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Here you will find various prompts to hopefully jumpstart your poetic fingers into writing. Try for daily writing time, but even a weekly poem is better than nothing at all Setting up a regular routine for writing can result in a lot of poems written on the fly, often without fine tuning. But it also can spark the beginnings of a new poem that can be honed later. What the challenge does is, it inspires writing. Any one can jump in when and if the prompt moves them. If you are so inspired go ahead and share your prompted poem in the thread and identify which prompt you followed. Of if it turns out a winner maybe share it in Member's Poetry where it will be commented on. I will do my best to add the prompts and forms here in this thread in case someone here could benefit from a little nudge. Don't expect me to be punctual with the prompts No judges here, just nudges. ~~Tink

Tepkunset, She Who Walks in Moonlight Time was, only the people hunted here, every blade of grass had meaning. Prayer was a walk in the moonlight, kindness was given to the earth, until the big canoes came from across the waters. Noise from their fire sticks brought thunder to our land, sadness sat with the fever they spread. Elders made powwow to stop the threat, tokens were exchanged and treaties made. Spring blossomed in the earth’s way hope opened its heart, eager to marry new ways with the old ones. Wistful and curious, her watchful eyes blinded, a young girl obscured herself in the night. Waiting to steal into their camp and see the future for herself, longing replaced wisdom keen to touch shining trinkets and pots of metal. Instead of the sparkle of sunlight, nocturnal shadows played before her. Moonlight shone off her midnight hair, only the hoot of an owl nearby, could be heard. Listening with her spirit, instinct born of time, with grace, caution returned. She happened upon a broken war lance, turned and walked home led by the moon. ~~Judi Van Gorder Acrostic

Al Hagopian A name from my childhood,let me tell you about him.He was my Dad’s best friend,Armenian by birth and passion,glistening dark eyes, bear hugs,open laughter and big family gatherings,platters of strange yummy food.I thought of him today while watchinga movie,”Promise”, about Armenian genocide by the Turks.Now I wonder, did his family immigrate here fleeing the horror? ~~Judi Van GorderNotes: ▼

April is National Poetry Month Many poetry sites are encouraging writing a poem a day. This thread is my daily poems for April. Comments are welcome Please join me in creating your own thread of daily poems, it is never too late to get writing. ~~Tink

The Great Eisteddfod (an Acrostic *Quadrina Sonnet done in the intricate Welsh meter of **Englyn Lledfbroest, making use of ***Cynghanedd Sain in several lines and internal rhyme in most) by Frank Coffman The Welsh schools and rules of rhyme— Old treasured measures most proud— Under laws of clause they croon Grabbing words like birds deployed, Harvesting strong song from soils: Each mote a sweet note of chime. Seeking the peak, the bright jewel, That soon may croon them the crown. Each year they gather around— No choice voice devoid of ploys— Great bards providing hard proof; Lines from the mines of their minds: Youths, old sing gold as they glide, Now near perfection they toil. *The Quadrina Sonnet is my invented form, based upon the regular stanza changes of the Sestina. The rhymes (in this case ASSONANCES on the diphthongs long I, oy, oo, and ow—as close as we can come in English to the Welsh form) as 1234 4132 2431 in the first 12 lines and then using the diphthongs—two each in each of the last two lines—to make up for the final 1234 quatrain of the Quadrina proper. **Englyn Lledfbroest is, properly, a heptasyllabic quatrain on the diphthongs ae, oe, wy, ei (not precisely possible in English, but the diphthongs I’ve chosen are as close as we can come). The meter, as in most Celtic language poetics is syllabic, not measured in “feet.” *** Cynghanedd Sain is one of the standard Welsh “harmonies.” Two words in the line must rhyme with the second rhymed word alliterating with the final word of the line. I have used this in the lines that are underlined in the poem. ****Internal Rhyme is, of course, not specifically Welsh, although many of its meters require it. Englyn Lledfbroest does not, but I have added it in almost all of the lines. It’s required (as noted above) in Cynghanedd Sain.

(no offence to Native Americans or current correct nomenclature) A Bark Canoe Drifted darkly, Elegantly, mutely Floating acutely Guiding the crew Holding just a one Its occupant, on a brave Journey, native Kayak is Lopsided, Red Man called Nanook onward glided; Oilskinned coveralls Protected from squalls by Quilts made from a Rich harvest of Seals skins he prospected; Threat to life unsuspected Unexpected! Alack! Violent arrival of rivals War party - attack!!! X eskimo since PCs "Inuit" though he never knew it, nor could he intuit; Young Nook gets off the harpoons hook like an ever so slippery arctic seal; Zigzagging to an igloo, unbagging says: Here hun, is it you? Nose rubbing to do and a blubbery meal.

pensive offerings expressing my sensibilities

We suddenly are chilled by cold In no time tin supplants the gold Nature’s clock rings a rude alarm The bumps pimple my naked arm Exposure to our sun-fled open air Requires us donning winter-wear

Explore the Craft of Writing Poetry Greek Verse Acrostic, Greek for "at the tip of the verse". is a poetic technique or device that dates back to 1000 BC in ancient Babylonia. The first letter of each line or stanza spells out a name, a word, the title of the work or even a sentence or phrase. Ben Jonson created an acrostic as an intro to his classic play, The Alchemist, spelling out the title in his argument. The skill is in disguising the acrostic so that it is not obvious. In modern times, this form is most often used as light verse and occasional poetry. But how exciting to read a serious piece in stanzas, and upon explication discover an acrostic stanza within its midst, giving emphasis to a name, title, phrase etc. I wonder if our subconscious reads the acrostic, even when we are not aware. The elements of the Acrostic are: written without prescribed meter, rhyme, line #, or length, but all can be structured at the poet's discretion. written with the 1st letter of each line within the stanza spelling out an acronym, name, title, phrase, or sentence. Poets have even placed the acrostic within the poem such as the first letter of the first line, the first letter of the 2nd word in the 2nd line, the first letter of the 3rd word in the 3rd line and so on………… often used for light verse or occasional poetry, but can be very effectively inserted into a serious piece. The Argument (Intro to the classic play The Alchemist by Ben Jonson (1572-1637) THE SICKNESS hot, a master quit, for fear, His house in town, and left one servant there; Ease him corrupted, and gave means to know A Cheater and his punk; who now brought low, Leaving their narrow practice, were become Coz'ners at large; only wanting some House to set up, with him they here contract, Each for a share, and all begin to act. Much company they draw, and much abuse, In casting figures, telling fortunes, news, Selling of flies, flat bawdre, with the stone, Till it, and they, and all in fume are gone. --Ben Jonson writes this acrostic predominantly in iambic pentameter with rhyme. sublime by Judi Van Gorder a hidden message consciously placed, raising awareness by the tapping of the mind's subconscious resource to patiently influence thought, caress the imagination. secretly ranting slogans uttering personal praise leading gently by eloquent execution. August by Judi Van Gorder avacados ripen upon heaving limbs while a gecko skitters up a plaster wall under the palapa roof and chicadas sing their tenored song.... Nanook's Journey by Frank Gibbard Purple Pen by Judi Van Gorder Tepkunset by Judi Van Gorder Sub genres of the Acrostic are: Acrostic Sonnet is simply writing any sonnet form with the addition of adding an acrostic phrase or word from the initial letters of the lines. Abacedarius is an Acrostic with the letters of the alphabet appearing in the initial letter of each line rather than a word, name or phrase. This use of the acrostic was thought to connect the secular with the holy and can be found further described in Semitic Poetry. Adagem is a variation of the Acrostic in which the first word of each line conveys a message when read downwards. Compound Acrostic spells different words down the first letter of each line margin and last letter margin. Double Acrostic or Mirrored Acrostic was a popular verse in the 1800s apparently spurred by Queen Victoria's favoritism. She is said to have used this technique in her own writing. It was sometimes viewed more as a puzzle to be solved than a verse form. The verse can either spell the same word down the first letter of each line margin and the last letter of each line margin or spell a word or phrase down the first letter of the line and another word or phrase up the last letter of the line. This piece is said to have been written by Queen Victoria and was found at Poems of Today and Yesterday NapleS ElbE WashingtoN CincinnatI AmsterdaM StambouL TorneA LepantO EcliptiC Mesostich spells a word down the middle letter of each line of the poem. Pruntiform is a recent invented acrostic form created by Randy Prunty in which the words of the first line of the poem are sequentially the first word of each subsequent line. The structure of the poem is at the discretion of the poet. You can also use the title of a book, movie or poem (with 3 or more words in the title), begin each line of your poem with the sequential words from the title. The subject could describe the book etc named or it could be about anything. The frame of the verse is at the discretion of the poet. Unnoticed by Judi Van Gorder Water does not remove the stain For it is deep and indelible. Elephants dance in the attic. Spine Poem is a relatively new invented form of acrostic. It appears to be an exercise sometimes used in classrooms. You really don't write anything at all. It is a technique of stacking books so that their spines line up creating line of the poem with their titles. The trick is to line up titles which sequentially might actually make a little sense or tell a story. Children's book titles seem to work best. Where the wild things are 10 little monkeys jumping on the bed Goodnight moon. Telestich, sometimes referred to as a Citsorca ("acrostic" spelled backwards) is the exact opposite of an acrostic. A word or phrase is created from the last letter of each line. Indigo by Judi Van Gorder (a telestich) Need to cast off the ennui, the inertia of seven long days of the flu, a dead lump like too much chili in my stomach, roiling, urging me to go. Triple Acrostic was also found at Poems of Today and Yesterday and was understandably rare. As the name implies the letters of the right margin, the center of the line and the left margin each spell out a phrase. These were apparently found in Puzzle books of the early 20th century.