In the Get ready newsletter that Maureen published before the start of April, she mentions venues for places where you can go to nip inspiration or provide new insight.
O Miami runs until the end of April. Here’s a synopsis of who they are:
“O,” is a direct address of the beloved.
“Miami” is our beloved.The mission of the annual O, Miami Poetry Festival is for every single person in Miami-Dade County to encounter a poem.
Each festival begins on April 1 and runs until April 30. During that month, we work side-by-side with Miamians to bring poetry to the forefront of civic life, co-producing, on average, 41 events and 23 projects.
https://www.omiami.org/events
Oh, yes, O Miami has caught my attention mainly because I have friends in the area. In hindsight, I should have checked them out first (at the beginning when I had more energy) before deciding to set sail, Solo on this, my maiden voyage at NaPoWriMo.
I don't need accolades -- poets don't compete or need accolades, they cannot help the words that appear on the page through them-- and they know it. But an occasional message to take back to the muse for doing a great job is always welcomed. She questions me-- my muse does, you see. Like Mama used to do. "So what did your godmother say? "Did she eat the cake? "With her teeth in this time, or did she swallow it down with Ruby Rich (wine) again? "Did she like it-- how do you know?" Mama wanted to know it all. Sometimes I feel Muse is Mama disguised in drag.
But really, no worries– everyone here on the forum has been amazing to me. In my naivety, I was not aware that there were other places (besides WP) where one could set up a website. I’m so impressed. Too bad we cannot give likes or comments easily across borders.
Anyway, if you decide to check out their website, dear friends in Miami (or elsewhere– it’s the world wide web), perhaps you can start by penning your own short poem by playing along to their Zip Odes fun. Anyone can do this, I think. What fun! Share it by email with me, please.
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Now onward to the (optional) prompt for Day 18. Thanks, Maureen.
This one comes to us from Stephanie Malley, who challenges us to write a poem based on the title of one of the chapters from Susan G. Wooldridge’s Poemcrazy: Freeing Your Life with Words. The book’s table of contents can be viewed using Amazon’s “Look inside” feature. Will you choose “the poem squash?” or perhaps “grocery weeping” or “the blue socks”? If none of the 60 rather wonderful chapter titles here inspire you, perhaps a chapter title from a favorite book would do? For example, the photo on my personal Twitter account is a shot of a chapter title from a P.G. Wodehouse novel — the chapter title being “Sensational Occurrence at a Poetry Reading.”
Photo Image by Please Don’t sell My Artwork AS IS from Pixabay
PRACTICE * the blue socks As a Nonet: 9/8/7/6/5/4/3/2/1 syllables Walk like a lady, my mama said brother would rush to show me how I'd pirouette to socks pile find my blue dotted ones yes! knee-high, pompoms soft 'n bouncy 'til tangled lady like * As a Shadorma: 3/5/3/3/7/5 syllables lady-like Mama scolded me Tom showed how yes, pompoms soft but tangled, bucked my knees sock-ed lass walking * Unclassified-- 10 lines of 8 syllables "Walk like a lady," Mama said Brother rushed to demonstrate how I'd pirouette to socks drawer search for my favorite blue ones polka dots, knee-high with pompoms -- puffy, soft, and bouncy, those balls I'd dance the shimmy, rub my knees until the pompoms tangled up so indeed, I'd get Ma laughing my attempt to be lady-like *** © 2021 selmamartin.com
Thanks for reading my Sunday, April 18th word contribution, and I continue to wish you ordinary miracles. Be well, everyone.
- Day 25: NaPoWriMo 2024–The “Proust Questionnaire” - April 25, 2024
- I’m Practicing: A Positive Double Whammy - April 24, 2024
- Day 24: NaPoWriMo 2024–A “Barrowed” Line - April 24, 2024
Love the formal experimentation to offer several views of the same little moment in time.
This is fine poem produce. I like this exercise.