Poetry Friday--A Challenging Year Ahead!

I don't do New Year's resolutions. What I do is devise a challenge. Several years ago I challenged myself to write a haiku a day. It worked until sometime in August--8 months! Not bad. Last year I made the same challenge to myself. I don't even think I made it through the first two weeks. The difference between the two years? Habit. I stuck to the first challenge long enough for it to become a habit.

This year I have challenged myself to write a poem a day. It makes no difference what kind--children's, adult, haiku, free verse, etc.--almost anything will count! It's now day 9 and so far, so good. Another week or two and it will become a habit and I won't have to THINK about doing it, I'll just do it.

Do you want a challenge for yourself? If so, try to write everyday using the fabulous prompts at easystreet prompts. There you will find striking visuals and "random words and phrases" to get you started. If you don't want write on a daily basis, there are several weekly poetry challenges you can take:

Laura Salas has a Thursday challenge "15 Words or Less Poems," which I mentioned here before. I've been participating regularly for more than a year now. It's something I look forward to each Thursday morning before I go to work, and, it's one of the reasons I'm often late to work, too!

Tricia holds a Tuesday "Poetry Stretch" at The Miss Rumpius Effect. You can find the first "stretch" of 2009 here.

Every Saturday there's a prompt posted at Totally Optional Prompts. The latest challenge had to do with writing a sestina, quartina, or tritina.

Remember, you can do any of the above challenges without posting your work publicly. Write for yourself. The whole idea is to exercise your poetry muscles! If you don't like exercising at the gym, you do it at home, right?

Here's the poem I wrote for yesterday's "15 Words or Less Poem" challenge:

WINTER

Petrolatum
colloidal oatmeal
vitamin E--
salves, lotions,
oils,
and creams.
Nothing alleviates
skin cracks...
but spring.

It was inspired by the photo Laura selected as a creativity starter, but really, it comes out of my personal battle with red, raw, hands! See what others created from the same prompt, here.

Challenge yourself to make poetry a habit in 2009--write it, read it, celebrate it!

This week's Poetry Friday Round-Up is being held at Picture Book of the Day.

--Diane