The Poetry Marathon

Hi all, Is there a way to jump to the beginning of the (many pages from) 2021 Marathon so I can read the posted poems? There are thousands of pages of posts and comments and would like to start at the start. Advice appreciation. Bravo/a all!

Submissions to the 2021 Poetry Marathon Anthology are open now and will stay open through the 25th of July!

We our pleased to announce that our editor this year is

Read our guidelines carefully before submitting.

All submissions must include two poems, no more, no less. Only one submission per person.

All submissions must be made via the email address – poetrymarathonsubmissions@gmail.com

DO NOT email us at the email address we use for all other communications!

The subject line of all emails must be Poetry Submission. Poems must be included in the body of the email.

All poems submitted must be written during the 2021 Poetry Marathon. All poems should be completely edited and as much as possible contain no major grammatical errors. Revisions are allowed and encouraged before submitting. Please check your punctuation. All poems should be single spaced. Any extra space will probably be interpreted as a stanza break. 

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. Also indicate your location. Please include a link to your page on the Poetry Marathon.

Thank you for following the guidelines! I know they might seem a little strict but they make it possible to put together an anthology in a few months. The anthology should be published this fall.

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

After the poems are published in the anthology all rights return to you.

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 selling the anthology will go towards covering the cost of the marathon.

Poems should be cut and pasted into the body of the email. If the formatting is important you can attach it as .doc or .docx.

This year’s anthology editor is Cynthia Hernandez.

Cynthia Hernandez experiences life as poetry and expresses it through writing, photography, visual arts, and her relationships. Born and raised in Washington State, Cynthia has enjoyed a lifelong love affair with rain, sun, wind, trees, rivers, lakes, mountains, and the vast waters of the Puget Sound. When not writing, taking photos of birds, flowers or sunsets, or throwing herself into her work at King County government, Cynthia can be found in conversation, celebration and presence with her son Gabe, family, and friends. Cynthia has self-published two collections of poetry and is working on a third. She has thrice completed the full Poetry  and looks forward to it each year. .

Getting lost in a book

is safer by far

than taking a ride

in a sly Uber car

where the driver is banned

from all of the bars.

It’s better, and grand

to be holding the hand

of a kind caring hero

than to mistakenly tryst

with a real absolute zero.

Instead of a party

where the snobby and haughty

shun and ignore you

fairy tales and happy endings

with shimmering weddings

fairy godmother’s allowing

after midnight rule-bending.

In lieu of work and woe

changing nappies, stubbing toes

making magic I’d be

‘neath a big willow tree

and Harry would see

and then befriend me.

Instead of vehicular gridlock

Angry people, horns blaring havoc

by the bay I’d be frocked

with best bud, our arms locked

a feast beside us on the dock.

When a bad day I’d have

people I can’t save

and the world seems to cave

but a good book of prose

brings me a rose

and a crown on a throne

feels like a second home

and I’ll ne’er be alone.

– Sandra Johnson, 6/27/21

Inspiration: “Books were safer than other people anyway.” – Neil Gaiman

Against the current

Swelling and gushing

Frothing and foaming

Pooling salivating drool

Rising up into a crescent

And breaking!

With a thunderous roar

Swaying with the waves

Of harmless doubt

Swirling with ripples

Of pulsating excitement,

Then plunging

 To deep despair

Dancing in the glittering water

Of a vast blue sea

Calling and shouting

Pleading mercy

Wailing and yelling

Bursting torrents of rain

From the heart of an abyss

Engulfing, drowning darkness

Of sounds and sights

Flailing, bobbing plights

Desperately splashing

A slapping whiplash

Stinging and soothing

With a mindless void

Crushing and pulling

In a swirling vortex

Of babbling confusion

And watery eyes

And from amid

The emerald darkness

The blind rages

Of a despairing monster

Shoots a ray

Cracking and shattering

The watery illusion

A spark!

Diving in the heart

Of the heartless waters

And bubbling and bobbing

Floating and failing

Breathing and losing

Trickling and teasing

Rippling in waves

And spraying

Droplets of

 Hope.

Do you see the water,

Cupping in my hands?

And do you see my tears,

Trickling steadily?

That the water roared and rumbled

And made a great gurgling sound

And the pipe trembled and burst

Spilling water all around

And gently it cascaded

And steadily it cascaded

And gravely it cascaded

Nonchalantly it cascaded

To the nonchalance

Of hundreds of men

Blind with tears

And sticky with sweat

Who never got a drop

Of cascading water

On my laptop crashing!

A Sonnet

My pen and paper are more powerful
Than my computer – machines break
And give me grief
While pen and paper serve my needs!
I will keep a duplicate of all I create
No matter how long it takes!

Machines sabotage, take your life over
Don’t let them ever be your lord and master
Be innovative, be smart
Write with your pen it is an art
Stay forever hopeful
Enjoy each step of your journey
See where it takes you even faster!
As nothing crashes nothing breaks!!

The Yew Tree

Go and plant a tree
It is our wedding anniversary
I certainly will I said,
I went and bought a Golden Yew
It’s leaves for me
And berries for you!

The Yew is fifty years old
Is always covered in green and gold
It’s berries twinkle in the Sun
Much loved and admired by everyone!
A mistle thrush comes to the Yew Tree
And sings its song for you and me
Each evening so sweetly and so long
Renews our ties each year anew
For you and me and the golden Yew.

Buddha teaches.

Alll is impermanent
Your foolish attachments
Stand in the way of freedom
Why crave for material things
You can take nothing with you
They are hindrances

Instead rejoice in each
Moment of your day
Fill it with love and light
Each morning is a new beginning
Each night for restful dreams
Wake up each morning
With renewed joy in your heart.

A Love Poem

My Love knows no ageing
It is forever bright and Young

My love is nurtured daily
With your tenderness and care

I kiss you and caress you and share
Lovingly my few remaining years

My Krishna, you are all that I hold dear
You are my heart and my soul

For eternity I would sing
And dance with you my forever 💕 love.

Nature Heals

We do not know enough
About how nature heals
Trees protect our climate
Give us life and new cures
We are still ignorant of truths
Such as photo-synthesis
It shows us trees talking to trees
Warning them about disease
To stay healthy and safe.

When a tree is hit by lightening
It feels the trauma and it’s body
Shakes and shivers, feels the pain
Let us preserve trees, they are life
Let us nurture them and hold them
And hug them and respect them
They have much to give and teach us.