Tag Archives: Poem

June 2, 2025 · 8:56 pm

PAD 2025: Poem 4

One of the most creative poetic forms is the nonce. Which is a poetic form the poet designs for a specific poem. The poet decides the rules for a poem. On day 20 the prompt was rest. I had a line start in my head, “In the stillness of love.” 

And I wrote this poem. I am using the photo option because I couldn’t figure out how to get WordPress to keep the line breaks correct.

The idea of the rules came to me as I started the first draft. The first rule was that I would use a descriptive word followed by a simile. Through the edits, I had to work with both the descriptive word and a creative simile to match it. The third stanza went through a ton of revisions.

As I rewrote my ideas, I noticed that I had unintentionally used alliteration in the first stanza. So, I added that as a rule, and had to rework the second and third stanza again. I didn’t want the alliteration to be overbearing, but wanted it to be clear as the descriptive word was introduced in the second line.

I also went with the imagery of my hands in a type of prayer. Again, this idea came from the first stanza. Which happens sometimes, the base idea is easily transcribed on the page, then the poem is constructed from there. Honestly, the first stanza is almost as is. It is the example of the power of the muse. The other two stanzas took work.

I also like using line breaks and spaces in my more free form poems. It is something I did when I was a younger poet. I like how spaces and tabs can create flow, tells the reader to breathe. As I reworked the poem, the line breaks started to materialize as I scribbled on my yellow legal pad. But the final rules for the look was cemented when I transferred the poem to a Google doc. I could firmly set the rule for spaces and see how it moved on the page.

Because of the challenge of writing and posting a poem in a day, I went with the ending as I wrote it. I am unsure of the ending at the moment. I may revise it later, but the poem is presented here as it was written for that day. 

Have you ever designed your own rules for a poem? Share your experience in the comment section.

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May 31, 2025 · 4:46 pm

PAD 2025: Poem 3

On day three of the PAD challenge Robert asked us to write a short poem. Nothing longer than 10 lines. Now, there are quite a number of short poetic forms, Robert provided a few in the overview of the prompt for the day. Creating a poem in a few lines, and with the presented rules of a particular form can stretch one’s creative mind.

Throughout the month I wrote some short poems because of how the prompt inspired me. For day three I specifically wanted to use a poetic form. Without any idea for the poem, I decided to write a Shadorma. I like this poetic form (you can expand the poem by making stanzas from the guidelines).

But I had no theme or prompt word to go with it. So, I had a different hurdle to overcome. Here is the poem I wrote that day. I will discuss how I got the idea afterwards.

My heart is

a candle whose flame –

surrounded

by darkness –

jumps and sparks trying to keep

the light from fading.

Writing in poetic forms has a built-in challenge. Meshing my ideas within the rules of a form can take days, even weeks for me to accomplish. Throw in a short poetic form, and write it in a day for the PAD challenge and I sat there drinking my coffee with my head spinning.

With or without a poetic form, short poetry is not easy. The theme and intensity of an idea has to come through in just a few words or lines. And it has to hit the reader, hard. At least I think it does. Short poetry should be like drinking a shot, full flavor that then sits warm in the reader’s mind.

The idea for this poem started with the candle that sat on our island. We tend to keep a candle on the island that we light at the end of the day. Just a part of our family routine. I noticed the burnt wick, dark and frayed. Then, I started to consider how bad the year had been. I then considered the sayings about a single light against the darkness. In my mind I saw a candle in the middle of darkness, how small the light was. I thought about how fast the darkness would be complete if the fire on the wick sputtered and went out.

I had my idea. 

I used my lunch period to work through the poem. I started with the metaphor, “My heart is a candle…”  I actually had to work line 3 and 4 through a few different versions. These lines are only three syllables long. I wanted the tension of the darkness surrounding the flame to come through, to have that tone of sadness to hit and stay throughout the poem.

Here is where punctuation makes a difference in the poem. I could have used commas. But the emdash created the tone I wanted for the weight of the darkness. I then continued with the imagery of the flame that was fighting to stay alive.

Writing this poem encompassed the importance of punctuation, the challenge of short poetry, and how everyday objects, the candle on the island, can be the spark for inspiration. I think the poem also reinforces the power of writing in a poetic form, it can make you really delve into word choice, theme, and expression that you might not normally do.

Let me know what you think of the poem, or of any of the ideas I discuss in this post. Share your thoughts in the comment section.

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May 30, 2025 · 9:06 am

PAD 2025: Poem 2

Robert Lee Brewer has some favorite prompts he uses for the PAD challenge. One of them is the BLANK prompt. Robert gives a word and the filler BLANK with it. As poets we are supposed to use it as the title of the poem. This poem was written for the prompt, New (Blank).

“New Hands”

I wish I had new hands.

These do not write great poetry

or handle precious things properly.

–

My hands are callous and scarred

from traveling too far 

from other hands

that only wanted

to know

I would never let them go.

–

These hands have broken 

bread with no intention

of keeping

the promises set

at a table

I was invited to

but no longer 

have a seat at.

–

I wish I had new hands.

These ache

with the weight

of carrying

the expectation

of caring 

for a family tree

I’ve never enjoyed 

the shade of.

I planted my own sapling

in soil I created

by breaking the stones

that held generational sins.

–

I wish I had new hands.

These are pale

from years spent in darkness,

fighting against the scales

Fate used in measuring

my worth.

No matter what I paid,

what dreams I placed 

on the plate,

it never balanced

my life’s fulcrum

because Fate

kept its thumb

on the plot

I thought I was writing.

–

I wish I had new hands.

These are failing

in doing the work

of living a life

worth holding on to.

Poetic Form: Spoken Word

I sat with the idea for this poem for a while because of doubt. I am not sure what triggered the idea of having new hands, might have been just noticing my hand as I drank my coffee, but I was unsure of the idea. The idea of replacing my hands simply seemed unrealistic.

The line, “I wish I had new hands” just kept running through my head. I considered some poetic forms that use a refrain for the idea. Poetic forms like the quatern, the dansa, and the kyrielle. But as I wrote down a few lines, the forms didn’t feel right.

I actually tried to come up with some new ideas for the prompt, like “A New Day”, “New Words”, and some other ideas written on a post-it note. But I couldn’t shake the idea of new hands. I couldn’t shake the doubt either.

In fact you can read the doubt in the first stanza. 

I’ve learned over the years to trust the muse more than doubt. It is hard, but once I take the first steps into the idea my creativity takes the wheel. Besides a few edits, this poem is as it was written on the yellow legal pad I used for writing during the PAD challenge. I wanted to write in longhand for each first draft during the challenge.

I also stayed with the more negative idea of why I needed new hands. But kept the idea of a refrain to start each section that dealt with the reason for why my hands were falling. I also focused on how the poem sounded as if I was at a poetry slam. That is why there is inconsistent rhyming, alliterations, and different line breaks.  I do hope to use this poem in a poetry slam this summer.

The writing of “New Hands” highlights the battle I face sometimes between doubt and the idea the muse gives to me. 

Please feel free to share how you deal with doubt in the comment section.

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May 27, 2025 · 8:32 pm

PAD 2025: Poem 1

I thought it would be fun to share my creative process for 5 (of the 30) poems I wrote last month for the Poem A Day challenge. I did something like this in February and I have always enjoyed the stories of inspiration from artists. I have a number of iTunes Originals albums that combine an interview with music from the artist. So in that vibe, here is the first of five blog posts about writing poetry. Side note: I use the prompts provided by Robert Lee Brewer of Writer’s Digest.

Day 11 Prompt: Nature

“Clouds”

Even 

when they look like a child cut them out of white fabric, 

clouds are in constant motion. 

Edges shifting, 

water vapor colliding with dust. 

Internal turmoil

that we can not see, 

only feel when we get caught in the rain. 

Poetic Form: Descort

First, the descort poetic form is one of my favorite forms to write in. The rules are simple, no line can be the same in the poem. That means no rhyming, different syllable count, no repeat of literary elements. Each line is unique. I love the challenge this form gives.

During the month of April, I tried to learn the prompt for the day as soon as I could, usually as I took the first sips of my coffee. That way I could think about it and try to write a rough draft during my lunch break. But on this day the idea came to me on the drive to school. Ironically, this is the second poem that was inspired during the same time (The Creative Process). 

The horizon is clear for the last part of our drive to school, and the sunrises can be beautiful. On this day the clouds caught my attention, they were moving, shifting. And here is where ideas can be generated because you are thinking about something specific. The muse can be called. You do not have to wait for inspiration.

Knowing I had to write a nature poem, my thoughts started to center on the clouds, and why they changed. Even though I wasn’t looking at rain clouds, I thought about what triggers the cloud to release the rain. 

When I got to school I researched how clouds generate rain and what conditions allow for the rain to fall. I had already decided that the theme of the poem would be centered on us (people) not knowing what a cloud was going through. A metaphor for people not knowing what other people were going through. Also, I had already decided that I was going to use the descort form because of its shifting style. In this case I felt the form perfectly matched the theme of the poem.

After researching how rain worked inside a cloud, I jotted down my main ideas. Very rough first draft.

Now, there is a mix of magic and artistic goals in any work of art. I wanted the poem to start out on a positive note, then move to the rain, and finish with the reveal of the theme. I knew I wasn’t worried about rhyming, but I did have to pay attention to my line breaks because each line had to have a different syllable count.

I think I revealed the tension of internal conflict well in the opening three lines (in fact a single sentence). Then I used the information I learned about rain and finished with my theme. That we don’t know the internal struggle of clouds (people) until we have been caught in the rain.

This poem’s creation came rather quickly, but highlights the importance of researching so that descriptions can be accurate, and that creativity can be generated with a focused mindset.

Let me know what you think of the poem, or if you just want to share your creative process with me in the comment sections.

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February 28, 2025 · 4:29 pm

The Creative Process Part 2

Every week there is a poetic battle challenge (X account is @The_PoetryArena) I compete in on a regular basis. Prompt word is revealed on Wednesday. Then poets submit their poems on Friday / Saturday. Five poems are selected as finalists on Monday. The community votes on Tuesday and then Wednesday the winner, crowned as the Voice Of Valo(U)r, provides the next prompt word.

This morning the muse hit me again as I was driving to school. I had this idea of “sheltering in place”. And I honestly don’t know where the idea came from, but as I was driving the idea blossomed into an idea of a newscast stating the command.

Again, when I got to school I started jotting down the idea. The first draft was kind of short and actually more like just the idea. I had some lines down but more notes of imagery and theme.

Then came the second draft.

The poem wanted form. This honestly is the magic of writing. I didn’t actually research more traditional poetic forms, I ran with the idea of using a rhyme scheme of AxAxBxBx and so on. I did think about syllable count per line, but decided to run with a more natural break in the lines.

As you can see I had to actually identify the rhyming lines because as I edited for flow and word choice, I got lost on which line needed the rhyme.

Another magical aspect about this poem is that I had no idea how it would end. As I wrote the poem, the theme emerged through the rhymes and play on words. And I also felt the weight of what is going on in our country mix with the tension of what I believe life should be about, come through in the lines as I wrote. I wasn’t planning on a happy ending… but it is an honest ending.

I did some heavy editing on the second draft, then transferred the poem to my computer so I could submit the poem to this week’s battle. And so, it will be interesting to see the poetic journey this poem takes.

The overall process was the same for each poem, but this time there was more work involved in the final draft. Even though I wasn’t using a traditional poetic form (which sometimes calls for a lot of editing) this poem’s creation was more intense. I had to mesh the rhyming rules with my idea. That work was a joy though.

Feel free to comment about your creative process in the comment section or on social media.

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February 27, 2025 · 10:12 am

The Creative Process

Yesterday, the muse hit me as we were on our way to school. I was driving, so I kept repeating some lines of a poem in my head so I could jot them down when I got to my classroom. As it happens, more lines came to me as we got to school.

As soon as I sat down, I released the poem onto a yellow legal notepad. I thought it would be fun to share my creative process on X as I spent time working with the poem.

Here are those posts:

Post One:

Love the creative process… first is jotting down the lines I had in my head as I was inspired on the drive to school…

Post Two:

The second step (for me with poetry) is to consider if the main idea of the poem can be better expressed through a poetic form. So what I will do is consider the rules of longer poetic forms (the poem is a page long at the moment. If a form stands out I will rough draft (cont)

the poem in that form. Then I have to make a hard creative decision. I decide if the poem works in the poetic form, or as written. I will still work on word choice, flow, things like that after that decision… I’ll let you know what I decided when I get the chance…

Post Three:

So step two has been completed. I will not be using a traditional poetic form, I will work with the poem as it was written on the page (step three). Forms I did look at: cywydd deuair hirion, kyrielle, rimas dissolutas, and Ya-du to name a few….

Post Four:

Step three of the process is the work on the poem. I have edited the original draft, but now have rewritten the whole poem on a new sheet of paper working the edits in. The 2nd draft also focuses on line breaks, tempo, things like that… I will rewrite the whole poem (cont)…

a number of times. I do that so I experience the whole poem, not just the edits. When I feel I have the poem ‘right’ I will transfer it to my computer.

Post Five:

Side note for creativity… To a degree I trust my gut regarding decisions about the poem. No poetic form felt like it would enhance the theme of the poem, trust the feel of the words on the page as I write. So, there is always the risk of getting something ‘wrong’ (cont)

in the sense that the poem isn’t the best it can be. Or the bridge to the reader is not strong. But the more one works on their craft, they can trust their gut more, and be OK when it doesn’t seem to hit correctly…

Post Six:

Step 4 is easy. Transfer of the work onto my computer. But step five is a challenge… what to do with the poem. I was going to share it in the next post, but as soon as I do that I can not submit the poem for publication consideration… And I like how this poem (cont)

turned out. I like the imagery and the theme. I want to share it, but am now thinking about seeing if someone else would like it enough to publish it. So, at the moment I am going to submit it to some journals. Hope you enjoyed this look into the process of writing a poem today!

And so I have a new poem in my folder “unpublished 2025” and I am looking for opportunities to submit the poem. 

When I write blog posts (like this one) and short stories, even my novel ideas. Step one is kind of the same. I do like to get ideas down on paper, even if I use my phone to record an idea, like I do when I walk. I personally like the sense of creation as I write. The feeling of the pen, the way the ink evolves into words. 

In some ways, I can’t forget about that idea because it is in the real world. So, would love to hear about your creative process. Share in the comments, or reach out to me on social media. 

Here’s to a creative day!

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May 11, 2024 · 8:12 pm

There are no more flowers

Yesterday I took a walk along the more residential route in my neighborhood. This route takes me by the house where the gentleman who inspired the poem “To the Old Man Gardening During a Pandemic”. Faithful readers know that his house is now owned by another family (“A Post For the Old Man and his Garden”).

I now have an answer to the question about his flowers… they are gone.

The trees still dot the backyard, but all the flowers have been replaced with grass. There is not a single flower left. 

I stood at the T junction where, in the backyard he grew a variety of flowers that ran parallel with the streets. The roses would follow you when you turned right. Then tulips. As spring turned to summer that turned to fall, new colors would appear as seasonal flowers bloomed.

Now it is a sea of green. I can appreciate the open space for the children. To run, to play catch or frisbee.  But don’t children deserve flowers, too?

But I know what reality I was truly fighting in my heart. That when we are gone, time can remove the evidence of our lives. Yes, I remember his garden… but I never knew his name. I’m sure there are neighbors who notice the change to the yard, but soon, they will forget the flowers, too.

I am sad thinking about it, but also I remember him sitting on his bucket, working the ground. Season after season. Somehow I know he was happy when he saw the colors of his garden come to life. The pride he felt everyday was expressed in the beauty of his backyard. We would always give each other a small wave hello when I walked by… maybe that is what I miss the most.

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October 30, 2023 · 8:09 pm

And Now What?

My newest book of poetry is now available, While Death Waits.

It has been almost three years since I published my last collection of poetry (These Words Believe in Ghosts).

I wrote almost 300 poems in the time between the books. While Death Waits has only 62 of those poems. I have written about 100 blog posts in that time. Produced 7 seasons of my podcast For Love of Lyrics (season 8 in the works). And my son and I have done 40 episodes of The Creative Moment podcast. Been a guest on Dr. Michael Ingram’s Quintessential Listening: Poetry Online Radio podcast twice. I have also been on Josh Grant’s Diabolic Shrimp show, twice!

I also taught poetic lessons for Move Me Poetry for their Teach Me Tuesday event. I have competed in two slam contests. Attended a handful of open mics in town (they have suspended the open mic nights for now). 

And nothing has really changed.

Why am I sharing this info with you? Two reasons.

The first is I am honored to have done so many cool things. To meet people like Dr. Michael Ingram and Josh Grant. To build community with the poets at Move Me Poetry. 

I have strengthened my poetry by stepping out of my comfort zone by competing in poetry slams and designing lessons. 

I have been able to have deep conversations with my son and share my love of lyrics with people through podcasting.

I have written some cool poetry (yes, this is a plug for my book).

But I wouldn’t have done these things if I wasn’t chasing a dream. My life is richer because of my pursuit of being an author, being a poet people recognize.

But that is also the second reason I am writing this blog post. Nothing has really changed. I am still basically an unknown poet, unknown writer. Chasing dreams is hard. It challenges your convictions. Calls forth doubt like a sudden winter storm that draws out tears like slivers from your heart. The weight of fear and frustration wears me down, so I write about it…

which spurs me forward in chasing my dream of making a difference in this world with my words and leads to opportunities that I would never have if I didn’t chase this dream.

I’m excited to see what will be next… of course, I’ll write about it, so stay tuned.

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July 5, 2023 · 8:17 pm

The Challenge of a Challenge

July challenge, write a blog post each day. 

Day 5… what to write about?

Writing a poem every day in April was somewhat easy because there was a prompt each day. I checked the prompt in the morning, then spent the day thinking about ideas, and investigating poetic forms I thought would work.

This blogging challenge isn’t as easy. WordPress does have a few prompts, but they haven’t changed in a few days. And I don’t really feel inspired by them. Add that today was one of those days that had me running around. So, I haven’t had time to just sit and write. It is almost 8 o’clock and I am finally sitting down to blog.

So, why do this? It would be easy to just let a day slide.

It is always easier to just let something slide for a day, then two, maybe a week. Much of what brings us real joy in life can be put off for some other time. Another time when we feel more energized, not drained from work, or the desire to just scroll on our phones keeps our attention.

We can take a walk tomorrow with our kids. 

We can get back to the book later.

We can go fishing when it is not so hot.

We can always call / text someone later.

We all let moments go, thinking that we will get to them later. Too many of those moments would bring us joy, happiness, or a sense of accomplishment if we completed them. That’s why they cross our minds, something is telling us we are missing this from our life. But we will let go… for another time.

One of the toughest hurdles is that nothing bad happens if we let the moment go. No one really cares if I write this post or not. Nothing will happen to me. Well, kind of…

First, I will let myself down. I promised myself to do this challenge, as I have done for each month. It is important to hold up your promises to yourself. That is the basis of confidence and sense of living a life you are proud of.

Second, this challenge, as have been the others, are activities I think are important to my life. I love writing. I love this moment, headphones on, notebook or computer open, and the rush of articulating the ideas in my head and heart onto paper. Add the rush of hope that someone will read it… that my words might make a difference for someone, and I am happy. 

This is a year of challenges. Some from the chaotic power of life, the twist and turns we all go through. The choices we make with what to do with our time, who we spend it with, and just the simple act of living. But also of challenges I have given myself. Challenges that tap into what brings me joy, allows me to spend my time doing more fulfilling things and feel like I have lived. 

But isn’t that the challenge we all have? To live life to the fullest measure of who we are…

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June 29, 2023 · 10:09 am

Self-Help Post

A little backstory.

My in-laws recently moved into an assisted living community. For the last couple of weeks we have been getting their house ready to sell, cleaning and organizing things. Of course I was excited to go through the books. I found one box filled with a range of self-help books.

Collection of self-help books.

If you look closely at the book, How To Stop Worrying and Start Living, there is this information, “Revised for the 1980’s!” So, I had to check the copyright date… 1944!

According to a report from SkyQuest (a growth consulting firm) in 2021 the global personal development market made 41.7 billion dollars. 

A Google search for self-help books produced 3,940,000,000 results.

I have read some of these books.

Some of my blog posts would fit under this umbrella term Self-Help.

What’s going on with us?

First, there is nothing wrong with gaining information from others to help you reach your goals, or to become a better version of who you are. Honestly, one of the reasons I blog is to help others. And I don’t make any money from my blog.

So, discovering insight from others or even just getting inspiration to help us in life is great. For any part of our lives. I attend conferences for writing, teaching, and coaching to gain ideas, to be inspired, to learn. 

But it seems we are spending a lot of money searching for something. 

The first self-help book was published in 1859 by Samuel Smiles, Self-Help; with Illustrations of Character and Conduct. (Yes, I see the unintended irony of his name for this topic.)

What is interesting is that Samuel Smiles’s book was based on the idea that a person should actively learn and help themselves, which is one of the ideas of the Age of Enlightenment. 

I don’t think our modern self-help philosophy is based on this idea. 

Now, you might be thinking this is where I go off on a rant about the change in our society… Nope… Because in 1859 Samuel Smiles wrote a book trying to help people become happier, to become better versions of themselves.

In 1807 William Wordsworth wrote the poem, “The World is Too Much with Us”.  I teach this poem in class, and we discuss how the poem reflects our modern day.

So, we have always looked to the stars for something. Walked to the horizon, but never reached it. Love has broken our hearts. Yet, we get lost in the eyes of another. Hugs heal us. We take time for granted, over and over again.

We are human. 

There is no easy answer to our lives.

What I do know for sure is that LOVE is real. That we need each other. That happiness is found in small moments, like a board game, or in big events like moving your son to his new town.

I’m not selling an answer to your quest for a better life, I’m just here with you, and that is a start.

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