Category: Poetry

April 2, 2016

Write: Reach into Hearts

Life is captured in the words we join. That is their beauty and their horror. That is their power.

Categories Inspiration/Poetry Comment: 1

March 25, 2016

5 Celebrities Reading Lewis Carroll’s Jabberwocky

Speaking of celebrities reading poetry and other literature on youtube, a lot of people seem to like to post themselves or celebrities reading Lewis Carroll’s “Jabberwocky.” Why that poem in particular? I’m not sure. Perhaps, it’s because of the acting challenge. When so many words are made up, reading with meaning and feeling can be more difficult (how do you say...

Categories General Thoughts & Updates/Poetry/Videos Comment: 1

March 21, 2016

Brave New Voices Competitors Shout the Power of Poetry

I don’t know about you, but I think the fact that some young people are embracing poetry as a means of expression is awesome. The Brave New Voices Festival encourages teenagers to get involved in poetry and gives them a place to share their works, and these three girls used that podium to make a big statement. The continuing recognition and...

Categories Poetry/Videos Comments: 0

March 20, 2016

What Is a Poetry Slam Anyway?

The words “poetry slam” make me think of a strange combination of two things: people wearing black who snap their fingers instead of applauding and Gallagher (maybe, the hulk). Which is absolutely ridiculous because that’s not what it means at all (though I guess the first thought could be related – there might be some black clothing). No, a poetry slam...

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January 24, 2016

A Real Rhyme Challenge of a Writing Prompt

Ok, here’s the deal. Pick a type of rhymed verse (one with a set meter and rhyme scheme), and set up all the words for the ends of the lines – all the rhymes in the order that they have to be used. Then, write the rest of the poem without changing any of those words. That’s right. You have to...

Categories Challenging Exercises/Poetry/Poetry/Writing Prompts Comment: 1

January 23, 2016

The Rhyming Dictionary: A Poet’s Prized Posession

I’m a little too happy with that alliteration. But anyway, back to rhyming dictionaries. The magic wand of the poet – or maybe, the magic bullet (at least, that’s how it feels sometimes). I imagine most of you know what a rhyming dictionary is (if not, the name gives it away), and although not many people buy hardcopies anymore, there...

Categories General Thoughts & Updates/Poetry/Writer Resources Comments: 0

January 22, 2016

You Don’t Have to Know the Rules to Break Them

But it helps. At least, it helps you break them well… But, seriously, if you want to break all the rules of grammar and punctuation, write poetry.

Categories Grammar & Editing/Humor & Wordplay/Poetry/Quotes, Words, & Phrases Comments: 0

January 4, 2016

Legendary Heroes: A Fantasy of Poetry & Song

Centuries before books, movies, and electric lighting, people had far fewer options for entertainment in the evening. One major source of entertainment was telling each other stories, stories about exciting adventures and heroes. 9 times out of 10, those stories were told in poetry or song. That’s something we’ve lost. It’s not altogether our fault – it happened before we were...

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January 3, 2016

The Power of Poetry & Song

I have never met someone who didn’t like music. Oh, I know tons of people who hate specific genres of music and are very willing to argue about which music is worth listening to, but I’ve never met a soul that was completely unmoved by all music. Music is powerful, and people generally recognize that. Yet there are plenty of people who would...

Categories General Thoughts & Updates/Poetry Comments: 2

January 2, 2016

A Painting That Speaks: A Beautiful Quote by Plutarch

Now, that’s a new year’s resolution worth trying for!

Categories Poetry/Quotes, Words, & Phrases Comments: 2