Challenge Yourself

There are a few different poetry challenges that I love to participate in. Most people know about NaPoWriMo—or National Poetry Writing Month—which occurs every spring. That one is pretty straightforward; you write a poem every day for thirty days. Fun and simple, it’s a fantastic way to challenge yourself and get those creative juices flowing.

Another place I like to find poetry challenges is at AllPoetry.com. This site has dozens of contests running all of the time. Each contest is hosted by another AllPoetry member. You can compete for virtual trophies that are displayed on your profile, as well as points. You can only really use the points on the site to host your own contest or take part in a few other actions, but the fun isn’t in the trophies or points; it’s in the challenge. Every user has something unique (well, most of the time they do) they’re looking for and it’s so much fun to try and create that poem. It’s one of the best exercises I know of to think outside the box.

Speaking of which, that leads me to me favorite poetic exercise. In Natalie Goldberg’s wonderful book on writing, Writing Down the Bones, she describes a very specific way to write quick poems. She argues that a haiku doesn’t really have to have the 5-7-5 syllables like we mandate it does; and even if purists deem them necessary, you don’t have to make these three-line poems into haiku pieces.

Here's what you do: Number your paper one through 10, leaving enough spaces between each number for three lines. Next to each number, write—very quickly!—something you can see right now: your MP3 player, the cat, a box of Pullups, whatever. Set the timer for three minutes if you wish (I rarely use a timer, as I tend to go through these as quickly as I possibly can) and write a three-line poem for your first word in three minutes or less. Repeat the exercise going down your list for each poem.

I make sure to do this exercise at least once a month. It really helps me create new ideas, think about things differently, and get unstuck if I need to. Something else I like to do is make a list of 10 new vocabulary words and use them all in the 10 poems. This makes it even more challenging! My favorite way to do this is go to FreeRice.com and jot down a few unfamiliar words while I play. That way, I can help a good cause while I learn new words and get the challenge ready.

Do you have a favorite poetry challenge, contest, or exercise you like to take part in? Please share it here at Poetry Talk.