Challenging the poetry challenge

Hi everyone,

As months and years have slipped by since I established the Word of the Month Poetry Challenge, we’ve enjoyed hundreds of poems by dozens of poets. Some of you rarely miss a month. Others pop up less often but generally leave comments of encouragement for poets who have posted.

So here’s a question for anyone who cares to reply. Do you think that participating in the challenge to write a poem now and then inspired by a single word and commented on by fellow poets has been of any benefit to your writing? I’m not asking because I contemplate dropping this feature of my blog. I just wonder how you feel about it. Thanks.

My Word of the Month poem for November

Hi everyone,

Here’s my Word of the Month poem inspired by the word, US:

Here’s to Us

For those of us
Who spend our time
Mining words, rhythm, rhyme,
And find the drudgery sublime,
Here’s to us.

For those of us
Who dream at night
Tomorrow we’ll resume the fight,
Tomorrow we will get it right,
Here’s to us.

For those of us
Who once in a while
Capture what we mean with style
And write one line that makes us smile,
Here’s to us!

(c) David L. Harrison, all rights reserved

Word of the month word for November is . . .

Hi everyone,

Time to turn the calendar another page as we edge closer to the end of this year. As you know, I don’t keep a record of the poems you post each month so I can’t tell you how many poets have participated so far this year. What I do know is that we’ve enjoyed numerous good poems again this year, thanks to all who visit my blog and contribute their poems for everyone to read and appreciate.

For the month of November, let’s go with the word, US. As usual, I’m eager to see what you do with it. We have demonstrated over and over since starting this challenge in 2009 that every word contains many stories. What’s your story this month?

My word of the month poem for October

Hi everyone,

Here’s my contribution for October’s Word of the Month Poetry Challenge. Our word is QUICK.

History of Jack’s Candlestick

Jack was nimble,
he was quick,
when he was twenty.
When he leaped over
a candlestick,
he cleared it by plenty.

He remained nimble
and nearly as quick
when he was forty,
although a newly
attained belly
made him look sporty.

Truth be told
he was just as bold
when he turned fifty,
but when jack jumped
no one who watched
would call him a swifty.

When Jack reached eighty,
he traded the stick
for a case of wine.
Now he rocks and drinks
and winks,
“Life is fine.”

(c) 2018 David L. Harrison, all rights reserved

Word of the month for October is . . .

Hi everyone,

Can today really be October 1? Wow! Three months left to do whatever we thought we were going to do this year. Time to be about it!

Thanks for all those poems in September. I read and enjoyed them all and am always glad to see how many of you have fun exercising with the latest word of the month challenge.

For October, the word is QUICK. Let the good times roll.