I.  Wednesday will be the last day in Laura Shovan’s  February Annual Poetry Writing Project.

February has been a great month of sustained poetry writing, spontaneously responding daily to a random visual art prompt.

Every day for 26 days (soon to be 28), I’ve drafted an ekphrastic poem in response to a photograph of a piece of visual art — paintings, sculptures, pencil sketches, photographs, crafts. Some are the works of renown artists. Others from amateurs, including students. A few were unsigned — artist unknown. Many treasured by the one who shared.

When I began on February 1, I really didn’t think I could do it.  I’ve never seriously written poetry. But I did!

Every day, I’ve written a poem draft. Every day, I’ve read poem drafts written by members of this wonderful writing group. Every day, I’ve deliberately noticed and commented on numerous poem drafts. And every day, I’ve received comments on my poem drafts. In all that writing, reading, commenting, and receiving of comments — every day, I have experience MUCH learning. You can read my poem drafts from the first week here: Poetry Challenge Week 1.  And in Night at Noonday I not only share one of my poem drafts–a found poem, but I also write about my process.

Last Friday, I decided I had to take a one-day break. I had so much to do and I drew a blank when I saw the picture of a totem pole*. But with 22 poems behind me, I just had to write. So I looked at the totem pole again, picked up a pencil and piece of scrap paper, and in less than ten minutes, drafted and posted this skinny poem* without a title:

Wagging tongues and tails
Monkey
Tales
Parrot
Echoes
Monkey
Sees
Parrot
Tells
Monkey
Tongues and tails wagging

You see, in February I committed to 28 days of poetry writing not to write great poems but to practice, to practice every day.  And Friday, I noticed the difference all that practicing has made. Friday was payday.

________

• You can read about skinny poems at the bottom of “You Are Beloved” in the section called “Writing about my writing.”

II.  Thursday will be the first day of the annual March Slice of Life Story Challenge with Two Writing Teachers.

Each day for 31 days I will write a slice of life. This year, I’ve done some things to get ready.

• I’ve prepared an e-file of folders to drop ideas and photos into. Last year they were scattered on my laptop screen.
• I’ve noted significant dates on my folders, like Dr. Seuss’ birthday on March 2. I might want to make connections on those days when I write.
• I’ve selected a journal dedicated to #SOL18 for scribbles and sketches. Just because I still like to use paper and pencil.
• I’ve chosen a theme I might loosely follow. Last year I traveled during March and that gave me an underlying theme.
• I’ve listed some possible writing forms. It keeps me from falling into a writing rut.
• I’ve created blog templates. So I don’t forget key setup moves and hashtags and links.
• And since I’m usually an “early poster,” I’ve also loosely planned two times for SOL writing into my day–
  one for writing and posting my slice and the other for reading and commenting on fellow slicers’ posts.