
master some outlandish believin’.
Jane Galer 2013
Im soooooo participating!!!!!!!!!!!
Hi. Do you accept Spanish verse?
Great idea! I am going to share the challenge with my 10-year-old daughter, a born poet!
I would like to start today – is it too late?
National Poetry Writing Month begins today — not late at all and you’re right on time. Have fun!
We’re sooooooo glad!
Hi there — you can post poems in any language on your blog. Enjoy!