Day 1 2024 ~ How to write a 5W’s Poem for #NationalPoetryMonth ~"30 poems in 30 days"

Yay!! April 1st is the beginning of National Poetry Month!

Welcome to YEAR 12 of my month-long poetry challenge in honor of “National Poetry Month.” When I re-read my intro last year, I thought, wow, I did a great job of explaining things so I’m just going to post that part again . . . and after that, I’ll explain our poetic form for Day 1. Cheers!!

There are many forms of poetry. Too many people claim they cannot write poetry but I beg to differ. That is why I started this challenge, to teach others how to write a variety of poems with easy-to-follow instructions. So far, I have found more than a hundred different poetry “forms” and have featured around 8o+ different ones over the years. This challenge is fun and easy – even kids can and do join in.

So, first, since new people seem to join each year, here are some basic things to know, and then the following posts SHOULD be shorter, but I like details so short and brief are relative words for me, but I’ll try!!

I also host a private FB Poetry Month group; if you are interested in that, you will need to contact me and request an “invite” to it.

Also – all poetry shared within our private FB group or in comments or on my blog or elsewhere on Social Media remains the property of those who wrote them. Please do not use them elsewhere without permission of the author.

Why write poems? Writing poetry causes us to think differently about words. Due to the condensed nature of most poetry, we think carefully about word choice, evaluate each word in order to tell a story, express our emotions, describe a moment, or a memory. It allows us to reveal ourselves in ways we may have never expected. I love this quote I found on Writers Write ~ “Poems act as a filter and help us get to the guts of the matter.”

Most of the poems we will do this month have rather specific rules. This is a good thing. They are a guide and can help you express yourself in the most unexpected ways, but then again, when you write poetry, you can also break the rules if it serves the poem. However, I recommend for the purpose of our time together that you avoid breaking the rules. Following them will teach you several different ways to write poetry. You can always break them later, on your own.

Okay, enough of my rambling – let’s get started!! Yay!!

This year we will start with a dandy little favorite of mine. It’s easy. It’s fun. It’s called a “5 W’s Poem” because it answers the 5 W’s:

Who, What, Where, When & Why?

These poems have no need to rhyme, nor are the lines any particular length or meter. So, it’s a pretty simple poetry form to follow:

Line 1: WHO (or what) is the poem about?

Line 2: WHAT action is happening?

Line 3: WHERE does the action take place?

Line 4: WHEN does the action take place?

Line 5: WHY does this action happen?

It’s fun and I have given you several examples. Enjoy!! Cheers!!

A group of teenagers

Making videos of being silly,

At the local park,

During spring break,

Hoping to be the next YouTube wonder.

                    © 2014 Stephanie Abney

My children

Laughing, wrestling, creating

Tumble through the living room

Every day after school

Because they feel safe and loved

                   © 2017 Kaci Carlson (used with permission)

 

 

A certain 17-year old I know

Questions everything.

At home, at school, at church,

when he doesn't understand.

Because that's what people do who want to change the world.                 

                   © 2016 Stacy Johnson (used with permission)

PLEASE REMEMBER ~ any poetry found on this blog, written by me, is my personal property and may not be used without my permission, other than sharing it as an example in a lesson or to read it to someone. The same goes for any poems that are shared in the comments of this blog or elsewhere online as a result of this challenge. They are the creative property of the person who writes them. These poems are their original work and no one may use them without their permission. It is understood that they own the copyright to them as soon as they create them and especially once they post them. Thanks so much!

*** Also, if you choose to post your poems on your own blog or elsewhere on social media ~ that’s awesome. But PLEASE don’t just copy and paste my daily instructions, but rather post your poem on your blog or your FB wall or wherever AND LINK BACK TO EACH DAY’S SPECIFIC BLOG POST for others to come here to read the instructions. I’ve spent considerable time researching the poetry forms and writing them up to share with you. Thanks for respecting my work.

Day 18 ~ National Poem in Your Pocket Day for #NationalPoetryMonth and "30 poems in 30 days"

~ Poem in You Pocket Day ~

"Poem in Your Pocket Day 2019" is on April 18 and is part of National Poetry Month. On this day, select a poem, carry it with you, and share it with others at schools, bookstores, libraries, parks, workplaces, street corners, and on social media using the hashtag #pocketpoem. 

"Poem in Your Pocket Day" was initiated in April 2002 by the Office of the Mayor in New York City, in partnership with the city’s Departments of Cultural Affairs and Education. In 2008, the Academy of American Poets took the initiative to all fifty United States, encouraging individuals around the country to participate. In 2016, the League of Canadian Poets extended Poem in Your Pocket Day to Canada.

Above clipped directly from: poets.org

You can find it here and even find a 62 page downloadable PDF of a free guide for celebrating "Poem in Your Pocket Day" in your school, community, or business. It has pages and pages of suggested poems to use.

OR, I like the idea of carrying around one of your own poems and sharing it with others today. 

So, there really isn't a poetry form to follow today! Just enjoy poetry in any way you wish and if writing more poetry is one of the ways you want to celebrate it, then please do so - any poetic form we have gone over or any you wish to look up or better yet, here's a day to write some free verse poetry. It's all up to you. Cheers!!

Photo credit: "congerdesign" at Pixabay

Day 14 ~ Couplet Poem for #NationalPoetryMonth and "30 poems in 30 days"

Okay, here is another basic poetry form – every poet should know how to write a couplet. It is the basis of other poems and it’s only TWO lines of poetry. How easy is that?

Although I’ve seen some that are totally random, the dictionary definition of a “couplet” suggests that they usually consist of two lines that rhyme and have the same meter (although in the spirit of “full disclosure,” they do not need to have the same meter). Gasp! In fact, if you opt for what is called an “unrhymed couplet” they don’t even have to have ending rhyming words. So, there is a little wiggle room when it comes to couplets.

Try expressing your complete thought in two mid-sized poetic lines. The last words traditionally rhyme. It can be spiritual or silly or romantic or whatever suits your fancy – couplets are great to write for children or with children.

It is possible to string a bunch of couplets together to create a longer poem, but for today – just try creating one or more individual 2-line couplets, unless you are bound and determined to make a longer poem. 

Just a few more explanations when it comes to couplets: when a couplet can stand alone from the rest of the poem, it is considered independent, and it is called a “closed couplet.” Conversely, a couplet that cannot stand alone without the rest of the poem is an “open couplet.”

There actually are quite a variety of couplets – if you feel so inclined to research them – here are a few: Heroic Couplet, Unrhymed Couplet, Blank Verse Couplet, Short Couplet, Split Couplet, Qasida, Alexandrine Couplet, Shakespearean Couplet, and Chinese Couplet. No doubt there are more, but that’s a start.

OK, for examples here are a couple of couplets (hee hee) that I wrote quite a few years ago. For what they are worth (one is simple; the other is silly):

~~ I was thinking about the Lord's tender mercies and came up with this:

I know the Lord is mindful of me,

And it makes me happy as can be.

                             © 2011 by Stephanie Abney

~~ then, in a moment of frustration, I thought a little on "getting one's nose out of joint" and came up with this:

Writing this little assignment
Puts my nose out of alignment.

                               © 2011 by Stephanie Abney

Did you think of a couplet? Just look around and think on an object or an emotion and give it a shot!!

 PLEASE REMEMBER ~ any poetry found on this blog, written by me, is my personal property and may not be used without my permission, other than sharing it as an example in a lesson or to read it to someone. The same goes for any poems that are shared in the comments of this blog or elsewhere online as a result of this challenge. They are the creative property of the person who writes them. These poems are their original work and no one may use them without their permission. It is understood that they own the copyright to them as soon as they post them. Thanks so much!

Also, if you choose to post your poems on your own blog ~ that’s awesome. But PLEASE don’t just copy and paste my daily instructions, but rather post your poem on your blog or your FB wall or wherever AND LINK BACK TO THIS BLOG POST for others to come here to read the instructions. I’ve spent considerable time researching the poetry forms and writing them up to share with you. Thanks for respecting my work and the creative work of others.

  

Day 30 ~ Questad Poem for #NationalPoetryMonth “30 Poems in 30 Days”

Well, my poetic friends, looks like we have come to the end of "National Poetry Month." Kind of feels sad, doesn't it? I hope you have had fun and will continue to write poetry – do some searches for various types of poems. The list is endless (a little hyperbole for ya’).

I can’t tell you how much I enjoy April because of the responses I see to my daily poetry challenges. There are other challenges out there and I hope you can always find what you need to inspire you to create your poems. I have been in awe of a lot of the work I have seen. Some gets posted here, but most get posted on FB, Instagram, other people’s blogs, etc. and I do see a lot of it, but from the number of visits to this blog each day in the month of April, whether I’m able to see the poems and enjoy them or not, I know people are writing and enjoying poetry and that is my goal. Glad you have come along this year. So . . .

I thought for the last day we would do a Questad Poem; it’s a poem that kind of brings it all together – many of the things we have learned or practiced this month are contained in this unique and somewhat uncommon poetry form. I have included a chart with details created by Carolyn Osborne, a teacher. 

Have fun – I have included a Questad Poem I wrote a few years ago as an example in case I don’t get back to this post to include one I write today. We’ll see, but here ya’ go:

Line	Directions	Example	Your Draft
1	Title—topic of poem	Cars By Eric Harker
2	Personification	They seem to sing when you rev up the engine
3	Hyperbole	The sound is sweeter than honey
4	Alliteration	Purring proudly like a pack of panthers
5	Onomatopoeia	VROOM!
6	Metaphor	It is a shiny dream in the eyes of a child,
7	Simile	Speeding like the space shuttle
8	Imagery	Gleaming with silvery metallic paint along a black road of fragrant tar.

I got the above chart from:worldowiki.wikispaces.com/file/view/Poetry+Alternatives.doc (and if you go there – it will pull up a 22-page doc that has lots of poetry forms and instructions) – for your continued poetry writing pleasure.

Here’s my poem:

Poems,

Heartsongs made visible,

Rising from the depths of my soul,

Pretty, poised parcels of perfection,

Pitter-patter through my mind.

Poems are microscopic slides of slices of my life,

Dancing through my days like a prima ballerina,

Revealing my authentic self; raw, vulnerable and honest.

© 2014 Stephanie Abney

PLEASE REMEMBER ~ any poetry found on this blog, written by me, is my personal property and may not be used without my permission, other than sharing it as an example in a lesson or to read it to someone. The same goes for any poems that are shared in the comments of this blog or elsewhere online as a result of this challenge. They are the creative property of the person who writes them. These poems are their original work and no one may use them without their permission. It is understood that they own the copyright for to them as soon as they post them. Thanks so much!

Also, if you choose to post your poems on your own blog ~ that’s awesome. But PLEASE don’t just copy and paste my daily instructions, but rather post your poem on your blog or your FB wall or wherever AND LINK BACK TO THIS BLOG POST for others to come here to read the instructions. I’ve spent considerable time researching the poetry forms and writing them up to share with you. Thanks for respecting my work and the creative work of others. 

Day 28 ~ “Hero Poem” for “30 Poems in 30 Days” #NationalPoetryMonth

Let’s Write a “Hero Poem” for “30 Poems in 30 Days” #NationalPoetryMonth

Hero poems are found in every culture. There is no one right way to write a hero poem. Since today, April 28, 2018, is “National Superhero Day” I thought it would be fun to write a poem about our heroes. In fact, most of you will probably end up with several poems if you have the time to write them.

Instead of giving specific directions for one certain style of poem, I’ll leave it up to you to use one (or several) of the poetry forms we have been practicing this year OR just back to the ol’ free verse variety in order to honor someone who is YOUR superhero. Think about what traits make this person a hero to you and then write about them.

In researching just the terms “hero poetry” I found some interesting things and you might want to do a similar search. These poems are often epic poems; narratives that cover quite a bit about a person and/or event (think in terms of “Paul Revere’s Ride”). Another word for these poems are “Courage Poems” ~ I think one of the poetic styles for writing a hero poem that intrigued me the most was the “African Praise Song.”

So, instead of giving directions, I’ll post several links that I think are interesting and they might give you some ideas of what you want to do when you write a poem about YOUR SUPERHERO!! Have fun.

I’ll be right there along with you (as soon as I finish taking my American Lit test). 



Then, I hope to come back and edit this with my a few superhero poems of my own. Until then ~ check these out if it interests you:

Student example of a “hero/courage poem” ~

https://www.familyfriendpoems.com/poem/a-different-kind-of-hero-2

African Praise Songs:

http://www.angelfire.com/dc2/english043/Poetry.html

Americans Should Learn from African Praise Poetry

Praise Poetry – lesson plan on how to write one

ENJOY!!

PLEASE REMEMBER ~ any poetry found on this blog, written by me, is my personal property and may not be used without my permission, other than sharing it as an example in a lesson or to read it to someone. The same goes for any poems that are shared in the comments of this blog or elsewhere online as a result of this challenge. They are the creative property of the person who writes them. These poems are their original work and no one may use them without their permission. It is understood that they own the copyright for to them as soon as they post them. Thanks so much!

Also, if you choose to post your poems on your own blog ~ that’s awesome. But PLEASE don’t just copy and paste my daily instructions, but rather post your poem on your blog or your FB wall or wherever AND LINK BACK TO THIS BLOG POST for others to come here to read the instructions. I’ve spent considerable time researching the poetry forms and writing them up to share with you. Thanks for respecting my work. 

Day 26 ~ "Poem in Your Pocket" for “30 Poems in 30 Days” #NationalPoetryMonth

So, yesterday I mentioned that today is “Poem in Your Pocket Day.”  Fun stuff and we will be celebrating it by choosing a poem and carrying it with you today and sharing it with others any way you wish.

And I think it would be AWESOME if the poem you choose is one that YOU wrote! But, any poem is just fine.

One of the easiest ways is via social media using this hash-tag: #pocketpoem. So, I think you should pick one of your own original poems or find a poem you like . . . you can even make copies of it to hand out or just one copy that you carry around all day and hopefully share with others.

I’d like to share a poem about this day written by one of our regular participants in my April Poetry Month Challenge. It’s great little poem and I share it here with her permission:

Poem in Your Pocket Day

Take some time on this very special day

To find a favorite poem for a fun holiday

It may be one that makes you laugh or smile

Or even one that makes you think a while

It can be one you've written yourself

Or one you find upon a Library shelf

Just keep it with you throughout the day

Then share with those who come your way.

© 2017 Vicki Firth 

So, that’s pretty much it for today – Enjoy!!!!

Here’s a link from the “National Poetry Month” website all about “Poem in Your Pocket Day”

It even has a downloadable Poem in Your Pocket Day PDF where you can get ideas for celebrating or suggested poems to carry in your pocket today (I kind of hope you will carry one of your own original ones).

Day 25 ~ “Free Verse Poems” for “30 Poems in 30 Days” #NationalPoetryMonth

So, today let’s just abandon all the rules (as some of you fabulous poets out there prefer to do anyway) and write a free verse poem about anything you choose.

I just want to point out that “free verse” is NOT the same thing as “blank verse.”

Blank verse IS unrhymed but surprisingly, it DOES have rules - rules that pertain to things like “iambic pentameter” with unstressed/stressed syllable patterns or “trochee” with stressed/unstressed or even more craziness, how about dactyl blank verse with has stressed/unstressed/unstressed syllable patterns? There is also “anapest blank verse” – yeah, we’ll just stop there. So, we are not writing blank verse today ~ just free verse. And if nothing strikes your fancy – just use a favorite poetry form that we have used earlier this month.

So, FREE VERSE is basically random, without any fixed metrical patterns of any kind and while there is no need to rhyme, it’s totally fine if you wish to use rhyme, but there is no need to count syllables or to worry about much of anything – just let it come. But free verse is actually tricky to make it feel cohesive, but once you get it just how you want it – you will be most happy with it. Free verse poems can be long, short or anything in between, as long as it seems to have a good flow, then you are good to go.

Nature, family, life, love, religion, whatever comes to mind ~ go for it. I think it's also fun to use “National” and “World” celebration days as prompts for here are a few of them for April 25,  2018:

Denim Day, DNA Day, Hairstylists Appreciation Day, International Guide Dog Day, International Marconi Day, National Crayola Day, National Golf Day, National Mani-Pedi Day, National Plumber's Day, National Zucchini Bread Day, Red Hat Society Day, World Penguin Day, and World Stationery Day, to name a few.

OH, and head’s up – tomorrow is “Poem in my Pocket” day – so instead of writing a poem, we will try to memorize a poem and/or make copies of it to hand out to share with friends and family – more on that tomorrow. (And, of course, you can always use one of the poems you have written for this).

So, here is one of my favorite free verse poems I have written (a few years ago, but that’s okay):

HOPE

Hope creates options.

It still can happen.

In fact, anything CAN happen.

Hope is what we cling to.

I hope I am doing enough.

I hope people understand the purity of my motives.

I hope my family will all be together in the hereafter.

Why do I have hope?

Because I believe what Christ said when He came.

I believe He really did die for our sins and that

through the atonement of Christ

and the power of the resurrection;

I can be raised up unto life eternal with my loved ones.

That is what I hope for.

And because I have hope

. . . I keep trying.

© 2015 Stephanie Abney

PLEASE REMEMBER ~ any poetry found on this blog, written by me, is my personal property and may not be used without my permission, other than sharing it as an example in a lesson or to read it to someone. The same goes for any poems that are shared in the comments of this blog or elsewhere online as a result of this challenge. They are the creative property of the person who writes them. These poems are their original work and no one may use them without their permission. It is understood that they own the copyright for to them as soon as they post them. Thanks so much!

Also, if you choose to post your poems on your own blog ~ that’s awesome. But PLEASE don’t just copy and paste my daily instructions, but rather post your poem on your blog or your FB wall or wherever AND LINK BACK TO THIS BLOG POST for others to come here to read the instructions. I’ve spent considerable time researching the poetry forms and writing them up to share with you. Thanks for respecting my work. 

Day 23 - “Poetweet” for “30 Poems in 30 Days" #NationalPoetryMonth

By now you have probably heard of a "Poetweet" ~ a poem kept to 140 characters, including spaces, to comply with the requirements for a “Tweet” on “Twitter.” (Well, that USED to be the definition) . . .

No worries – you do NOT need to have a Twitter account to participate in this one, but if you do, then it would be fun to “tweet” it once it’s ready.

AND, the times, they are a changing’. For several months now I couldn’t figure out how people were posting these tweets that were clearly longer than 140 characters so I did some research and discovered that Twitter has increased the number of characters allowed on a tweet to 280 characters ~ so that will be our parameters for this year’s “poetweet.”

"I think that I shall never meet / A poem lovely as a Tweet..."  (to paraphrase Joyce Kilmer)

Short and Simple: "Poetweet" (AND VERY TRICKY)!!

Since this is getting posted a little later than usual today – let’s do something SHORT – however, don’t assume it’s all that easy!! You’ll see.

Our ever-changing digital age continues to create new modes of communication. Some people love to “tweet” their news. Have you tried a “poetweet” yet? If you are on Twitter then you may have, but if you haven’t ventured into “Twitter Land” yet, it might be new to you.

What I love about limited poetry (those that are specific as to the number of words or syllables you can you use) is that they force us to “tighten things up.” The surprising thing is that, usually, when you manage to say what you mean with fewer words, it packs a lot more power. 

So a “poetweet” is a form of poetry which consists of exactly 140, I mean 280 characters. There is no reference to rhyme or rhythm, only 280 characters exactly. For the purposes of this “poetry form” ALL words must be spelled out, no shortcuts such as "ur" for "you are" or "b4" for "before." And definitely no "lol"! Normal contractions are allowed.

And remember: Every single letter, space, punctuation mark and/or number COUNTS as a “character” in this 280 character “poem” called a “poetweet”

Here’s the example of a poetweet offered in the “Urban Dictionary” a number of years ago, when the limit was 140 characters:

Of all the sights I see, there is none so beautiful as your shadow. Knowing you're near, and the sun is shining is enough for me. Beautiful. http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=poetweet [Apparently the Urban Dictionary is unaware of the changes – this example was posted in 2010]

It would be fun to come up with one and then share it on Twitter ~ if you share this on Twitter you may use a backslash “/” to indicate a new line. But, again, REMEMBER that each backslash and the spaces on either side of it also counts as a character.

                      

This was my attempt for 2016 so it has 140 characters: (and since I’m running later today – I’ll post this challenge without trying to come up with one that has 280 characters only). If I get one done I may come back and update the post:

#NationalPoetryMonth has been such fun/ It’s hard to believe it’s nearly done/ We’ve made new friends; written new poems/ Get in the zone

So, technically, for the purposes of following the instructions, it SHOULD have EXACTLY 280 characters (INCLUDING spaces) and that is the TRICKIEST part, but if you don’t get exactly the number, at least don’t EXCEED that number. Sound like a plan?

Have some fun with it. So, what can you come up with today?

Looking for inspiration? You can always write something about whatever “National Day” is being celebrated. Today has lots to offer:

TODAY, April 23, 2018 happens to be: National Movie Theatre Day, National Cherry Cheesecake Day, National Lost Dog Awareness Day, National Picnic Day, National Take A Chance Day, National Talk Like Shakespeare Day, National Zucchini Bread Day, National Slay a Dragon Day, to name most of them. Cheers!! 

PLEASE REMEMBER ~ any poetry found on this blog, written by me, is my personal property and may not be used without my permission, other than sharing it as an example in a lesson or to read it to someone. The same goes for any poems that are shared in the comments of this blog or elsewhere online as a result of this challenge. They are the creative property of the person who writes them. These poems are their original work and no one may use them without their permission. It is understood that they own the copyright for to them as soon as they post them. Thanks so much!

Also, if you choose to post your poems on your own blog ~ that’s awesome. But PLEASE don’t just copy and paste my daily instructions, but rather post your poem on your blog or you FB wall or wherever AND LINK BACK TO THIS BLOG POST for others to come here to read the instructions. I’ve spent considerable time researching the poetry forms and writing them up to share with you. Thanks for respecting my work.