April is National Poetry Month! The idea is to write 30 poems in 30 days. On NaPoWritMo.net, you’ll find a daily challenge for the month. I don’t follow their challenges, but I try to write a poem a day. Here’s today’s challenge:
“…It’s a Spanish form called a “glosa” – literally a poem that glosses, or explains, or in some way responds to another poem. The idea is to take a quatrain from a poem that you like, and then write a four-stanza poem that explains or responds to each line of the quatrain, with each of the quatrain’s four lines in turn forming the last line of each stanza. Traditionally, each stanza has ten lines, but don’t feel obligated to hold yourself to that! Here’s a nice summary of the glosa form to help you get started.”
cold rain
coats frosty roofs
icy glazed city streets
mirror stop light's cherry-red glow
mizzle
obscures
spring's fight to win over winter
a battle to the end
gray clouds hang low
dawn breaks
Colleen M. Chesebro
Check out my poetry and short stories in Fairies, Myths, & Magic HERE
Colleen M. Chesebro is a Michigan Poet who loves crafting syllabic poetry, flash fiction, and creative fiction and nonfiction. Colleen sponsors a weekly syllabic poetry challenge, called #TankaTuesday, on wordcraftpoetry.com where participants learn how to write traditional and current forms of syllabic poetry. A published author, Colleen is also an editor of “Word Weaving, a Word Craft Journal of Syllabic Verse, also found on wordcraftpoetry.com. Colleen’s mission is to bring the craft of writing syllabic poetry to anyone who thinks they can’t be a poet.
Recently, she created the Double Ennead, a 99-syllable poetry form for the Carrot Ranch literary community at carrotranch.com. Colleen’s poetry has appeared in various anthologies and journals including “Hedgerow-a journal of small poems,” and “Poetry Treasures1 & 2” a collection of poetry from the poet/author guests of Robbie Cheadle on the “Treasuring Poetry” blog series on “Writing to be Read."
Colleen published “Word Craft: Prose & Poetry, The Art of Crafting Syllabic Poetry,” which illustrates how to write various syllabic poetry forms used in her Tanka Tuesday challenges; and a collection of poetry, flash fiction, and short stories called, “Fairies, Myths & Magic: A Summer Celebration,” dedicated to the Summer Solstice. She contributed a short story called “The Changeling,” in the “Ghostly Rites Anthology 2020,” published by Plaisted Publishing House.
Find Colleen at Word Craft: Prose & Poetry at wordcraftpoetry.com.
Nicely captured, Colleen. We had cold rain and grey clouds today–with sunshine in-between the periods of rain. Crazy weather!
I’m doing a poetry month ekphrastic challenge.
It’s from Paul Brookes. A group of us signed up in advance and get the images from him, but people do respond as they’re posted. I’m posting mine each day, too, with a link to his post. (If that doesn’t make sense, just look at my posts. )😀
Mizzle – a fun word. Stay dry. We had some mizzle and drizzle today too!
I did take in some purple Hyacinths in today. Three are enough – they have a powerful sent!
Cold and wet? No, thank you! Your poem is beautiful and makes me very happy I live in South Florida. Lol! Good luck on writing 30 poems in 30 days. It technically sounds easier than NaNoWriMo, but I know what goes into writing a poem, so it truly can be a challenge. 🙂
Well, I didn’t follow their form, I used a Butterfly Cinquain, but I think I got the winter and spring battle down. LOL! Now, do you see why I say Michigan reminds me of England. LOL! 😀
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Colleen M. Chesebro—Prose Metrist
Crafting Syllabic Poetry is my Ikigari 💜
One day, I stumbled across the Japanese word Ikigari. After some research, I discovered iki means life. In Japanese, Gai means worth or value. When these words combine, they form the definition of ikigari, which is life’s worth. It’s often translated or interpreted as a reason for getting up in the morning. So, yes, writing syllabic poetry is my ikigari.
I also believe writing syllabic poetry strengthens our writing skills. When we create poetry, we gain command of language; cultivate a healthy vocabulary, master literary devices such as metaphor, simile, alliteration, hyperbole, and allegory. We learn to work in imagery. We connect with our ikigari.
When I’m not writing poetry or crafting short stories, you’ll find me digging in my garden, or playing with my two unicorn cats, Chloe & Sophie. I live in East Lansing, Michigan with my husband—my soul mate. Most days you can find me writing poetry on wordcraftpoetry.com. 💜
Word Craft PoetryThe Rhythm of Life, #haiku, #TankaTuesday @ColleenChesebro https://wordcraftpoetry.com/2022/08/17/the-rhythm-of-life-haiku-tankatuesday/
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Your captures this time of year for us in northern states very well!
your captures is indeed beautiful.
Thanks so much. It’s cold! ❄️🥶
Nicely captured, Colleen. We had cold rain and grey clouds today–with sunshine in-between the periods of rain. Crazy weather!
I’m doing a poetry month ekphrastic challenge.
I looked for it but couldn’t find it! 🤦🏼♀️
You looked for what? My ekphrastic challenge poems?
The challenge itself. I got interrupted and then forgot to go back and look again. 🤣
It’s from Paul Brookes. A group of us signed up in advance and get the images from him, but people do respond as they’re posted. I’m posting mine each day, too, with a link to his post. (If that doesn’t make sense, just look at my posts. )😀
Mizzle – a fun word. Stay dry. We had some mizzle and drizzle today too!
I did take in some purple Hyacinths in today. Three are enough – they have a powerful sent!
Ohhh nice! They sound heavenly. 🌸
The ‘sky’ fell trough most of last night – I hope it wasn’t snow in your area!! It really is nice to finally see bits of maple leaves unfurl. 😀
You have embraced the world of poetry with such passion. Your work reflects this energy, beautifully!
Aww, Sis. Thank you. I love all this poetry stuff. 💖
As Merril noted, spring keeps changing its mind here too! But the birds are back, no matter the weather. (K)
Cold and wet? No, thank you! Your poem is beautiful and makes me very happy I live in South Florida. Lol! Good luck on writing 30 poems in 30 days. It technically sounds easier than NaNoWriMo, but I know what goes into writing a poem, so it truly can be a challenge. 🙂
Good luck with the month’s poetic challenges, Colleen. Love this response. So apt for right now! 💕🙂
Thanks, Harmony. It’s just fun to write poetry as often as we can. 💖
You’ve inspired me to join the month’s challenge, Colleen. Thank you 💕🙂💕
Yay! Go Harmony. I can’t make every day, but I love that April (my birth month) is poetry month. LOL! <3
That couldn’t be more perfect, lols 💖
Right? It’s like a month long birthday present. LOL! <3
All the best, Colleen. Yay.
And that glosa challenge was fun. Just sayin’ 😉
Too cool, Selma. I’ve got too much going on to jump in every day, but you should do it. <3
This is just too cool Colleen 💜💜💜💜
Well, I didn’t follow their form, I used a Butterfly Cinquain, but I think I got the winter and spring battle down. LOL! Now, do you see why I say Michigan reminds me of England. LOL! 😀
Yes indeed I do 💕💕