poetry month: keep the change

For today’s prompt, write a change poem. This could be a poem about something that has changed or something that will change. Changing tires, clothes, or perspectives. Change left over when paying for something with cash. Feel encouraged to change it up today. — Robert Lee Brewer, Writer’s Digest

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change

Certain moments hold the weight of change

Heavy as we look back over time

After stands so starkly from before

Not even belonging to the same life

Grant me strength to carry, then,

Every burden into the light of today

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When I think of acrostic poems, generally I consider them childish. I wanted to see if I could compose one and make it seem as natural as I could, rather than having the forced feeling I usually expect from the form. I am happy with this first attempt. I’m enjoying the shorter poems I’ve worked on the past couple of days. I think editing down my ideas helps me focus on what is important to say.

(Here’s Robert Lee Brewer’s list of 100 poetic forms)

form poem day: attempting a nonet

We’re two weeks into the challenge now, and our second “Two-for-Tuesday” prompt falls on the 14th, which gets me thinking about sonnets. For today’s prompt:

1. Write a form poem (here are 100 poetic forms to choose from) and/or…

2. Write an anti-form poem. I get it; some people don’t like forms.

If you feel like a form doesn’t quite give you direction for today’s prompt, write a poem about something with structure or form, or write a poem about chaos.

(So I chose:) The nonet poetic form is simple. It’s a 9-line poem that has 9 syllables in the first line, 8 syllables in the second line, 7 syllables in the third line, and continues to count down to one syllable in the final (ninth) line. — Robert Lee Brewer, Writer’s Digest

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I should not wait so late in the day
to check the poetry prompt and
attempt to corral my thoughts
into some kind of sense.
By evening I
have spent all
the good
ones.

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This afternoon, I looked at the list of 100 poetic forms. I read about several (alphabet, the bop, concrete), and made a stab at catena rondo before I settled on nonet. I wrote another nonet before this one, but didn’t care for it, then realized my brain was too tired to keep trying the tricky types. So, lesson learned! Earlier poeming tomorrow.