Tuesday, December 10, 2013

December Mini Poetry Challenge Day 2



Welcome to Day 2 of the December Mini Poetry Challenge. I'm so glad you came by! You may start writing at any point in the challenge and finish writing at any point in the challenge. Just leap in and be welcomed.

To recap: Yesterday, we wrote along the theme of demolish or demolition and you will be glad to know there is always a method to my madness.

Today we are going to build on the theme of demolishing.(Yes, the pun is intended.)

If you wrote a poem yesterday, choose three lines that you feel are particularly well crafted AND they speak to you.

If you didn’t write a poem yesterday, take then minutes to free write (stream of consciousness, without thought, just let your pencil flitter across the page). When you are done, pick out three phrases that speak to you.

Those three lines are now going to go from a state of being demolished to a state of a new beginning.


Those lines you chose are now today’s poetry writing prompt.

I am going to suggest a hypnotic writing technique. Start with one of the lines or phrases and begin writing it over and over and over. Yes, actually make the words with your pencil or pen or your fingers on the keyboard over and over and over again. After you have done that for a moment or two or five, other words will start pushing through. Allow them to push through. Allow them to take the lead.

Continue to write for between seven and fifteen minutes and then stop.

Right here is the raw material for your poem of new beginnings.

Word Prompts:

New Beginnings (and) Demolishing

Word/phrase/sentence prompts of your own creation as noted above.

If you would like to attach a form possibility, try out pantoum, a Malaysian form of poetry that has a lovely rhythm and cadence to it which always helps me to find deep surprises in my own words. Here is a link that will tell you how to create a pantoum.

I’m going to try it myself.

Thank you for being here for Day 2 of the Mini Poetry Challenge!

-- Julie Jordan Scott

1 comment:

  1. Writing in Pantoum form is strictly optional. More important than any of the prompting, etc is to just enjoy yourself as you write poetry. I'm so glad you are here!

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