Congratulations, you made it all the way to the end of OctPoWriMo 2020! You are a success for writing poetry whether you wrote one poem, 31 poems, or somewhere in between. I hope you have enjoyed the journey, learned things along the way, expanded your poetry practice, and plan on continuing writing poetry throughout the year.
Photo by MDragonwillow
"Where there is light, there must be shadow,
where there is shadow there must be light."
-Haruki Murakami
Poetry Prompts:
Here we go, the last prompts for OctPoWriMo 2020. Write for ten minutes about light, dark, and shadow. Our lives are filled with all three and you can't have one without the others. It is when we learn to embrace all three, that our voice grows strong and fills our words with heart. I haven't quite learned how to do this, but I'm working on it. Embrace all aspects of yourself, you are worthy, you are loved, and you are perfect in your imperfection.
Word Prompts:
Worthy
Embrace
Light
Dark
Shadow
Imperfections
Warrior
Poetry Type:
Parallelogram de Crystalline - Instead of writing to the beauty of a lover, write of the light, dark, and shadow compared to nature or to each other.
I struggled to find the right song for this last prompt, but I finally found it.
Peace to you,
Morgan Dragonwillow
Remember, our prompts are only suggestions, you can find your inspiration wherever your muse leads you. Please visit the other participants, share the hashtag, #OctPoWriMo on social media, and share your link in the comments below. Let us know how this journey into poetry is going for you and if this is your first year or if you have been with us from the beginning.
Thursday I had fun creating characters for the story I'll be working on for NaNoWriMo in November. I'm hoping to have a breakthrough like I did a couple of years ago when I wrote that story in less than two weeks and went on to write eight more stories over the next several months. I had an amazing breakthrough during that time period and got to a point I was writing about twenty thousand words a day. I didn't even know that was possible, let alone that I'd ever be able to accomplish it myself. I'm excited to see what will happen this time.
Art by MDragonwillow
Poetry Prompts:
We are almost at the end of OctPoWriMo. Those of you still here have worked really hard to keep going to the end. You've tried new forms and poured your heart onto the page. Today is all about you. Write for ten minutes beginning with, I am... and tell us who you are in any form you wish. Get expressive with it.
Poetry Type:
Anything you want. Some form you absolutely loved.
Word Prompts:
wild
spontaneous
bent
funny
crooked
weird
curvy
Music and Dance:
Remember, our prompts are only suggestions, you can find your inspiration wherever your muse leads you. Please visit the other participants, share the hashtag, #OctPoWriMo on social media, and share your link in the comments below. Let us know how this journey into poetry is going for you and if this is your first year or if you have been with us from the beginning.
I have a thing for trains and railroad tracks. They always make me think of stories of hobos and the times as a child I wished I could jump on a train and ride away.
Remember, our prompts are only suggestions, you can find your inspiration wherever your muse leads you. Please visit the other participants, share the hashtag, #OctPoWriMo on social media, and share your link in the comments below. Let us know how this journey into poetry is going for you and if this is your first year or if you have been with us from the beginning.
Today was a rollercoaster of emotions. Something happened this morning that made me so angry and it was difficult for me to come out of that. When I finally did it was like I crashed and then cried at the drop of a hat. Part of it is I'm tired, part is the stress and anxiety of everything going on right now in my life and in the world. This afternoon and evening was better.
Remember, our prompts are only suggestions, you can find your inspiration wherever your muse leads you. Please visit the other participants, share the hashtag, #OctPoWriMo on social media, and share your link in the comments below. Let us know how this journey into poetry is going for you and if this is your first year or if you have been with us from the beginning.
I drew a blank for today so I decided to get some inspiration from one of my old favorites, Public Domain Pictures. Of course I chuckled when I discovered who did this photo, George Hodan. He is one of my favorites on their site. Nine times out of ten if I like a photo it ends up being his. This one I found to be quite magical.
Even though I have shared some prompts that were in the same line as magical, I didn't actually have a prompt with the main theme as magical/magic. I know not all of you celebrate Oct. 31st. So you can choose to write about whatever form of magic you choose or not. Write for ten minutes about Halloween, or Samhain, a special time in your life, a special costume/celebration/get together. What does the day mean to you? Do you believe it is when the veil between worlds is the thinnest and you can say goodbye to loved ones who have passed in the previous year? Do you think it is just a silly holiday that has been over commercialized? Do you believe it is to be avoided at all costs? Every belief is valid. Every belief matters.
Remember, our prompts are only suggestions, you can find your inspiration wherever your muse leads you. Please visit the other participants, share the hashtag, #OctPoWriMo on social media, and share your link in the comments below. Let us know how this journey into poetry is going for you and if this is your first year or if you have been with us from the beginning.
I just realized that with the ending of October, NaNoWriMo is going to begin. And yes, I'm wanting to participate this year. Looks like my days just got even busier as I need to quickly begin planning what I'll be writing.
Do you have plans for when OctPoWriMo is over, are there other poetry challenges you'll be participating in?
Art by MDragonwillow
Poetry Prompts:
When I was young, I was singled out because of my red hair. Back then I didn't like being different. All I wanted was to be normal. It didn't take long for me to realize I actually liked being different and I never wanted to be normal again. What in your life made you different or the same? Write for ten minutes about being different or the same. What is normal anyway?
Word Prompts:
Different
Same
Normal
Abnormal (I'm hearing Abby normal in my head. LOL!)
Music and Dance:
Remember, our prompts are only suggestions, you can find your inspiration wherever your muse leads you. Please visit the other participants, share the hashtag, #OctPoWriMo on social media, and share your link in the comments below. Let us know how this journey into poetry is going for you and if this is your first year or if you have been with us from the beginning.
It has been an interesting day. I worked on posts for my Patreon and set some new goals for myself. I'm not going to let my car issues get me down. I'm tired of allowing set backs to get in the way of things I want in my life. If not now, when?
Wow... we are in the last week of OctPoWriMo! You can do it!
Art by MDragonwillow
Poetry Prompts:
You know I like to break the rules of poetry, yes it is wonderful to try new poetry types to expand what we know about words and how they fall to the page, but, it is time to create a poem type of your own. Write for ten minutes about breaking the rules, how does it make you feel about breaking rules, is it exciting or anxiety making?
Word Prompts:
Stretch
Disorder
Chaos
Expand
Anarchy
Poetry Type:
Really, I hope you give it a shot and create your own poetry form.
Music and Dance:
Remember, our prompts are only suggestions, you can find your inspiration wherever your muse leads you. Please visit the other participants, share the hashtag, #OctPoWriMo on social media, and share your link in the comments below. Let us know how this journey into poetry is going for you and if this is your first year or if you have been with us from the beginning.
Sometimes we want to try something new but we put it off for tomorrow and tomorrow never comes.
Photo by MDragonwillow
This is my cat Tia day before yesterday as she explored outside on leash for the first time. She is about a year and a half and I've wanted to train her to be on leash since I got her around four months old.
Poetry Prompts:
Write for ten minutes about something you've always wanted to do, but haven't allowed yourself to do it yet.
Word Prompts:
Daring
Try
Procrastination
Why not
Poetry Type:
Joseph's Star - I have a special affinity for this form as I wrote a poem about my grandpa Joe using it.
One of my favorite songs to dance to and feel good.
Remember, our prompts are only suggestions, you can find your inspiration wherever your muse leads you. Please visit the other participants, share the hashtag, #OctPoWriMo on social media, and share your link in the comments below. Let us know how this journey into poetry is going for you and if this is your first year or if you have been with us from the beginning.
Some days are good and some not so good. Today was not so good and I'll leave it at that.
Art by MDragonwillow
Poetry Prompts:
In times like these finding something, anything, to be grateful for can help me pull myself out of a downward spiral and feeling like nothing is going right. Write for ten minutes about gratitude, what you are grateful for, how gratitude shows up for you.
Remember, our prompts are only suggestions, you can find your inspiration wherever your muse leads you. Please visit the other participants, share the hashtag, #OctPoWriMo on social media, and share your link in the comments below. Let us know how this journey into poetry is going for you and if this is your first year or if you have been with us from the beginning.
Remember, our prompts are only suggestions, you can find your inspiration wherever your muse leads you. Please visit the other participants, share the hashtag, #OctPoWriMo on social media, and share your link in the comments below. Let us know how this journey into poetry is going for you and if this is your first year or if you have been with us from the beginning.
We are going through the senses and next up is taste.
Photo by MDragonwillow
Poetry Prompts:
It's all about the taste. Can you remember the first time you tasted something sour? Sweet? Write for ten minutes about your favorite and least favorite flavors/meal/fruit/vegetable. Describe it as if we have never heard of it let alone tasted it. What is the texture, how does it feel on your tongue, is it subtle or does the flavor explode in your mouth? Yes, I'm a foodie, I love to cook and love to eat.
Word Prompts:
Delectable
Tantalizing
Explosive
Creamy
Bitter
Sour
Poetry Type:
Free Verse - I know we've done this one before, but it felt like a good fit.
Or
Choose a more difficult one that you previously passed up.
Remember, our prompts are only suggestions, you can find your inspiration wherever your muse leads you. Please visit the other participants, share the hashtag, #OctPoWriMo on social media, and share your link in the comments below. Let us know how this journey into poetry is going for you and if this is your first year or if you have been with us from the beginning.
Remember, our prompts are only suggestions, you can find your inspiration wherever your muse leads you. Please visit the other participants, share the hashtag, #OctPoWriMo on social media, and share your link in the comments below. Let us know how this journey into poetry is going for you and if this is your first year or if you have been with us from the beginning.
Do you feel a shift happening with your poetry since OctPoWriMo began? Are the words getting easier or harder to dance onto the page? Do you feel you're digging deeper?
Photo by MDragonwillow
Poetry Prompts:
Todays prompts are about being in the present. Write for ten minutes about the sounds, sights, and scents around you. Dig deep and use words you don't regularly use.
Remember, our prompts are only suggestions, you can find your inspiration wherever your muse leads you. Please visit the other participants, share the hashtag, #OctPoWriMo on social media, and share your link in the comments below. Let us know how this journey into poetry is going for you and if this is your first year or if you have been with us from the beginning.
Today I took time to rest and process feelings that were weighing heavy on me. Lately, the best way I know of processing my feelings is through painting. It is what works for me.
I spent the afternoon and evening on this. I mostly used my fingers to paint and painted my hand and pressed down for the handprint. All of the hearts that I drew, reminded me that it always comes back to love and healing my heart.
Art by MDragonwillow
Poetry Prompts:
How do you relax and process your feelings? Write for ten minutes about relaxing or processing your feelings. What does your favorite relaxing day look like? What would it look like to process your feelings?
Go back and look at poetry types you haven't tried and pick one.
Music and Dance:
Remember, our prompts are only suggestions, you can find your inspiration wherever your muse leads you. Please visit the other participants, share the hashtag, #OctPoWriMo on social media, and share your link in the comments below. Let us know how this journey into poetry is going for you and if this is your first year or if you have been with us from the beginning.
Remember, our prompts are only suggestions, you can find your inspiration wherever your muse leads you. Please visit the other participants, share the hashtag, #OctPoWriMo on social media, and share your link in the comments below. Let us know how this journey into poetry is going for you and if this is your first year or if you have been with us from the beginning.
Welcome to the halfway point of OctPoWriMo. If you have made it this far, congratulations! If you are struggling, hang in there, you can do it!
Photo by MDragonwillow and edited with Pxlr.
Poetry Prompts:
When we were kids we were told to color the objects the colors they are supposed to be; sky is blue, grass is green and so on. This prompt is about turning things inside out and upside down. Painting the sky purple, the grass pink and everything else any darn color you want. Allow yourself to get creative, paint a scene with your words, turn the world inside out. Write for ten minutes describing what your world looks like if it were inside out and upside down.
Remember, our prompts are only suggestions, you can find your inspiration wherever your muse leads you. Please visit the other participants, share the hashtag, #OctPoWriMo on social media, and share your link in the comments below. Let us know how this journey into poetry is going for you and if this is your first year or if you have been with us from the beginning.
"Perhaps nothing is entirely true, not even this." ~ Multatuli
Art by A. van Son
I remember reading this quote by Multatuli, a Dutch 19th century writer, for the first time and feeling like I was hit by lightning.
The prompt for today is change of perspective. We can get stuck in what we believe in, even though it might not be entirely true. Today's suggestion for the writing process is taken from my work as a coach. It might bring you unexpected views on a familiar subject. Or not. The idea that you HAVE to come up with something new is nothing more than a perspective...
Step 1
Choose a subject that
you find challenging in your life. It can be small (a daily detail)
or big. Free write about that for at least
5 minutes.
Step 2
Make a list of
things:
Write
down three stages
of moving through life (for example baby, toddler, teenager).
Consider using
words from your
mother tongue.
List
a book you’ve read, a film you’ve seen, a song you love.
Name
three parts of your body that are not your head or your heart.
Step 3
Explore three things
from your list further,
through one of these suggestions:
free writing
writing 10 lines
per subject
mind-mapping
Step 4
Look at your
chosen challenge through the lens of one or more of the explorations
you did in step. This will bring new
perspectives. Choose which perspective you want to write from.
An example:
1) Patience
is a challenge I often face and fail
2) My list:
baby,
peuter, puber
the
goelag archipelago, ice age, moondance
left
foot, elbow, earlobe
4) If
I look through patience through the lens of puberty, I get really
angry. I want it, I want it now, and I’m not going to waste my life
waiting for things I will not get.
If
I look at patience through the lens of my left foot it starts
tapping, the tapping slowly turns into exploring movement and I end
up dancing.
I’m
bored with the first perspective, it feels too familiar. I’m
curious about the perspective of the left foot, so I’ll let that
inform my poem.
Remember, our prompts are only suggestions,
you can find your inspiration wherever your muse leads you. Please
visit the other participants, share the hashtag, #OctPoWriMo on
social media, and share your link in the comments below. Let us know
how this journey into poetry is going for you and if this is your
first year or if you have been with us from the beginning.
Angela
van Son has been an #OctPoWriMo participant since 2014. She is about
to publish More than meets the I,
an alloy of poetry and photography that brings beauty, depth and
wonder.
Angela's poems have been published in a number of online magazines, for example Cold Mountain Review, Auroras and
Blossoms Poetry Journal, and Art Saves Lives International.
As
a coach Angela helps people change their life stories by getting things
done, facing the rabbit holes of their choice and creating wonderful
ever afters.
Sometimes truth is the hardest thing to face, especially when you take a moment to examine YOUR truth. What you see or believe may be very different from what that means to another person, but that's the beauty of it all. Your truth makes you unique. It can give you strength or challenge you to face situations or beliefs which may be painful or filled with sorrow. It can bring great joy or supreme satisfaction.
Poetry Prompt
Take some time to think about your truth. Where do your thoughts lead? Are there particular images or memories this truth conjures? Was it something you felt the need to defend or was it that something that fortified you in times of need? Your truth is a part of your being. Introduce us to him/her.
Remember, our prompts are only suggestions, you can find your inspiration wherever your muse leads you. Please visit the other participants, share the hashtag, #OctPoWriMo on social media, and share your link in the comments below. Let us know how this journey into poetry is going for you and if this is your first year or if you have been with us from the beginning.
Michele Vecchitto is a writer and a former middle school teacher. Her poetry has been published in literary journals and anthologies as well as in four self-published volumes. Michele was invited to read her poems at the Austin International Poetry Festival and was honored to be included in When Time and Space Conspire. In addition, she published a young adult fantasy novel, Tales from Blarnach: The Chosen One. She continues to hone her craft simply to breathe life into the stories living in the corners of her mind. Please visit her blog, Reading, Writing, and Reflections to see more of her work.
"Thinking outside the box' is ridiculous nonsense, since whatever you can do in a 'box' or closed environment is not 'thinking'." ―Martinus Hendrikus Benders
“Boxes are for objects, not humans.” ― Abhijit Naskar
What kind of box holds you? Is it one of your own making, or did others trap you there? What will it take to break free? If you've already broken free, what helped you do so?
The boxes that hold us can be many things: work, gender, clothing, sexuality, family, religion, etc. Boxes can be so comfortable that coming out is terrifying and even painful sometimes. But the freedom is usually worth it.
Remember, our prompts are only suggestions, you can find your inspiration wherever your muse leads you. Please visit the other participants, share the hashtag, #OctPoWriMo on social media, and share your link in the comments below. Let us know how this journey into poetry is going for you and if this is your first year or if you have been with us from the beginning.
Esther Spurrill Jones has been writing since she was very young. She has written in many genres, but poetry is her first love. She has a few collections of poetry available on Kindle. Esther enjoys introducing people who have little or no experience to the joy of poetry. To this end, she has written several articles on Medium on how to write and enjoy poetry. Esther lives in the Frozen North (Saskatchewan, Canada) with the love of her life and four awesome terrible cats.