The Poetry Marathon

Some Movies Need to be Unseen

I wrote some quarantine poems in April, and baked and hunkered down in May. This is my first attempt at anything resembling a poem this evening before bed. I’m looking forward to June 27.

We couldn’t remember his name
at first.
That one actor always plays
the same madman.
No wonder this film was so hard to find.
Every one, the cops
are all evil.

That’s another thing
that has to change,
we agreed.

I smell nicotine,
though neither
of us smokes
in the apartment.
We open the front door
and the warm night air
welcomes us
more than
we’re safe to venture.

Nothing like
going to the movies
in your bedroom
to remind you
why you’re hiding
in your bedroom.

Hello Everyone 2020

Hello everyone! I’m Ana Marie, and it’s my first time joining The Poetry Marathon from the Philippines. Thanks to Jacob and Caitlin.

Thrilled as I am to be part of this exciting event I hope that things will run smoothly on the day itself, and look forward to completing the Second Half Marathon.

I enjoyed giving life to my poetry in Friday Flash Fiction and recently In Three Line Poetry in addition to The Collective Journalblog, which I maintain, moreover I would like to be inspired in breathing new life into fresh poetry.

I know that this exercise is going to be a challenging one, but I am looking forward to enjoying the task and learning from this experience. I’m glad to be writing with you all. Let’s get creative and craft away.

 

Hello!

Hi, I don’t remember a time in my life that I haven’t loved poetry so I am thrilled to participate in my first poetry marathon. I teach secondary English courses – AP Literature, Creative Writing, and Junior English – and am an adjunct at the local community college. I have journals full of poetry and I self-published a book of poetry after teaching a writing course through the Greater Kansas City Writing Project. What else? I have two grown sons and will celebrate 27 years of marriage this July. In 2015, I earned my doctorate in educational leadership. I co-founded a non-profit (www.babygrace.org) and am currently a local site director.

I am an avid reader  (I am at 27 books for the year – goal is 75) and tea drinker. My current favorite poets are Billy Collins (his Facebook Live videos during quarantine have been amazing) and Mary Oliver who asked us “what is it you plan to do with your one wild and precious life?” and finally, “light/is an invitation/to happiness,/and that happiness/when it’s done right,/is a kind of holiness,/palpable and redemptive.”

I look forward to writing with you and hope we find just the right words to express what we are feeling.

Anne

 

Hello Marathoners

Here we go…
Alarms set.
Clocks set.
Inspiration ready.

Greetings from Vita to Poetry Marathoners

Good Day! My name is Vita Lusty. I live in the desert of Coachella Valley, close to Palm Springs and Joshua Tree in the United States.  I am in the single mother of two very small girls, Beatrix and Miette.

My work is published in Chicken Soup for the Soul, HuffPost, Medium among other small literary presses. I have not been able to write as much since my liberation from mother to single mother. The last three years were spent in deep meditation, survival mode and healing. The COVID-19 quarantine now affords me the time to write.  I usually write nonfiction but am eager to just write.

With the recent changes to life and lifestyle, I struggle to rest my mind and sleep. I am excited to drive this energy into a creative task. Maybe, after the marathon, I can finally sleep.

 

 

Poetry Marathon 2020!

Aloha Poets!
I am so excited about our upcoming 2020 marathon! I have been working on lists of prompts and topics, as well as people for or about whom I would like to write a poem.
Funnily enough, iced water was a great comfort last year, so I have planned to pick up some good waters and crunchy, chewable ice, as well as great dark chocolate, popcorn, and strawberries and blueberries. That should hold me for snacks.

With so much going on in our world right now, this year should result in some phenomenal poetry. I look forward to pouring over all of yours!

Much aloha to all of you!

E.

Mari Maxwell Intro

Hi,

I’m Mari Maxwell, currently living in Mayo, Ireland. I’m a former journalist/ombudsman now writing fiction, flash, memoir, poetry and more. I’ve been in a Covid writing slump and saw this and thought hey…words on the page, something to work with and edit. 🙂 🙂 YES!

I’m a first timer here but looking forward to the challenge. I’m just coming off a nine month mentoring programme with Words Ireland with well known Irish writer Nuala O’Connor. It has been an amazing learning experience and her guidance has brought my words and writing process to new levels. I’m finding there is still so very much to learn.

Happy writing everyone! I’m also on Twitter @MariMaxwell17 and Facebook.

Greetings!

Hello Poetry Marathoners!

I am thrilled to be participating in my third half-marathon. I want to thank Caitlin and Jacob once again for giving us this fabulous opportunity. The last two years, I came away with several poems I have been able to edit, and I hope with this year to be able to do the same. It is a tough contest, and I usually prepare by checking out the prompts and writing for an hour, then doing another prompt. A few days later, I replicate the same practice, but add in another hour and another prompt. Last year, I was able to get up to four hours in one day as a practice session before the actual contest.

I also usually prepare snacks and meals to have on hand for fuel, and I always get one walk in – during the hour I feel most stuck, or the hour I have something written fairly quickly. I am so looking forward to this year’s round. The prompts are challenging, but brilliant, and the community of poets offering feedback and encouragement are so inspiring.

I am a published author of eight YA Hi-Lo novels and though I have created my own chapbooks of poetry, I am still waiting for a publishing break with my poems. Happy writing to all!

Cristy

A little about me

1. I am Mariam Ali Mohammed a 16 years 10th grader, from Ghana in the city of Accra.Writing poems has been my passion for the past 3 years. I lost this passion though, when I lost my only parchment that has all my poetries in it(all the poetry I was able to write). So I decided to give up this passion for writing poems in June  2018. But then, it refused to go away for too long, because my absence was making it feel lifeless.My passion was back from its short journey in September 2018, when my teacher forced me to write a poem, knowing perfectly well that I had abandoned that passion.And I never let that passion  go, till today when I am preparing myself for a poetry marathon.

Am still hoping, praying and not wishing, that , I will be able to jump over any trap in my path to progressing in the life of poetry.

I have decided to start laying bricks to build a wall like Will Smith said. Rather than just building a wall.

 

Sign up for the 2020 Poetry Marathon

Sign up is now open for the 2019 Poetry Marathon! You can sign up here.

The 2020 Poetry Marathon starts at 9 AM ET on Saturday June 27th and will go till 9 AM ET on Sunday the 28th of June.

Those who are interested in doing a half marathon start at 9 AM ET on June 27th and go till 9 PM on the 27th. Or they will start at 9 PM ET on the 27th and continue to 9 AM on the 28th.

The goal of the poetry marathon is to write and post one poem an hour for 24 hours. Half marathoners post a poem per hour for a 12 hour period.

This is an international event with participants from all around the globe. Generally 500 people attempt the marathon. You do not have to be a poet to participate. To find out how to convert your timezone go here.

To learn more go here. To sign up go here.

If you are interested in participating please sign up by the 23rd  of June! We will get back to applicants on a rolling basis. Most people who apply will be accepted. If you have not heard from us a week after applying please send us an email at poets@poetrymarathon.com. Please do not try and contact us through the FB page.