National Poetry Month
In case you didn’t know, April is National Poetry Month.
Now, to be clear, I am not a poet. I’ve written a few poems, none of which I consider to be good. Even so, I do think that I need to stretch myself. I need to force myself to do things that make me uncomfortable.
Without getting into details, I had a professional critique experience last fall that really crushed my confidence. I went into the meeting feeling like I was a decent writer with great ideas and came out of it feeling like a child scribbling backwards letters in the dirt.
Since then, I’ve told myself that I’m taking a break from querying (and pitch contests and the whole shebang) to focus on honing my craft. But that isn’t really true.
I have been wallowing a little. OK, maybe a lot. I’ve been nursing what felt like wounds (even though I don’t think they were meant to). But here’s the thing: Even if they were meant to hurt, even if the author who tore my manuscript apart—dissecting every decision that went into its crafting—had meant to hurt me; even if this author was trying to make me feel foolish or insinuate that I have no talent and never would; even if that were all true… it wouldn’t change the takeaway.
Suck it up.
Make improvements.
Write draft 2 (or 3, or 10, or 30).
No one gets better by giving up. We get better by trying new things, stretching ourselves, and getting out of our comfort zone.
All that to say, I’m accepting a National Poetry Month challenge to write a poem every day for the entire month of April. As a part of my accountability structure, and as a way to force myself to become comfortable with the uncomfortable, I will be posting them to this blog. Obviously, today is April 4th, so the first four poems are all in this one post. From here on out, it will be one post a day, each containing poems.
No promises they will be good. No promises they will be long. But they will be on the blog.
April 1
FREE VERSE
No charge!
no delivery, only pickup.
Flexible schedule. Call or DM for info
Still works, but just barely. Great starter poem.
I just need to get it out to make room for other poems.
Comes with all necessary cables, but no extras.
April 2
ON SATURDAYS I CLOSE (a haiku)
Hot coffee's strong scent
Warm blueberry oatmeal feast
With fam'ly till work.
April 3
SUNDAY LIMERICK
Each morning I wake is a wonder;
A new day to fix yesterday's blunders.
His mercy and grace,
Make today a good place
To tear old me and new me asunder.
April 4
A SONNET FOR MY SONS
I thought to write a sonnet for my sons;
Perhaps when they are grown it will bring joy.
The two I have, for now my only ones,
But who can say if fate brings next a boy?
And if we shall give life to more offspring
I’d hate to leave a daughter with no song…
But is this one a worthy offering,
Or nothing but a noisy clanging gong?
I know that this is deeply overthought,
For who can for the future aptly plan?
My hands are wrung, this sonnet overwrought!
This father is a failure—half-a-man!
My boys, at last I reach the bitter end;
This sonnet stinks, but love for you I tend.
Jump in with me!
Your poems don’t have to be good or long either. A haiku is just 17 syllables! I’m officially challenging you (and officially letting you off the hook for the first four days) to write one poem each day for the rest of April. The worst that could happen is the world gets dozens of new poems that we didn’t have before. Plus, you might enjoy it and discover something about yourself in the process.
