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Poetry Friday.

It is February!
And the 6th Annual February Daily Poem Project has begun.

About the middle of February last year, I joined this community of poetry writers. I wrote a few poems and I read a lot more. And most of all, I fell in love with the support they gave.

As February 2018 approached, I read our notices with interest and wondered: Could I? Would I? Should I? The theme was announced: ekphrastic poetry. I immediately did some research, some reading:

“An ekphrastic poem is a vivid description of a scene or, more commonly, a work of art. Through the imaginative act of narrating and reflecting on the “action” of a painting or sculpture, the poet may amplify and expand its meaning.”

By January 26th, I’d decided I would just hang around the group and read when Lauren Shovan reminded us, “This project isn’t quantity over quality. It’s about practice over perfection.”

Okay.

I could ignore quantity. No one would mind if I missed a day, and February has only 28 days.
I would ignore quality, because it isn’t about polishing for publication.
I should embrace practice. Who doesn’t need practice? Especially with such a supportive community.
And with that, I dove in.

The “prompts” are works of art. And I’m responding to them, but I’m not sure if what I write will qualify as ekphrastic poetry.

The important thing: I am practicing.

I am writing, and it’s poetry.

February 1


Artwork: Unfinished Self-Portrait by Jay Shovan

February 2


 Artwork: Sketches by Nick Ruth

Behind the scenes:
M.D., a member of our writing community, commented on my poem: “ I like the line breaks that make it ambiguous. We planned all day and thought. We planned all day. And thought we knew the way. Love it.

I responded: “Thank you! To punctuate or not to punctuate … I did wrestle with it and as I did I fell in love with the universality created by the ambiguity of none.


Read more about the history of the February Daily Poem Project on Lauren Shovan’s blog.


Donna at Mainely Write is hosting
the Poetry Friday Round-Up,
be sure to stop by!

Poetry Friday Schedule
January – June 2018