Congratulations go out to the 2009 November PAD Chapbook Challenge winner, Nancy Posey, for her collection Let the Lady Speak.

I enjoyed reading Nancy's entire collection, which includes poems referencing Gone With the Wind, Amelia Earhart, William Shakespeare, and more. As you may be able to guess from the title, this chapbook collects the voices of various women and shares them with the reader. It was a nice idea around which to build a collection.

Here are a few of my favorites:

Or Maybe the Day After That

I'm tired of thinking about Tara,
trying to save her for God knows what.
I'm tired of plenty
after all those months
of making do.
Sometimes I miss boiled turnips
and dirt under my nails.
I'm tired of dresses
made to order, petticoats
and ball gowns,
so tired I could rip these curtains
from the windows too.
I'm too tired to bear anyone's grief
but my own,
tired of apologizing
for misplaced jealousy.
I don't care if I have to loosen
my corsets after a hearty meal,
one I cooked myself.
Right now I have no plans
to make plans. Instead,
I'm going to sit right here
at the foot of the stairs
and have a good cry,
and I don't care if anyone
gives a damn or not.
Maybe tomorrow, my thoughts
will come clearer--or
maybe the day after that.

Attachment

"It was books that taught me that the things that tormented me were the very things that connected me with all the people who were alive, or who had ever been alive." -James Baldwin

I was no good at being a child,
she said:
No tree-climbing or bike-riding
captured my attention.
I lived for books.

I formed my first attachments
to the people I met
between the pages
of books. Jo March
breathed air to me more
tangible than that of students
I met in my fourth grade
classroom. I knew her;
I wanted to be her.

Never having seen a farm,
I knew nonetheless the
feel of Black Beauty
beneath my saddle.

Like Pippi Longstocking,
I slept for weeks
with my feet on the pillow,
my head at the foot of the bed,
despite warnings
of the danger to my eyes,
encountering by flashlight
the lives of my other friends:
Charlotte, Wilbur,
Nancy, Bess, and George,
Freddy and Flossie,
the Count of Monte Cristo.
I too plotted my escape.

Feet

"I grant I never saw a goddess go;
my mistress when she walks treads on the ground."
                                 -William Shakespeare

Heavy footed, even back when I didn't
weigh a hundred pounds soaking wet,
I could never slip up on anyone. I clomped
when barefoot, and in high heels, I clicked.

No one could accuse me of not trying,
though. Aware of more graceful girls,
I aspired--to no avail--to steal, unnoticed,
into their ranks but lived and breathed--

and walked--the personification of
two left feet. Dances were no different:
I trampled on the toes of luckless boys,
even tripping over my own two feet.

What vast relief, when I discovered poetry,
to find there feet content to trip along
as I directed; dactyls, iambs, trochees
all do my bidding, with unmatched grace.

*****

I asked Nancy to share a little of her thoughts on the collection, and here's what she had to say:

Tuesday, February 02, 2010 4:18:48 PM (GMT Standard Time, UTC+00:00)    Comments [42] 

On Groundhog Day, I will be announcing the winner of the 2009 November PAD Chapbook Challenge. From more than 150 submissions, I have narrowed the field down to 21 finalists.

Each person who completed the challenge put in more work than the typical poet. First, they wrote poems regularly throughout the month of November. Second, they revised and compiled 10-20 pages worth of poems during the month of December. Third, they followed the submission rules to make sure their manuscripts were in by the deadline. Accomplishing all these goals is a task within itself and should give you an idea of the quality of the manuscripts I received. It is obvious to me that each poet who entered is dedicated to their craft. To those who entered: Thank you so much!

However, my goal after the deadline is to narrow the many great submissions down to one winner.

Here are the 21 finalists (in no particular order):

1. Ghost Flower, by Ruth Nolan
2. Wild Grace, by Jeanne Rogers
3. Endless, by Anne Baber
4. Blood and Bones and Water, by Christina Hile
5. Perpetual, by J R Turek
6. River-Hearted City, by Karen H. Phillips
7. Grateful, by Mike Barzacchini
8. The Real Bionic Woman, by A.C. Leming
9. Something Borrowed, by Tish Lester
10. Against the Sky, by Deborah Hauser
11. Let the Lady Speak, by Nancy Posey
12. Sampled Between Teeth, by Jennifer Miller McIntyre
13. French Lessons, by Ken Kibler
14. After a Decade, by Faye Williams Jones
15. Life Stories, by Jenny Doughty
16. Greeks Bearing Gifts, by Joseph Harker
17. Something Beautiful in the Desert, by Jane Beal
18. The Making of a Common Man, by Taylor Graham
19. no small thing, by Khara Elizabeth House
20. Women in Eden, by Alana I. Capria
21. Through This Rain, by J. Hugh MacDonald

The overall winner will be drawn from this list. If you don't see your name in this list (and expected to see it), I would like to remind you that the quality level was high and that I had to cut manuscripts with good poems in them. Plus, writing competitions are subjective. Another judge probably would've looked at the same 150 manuscripts and came up with a slightly different pool of finalists. But I don't want to take away from these 21 highly deserving poets who are now one step closer to joining Shann Palmer (the 2008 winner) as November PAD Chapbook Challenge Champions.

Have a great weekend, and I'll announce the overall winner on Tuesday.

*****

If you don't already, you can follow me on Twitter @robertleebrewer.

*****

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Friday, January 29, 2010 8:00:21 PM (GMT Standard Time, UTC+00:00)    Comments [58] 

First, here's a reminder that you can ask me questions on The Academy of American Poets discussion forum (www.poets.org/forum) "live" from 1 to 2 p.m. (Atlanta, Georgia, time) today.

If you miss that one-hour block, don't worry; you can send me questions throughout the month. Plus, I'll be doing the "live" chat in the forum on the next three Wednesdays as well.

Click here to view my thread as Guest Poet for the month of January.

*****

Second, the final tally on chapbook manuscripts submitted is more than 170. Congratulations to everyone who played along and put together a chapbook manuscript! I hope the process was fun and helpful. I'll announce the winning manuscript and probably a few honorable mentions on February 2. Groundhog Day.

*****

Now, let's get to the first Wednesday Poetry Prompt of 2010!

For this week's prompt, I want you to write a "take no prisoners" poem. You can take this in any creative direction you want, but I'm thinking of a poem that resembles those rallying songs by bands like Muse ("Uprising" or "Knights of Cydonia") and Queen ("We Are the Champions" or "We Will Rock You"). Write a poem of what will be and how no one will stand in your (or whoever's or whatever's) way.

Here's my attempt:

"Surrounded"

They found us where the river cuts mountains
in pieces before finding the ocean.

They asked us what we were doing alone,
but we were too busy to answer. We

cut birds out of branches to fly to our
allies. Their jaws clenched, our enemies asked

us why we wouldn't answer; they lit torches
and gathered around us like trees. They asked

us again and again and again, but
our mouths were granite. We cut more birds loose 

before burning everything standing.

*****

If you don't already, you can follow me on Twitter @robertleebrewer

*****

Want to write for children? Click here to learn more.

Wednesday, January 06, 2010 1:58:44 PM (GMT Standard Time, UTC+00:00)    Comments [118] 

I've received more than 100 chapbook manuscript submissions for the 2009 November PAD Chapbook Challenge! Wow!

The deadline is still a little more than 30 hours away (January 5 midnight--Atlanta, Georgia, time). So, if you're one of those last minute types, you've still got some time--but not much!

Click here for a refresher on the rules.

*****

As a personal (& poetic) aside, one of my 2010 goals is to write a poem each day of the year. These do not include prompts like the April and November challenges. If you're interested in reading them throughout the year, you can do so at my personal My Name Is Not Bob blog (http://robertleebrewer.blogspot.com).

Click here to check out my first three days of 2010.

*****

Also, don't forget to reserve time to throw questions my way on the poets.org Discussion Forum at http://www.poets.org/forum. I'll be fielding questions "live" each Wednesday in January between 1 and 2 p.m. (Atlanta, Georgia, time).

*****

Missed Writer's Digest in 2009? Don't worry. Click here to find out how you can receive $40+ worth of Writer's Digest for only $15.

Monday, January 04, 2010 9:23:07 PM (GMT Standard Time, UTC+00:00)    Comments [7] 

Sorry for the silence since November. I've been busy burning the midnight oil on a database project for work. But at least we've still got our weekly prompts. (Also, I've been receiving quite a few manuscripts from the November PAD Challenge. Y'all have until January 5, but it's cool to see them trickling in already.)

For today's prompt, I want you to take the phrase "(blank) Day," replace the blank with a word or phrase, make the new phrase the title of your poem, and then write your poem. Examples: "Groundhog Day," "Moon Day," "Holly Day," "Just Another Day," "Bird Day," "Pay Day," etc.

Here's my attempt for the day:

"Blockhead Day"

He builds a dam to keep the water close. 
It puddles beneath his baseball cap, his
worried eyes. He loves good grief, self-
examination and attention. He talks
whether anyone is listening or not.

His dog is a fighter pilot; his dog is
a writer; his dog is everything he wishes
he could be. But still, there is hope 
disguised as a little red-head girl,

a football ready to be kicked, his kite
stuck in a tree waiting to be saved
by anyone who isn't a blockhead.

*****

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Wednesday, December 09, 2009 2:41:11 PM (GMT Standard Time, UTC+00:00)    Comments [205] 

(Knock on wood: It appears the comments from yesterday's prompt are actually sticking. Maybe the server problems are fixed.)

Okay, so we made it through November. Yay! The fun part of the challenge is over. Now, it's time to revise and assemble your poems into a collection. With the proper mindset, this can be as fun (if not more fun) than the original creation of the poems.

My advice? Wait until this weekend to start looking through them. This will give you some distance and make it easier to come at your work with fresh eyes.

Click here to read the earlier post on rules and such.

Here are some of the highlights:

1. Your collection should be 10-20 pages long. (Notice that I did not say 10-20 poems long.)
2. No more than one poem per page.
3. However, one poem may stretch over multiple pages.
4. Deadline for manuscript submissions: January 5, 2010 (midnight US eastern time)
5. Submit to: robert.brewer@fwmedia.com
6. Subject line should read: My 2009 November PAD Chapbook MS
7. Manuscript should be attached as a .doc or .txt file. (Please no other file types, such as .docx.) If you have problems, send me an e-mail to discuss options.
8. Include your name, e-mail address, and manuscript title on the first page of the manuscript (which does not count against your 10-20 pages).
9. Table of Contents is optional (and does not count against your 10-20 pages if included).
10. Winners will be announced on this blog on Groundhog Day (2/2/10).
11. Poets can include poems that were not posted to the blog.
12. Poets can also include a poem or two written outside of November if they fit with the collection, but the vast majority of poems should be 2009 November PAD-inspired poems. (Using the honor system here.)

One more tip: Make sure your collection includes your finest work from the month. Last year's winning manuscript was one of the smallest (only 10 or 11 pages), but it was the one that packed the best punch. Think quality over quantity.

*****

Are you interested in writing poetry in a workshop environment? Click here to learn more about how you can make this happen.

Tuesday, December 01, 2009 3:23:43 PM (GMT Standard Time, UTC+00:00)    Comments [31] 

(Don't worry about posting comments to the prompts! The server that hosts WritersDigest.com and the other blogs has apparently been crashing repeatedly, and the programmers are literally in a position where they have to re-build everything while continuing to re-set the server. If you wish to share the poems, I invite you to do so at my personal blog until this storm passes. The url is http://robertleebrewer.blogspot.com. I'll set up a post for November PAD Chapbook Challenge poems and communication. Thanks and sorry, everyone!)

Today is the final day of the challenge! If you've made it this far, then congratulations! It's not been the smoothest month (technologically speaking), but you hung in there. Thanks so much!

Tomorrow, I'll share further rules and guidelines on how to submit chapbook manuscripts and such. Plus, I'm going to be providing chapbook tips throughout the month of December. So be sure to tune in for helpful hints and such.

Also, don't forget to participate in #poettues on Twitter on Tuesdays or our weekly writing prompts on Wednesdays on this here blog. Happy poeming!

*****

For today's prompt, I want you to write a poem about something that will stick with you (or someone/something else). The poem could be about an event, a moment, a song, words said, words unsaid, etc. It should be something memorable.

Here's my attempt for the day:

"The world will worry for you"

Forget speaking in code; forget
telling it slant; here is what happened:

I rose to answer the phone, and then,
lost consciousness. As I lay there,

my breathing grew labored before
stopping altogether. My skin turned

crayon blue; my eyes stayed open.
This is how I've always pictured

my Uncle James when he died alone
on his land in the middle of nowhere.

I still remember grandmother crying out,
"No, no, no," on Easter evening

when my grandfather called. I could
have been found this way, but

Tammy breathed in my mouth, spoke
to my unresponding face. She would not

quit even as I turned less and less
alive. Later that night, grandfather

told us how they found James laying
on his porch with his door open:

"He looked horrible. He looked like
he was in pain." And this is what I can

tell you: I did not feel any pain,
any worry, until I came back to life.

*****

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Monday, November 30, 2009 2:30:44 PM (GMT Standard Time, UTC+00:00)    Comments [138] 

O my gosh! Tomorrow is the final day of this year's November challenge, and yesterday's post seems to just be sucking comments into the poetic black hole of this blog. I'm not sure why, but every time I've been in Ohio this month, this blog has self-destructed. (For instance, I drove from my home in Georgia to Ohio and back--with a little Marion's Pizza and sleep mixed in--between the Day 28 and Day 29 prompts and poems.) Hopefully, now that I'm back in Georgia, the blog will work.

For today's prompt, I want you to pick a number, make that number the title of your poem, and write a poem. The number could be your favorite number, a lucky number, an unlucky number, a number with some significance (for instance, years jump to mind), or whatever.

Here's my attempt for the day (on less than 4 hours of sleep, no less):

"Huit"

"Burn like something burning, something yearning."
We throw our hands up and raise our voices
into the night sky, our hearts discerning,
"Burn like something burning, something yearning."
We watch the sun around which we're turning
and let our hands fall and feel our choices
burn. Like something burning, something yearning,
we throw our hands up and raise our voices,

"We won't apologize for our choices,
whether we were in the right or the wrong"
for our hearts beat without wild invoices.
We won't apologize for our choices;
instead, we raise our hands and our voices
in our loud chant that burns into a song:
"We won't apologize for our choices,
whether we were in the right or the wrong."

*****

The poem above is comprised of two triolets. If you're interested in learning about this or other poetic forms, click here to check some poetic forms out for free.

Sunday, November 29, 2009 4:22:02 PM (GMT Standard Time, UTC+00:00)    Comments [51] 

For today's prompt, I want you to take the phrase "Through this (blank)," replace the blank with a word or phrase, make the new phrase the title of your poem, and then, write your poem. Examples could be: "Through this door," "Through this spider," "Through this rope wrapped around this person trying to get free before the bomb stops ticking," "Through this garden," etc.

Here's my attempt for the day:

"Through this black hole the universe expands"

Try to look as wicked as you can. Stand on your
hands. Demand an evil plan. I'm not saying you'll

get what you want, but most stars end up as white
dwarfs or neutron stars. They aren't big enough

to collapse and continue collapsing. Instead, they
become something entirely new, yet still burning.

Take this black hole, this massive dark future,
we could run for our lives, or we could take each

others' hands and bravely cross the event horizon
both of us looking eagerly for our happy ever after.

*****

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Saturday, November 28, 2009 1:00:23 PM (GMT Standard Time, UTC+00:00)    Comments [57] 

For today's prompt, I want you to write a poem involving a shape (or multiple shapes). You can make the shape the title of your poem, or you can work the shapes into the actual poem in some way. There are two dimensional shapes, of course, like squares and circles, but don't forget some of the other shapes available out there: horseshoes, coffee cups, houses, etc. After all, some objects become so iconic that they actually are considered shapes unto themselves.

Here's my attempt for the day:

"Crescent Moon"

What new slice of the sun might
we see reflected tonight through
spidery ghosts floating across
the atmosphere? We fear those
nights it disappears completely.

Complete me: Burn into me as if
I am some lonely, stranded satellite
watching a planet build and re-build
itself. You've always been the sun;
my only wish is to reflect your light.

*****

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Friday, November 27, 2009 2:32:17 PM (GMT Standard Time, UTC+00:00)    Comments [149] 

Well, now that the Macy's Thanksgiving Day parade is over, I guess it's time to move on to other pressing matters, such as getting to today's prompt and poem. But first, let me thank every single person who participates in these challenges and reads the blog throughout the year. I am so thankful for you, especially those of you who go through the frustration of adding a comment 50 billion times before it takes. Today's prompt may come as no surprise, because...

For today's prompt, I want you to write a thankful poem.

Here's my attempt for the day:

"Ode to fire"

They say it began with light, and I know
light began with flames. With that light
came heat, a soft burning warmth--enough
to start a planet spinning. Or, perhaps,
an explosion that never stops spreading
outward. Our gravity, our oxygen, our history
unraveling. Without the sun, without our
continuous sparking, none of us would exist.

*****

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Thursday, November 26, 2009 5:19:16 PM (GMT Standard Time, UTC+00:00)    Comments [124] 

Are we really only five days away from December? Is Thanksgiving really tomorrow morning? This week, my house has been filled with boys and noise and a lot of joy. I hope everyone's been enjoying this November PAD Chapbook Challenge. I'll post more details about what to do next on December 1. Until then, keep poeming and being thankful for the muse.

For today's prompt, I want you to write a temperature poem. Remember: Temperature can mean the heat outside, the heat of something (or someone), or even the temperament of someone.

Here's my attempt for the day:

"I am not a volcano"

But my blood feels like magma,
all heat and beneath the surface.

Give me permission to erupt;
give me clearance to explode.

This is what happens: We forget all
we really want is to dance and sing

and clap and clasp our hands
together and fall deeply in love.

*****

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Wednesday, November 25, 2009 2:26:27 PM (GMT Standard Time, UTC+00:00)    Comments [152] 

Here's the last "Two for Tuesday" prompt in November:

Prompt #1: Take the phrase "Everybody says (blank)," replace the blank with a word or phrase, make that the title of the poem, and write the poem.

Prompt #2: Take the phrase "Nobody says (blank)," replace the blank with a word or phrase, make that the title of the poem, and write the poem.

Here's my attempt for the day:

"Everybody says not to do it again"

This funny little feeling I get at times
scares the crap out of me. I can't tell

if it's from the head or heart, and all
the specialists can't agree what's wrong

with me. They say, "Don't do it again,"
again and again as if I know the answer

they can't seem to find. My mind, my
fragile heartbeat. Take a magnifying

glass to my inside-out, outside-in; try
to piece me together again. Let's put

the magnifying glass between this sun
and this wood to start a fire again.

*****

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Tuesday, November 24, 2009 2:12:54 PM (GMT Standard Time, UTC+00:00)    Comments [163] 

For today's prompt, I want you to write a poem filled with noise. Or, at least, it should involve noise. There's all manner of noise you could write about: traffic, celebration, panic, nature, etc. You could even write about the space between noises.

Here's my attempt for the day:

"Not every picture needs a volcano"

In the forest,
a tree falls, and I hear it.
So the tree was
not alone, but now I am.
I am the pain
into which the world will drown:
the sound of flames
crossing a forest, the sound
of trees falling.
Burn, burn, burn. All of us burn
inside to find
ourselves falling so someone
can hear our sounds.

*****

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Monday, November 23, 2009 1:54:27 PM (GMT Standard Time, UTC+00:00)    Comments [167] 

For today's prompt, write an emergency poem. Everyone has their own idea of what constitutes an emergency, so these poems could be about anything from zombie attacks to running out of ketchup.

Here's my attempt for the day:

"Houston, we have a problem"

An asteroid is flying free somewhere in the universe;
a black hole is stretching everything that crosses the horizon;

even the moon is on fire tonight. Besides, look at this tail
of light, this trail of fire burning across the atmosphere.

What new heartbeat is this? Maybe my pulse will tell
whether love exists or if hell is only a red flag never raised.

Take flight; embrace the night: We're never anything
if we're not completely engulfed in our flames.

*****

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Sunday, November 22, 2009 2:42:43 PM (GMT Standard Time, UTC+00:00)    Comments [134] 

For today's prompt, I want you to write an invention poem. The poem can actually be about an invention or an inventor, or you can make the invention the title of your poem and go from there. Every poem is an invention of its own, and I can't wait to see what everyone invents today.

Here's my attempt for the day:

"Magnifying Glass"

Start with a simple lens;
use it to read; use it to start
fires. Think of everything
you might see. Now, move the lens
against your skin. Imagine
what hides beneath the surface
before looking toward the stars;
the space between you and your
heart sometimes feels impossible,
but it doesn't stop you
from looking and hoping
there is something to discover:
a giant blue star, a fiery orb.

Saturday, November 21, 2009 1:47:48 PM (GMT Standard Time, UTC+00:00)    Comments [166] 

Drove up from Georgia to Ohio last night, so I'm writing on 3 hours sleep this morning. Hopefully, I'll write something that makes at least a little sense. Then again, since yesterday's poem was titled "Dream," maybe it's better if I don't.

For today's prompt, I want you to take the phrase "And then (blank)," replace the blank with a word or phrase, make that the title of your poem, and then, write your poem. Some example titles could be: "And then Godzilla attacked Tokyo," "And then McDonald's opened a store on the moon," "And then nothing," "And then everything," "And then you probably have an even better idea for a poem title," etc.

Here's my attempt for today:

"And then he fell down"

A fog is another kind of ghost;
its breath presses the earth
and asks forgiveness before
the sun wishes it away. Our
dreams are clouds are ghosts
swimming across lakes we
imagined could drown us.

We find him French-kissing
under water; we find him
in love with our daughters;
we arrive with just enough
time to wave them off and
wonder if and wonder if
as if it could have been us.

*****

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Friday, November 20, 2009 3:01:23 PM (GMT Standard Time, UTC+00:00)    Comments [170] 

For today's prompt, I want you to write an attachment poem. There are all kinds of attachments you could write about: physical, emotional, digital, etc. You could even write about your fear of attachment OR fear of no attachments OR fear of seeming to be afraid of attachment when really you're afraid of not being attached but you don't want other people to know that you know that...where was I?...oh yeah, write an attachment poem. Write it now.

Here's my attempt for the day:

"Dream"

She walks into his room and starts talking
about how he's begun to float. "It's getting
a little out of hand," she says as she ties
some rope around his waist. He doesn't try
to stop her. In fact, he notices his feet
have left the ground completely. "See,"
she says, "Good thing I brought this rope."
He hopes it isn't serious as he floats
out the window. "I have you," she says,
"even if gravity doesn't." He wants to thank
her, but he can't remember how to talk.
He just rises higher as she continues to walk
beneath him, his legs and arms spread apart.
Below, she hides in the shadow of his heart.

*****

What do you get when you take a little poetry and a little dictionary and you mix them together? You get John Drury's Poetry Dictionary. It's filled with a load of poetic information. Click here to learn more about this and other writing titles today. 

Thursday, November 19, 2009 2:48:15 PM (GMT Standard Time, UTC+00:00)    Comments [163] 

After today's poem, we'll be 60% of the way through November. I can't believe how fast this month is moving. I've been dropping in and reading poems in the comments, and I'm looking forward to reading your chapbook manuscripts after this challenge is over. (Also, thanks for the kind words about my prompts and poems this month. Much appreciated.)

For today's prompt, I want you to write a slow poem. (If you want you can re-read that sentence in your best "slow motion" voice.) I'll let you decide what a slow poem should be.

Here's my attempt for today:

"Let us not go then, you and I"

Maybe we can feel the world turn
or watch the universe burn. We
could find the star giving the most

light as our hot sun sets the moon
on fire tonight. Shooting stars are
just meteoroids burning up

in the mesosphere; so keep your
fire near, dear, and we'll just stay here--
both burning so bright and so clear.

*****

Learn from the instructors at the Vermont College MFA Program in Words Overflown by Stars, edited by David Jauss. Click here to read more about this and other writing titles.

Wednesday, November 18, 2009 2:04:21 PM (GMT Standard Time, UTC+00:00)    Comments [215] 

Sigh. Tuesday morning, and we've already had connectivity issues and a Turkish hacker (going by the handle Cyb3rking). But poetry is a powerful force that keeps on keeping on despite wind, rain, sleet, junk mail, global warming, asteroids, infomercials, etc.

As mentioned above, today is Tuesday, which means we've got a "Two for Tuesday" offering. Remember: With "Two for Tuesday" prompts, you can write to either one or both (or none, if that's how you roll). Here are the two prompts:

1. Write an explosion poem.

2. Write an implosion poem.

Here's my attempt for the day:

"Black holes"

How they happen: A giant star
explodes. The explosion is called
supernova, which scatters most
of the star across outerspace
and leaves behind a dead remnant.

How they work: Alive, nuclear
fusion a giant star creates
balances the inward pull caused
by the gravity of its mass.
A giant dead remnant creates
no counter balance. It just sucks
so hard that even light cannot
escape, though only if objects
pass a point of no return called
darkly the event horizon.

Why they matter: Black holes cannot
be observed from the outside, so
we can only know they exist
by how they consume the burning
light produced by other objects.

*****

Want to get metrical for less than $7? Click here to learn more about Writing Metrical Poetry, by William Baer.

Tuesday, November 17, 2009 2:15:40 PM (GMT Standard Time, UTC+00:00)    Comments [182] 

Oh yeah! We're more than half-way to the finish line; kind of hard to believe, eh?

For today's prompt, I want you to take the phrase "Clouds (blank)," replace the blank with a word or phrase, make that the title of your poem, and write the poem. Some examples: "Clouds float," "Clouds rain," "Clouds don't exist," "Clouds block my sunshine," "Clouds are cool," etc.

Here's my attempt for the day:

"Clouds that don't bother to rain"

They hover over us and save
themselves for somewhere else.

We watch them pass like ghosts
searching for a better place to

haunt. We want nothing better
for our time than to see clouds

float to the horizon, followed
close by everything ever after.  

*****

Looking for poetic inspiration and instruction throughout the year? Look no further than Sage Cohen's Writing the Life Poetic. Click here to learn more about this and other writing titles today.

Monday, November 16, 2009 1:58:37 PM (GMT Standard Time, UTC+00:00)    Comments [183] 

For today's prompt, I want you to write a hanging poem. There are a lot of things that can hang (some a bit more gruesome than others). You can hang clothes, pots and pans, pictures, and other inanimate objects; there's, of course, the kind of hangings that end lives; or you can even leave someone hanging (as Tammy pointed out to me). So, I'm not going to leave anyone hanging anymore today.

Here's my attempt for the day:

"Hanging ghosts on trees"

All he needs is string, paper, and trashbags,
some branches to hold. If he reaches up,
he can tie them. In his dreams, paddle boats
are crossing the lake, and she swims across
to find him. They meet on the bridge that runs
over the stream where they would build a house
if they could. They come from both sides and meet
in the middle as the bridge lets loose. They
both, holding hands, fall and feel the cold rush
of water. And then, they see them hanging
from trees, blowing in the wind like autumn
leaves: 1,000 ghosts, trying to break free.

*****

For those interested in workshopping their poetry under the guidance of an instructor and with feedback from fellow poets, click here to learn about the Advanced Poetry Workshop offered by WritersOnlineWorkshops.com. Registration deadline is 12/24/09.

Sunday, November 15, 2009 6:05:40 PM (GMT Standard Time, UTC+00:00)    Comments [149] 

Sorry for the late start this morning. I was enjoying a rare chance to wake up and have breakfast with the family unit. Weekends only come once a week, you know.

For today's prompt, I want you to write a poem involving lines. There are several possible lines you could write about: shopping lines, pick-up lines, lines from movies or songs, lines drawn in the sand, lines that should not be crossed (physically or emotionally), and so on. If all else fails, remember: All poems consist of lines.

Here's my attempt for the day:

"Fire lines"

If only the fire burned slower;
if only we weren't surrounded;
if only we weren't all about
consuming and being consumed,

maybe then, baby, we'd gather
the earth around us and push back;
maybe then we'd try slowing down;
maybe then we would be content

to circle this fire, both arm's length
apart, and watch it fail to jump
the line, watch it with abandoned
abandon as it slowly died.

*****

Want to boost your creativity with helpful prompts and useful tips? Click here to check out The Pocket Muse, by Monica Wood.

Saturday, November 14, 2009 3:28:36 PM (GMT Standard Time, UTC+00:00)    Comments [160] 

It's Friday the 13th! For whatever reason, weird stuff always seems to happen to me on these days; I hope today is an exception--unless, for once, it's a good weird thing.

For today's prompt, I want you to write a renewable poem. I suppose you could write about renewable energy or renewable books (from the library). But there are other ways to come at this, too. Vows are renewable, as are promises and oaths. In fact, if you think about it long enough, it's hard to think of things that aren't renewable. Now, get writing.

Here's my attempt for the day:

"Phoenix"

She stands beside the fire with her
smile wired to the shadows licking
her face. He's not sure how to read
what she wants, so he doesn't try.

Instead, he walks over and pulls
her close. Enough with the guessing,
he thinks before leaning to kiss
those lips, cracking open with heat.

*****

Want to learn how to write better poetry in an online workshop environment? Click here to find out how.

Friday, November 13, 2009 1:46:57 PM (GMT Standard Time, UTC+00:00)    Comments [173] 

Quick Note: Please refrain from posting multiple previously written (old) poems in the comments. While I'm fine with 6 brand new poems, posting several old poems is kind of not in the spirit of creating. Of course, it is fine to post an older poem every so often, but let's avoid an avalanche of previously written material. Anyone with Internet access can start a personal blog for free and do that kind of thing there.

*****

So yeah, we're 12 days into the challenge, which means we're 40% of the way through it. Feels like we just started, but here we are with 12 (or more) poems.

For today's prompt, I want you to take the phrase "If only (blank)," replace the blank with a word or phrase, make that the title of your poem, and then, write your poem. Example titles might be "If only we remembered our umbrellas," "If only the train came on time," or "If only, if only." The possibilities are endless.

Here's my attempt for the day:

"If only we lived in Kansas"

Holes worn into the knees of her blue jeans,
she walks around with a buckeye-filled shoe
and, with her hair pulled back, says, "We come here
once a year to collect these and throw them
at my uncle." She hands me an empty
shoe and walks away bare-footed. I walk
around the buckeye tree, but there are no
nuts to be found. Then, a boy approaches
with a stick, which he throws into the leaves.
Down fall several buckeyes. The boy scoops
them up and runs off, leaving his stick, which
I throw into the leaves making buckeyes
fall. I throw the stick again and again
and again thinking of how proud she'll be
with a thousand buckeye-filled shoes, thinking
of how her uncle will really get it
this year, thinking this is love. When the ground
around the tree is completely covered,
I realize that I have buried her shoe.

Thursday, November 12, 2009 12:47:10 PM (GMT Standard Time, UTC+00:00)    Comments [153] 

For today's prompt, I want you to write a construction poem. When you think of construction, you may think of cranes and bulldozers and safety goggles, but there are many other forms of construction--both big and small (and not all are by humans).

Here's my attempt for the day:

"So we built a house"

In a forest. Beside a stream.
It had a front porch and windows
in the kitchen above the sink.
We surrounded the house with eight
birdhouses. We made a garden
and shared our food with the other
woodland creatures. And then, people
followed the stream to our home and
liked what they saw. So they cut roads
through the forest to build their own
remote houses. They brought children
and work with them. They brought phone and
electric companies, even
parking lots and landfills. And yes,
the Internet arrived a bit
late (as you would expect). As we
washed our dishes by hand we watched,
and eventually, we moved.

Wednesday, November 11, 2009 1:47:08 PM (GMT Standard Time, UTC+00:00)    Comments [172] 

Over the weekend, I purchased a copy of The Best American Poetry 2009, edited by David Lehman and David Wagoner. This has turned into an annual tradition, because the anthology brings together 75 poems (usually by 75 poets) by new-to-me poets and some familiar favorites. The 2009 edition actually includes two poets who've been interviewed on Poetic Asides: Denise Duhamel for "How It Will End" and Martha Silano for "Love." (Click here to read the Duhamel interview; click here to read the Silano interview.)

*****

Today is Tuesday, so it's a Two for Tuesday prompt! Here are your two options:

1. Write a love poem.
2. Write an anti-love poem.

Here's my attempt for the day:

"Front porch, windows for kitchen"

Something as simple as leaving the couch
to answer the phone. He feels his vision
closing, his body tightening. He sits
down in a pool of darkness, a shallow
dream. Everywhere, voices are searching.

Leaving the company of people is
disconcerting. She discerns a nothing
in his eyes, so she looks into them and
talks. She breathes her life into his mouth and 
knows this is the moment she always feared.

What would happen if they found their dream house,
but it was engulfed in flames? Would they try
to put it out? Would they ring all the bells
in town for help? Or would they hold their hands
together tight and watch the damn thing burn?

Tuesday, November 10, 2009 2:24:45 PM (GMT Standard Time, UTC+00:00)    Comments [217] 

Remember: If you want an easy way to communicate about the November PAD Chapbook Challenge, you can join the #novpad discussion on Twitter. (And if you're not already, you can follow me @robertleebrewer.)

*****

For today's prompt, I want you to write a slippery poem. The subject can be about something slippery (snake, soap, etc.), or the poem itself can deal with a slippery subject (I'm thinking big concepts like that have words ending in -ism might fit the definition of a slippery subject). If in doubt, just write.

Here's my attempt for the day:

"notveryreadableforhumans"

Do not use the words crash or burn
at the airport. If I could, I would
make every kiss her kiss. On the clouds
below, a golden halo forms around
the shadow of our airplane. Our shadows
slide across the pavement. Our brains
are targets for marketing departments.

I'm not sure if she thinks about me
when I'm a mile above the earth
or wondering how long until we land.

Now, when my heart skips a beat,
I'm not sure if it's love or a signal
to call the doctor. Maybe the doctor
can tell me if it's love or something else.

Over by the buckeye tree, I watch
them all crash and burn. The teens
who live here slide in together. They
just don't know any better. I made
the same mistakes they will. Somewhere
below, a door creaks open. Somewhere
above, I slide through the stratosphere
and think about the way she kisses.

The heavy silence of early morning
when the sun rises whether I'm ready
or not. Anything new is a fear; we
are number one for take off. We
hope we won't crash and burn.

Monday, November 09, 2009 3:02:51 PM (GMT Standard Time, UTC+00:00)    Comments [162] 

Quick note: There seems to be some confusion over writing to a theme for the chapbook challenge. You do NOT need to write to a theme. If you do (as I've been trying to do throughout this month), then great. But it's not mandatory. Because while a theme may help enhance the success of a chapbook, what really matters is that it contain spectacular poems.

*****

For today's prompt, I want you to take the phrase "Should (blank)," replace the blank with a word or phrase, make that the title of your poem, and write your poem. Examples could be "Should I Buy This Outfit," "Should You Leave Before I Buy This Outfit," or "Should This Outfit Be in the Title? You Don't Even Know What This Outfit Looks Like Anyway." The Clash even wrote a song to this prompt (okay, they didn't write a song to this prompt, but their song fits this prompt) called, "Should I Stay or Should I Go?"

Here's my attempt for the day:

"Should She Burn Across the Atmosphere"

Here is the hand she held. Hers closed over mine
as if it were a trap. We stared across the field
and started walking to the forest. The deep, dark
forest. She may have nudged my foot. She may
have suggested the plan. We may have devised
the plan together. On second thought, we may
not have had a plan. But soon, the field turned
to fire, and we were both running. And laughing.
Because there was no escape. Because this is
exactly what we wanted: to run and to burn.

Sunday, November 08, 2009 2:15:22 PM (GMT Standard Time, UTC+00:00)    Comments [183] 

After finishing today's poem, we'll be a full week through the challenge! Can you feel what I feel? That's right, it's progress!

For today's prompt, I want you to pick a plant (any plant), make that the title of your poem, and write a poem. Pretty simple. (Or is it?) Most people, including myself, immediately think of plants as organic creatures, but, of course, "plants" can also be places of employment or spies or...as you can see, there's always room for breaking outside the lines.

Here's my attempt for the day:

"Dionaea Muscipula"

Or more commonly, Venus Flytrap,
named for the Roman goddess of love:

This small carnivorous plant catches
animal prey that trips the bulb-like

trap. Each plant has four to seven leaves;
if it appears to have more, this is

a colony formed by rosettes split
underground. Found in nitrogen-poor

environments, the Venus Flytrap
tolerates fire well. In fact, Venus

depends on periodic burning
for its very survival. And rest.

Without a period of winter
dormancy, Venus Flytraps weaken

and die. Plants that find favorable
living conditions will live twenty

to thirty years resting and burning.
 

Saturday, November 07, 2009 2:12:51 PM (GMT Standard Time, UTC+00:00)    Comments [185] 

Wow! We're already 20% of the way through this here challenge. Those who are behind or just getting started still have plenty of time to catch up, and those who've been keeping up can feel pretty good about the progress they've already made. And it's Friday! Yay!

For today's prompt, I want you to write a poem with (or about) someone (or something) covered. A person could be covered with a blanket or blanketed with darkness. Something could be covered by water or earth or anything you can think, I guess. Or you could write a poem about how you "have it covered," I suppose.

Here's my attempt for the day:

"Running it into the ground"

Saying it doesn't mean you mean it,
but if you mean it, you should say it,
and say it like you mean it, even if
you're not sure what you should say
or how to say it so that she knows
you really mean it, because she will
either believe that you mean it when
you say it or she won't, or she won't
know how to let you know that she
believes you mean it when you say it
like you mean it, because she's not
used to having someone say it like
he means it and really means it, so do
not let intent (yours or hers) hold you
back from saying what you mean when
you really mean it, because you really
could be damned if you do and damned
if you don't, but you won't really know
where you stand unless you mean it.

*****

If you want to discuss this prompt or poem, or just want to communicate with other poets throughout the month of November, go to Twitter.com and search on the hashtag #novpad. (And be sure to follow my Tweets from my handle @robertleebrewer.)

*****

If you want a resource to help you publish your poems after the month of November is over, then you should check out the 2010 Poet's Market (also known as the best Poet's Market ever). Click here to learn more.

Friday, November 06, 2009 1:59:09 PM (GMT Standard Time, UTC+00:00)    Comments [167] 

Over on Twitter, @taunalen created a hashtag for everyone to communicate about the November PAD Chapbook Challenge easily. The hashtag is #novpad. Just use the search box on the right-hand side of the Twitter application and search for novpad and you can participate in an ongoing conversation that might even go into January (as everyone revises and organizes their actual chapbook manuscripts). Use the hashtag to share comments/critiques of posted poems, links to your November PAD Chapbook Challenge poems on your personal blogs, revision tips, and whatever else springs to mind. 

Also, if you're on Twitter and not following me yet, you can do so by finding me @robertleebrewer.

*****

For today's prompt, I want you to write a growth poem. This could be psychological or emotional growth, physical growth, or however you'd like to take it. Maybe your poem is about growing hair or growing hungry or growing impatient or...

Here's my attempt for the day:

"Don't grow old on me"

I was frightened to think I could
ever die, that I would die. Would
you look for me if I were lost? I'm
at the place where you got your
bike. Push throw to catch. Go back.
Two, one. It's in a building. And it's
somebody's. But you have to teach
it to fly. Look what I got. That's what
I have. In the middle of battle, they
can evolve. They can all evolve. But
it takes awhile. At the town right
before, you finally held my hand.

Thursday, November 05, 2009 2:13:01 PM (GMT Standard Time, UTC+00:00)    Comments [170] 

Everyone's doing a great job so far! I'm already getting excited to see what kind of manuscripts will be trickling in during December and January.

For today's prompt, I want you to take the phrase "Maybe (blank)," replace the (blank) with a word or phrase, and write a poem using that new phrase as your title. Some example titles: "Maybe we really did need a bigger boat," "Maybe next time you'll listen to me," "Maybe never," "Maybe baby," and so on.

Here's my attempt for the day:

"Maybe my pulse"

A plane passes low
so that I wonder if
it will clear the trees.

Seriously, an asteroid
could be headed
for me right now.

The very next car
that runs a red light
may find me walking

across the street,
my feet heavy
with wondering how

and when I will go.
But it doesn't matter
as long as she is there

to lean over me, breathe
into me, and coax me
out of the darkness.

Wednesday, November 04, 2009 1:52:12 PM (GMT Standard Time, UTC+00:00)    Comments [208] 

Well, I finally have Internet access again today. What a rough start to the challenge! On a positive note, I'm glad Brian was helping out, because he's the WritersDigest.com editor and was able to get everything working faster on Day 1 as a result. Just some super duper bad timing. Ugh!

*****

Today is a Tuesday, which means it's a "Two for Tuesday" prompt day. You can choose your favorite prompt; you can write one poem for each prompt; and/or you can blend the two prompts together. Your choice.

Prompt #1: Write a positive poem. Like how great writing a poem a day through November is.

Prompt #2: Write a negative poem. Like how un-great technological hiccups in November are.

Here's my attempt for the day:

"Negative Option"

Beyond this stream is a tree
in which she hides, ringing her bell
softly and waiting for the man
who wears wings and who she
wishes to surrender herself, but

he wanders inside a cave, feeling
his way along the stone walls, praising
the echo of his own footsteps and
the scraping of his wings. Meanwhile,

she waits and waits and knows
that no one will ever die and stay
dead. Of this, she is positive.

*****

Want to talk poetry today? Every Tuesday, we have a poetic discussion on Twitter, using the hashtag #poettues. If you use Twitter, be sure to friend me @robertleebrewer and join the conversation (or follow along silently). See you there!

Tuesday, November 03, 2009 2:16:41 PM (GMT Standard Time, UTC+00:00)    Comments [179] 

First off, the November PAD Chapbook Challenge is all about the fun and poeming! During the month of November, don't worry so much about finished drafts; just get the rough drafts cranked out each day. After all, you've got December (and the rest of your life, for that matter) to edit.

That said, let's bring on the bulleted list:

• You do NOT have to register anywhere to participate in the challenge. (Though if you want updates from the blog each day, you can sign up for an e-mail update or via RSS in the upper left-hand corner over there.)
• The Challenge will begin sometime on the morning of November 1 (Eastern Time U.S.). The time can vary, but don't worry if your day is ending as this blog's is beginning, because...
• The Challenge will continue until noon (Eastern Time U.S.) on December 1.
• Beginning December 1, all participants will have the month of December to revise and organize their November poems into manuscripts of 10-20 pages (no more than one poem per page, though it's okay to have one poem that runs for multiple pages).
• By midnight January 5, 2010, poets will need to e-mail their manuscripts (saved as either .doc or .txt) to me at robert.brewer@fwmedia.com with the subject line: My 2009 November PAD Chapbook MS
• Poets do not have to post their poems to the blog to participate, BUT it's a lot more fun for everyone if you do. (And remember: This is all about fun and poeming, yo!)
• I'll go through the manuscripts with the assistance of my wife, Tammy Foster Brewer (who's actually had two chapbooks published now, so she's kinda like an expert), and we'll announce a winner on Groundhog Day 2010.

There may be other rules, details, etc., which I've somehow overlooked, added later, but this gives a pretty good idea of what to expect. Can't wait to see everyone on Sunday morning!

Friday, October 30, 2009 7:12:12 PM (GMT Standard Time, UTC+00:00)    Comments [34] 

There will be no more Wednesday Poetry Prompts until December, because we're only days away from starting the 2nd annual November PAD Chapbook Challenge! That means a prompt and poem each day of November! So, I thought today might be good for a tune up or exorcism.

For today's prompt, I want you to write a bad poem. Take bad in any direction you want, but for me, I'm going to try to just write a horrible poem. (This where the hecklers can shout out, "Why try when it comes natural?") Anyway, let's get bad!

Here's my attempt for the day:

"Poem"

When I get really blue
or say "aaaaa-choo!"
or play the fool,
I think of you,

sweet, sweet linebreaking,
image making,
love forsaking

document.
What I meant
or what I want to vent
is not as important
as how the words are bent

or interpreted.
My heart beats red;
rhymes roll from my head;
I write what I should've said;
and I hope sweet poem you will never ever be dead.

Wednesday, October 28, 2009 1:52:51 PM (GMT Standard Time, UTC+00:00)    Comments [154] 

It doesn't feel like it's been a year since the last November PAD Chapbook Challenge began, but I suppose we're almost there. (Click here to read about the 2009 November PAD Chapbook Challenge.)

To get everyone in the November PAD Chapbook Challenge mood, I thought I'd interview the 2008 winner: Shann Palmer. Her 11-poem collection, Change, was chosen by Tammy and I from more than 50 chapbook submissions.

Here's a personal favorite of mine:

Patience

There must be a place
where old men wait
for wives to be ready
to couple and uncouple,

give foot rubs after
they shop for couches,
remember to buy bulbs
for living room lamps.

Bearded men who regret
haste having discovered
the wisdom of a light touch,
a dark room, a cool breeze.

A mountain understands,
endures what nature brings.

*****

What have you been up to the past year?

This year I read at the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts "Art After Hours" program, a real honor. In April, I participated in the National Poetry Month Pledge Drive for the American Academy of Poets and was one of two national winners--they sent a box stuffed with books, CDs, doodads, and flair! Published in Shakespeare's Monkey Review, the Twitter poets issue of Ocho, a poem in a new chapbook out by the Private Press coming soon. In July, I attended the Writers Workshop at West Virginia University (my sixth time) workshopping with poet Shara McCallum. Somewhere in between we've been repairing/redoing our kitchen and bathroom (like my poems, yet undone).

On November 13, I have a poetry reading with local SlamRichmond champ Tom Prunier called "Big Man, Little Woman" at art6 Gallery where I run regular readings and local art events for poets. I also play piano for a local musical improv group, Iprov--we have a festival performance on November 7. Plus all the regular life and job stuff!

What were you expecting to get out of the November PAD Challenge last year? And did you get it?

I always expect to create a group of poems to refine and hopefully, publish. If five out of thirty find a home, I'm pleased. Writing is a skill, like piano playing or composition--you have to constantly work at the craft so when the perfect motif pops into your head, you can assemble the best words (in the right order). To have my collection picked as winner was very gratifying. I'd say this was my most successful attempt! (I also PADded in April and July).

You self-published your collection Change as a chapbook. What appeals to you about self-publishing your poetry?

Self-publishing is immediate, I've been making chapbooks for myself and friends since 1997. At readings, people seem to always ask for a copy of certain poems, by doing small chapbooks, I can easily provide a copy. I suspect it also makes me lazy, since I continue doing small books instead of compiling a larger collection to submit. Not having a 'real' book probably prevents me from being asked to read or panel at some literary events.

Also, I've had the good fortune to check out some of your other self-published pieces, such as A Little Bag of Love (a little bag with love poems inside) and Poems from the apron pocket (a small chapbook made from a single, multi-folded piece of paper). Both are inventive ways to package poetry. How do you go about distributing these poems?

So many ways! I stick them in between poetry books at bookstores, leave them in coffee shops, hand them out at readings, sell them at art galleries, give them as gifts, teach workshops on how to make them, hand them to strangers on the street, send them to friends in letters and cards. I thought about stapling them to telephone poles but I'm pretty sure it's against the law in Richmond.

What do you feel makes a great collection of poetry?

Compelling poems. Great stories. Details that draw me in even when I don't have a reason to read on. Poems that don't tell me everything, give me room to bring my experiences to the page as I read. Themed collections are not my favorites--though Colosseum by Katie Ford (this years VCU Levis prize winner) is excellent. I prefer the loosely organized work of Tony Hoagland; he's my favorite poet.

Do you have any advice for poets taking on the Poetic Asides November PAD Chapbook Challenge?

Write about anything, keep it simple, don't worry if you think it's awful. These poems should be considered drafts, not finished. I've written some of my worst and best poems during challenges, the rewrite, rethinking process is where the magic happens. Most of all, don't sweat it--the poetry police will not come to your door if you miss a day--it's your words in the end that matter.

Monday, October 26, 2009 6:38:55 PM (GMT Standard Time, UTC+00:00)    Comments [7] 

That's right! We're still getting April sorted out, but the 2nd annual November PAD Chapbook Challenge is just around the corner. Every day in November, I'll post a prompt and poem. If you want, you can join in the fun, too.

At the end of November, each poet should have 30 (or more) poem rough drafts. During the month of December, you can edit, revise and organize a manuscript of 10-20 pages of poetry (no more than one poem per page) that you'll submit by January 2, 2010.

Then, Tammy and I will go through the manuscripts and select a winner, which will be announced on February 2--along with a handful of honorable mentions.

I'm not sure what the prizes involved with the challenge may or may not be, but it's more about the challenge of writing a poem a day in November and getting a chapbook manuscript together. I know I'm getting excited thinking about it.

More details will be on the way, but I just want everyone to start preparing and getting psyched up for the challenge now!

Saturday, October 17, 2009 12:05:39 AM (GMT Daylight Time, UTC+01:00)    Comments [34]