The Poetry Marathon

Snap Shot – Bonus Poem Hour 25

Outside the window darkness
resides, looking both normal
and deep, waiting for me to fall asleep.

Yet just beyond, a bird does
chirp, awakening nature speak.

What’s peaceful too, are my two cats
who sleep and do not wake despite
me being awake in front of them.

“We’ve done it,” they all cry out,
or seem to. “We kept her up through the night,
to finish the marathon as planned.”

I barely hear them as I start snoring, my clock is up,
and I must rest, the sun peeks over the horizon.

Congratulations Poetry Marathoners

You did it! Congratulations! I am very impressed! You wrote 24 poems in 24 hours. This is an achievement that few poets ever accomplish. Although, if you are a returning marathoner, some of you might be accomplishing it for the second or third time or fourth or even fifth time!

Now you should probably go get some sleep.

After every marathon I have participated in I, have been filled with exhaustion but also a tremendous sense of achievement. I hope you have that too.

In the past I have personally verified that everyone who applied for a certificate was eligible and then I would make a certificate. That is not possible this year and so we will be operating on the honor system.

If you completed the full 24 hour Poetry Marathon please consider the following certificate yours, to update with your name, to print if you choose to do so. We will be taking feedback into consideration, so if you really feel strongly about this new state of affairs please email me at poets@thepoetrymarathon.com to explain your position.

Only use the link below to access the certificate if you have completed the Full Marathon. Congratulations again on your completion of The Poetry Marathon. The version that you will download should be easy to edit and add your name to.

The link to the image for editing is here.

The visual example of what the certificate will look like is right below this text.

Also remember that this year we will be putting together a 2020 Poetry Marathon Anthology.

Submissions will open July 6th and stay open till the 25th.

All submissions must include two poems, no more, no less. The subject line of all emails must be Poetry Submission. Poems must be included in the body of the email. The email address is  poetrymarathonsubmissions@gmail.com. But do not submit early! You must follow all the instructions below!

All poems submitted must be written during the 2020 Poetry marathon. All poems should be completely edited and contain no major grammatical errors.

The first word of every line should not have a capitalization unless it is intentional! Word has an auto caps feature that you can turn off by following the instructions below.

You must indicate which hour each poem was written in. Only poets who completed the whole or half marathon will be eligible to submit.

There is no guarantee that by submitting your poem will be selected although the goal is to include one poem by everyone who submits.

Digital copies will be made available for free to any contributor. Print copies will be available for a reasonable price and any money that is made from them will go towards covering the cost of the marathon.

Want to know what the 2019 Poetry Marathon Anthology was like? Pick up your copy here.

My Mother’s Clothes

She was a fashion bug in the 60s

Then a sexy dresser in the 70s

Then a shoulder pad mama in the 80s

Then a suit and silky pant person in the 90s

Then a yoga pant and long top in the 2000s

Then an old house dress in the 2010s

And now she still in the old house dress.

But she was a beauty queen in the 50s

Sunset #23

Today I saw the sun set
For the 26th day in a row
Birds fly by, the day’s work done
As I stand at my window
And dream of home
Sunflowers in the hedge
Curry on the stove
Scents of comfort and hope.

I wither away longing to leave
But the world outside is caught
In perpetual dusks without cease
Like a beautiful song that goes on for too long
I understand the Little Prince
As he watched his 44 sunsets
And think of how often we smile
When sadness becomes too heavy to bear.

Congratulations Second Half Poetry Marathoners

Congratulations Half Marathoners! I am so happy that you have completed 12 poems in 12 hours! That is wonderful. Thank you for joining us in this madness.

In the past I have personally verified that everyone who applied for a certificate was eligible and then I would make a certificate. That is not possible this year and so we will be operating on the honor system.

If you completed the Poetry Half Marathon please consider the following certificate yours, to update with your name, to print if you choose to do so. We will be taking feedback into consideration, so if you really feel strongly about this new state of affairs please email me at poets@thepoetrymarathon.com to explain your position.

Click on the link below and download the edit ready certificate if you completed The Half Marathon. Congratulations again on your completion of The Half Marathon.

Here is a direct link to the image for editing.

The visual example of what the certificate will look like is right below this text.

Also remember that this year we will be putting together a 2020 Poetry Marathon Anthology.

Submissions will open July 6th and stay open till the 25th.

All submissions must include two poems, no more, no less. The subject line of all emails must be Poetry Submission. Poems must be included in the body of the email. The email address is  poetrymarathonsubmissions@gmail.com. But do not submit early! You must follow all the instructions below!

All poems submitted must be written during the 2020 Poetry marathon. All poems should be completely edited and contain no major grammatical errors.

The first word of every line should not have a capitalization unless it is intentional! Word has an auto caps feature that you can turn off by following the instructions below.

You must indicate which hour each poem was written in. Only poets who completed the whole or half marathon will be eligible to submit.

There is no guarantee that by submitting your poem will be selected although the goal is to include one poem by everyone who submits.

Digital copies will be made available for free to any contributor. Print copies will be available for a reasonable price and any money that is made from them will go towards covering the cost of the marathon.

Want to know what the 2019 Poetry Marathon Anthology was like? Pick up your copy here.

Teacher’s Best Friend

My lunchbox

Waits patiently for me.

Bent and square,

Sometimes forgotten

On the counter

Or in the car.

It cradles

My peanut butter sandwiches

And granola bar,

Longing for

My embrace.

Where Tennis Balls Die

There is a place where tennis balls die

And before slobbering pups are born,

And there, their fuzz grows worn and frayed,

And there, their covers are torn away,

And there, their dogs are told to play

In the tall green grass of the park.

 

Let us leave this place where canine cages cramp

And the dark dogs are chained and muzzled.

Past the Petco holding an obedience class

We shall walk with a walk that is harried and fast,

And watch when the cars with dogs drive past

To the place where tennis balls die.

 

Yes, we shall walk with a walk that is harried and fast,

And watch when the cars with dogs drive past,

For the dogs, they mark, and their masters, they know

The place where tennis balls die.

My Gift (hour 24, prompt 24)

All my life I’ve had a gift
A way with precious words
That when the right ones come to me
I put them into verse
If I try to force it
Or change it, just like that
If I try to make it different
I’ll lose it and that’s a fact
If I betray what I’ve been given
I’ll never write, again
And in that moment, I would die
Now, back to my pen…
~Mandy Kocsis©2020~

Greater Gifts (Prompt 24)

The greatest gifts I’ve ever gotten
Are the ones most strive to erase
The traumas and the burdens
Brought me to a higher place

The Island

The island awaits.

Rising in the morning light,

I must reach it or perish.

Like a colossus

Rising out of the water,

I hope I make it in time.