The Poetry Marathon

Hi! My name is Marci Darlington. I am 61 years old and I live in Mt. Sterling, Ohio with my husband John and our dog Cat Stephens. We just lost our yorkie, Charlie about a month ago. My parents also live with us in a mini apartment we added on to the back of our Victorian home. We have only been here for 4 years but we love it. I have lived in Central Ohio all of my life. We have 5 grown children between us and 10 grandchildren with another just announced to arrive in January. I am a parks and recreation director in West Jefferson and sit on the village council in Mt. Sterling. I have tossed my hat in the ring to run for Mayor this November (what was I thinking!). This is my first marathon. I have been dabbling in poetry since my good friend asked me to sign her autograph book when I was about 10. I am excited for the challenge and I am hoping to get tips from all of you seasoned marathoners. Here’s to an awesome 24 hours!!

I do have a quick question or two?  How do I decide which group to join and also for a first time marathoner, should I make all my poems along the same theme or random?

The random prompt for this morning’s practice round was to write a prose poem about an animal and then add the line and stanza breaks. Due to getting used to uploading the poem again, I thought I better post the draft version so sadly, it isn’t well edited due to time. This gives me a sense of what tomorrow will feel like in ‘real time’.

You are no fluff ball of fur
but short-haired and bright orange,
like the sun during the fire haze.
Your belly is not dragging on the ground
but you flatter for a gluttony of attention

and food.

You are not docile rolls of extra weight
but lean and wild, like a tiger. Your striped
tail harkening to your presence in the young
bamboo shoots where you hide. Instinct
driving your haunches low to the ground

for hunting.

You do not greet me at the door when my
work day is done but come running to see
me, anyway. Even when cars make the
way dangerous. Your two-syllable name
rolling off my tongue easily, as if you

were mine.

Good Morning Fellow Poets,

My name is Debbie Hainey and I am excited to begin my Half Poetry Marathon once again with all of you!  This a wonderful chance to express our feelings and ourselves, and to be creative and press forward in our beautiful world. I love writing poetry and short blogs on my group called “The Heart Speaks” which is on Facebook.  It is a closed group created by my daughter.  Writing poems, feelings and small or large quips or free verse on this fun group helps my mind, soul and body to exist and create and mostly  to release tensions or happy thoughts. I have joined The Half Poetry Marathon two other times and enjoyed it thouroughly! It challenges my mind and my soul and plucks at my heart strings. When the Marathon is over I feel very accomplished and peaceful as I sit back and simply smile.  I hope to meet some of you in this endeavor as we splash our thoughts onto the bare screen, and share  our hidden beauty from inside our hearts as our words dance onto the empty page! We will watch our covered seeds of thoughts push through the ground level and blossom into glorious blooms of creativity! Good luck to each and all! Have a Blessed Day! Thank you Jacob & Caitlin Jan’s for this wonderful opportunity!

Hello hello,

I’m Isabelle and when I signed up for this marathon I thought ET meant European time. Turns out…. it doesn’t. However, mama didn’t raise a quitter, so I will bravely set my alarm for 3 in the morning and attempt to write something moderately okayish despite the lack of sleep, it’ll be fun lol

In anticipation, I wait…
to welcome you with open arms
Words that otherwise whisper
in my ears
And slip away before I can savour them

In the poetry marathon,
we each have a role to play
Words, you don’t elude me
And I promise
to nurture and cherish you

Poetry you are welcome in this time and space.  Enter with your transformative energy to share life, love, and peace.

Hi, everyone!

Looking forward to the marathon and writing 🙂

Over the years, my words have gotten away from me. I have not seen nor heard from them. Not a note. Not a letter.

I leave the lights on for them. The nights are silent without the faint, persistent scratch of pen carving meaning into paper.

Here I will run after them with fire blooming at my heels.

Waiting … just like bubbles filling up the coke bottle

Hey there! I’m a budding writer/dreamer looking for some magic in the world. In my quest, sometimes amazing things happen in the form of stories or poetry. Here’s to sharing!

https://writemagic99.wixsite.com/thewritemagic