Poetry Challenge #104-Hope Lives
Today marks the 18th Anniversary of the September 11 attacks, a series of four coordinated terrorist attacks by the Islamic terrorist group al-Qaeda against the United States. “The attacks killed 2,996 people, injured over 6,000 others, and caused at least $10 billion in infrastructure and property damage. Additional people died of 9/11-related cancer and respiratory diseases in the months and years following the attacks.” The site of the World Trade Center “Twin Towers” is now the September 11 Memorial and Museum.
Poetry Challenge #104
Hope Lives
To mark this day let’s create prayer poems with hopes and wishes for children of today living in the post 9-11 world.
With sympathy and strength to all who lost loved ones in this and other senseless acts of violence. Sending love love, light and strength for a brighter, understanding, compassionate world.
Poetry Challenge #103-Back to School
Bennett’s 1st Day of 1st Grade (Jack, too)
School bells are ringing, schedules are made, new pens and pencils and notebooks full of blank pages fill bright, new backpacks.
Poetry Challenge #103
Back to School
Write a poem about the beginning of the school year—or the beginning of any school year you remember. Are you excited/scared/worried? Does anything surprise you? What do you like best? Least?
Ready for School!
Try writing your poem in couplets—two lines that rhyme. See what happens if you take two couplets and use the first lines from each and then the second lines from each so every other line rhymes.
Which poem do you like better?
*Cindy Faughnan and I began this 7-Minute Poetry Challenge more than 1200 days ago. We now take turns creating our own prompts to share with you. If you join us in the 7-Minute Poetry Challenge let us know by posting the title, a note, or if you want, the whole poem in the comments.
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Poetry Challenge #102-Worker's Holiday
Labor Day, called by some the “Worker’s Holiday,” is celebrated the first Monday in September in the U.S. and was signed into law on June 28, 1894, by President Grover Cleveland.
Up until that time workers in America (including children as young as five) toiled twelve hours a day, seven days a week to eke out a living.
Child Labor laws in other places???
Nowadays, thanks to the efforts of those early labor movement organizers, we Americans take fairer work conditions for granted.
Poetry Challenge #102
Workers Unite for Worker’s Rights
For the sake of this prompt, let’s pretend we are one of those early labor organizers, making up a chant for the Labor Day Rally.
According to Merriam-Webster, “a chant is a repeated rhythmic phrase, typically one shouted or sung in unison by a crowd.” Chants are short. (One or two lines at most), set to a definite march beat. Often they rhyme.
Hint: It might be easiest to find rhymes first. To that end list words that rhyme with labor, day, work, or others that come to mind when you think of Labor Day.
Ready, Set, March!
Set the timer for 7 minutes
Start writing!
Don’t think about it too much; just do it.
*Cindy Faughnan and I began this 7-Minute Poetry Challenge more than 1200 days ago. We now take turns creating our own prompts to share with you. If you join us in the 7-Minute Poetry Challenge let us know by posting the title, a note, or if you want, the whole poem in the comments.
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Poetry Challenge #101-End of Summer
Sun Setting on Summer in WHB
It’s hard to believe summer is coming to an end. Long, sunny days are growing shorter. Nights are cooler. Trips to the beach or pool are less frequent (or maybe more…)
What signs tell you that summer is almost over? Back to school sales? The one branch of red leaves? Geese flying overhead?
What do you do to celebrate the end of summer? Take one last swim or hike? Bake (or eat) one more pie? Have one more campfire and roasted marshmallow?
One last swim…
Poetry Challenge #101
Ode to Summer
List some things you notice at the end of summer. Use the questions above to help you make your list. Think about activities that you try to do one more time or maybe some that you know are coming to an end.
An ode is a poem that celebrates a person, place, thing, or idea. It often follows a certain pattern of number of lines or number of beats on a line. It’s usually short and tries to capture the emotion of the celebrated item.
Choose one (or more) of the things on your list and write an ode to summer.
Set the timer for 7 minutes.
Start writing!
Don’t think about it too much; just do it.
*Cindy Faughnan and I began this 7-Minute Poetry Challenge more than 1200 days ago. We now take turns creating our own prompts to share with you. If you join us in the 7-Minute Poetry Challenge let us know by posting the title, a note, or if you want, the whole poem in the comments.
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Poetry Challenge #100-One Hundred Reasons Why . . .
Today marks the 100th 7-Minute Poetry Challenge! A 100-hand round of applause to those of you who’ve tried any—all—of the prompts. (All of the prompts are posted & waiting if you’d like to give them a go, or take a look back.)
Poetry Challenge #100
One Hundred Reasons Why . . .
If ours were a kindergarten class, we would each have brought a hundred of one ingredient: toothpicks, cotton balls, acorns, M&Ms . . . and mixed them up into some marvelous creation—trail mix, a wreath or maybe a Fruit Loop necklace. As our focus is poetry, let’s do it with words:
Using one of the following prompts, write a poem. And if you really want to celebrate create a 100 Word Poem!
100 Reasons Why I Love __________________
100 Things I Want to Do Before I Grow up
If I were making a 100 Memory Necklace it would include__________
Set the timer for 7 minutes.
Start writing!
Don’t think about it too much; just do it.
*Cindy Faughnan and I began this 7-Minute Poetry Challenge more than 1200 days ago. We now take turns creating our own prompts to share with you. If you join us in the 7-Minute Poetry Challenge let us know by posting the title, a note, or if you want, the whole poem in the comments.
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Poetry Challenge #95: Coo-Coo For Coconuts
Hooray! Hooray! It’s National Pina Colada Day!
So whether you do or do not like getting caught in the rain . . .
You are or are not into health foods or champagne . . .
Regardless your opinion on waking up at midnight—
Let’s put the lime in the coconut and bust out in poetry Pul-lee-e-e-e-sa!* PLEEESE!
Poetry Challenge #95
Coo-Coo for Coconuts
Thinking coconuts, tropical islands, pineapples ripe for the plucking, and coocoo birds write a poem. And yes, because the notion that there is even a National Pina Colada Day is slightly coo-coo, use as many words as you can think of which include the letters C and O in that order—and if you really want to cut loose, try including a bird call or two!
Set the timer for 7 minutes.
Start writing!
See what toucan caw-caw come-up-with!
Got Kids? Check out POETRY LAB, our* poetry prompts just for kids in ROAR! a delightful new kids’ magazine!
*Cindy Faughnan and I began this 7-Minute Poetry Challenge more than 3 years ago. We now take turns creating our own prompts to share with you. If you join us in the 7-Minute Poetry Challenge let us know by posting the title, a note, or if you want, the whole poem in the comments.
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Poetry Prompt #76 Thirsty Thursday
Maybe because it’s Thursday.
Maybe because I’m thirsty.
Maybe because water isn’t cutting it, I recollected a play called The Drunkard by William Henry Smith, which brought to mind the song cowboy song Cool, Clear Water, you know the one: “Don’t you listen to him Dan/He’s a devil not a man/and he spreads the burning sand with water/Cool, clear, water….” Thus today’s 7-Minute Poetry Challenge.
Poetry Prompt #76
Thirsty Thursday
Draw inspiration from the title, Thirsty Thursday, write a poem about thirst using as many “th” words as you can throw into it.
Set the timer for 7 minutes.
Start writing!
Don’t think about it too much; just do it.
Here’s to You! & Your 7-Minute Poem!
When you’re finished reward yourself with a nice tall glass of something cool. Cheers!
Thirsty Thursday Playlist:
*Cindy Faughnan and I began this 7-Minute Poetry Challenge more than 1037 days ago. We now take turns creating our own prompts to share with you. If you join us in the 7-Minute Poetry Challenge let us know by posting the title, a note, or if you want, the whole poem in the comments.
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Poetry Challenge #72-World Read Aloud Day
Happy World Read Aloud Day!
Poetry Challenge #72
World Read Aloud Day
Let’s celebrate in style. For today’s prompt, instead of taking 7 minutes to write a poem, let’s read poems aloud. Grab a collection of poems, click over to one of the poetry links below, or if you’re feeling truly brave, flip back through your notebook and reread some of the poems you’ve written. Then, take a deep breath and read—aloud! To someone or something else. After all, poetry is best shared!
Set the timer for 7 minutes.
Start Reading!
(Be warned: You just might get carried away!)
World Read Aloud Day Links:
*Cindy Faughnan and I began this 7-Minute Poetry Challenge more than a thousand fifteen days ago. We now take turns creating our own prompts to share with you. If you join us in the 7-Minute Poetry Challenge let us know by posting the title, a note, or if you want, the whole poem in the comments.