It's The 2025 Poem-A-Week Challenge Discussion Thread

[Angeline]

Welcome to a new year and a new poetry challenge. The challenge, to write a poem once a week (or more if you're so inclined), is here.

This thread is for questions, opinions, feedback, analysis, praise, whatever you have to say about poems posted in the challenge thread. Why have a separate discussion thread? I know some folks much prefer having poems and commentary in a single thread. However (and in spite of the very lowish participation here lately), I'm an optimist. I think (and hope) we'll have at least five or six people writing most weeks, maybe even more as time goes by and the challenge catches on. Even if folks don't write every week, the poems will pile up. When you add opinions, banter, etc to that it gets hard to find one's poems without lots of scrolling. This has happened often in the past so it's just easier to have a separate thread.

So have at it and Happy New Year!

 

[Angeline]

Thank you Ash and Glee for getting the new challenge rolling! Procrastinator that I am I'm telling myself self you have until the seventh. I think my idea needs another day or two to bake but I'll be joining you soon.

 

[Remec]

I hadn't even thought about anything to bake, just threw the one I did for 5 Senses into the mix.

 

[Angeline]

I hadn't even thought about anything to bake, just threw the one I did for 5 Senses into the mix.

That'll work.

 

[Angeline]

Well we're off to a great start of the new year on the PF&D forum. There's a good group writing on the Poem-A-Week thread already, some wonderful love poems posted from BigtitsBitch, a jump start of the Five Senses thread (thanks Remec!), and a happy birthday thread for Ms s over on the Hangout.

Thank you all for being you and keeping poetry alive here in '25!

 

[Bn2f]

This site is mostly dominated by erotic stories and poetry sometimes seems like it is an afterthought; the forgotten loner standing in the corner while everyone else is dancing. That’s really too bad. I personally find it calming, therapeutic - reading and writing prose.

Kudos, Angeline, for starting this challenge thread. Looking forward to reading what everyone offers up weekly.

Thank you, butters, for informing me about this. I’ve been channeling my energy towards a more positive interest. Creative thoughts, which had left me for over a year, are slowly returning in the form of new pieces!

Timber! is a many years old piece. In addition to the obvious references to trees and cutting, there’s a tip of hat to the movie Se7en, some, but not all, of the deadly sins are mentioned, and a dick joke that always makes me giggle to read. I’m grateful to any and all future members who will happen to give their valuable time to read and for any likes and praises - constructive criticism is encouraged as well. TY!

 

[Wonderer67]

I am very happy to see this format come back. I tried last year‘s poetry challenges, and it just didn’t work for me.

Felt constraining.

So I will jump into the fun! It will be good reconnecting with some of you I knew from the 2023 challenge and meeting some people I don’t know.

Q: OK to wrote more than one poem a week? My poem seemed to come in a boomer bus cycle, we a shit ton of them come out at once and then I’m dry for a little while.

 

[Mistress_Jaiyde]

I just wrote three haikus, and it's been a while since I've written in this form. I hope they're good.

 

[Bn2f]

I just wrote three haikus, and it's been a while since I've written in this form. I hope they're good.

Whoa, whoa, whoa. At this rate, you’ll hit 52 by Valentine’s Day.
I kid, of course, I saw no restrictions other than at least one a week! Keep going strong with the creative flow, please!

 

[Mistress_Jaiyde]

Thank you! Was the form of the haikus correct?

 

[Bn2f]

Thank you! Was the form of the haikus correct?

IDK. Have no real clue on those things. I was lucky to get through school learning English enough to write what maybe, hopefully some would consider prose.
Haikus? That’s Japanese maff with the counting and all, as far as I’m concerned.

 

[Bn2f]

Thank you! Was the form of the haikus correct?

Lol. I didn’t count. Wouldn’t. I’m not a strict structure person. Your Haikus flowed and were expressive. I liked before you asked.

 

[Angeline]

I am very happy to see this format come back. I tried last year‘s poetry challenges, and it just didn’t work for me.

Felt constraining.

So I will jump into the fun! It will be good reconnecting with some of you I knew from the 2023 challenge and meeting some people I don’t know.

Q: OK to wrote more than one poem a week? My poem seemed to come in a boomer bus cycle, we a shit ton of them come out at once and then I’m dry for a little while.

I'm glad you're in on the challenge: looking forward to your poetry! And yes you can write as many poems as you want. One per week is just a suggestion. I'd say it's a minimum requirement but some of us, and by *us* I mean me lol, will undoubtedly miss some weeks so we'll call it a suggestion.

 

[Wonderer67]

I just wrote three haikus, and it's been a while since I've written in this form. I hope they're good.

I liked them. Nice job.

 

[Angeline]

Thank you! Was the form of the haikus correct?

Hi and welcome. I'm so glad you're here and writing with us.

I think what you've written are technically senryu, a form that is very similar to haiku but differs in that it focuses on people. Haiku, strictly speaking, are focused on the natural world, like flora and fauna, the landscape, etc.

However I am nooo expert on these forms. There is a writer here (well used to be active here in the past), Jthserra, who has written a bunch of really good essays on haiku and Asian forms. You can find them here on his stories page.

 

[Angeline]

Wonderer your haiku is like a painting. The image you attached is lovely but I already saw it just from reading those three lines.

 

[Bn2f]

I am doing well in reading every piece so far submitted and I’m learning from them even if I don’t fully understand them all, but, I admit, not everything is to fit normally into a pegboard and I remind myself to enjoy the moment and not overthink. That said, this verse makes me smile:

“I was twelve and my Dad
said son she isn’t built
to be a paper run bike.”

I’ve also had a pleasant refresher on Haikus. Reminisced on my 1 fortunate trip to Paris. Read up a little bit on Norse mythology and its afterlife. Become fascinated by the opera Turandot to the point of thinking of ways to make an erotic ode. And a bit of a disappointment, but to be expected, I’ve also experienced a member, upon discovering this challenge - attempt to prose shame. No worries! I don’t share this for sympathy (I’m thick skinned!) just to pass along in the hopes that no one be discouraged. IMO poetry is/can be about laying yourself out bare to be vulnerable for all to judge.

My 2nd submission, Facebook Relationship Status, is a dedication to a friend who joined every dating site in hopes of meeting that special someone.

Woohoo everyone! One month down! Keep it up and going!

 

[Wonderer67]

Wonderer your haiku is like a painting. The image you attached is lovely but I already saw it just from reading those three lines.

Thank you Angeline! You know I doubt myself as a writer, so I thought it would enhance.

Maybe more of a a distraction.

 

[Angeline]

Thank you Angeline! You know I doubt myself as a writer, so I thought it would enhance.

Maybe more of a a distraction.

No distraction! They work well together although the haiku can stand on its own imo.

 

[Angeline]

So tomorrow is the last day of January and we've 43 poems so far. Well done poets! It's great to read everyone's submissions, to welcome back old friends and see new (to me) poets join in. Thank you all for sharing your poetry.

If you're lurking and considering whether you want to test the waters, please join us! We've always strived to be supportive, not judgemental, as we love poetry in all its glorious variations. If you can write weekly (or even more often), great, but if your posts are more sporadic it's fine.

And if the Poem-A-Week Challenge isn't your cup of tea we have lots of other open threads to invite your muse. That might be three words (or less) at a time, an off-the-cuff outpouring of passion, expressions of all five senses and lots more.

Y'know just write. It's good for the soul.

 

[D_K_Moon]

So tomorrow is the last day of January and we've 43 poems so far. Well done poets! It's great to read everyone's submissions, to welcome back old friends and see new (to me) poets join in. Thank you all for sharing your poetry.

If you're lurking and considering whether you want to test the waters, please join us! We've always strived to be supportive, not judgemental, as we love poetry in all its glorious variations. If you can write weekly (or even more often), great, but if your posts are more sporadic it's fine.

And if the Poem-A-Week Challenge isn't your cup of tea we have lots of other open threads to invite your muse. That might be three words (or less) at a time, an off-the-cuff outpouring of passion, expressions of all five senses and lots more.

Y'know just write. It's good for the soul.

I write bad poetry and take blurry pics - sounds like the spot for me.

 

[Angeline]

I write bad poetry and take blurry pics - sounds like the spot for me.

Just do your best then!

 

[D_K_Moon]

What I lack in quality, I make up in quantity!

 

[butters]

What I lack in quality, I make up in quantity!

it's a bit like pottery: you gotta throw a lot of pots before you make a good one, and even more to throw a perfect one. Just keep writing

 

[Bn2f]

I’m 2 weeks behind on my reading poetry or, to be precise, 2 weeks behind posting here.

First, it was good to see a member I know and very much admire pop in and drop a piece. If anyone has time, please go and check out the drawings and works of 29wordsfornow. So talented!
I didn’t expect to ever see a poem about an old wheelbarrow! Well done my dear butters! There were a fair amount of poems recounting driving and who had on their bingo card a horny car accident to be the subject of one? Angeline had me hooked from her title Strange Days Indeed - thanks for the tribute poem. I had to look and rewatch the fun video to one of my favorite Lennon songs. Tzara had a really nice poem that summed up just about how I’m feeling about this challenge! It is worth a reading or two or three. Check out The Poet’s Inspiration.
The verse that I enjoyed the most was from LustyScribe:
“Over months and crawling years
She grew silent; I grew just tears.” I liked that very much!

As for my two submissions - One Year It’s Been is me wondering how one parent feels after losing their spouse. Writing poems doesn’t come easy for me as it does for others but Lessons In Love is one of the fastest I’ve ever drafted and it all came from being stuck for 3 hours in the unusual snow and ice that hit the South last week.

Keep it up and going!