The Poetry Marathon

Text Prompt

For this year’s first formal prompt the challenge is to write a nonet. This poetic form requires that you write a 9-line poem. In the first line there are 9 syllables, in the second 8 syllables and so on down to final one syllable (ninth) line. You can learn more and read an example here, but it’s origin is unknown.

If a nonet does not appeal to you, you can always write a Shakespearean sonnet or my favourite form of late a zuihitsu.

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Text prompt

Write a poem using at least 5 of the following 10 words/phrases.

Forest Ranger

Skyscaper

Periwinkle

sourdough

Cloud

needle

gumboots

beat

spread

storefront

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Text Prompt

Write poem about any holiday in December/early January.

Contributed by Nancy Ann Smith.

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Text Prompt

Take a common saying like “To get lost is to learn the way” or “Don’t count your chickens before they hatch” or “This too shall pass,” as the basis of writing a poem. 

Contributed by KV Adams.

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Text Prompt

Try and condense the plot of a book, any book, into a poem. It can be very direct and recognizable, or abstract and obscured.

Prompt contributed by Evelyn K. Parrish.

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Text Prompt

Write a poem exploring the word normal. It could be in the context of pre-pandemic life and the present, how normal needs to be better,or about how normal has always been different within your family. Any interpretation or interaction with the word normal, works as a response to this prompt.

Idea contributed by Shirley Durr.

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Text Prompt

Write a poem about walking without ever using the world walking in it.

Or

Listen to the song at the link and write with it playing, or after it has played.

Second prompt contributed by Bhasha Dwivedi.

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Text Prompt

You find a time capsule buried in the backyard of your new home (or anywhere else, depends on you). What’s in it? How old is it or its probable story is up to the poet.

Contributed by Bhasha Dwivedi.

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Text Prompt

Grab a book from your shelf. Read the last line in it. You have to use that line as the first or last line of your poem (with credit). If you don’t have any books near you load this page, and scan down till you find the right one.

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Text Prompt

Write a poem that repeats the same line three times, and then end on a variation of the repeated line. It could be a little different, or vary different, depending on what serves the poem best.

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