In my earlier post on poem starters, I promised I’d write a second article on handling one word prompts. Well, here I am, being as good as my word. One word prompts abound on the Internet, from my 100 Themes challenge to the Wednesday prompts on Robert Lee Brewer’s Poetic Asides blog. They’re a great challenge because they force you to … Read more
Back with another winter poem! I wasn’t sure I should post this one, just in case I wanted to submit it later for publication. But then I remembered I’d decided my 100 Themes poems would be for sharing. No holding back. 🙂 So here’s my ninth 100 Themes poem, based on the prompt — CUT Honestly, it took … Read more
Themes of separation and exile seem to be the golden thread running through my poems. I’d almost say it was my “poetic mode.” Or mood. But then, perhaps exile is the essential mode of all poets … since, after all, to be human in this world is to be an exile. All of us long for perfect communion, … Read more
Poems demand to be written on their own time. That’s one thing I’ve learned from the last few installments of the 100 Themes challenge — you sit down and turn on the writing faucet like a good, dedicated poet, but for all that, the poem comes when it darn well pleases. If you’re present and ready for it, that is. … Read more
Rekindling a sense of wonder … that’s the key to getting back your creativity and breaking writer’s block. You can’t force wonder, though — especially not while you’re living on coffee and anxiety and listening too much to the Inner Critic. You have to step back and let yourself play. But how? Let me introduce you to someone … Read more