Weekly Poetry Challenge Stars | Theme Prompt, No. 179: Shakespeare Quote

Posted byColleen M. ChesebroPosted inPrior Years Poetry StarsTags:, , , , ,

HAPPY JUNE!

The use of Mr. Linky has made finding the poems easier. Don’t forget to look for the linkup at the bottom of each challenge post. Make sure to add the URL of your published post. Now, you can go back to the challenge post, click on Mr. Linky and see all the other poetry in one spot.

Another note of interest: I’ve had people tell me that some of my challenge posts don’t make it to their email. Since I switched to the business plan on WordPress, I decided it was time to make a change. I’ve created a MailerLite daily news email that will help you find the challenge posts. Please subscribe to my newsletter here, if you haven’t already done so:

Merril D. Smith did something a little different this week. She selected a quote from Shakespeare for our theme prompt:

“How far that little candle throws his beams! So shines a good deed in a weary world.”― William Shakespeare, The Merchant of Venice

I know some of you saw Shakespeare and said… “No way! I’m outta here!” Did you think the quote was challenging? Yes? Well, that’s good! We all need a challenge. That’s why we’re here.

When you step back from the quote and read the words for what they are, you get a sense of the theme. Goodness, light, good deeds, the Golden Rule, all of these themes came to mind for me. However, our perceptions of the quote don’t have to be as literal as Shakespeare’s words. There’s also the theme of salvation, or deliverance that comes to mind.

Here are only a few of the poems that stuck with me:

Random Acts – Padre’s Ramblings

Theme Prompt – Anita Dawes

Theme Prompt – Ritu

Random Acts of Kindness – Sally Cronin

The Merchant of Venice – Vashti Q. Vega (get a rundown of the entire play)

Yet, Pat R’s Gogyohka, “This Cloud” took my breath away. It is through Pat’s eyes that we catch a glimpse of a world in chaos. The last line of her poem shines the light on the future giving us hope that the next generation can fix what we’ve been unable to do. Fingers crossed.

This Gogyohka is powerful. The last line or pivot is unexpected. It grabs you!

Congratulations, Pat, it’s your turn to pick the theme for next month’s challenge. Please Email me your choice at tankatuesdaypoetry@gmail.com before next month’s challenge.

Image Credit: Pat R

this cloud, generations old
cavalier cruelty has me bawling again
in search of air I walk to the park
no sign of the sun
yet, a toddler chases butterflies

©5/28/2020 Pat R

source: https://thoughtsandentanglements.wordpress.com/2020/05/28/this-cloud/

Great work everybody! See you tomorrow for the new challenge post!

Published by Colleen M. Chesebro

An avid reader, Colleen M. Chesebro rekindled her love of writing poetry after years spent working in the accounting industry. These days, she loves crafting syllabic poetry, flash fiction, and creative fiction and nonfiction. In addition to poetry books, Chesebro’s publishing career includes participation in various anthologies featuring short stories, flash fiction, and poetry. She’s an avid supporter of her writing community on Word Craft Poetry.com by organizing and sponsoring a weekly syllabic poetry challenge, called #TankaTuesday, where participants experiment with traditional and current forms of Japanese and American syllabic poetry. Chesebro is an assistant editor of The Congress of the Rough Writers Flash Fiction Anthology & Gitty Up Press, a micro-press founded by Charli Mills and Carrot Ranch. In January 2022, Colleen founded Unicorn Cats Publishing Services to assist poets and authors in creating eBooks and print books for publication. In addition, she creates affordable book covers for Kindle and print books. Chesebro lives in the house of her dreams in mid-Michigan surrounded by the Great Lakes with her husband and two (unicorn) cats, Chloe & Sophie.

40 thoughts on “Weekly Poetry Challenge Stars | Theme Prompt, No. 179: Shakespeare Quote”

    2. Thank you for choosing my poem Colleen. I am honored. I look forward to choosing the next theme. Will let you know.
      Congratulations to the honorable mentions😊
      A good day to all.

      Pat

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  8. Hi Colleen I did confirm my newsletter Link but I am not sure if it worked can you you confirm if it did or not. Have a good day 💜💜💜

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  10. Great poem by Pat and all the other pieces too, it was a very engaging theme.

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