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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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. 

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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?

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.

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.

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.
 

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.

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.

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.

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!

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!

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.

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.

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!