Month: January 2020

Alphabet Puzzles

Many forms of poetry are like puzzles—you try to fit the right words into a certain order or have the right number of beats/syllables on each line. Here are four poetry puzzles. Choose one to solve today and come back to this when you’re stuck for a topic some other day.

1) Can you use every letter of the alphabet in a poem? The letter can appear anywhere in the word and can be in any order.

2) For the next puzzle, you need to use a word starting with each letter of the alphabet in order. You can add other words between your words to help your poem make sense.

3) How about starting each line with a letter of the alphabet? How long a poem can you make that makes some sense?

4) Pick one letter. Can you write a poem using twenty words that begin with that letter?

Set your timer for 7 minutes

Don’t think about it too much; just do it!

Start writing!

Kelly Bennett and I began this 7-Minute Poetry Challenge over 1300 days ago. We now take turns creating our own prompts to share with you. If you join us in the 7-Minute Poetry Challenge, let us know by posting the title, a note, or if you want, the whole poem in the comments.

Library Shelfie Day

Hooray! It’s Library Shelfie Day!

Observed every 4^th Wednesday in January, Library Shelfie Day was founded by the NYPL (New York Public Library) as a way to celebrate and share our books by arranging a few favorites or entire collections on a shelf. Take a picture and share it on social media with the hashtag #LibraryShelfieDay. As we do, let’s observe Library Shelfie Day with a poem.

First, choose a few of your favorite titles…

Arrange them into a social media worthy collection and post it or not as you choose.

Then use your collection to create a poem.

Write 3 to 5 of your chosen book titles on a paper. These titles will form the basis of your poem. How you arrange them is entirely up to you. You may choose to use the titles exactly as they appear or mix words and phrases around. Feel free to add words to improve the poem. Or change the form of the words. However, there is one rule: You must use every word from every title. 

Set your timer for 7 minutes

Don’t think about it too much; just do it!

Start writing!

Kelly Bennett and I began this 7-Minute Poetry Challenge over 1300 days ago. We now take turns creating our own prompts to share with you. If you join us in the 7-Minute Poetry Challenge, let us know by posting the title, a note, or if you want, the whole poem in the comments.

National Hat or National Bagel Day

Think of words that have to do with either hat or bagel. Come up with words to describe your pick, words you think of when you have one or the other, or words that those objects remind you of. Now use those words to form a shape poem. Fit the words into either the shape of a bagel or the shape of a hat. Make it beautiful!

Set your timer for 7 minutes

Don’t think about it too much; just do it!

Start writing!

Kelly Bennett and I began this 7-Minute Poetry Challenge over 1300 days ago. We now take turns creating our own prompts to share with you. If you join us in the 7-Minute Poetry Challenge, let us know by posting the title, a note, or if you want, the whole poem in the comments.

Joy Germ Day

In the midst of cold-flu-ick-crud season, everyone’s trying to stay germ free. But, there’s one germ I’m hoping goes viral:  The Joy Germ!

Celebrated every January 8^th, National Joy Germ day is a holiday created to remind people “that by being positive and treating people with kindness, we can influence those around us and pass that positive attitude on to others.”

Joy Germ day was established in 1981 by Joan White of Syracuse, New York, in honor of her mother.  Here’s Joan’s prescription for observing Joy Germ Day: “Laugh, smile, be kind, inspire and spread the one type of germ that is good for everyone to catch!”

Joy Germs

What’s your Joy? Imagine you are a scientist in a happy lab concocting your own Joy Germ. What ingredients would you use? What’s your Joy? What does it smell like? Taste like? Sound like? How would you spread your Joy Germ?

Write a poem titled “Joy Germ”

HOW TO OBSERVE Joy Germ Day:

Throughout the day, see how often you can spread the JoyGerm! Use #NationalJoygermDay to post on social media.

 “May a giant jar of jaunty joy germs rest gently on you and yours.”—Joan White National Joy Germ Day: https://nationaldaycalendar.com/national-joygerm-day-january-8/

Set your timer for 7 minutes

Don’t think about it too much; just do it!

Start writing!

Kelly Bennett and I began this 7-Minute Poetry Challenge over 1300 days ago. We now take turns creating our own prompts to share with you. If you join us in the 7-Minute Poetry Challenge, let us know by posting the title, a note, or if you want, the whole poem in the comments.

New Year’s Day!!

At the beginning of the new year, everyone seems to have the best intentions. The most common resolutions people make are: exercise more, eat less, spend more time with family, get organized, save money, learn a new skill.

One thing that helps people succeed with their resolutions is when they tell other people what those resolutions are. Therefore, we’re going to write a resolution poem. First, think of three to five resolutions you would like to make this year. Then write a couplet (two lines that rhyme) about each resolution. Finally, share your poem with a friend—and get the friend to write one too. Reread your poem (and your friend’s) at least once a month to remind yourself of what you’re trying to do. Good luck!

And Happy New Year!!

Set your timer for 7 minutes

Don’t think about it too much; just do it!

Start writing!

Kelly Bennett and I began this 7-Minute Poetry Challenge over 1300 days ago. We now take turns creating our own prompts to share with you. If you join us in the 7-Minute Poetry Challenge, let us know by posting the title, a note, or if you want, the whole poem in the comments.