Tag: poems

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The Poet's Pen

Just for Christmas

Do you have a favorite Christmas poem? I’ve always liked “Twas the Night Before Christmas.” I hope Mr. Moore will forgive the liberty I’ve taken with his poem.

MERRY CHRISTMAS TO ALL AND TO ALL A GOOD WRITE!

Twas the night before my deadline, while all through the house
The only creature stirring was a computer mouse;
The papers were lined up by the printer with care
In hopes that “The End” would soon be there.
The pages were covered with a hundred red marks
While in my head were visions of a soft bed in the dark.
And Pops in his recliner, and I on the couch
Had just settled our brains for a quick little nap
When out at the dog pens there arose such a clatter
I sprang from my couch to see what was the matter.
Away to the window I flew like a flash
Tore opened the shutters and tripped on the trash.
The moon on the crest of the new melted snow
Gave vision to the mud holes scattered below.
When what to my wondering eyes should pop up
But a mother dog and eight tiny pups
She was a little old doggy so lively and quick
I knew in a moment she was up to tricks.
More rapid than a whippet, hungrier than the hounds,
She whined and cajoled the pups until they came round
And she barked and called them by name
“Now! Dasher, now Dancer, now Prancer, and Vixen,
On Comet, on Cupid, on Dunder and Blixen.
To the top of the porch! To the top of the wall!
Now come away, come away, come away all!”
Then up on the porch they came very fast
Gobbled all the dog feed, every crumb to the last
They were chubby and plump, like a jolly little elf
And I laughed when I saw them in spite of myself
With a wink of her eye and the twist of her head
She soon led them to know they has nothing to dread
As soon as they finished, she nudged them with her nose
And giving a nod, they all arose
She sprang to the ground and I heard them bark as they moved out of sight.
And I shouted “Merry Christmas to all and to all a Good Write!”

Darlo Gemeinhardt writes middle grade novels. She believes that there is a story in every dog. In her spare time she takes care of 1 husband (of 40 years), 29 dogs and trains with TALLAO, K-9 SEARCH AND RESCUE. Visit her at From the dog pen.com

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The Poet's Pen

Giving Thanks

There are many ways to show gratitude and writing a Thanksgiving poem is the way many have expressed themselves over the years.

“The New England Boy’s Song About Thanksgiving Day”  written by Lydia Maria Child in 1844, is one of the most well-known poems of thanksgiving. (Although, you might recognize it as the song “Over the River and Through the Wood,” published in 1897.)

The poem describes a sleigh-ride through the snow. It begins with, “Over the river, and through the wood to grandfather’s house we go”.

Other well-known Thanksgiving poems include: “The Pumpkin” by John Greenleaf Whittier (1850); “No. 814” by Emily Dickinson; “Fire Dreams” by Carl Sandburg; and “Thanksgiving Time” by Langston Hughes.

The Bible also has thanksgiving verses, many of them poems. The books of poetry are Job, Psalms, Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, and Song of Solomon.
This year as you prepare for Thanksgiving why don’t you try your hand at writing a Thanksgiving poem.

Give Thanks in Everything
by Darlo Gemeinhardt

You see dirty dishes in the sink,

But I see the wonderful meal we had.

You see dog hair on the couch and floor,

But I see pets offering unconditional love.

You see piles of dirty clothes to wash,

But I see we have clothes to wear.

You see an old crippled body,

But I see someone who has had a long life.

You see kids who need a bath,

But I see the future.

You see the overall messiness and confusion,

But I see family.

You see the need to hurry away,

But I see the need to give thanks.

Darlo Gemeinhardt writes middle grade novels. She believes that there is a story in every dog. In her spare time she takes care of 1 husband (of 40 years), 29 dogs and trains with TALLAO, K-9 SEARCH AND RESCUE. Visit her at From the dog pen.com

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The Poet's Pen

What Makes A Good Poem?

All writing is about “words” but poetry uses concise words in a concise order. One word in a  poem can make a drastic difference in how the poem is perceived. Sometimes changing one word can make or break a poem.

Look at the following example from THE EAGLE by Alfred Lord Tennyson

He  clasps the crag with taloned hands (my version) or–

He clasps the crag with crooked hands (the way Tennyson wrote it)

Do you see how much smoother Tennyson’s version reads?

Which of the following two poems by an anonymous writer do you think is better?

A
The spoken or written word
Should be as clean as a bone,
As clear as is the light,
As firm as is a stone.
Two words will never serve
As well as one alone.

 

B
The written word
Should be clean as bone,
Clear as light,
Firm as stone.
Two words are not
As good as one.[1]

A Good Poem:

  1. comes from the poet’s heart.
  2. touches your heart.
  3. makes you want to read it again…and again.
  4. like the Bible, each time you read it you see/learn something different.
  5. creates a new image by juxtaposing different things together.
  6. uses clear, memorable, concrete images
  7. tells a story.
  8. creates a world inside the poem

The next time you write a poem, think about how the words fit together. Try replacing a word of phrase with a different one to see which one is better.

[1] Perrine, Laurence, LITERATURE Structure, Sound, and Sense, Harcourt, Brace & World, Inc., New York, 1970. p.565.

Darlo Gemeinhardt writes middle grade novels. She believes that there is a story in every dog. In her spare time she takes care of 1 husband (of 40 years), 29 dogs and trains with TALLAO, K-9 SEARCH AND RESCUE. Visit her at From the dog pen.com

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The Poet's Pen

Numbered Poems

This month I thought we might do something different and fun. I want you to write an 81 word poem with one word on the first line, two words on the second line, three words on the third line and so forth. You will end up with 17 lines total. The lines can rhyme or not. It doesn’t matter. Your poem should tell a story or give us a glimpse into something.

A DAY IN THE LIFE OF A DOG AND CAT

Dog (1)
has fleas (2)
making him itchy (3)
causing him to bark, (4)
and bark, bark, and bark (5)
only after playing in the hay (6)
and then chasing Cat up a tree. (7)
When night comes you’ll find Dog and Cat (8)
snuggled with each other under the soft comfy covers (9)
dreaming of bones, and mice, and goodies galore. (8)
And as the new day breaks early, (7)
Dog stretches and yawns, Cat purrs (6)
both ready to go out (5)
and start everything over (4)
again and again. (3)
Dog has (2)
fleas (1)

There’s no end to the variations you can do with this: Alternating the number of words per line. 6,7,8,1,2,3,6,7,8 You get the idea.

Email me your poems. I would love to share them on my website.

Darlo Gemeinhardt writes middle grade novels. She believes that there is a story in every dog. In her spare time she takes care of 1 husband (of 40 years), 29 dogs and trains with TALLAO, K-9 SEARCH AND RESCUE. Visit her at From the dog pen.com

Categories
A Pinch of Poetry

Poetry Contests: Where to Find Them

Since there is not a high demand for poetry in the publishing industry, one way to get your poems out there is by submitting to contests. And winning contests can lead to hidden doors of opportunity.

[bctt tweet=”Winning contests can lead to hidden doors of opportunity. #poets #poetry #writers”]

Below are places I recommend you research to find the right competition to match your style.

Winning Writers

With a database full of free contests in every genre, Winning Writers actually seems to emphasize poetry. Currently they are offering their own Wergle Flomp Humor Poetry Contest, which is also completely free to enter. Once you sign up, you can browse the site for more opportunities. Additionally, they offer articles on tips for submitting poetry to contests and how to avoid scams.

Poetry Society of South Carolina

Poetry societies can be found across the nation. I am a member of the one based in the South Carolina low country, which allows me to enter both the fall and spring contests for free. Otherwise they do offer most of their contests to anyone for a small fee of $5 per entry. Not bad when you consider the cash prizes are between $50-$500.

Blue Mountain Arts Poetry Card Contest

This is a free biannual contest. They do favor a particular style of poetry so be sure to check out their guidelines and previous winners before submitting. They offer a cash prize for 1st, 2nd and 3rd place.

Fresh Voices Writing Contest

Our very own Almost an Author website sponsors the Fresh Voices Writing Contest for multiple genres, including poetry. The fee is $10 per entry and one entry for poetry can be up to 3 poems. Currently there is no cash prize, but don’t let that stop you from submitting. Winning contests builds your writing resume. The more accolades you can bring home, the better.

[bctt tweet=”Winning contests builds your writing resume. #poets #poetry #writers”]

Local poetry contests

Another place to look for contests is locally. Find out where poetry happenings take place near your town. In Columbia, S.C., the poet laureate organized a poetry event recently through the arts initiative. I had the opportunity to have one of my poems published in the chapbook and participate in the event poetry reading. So be on the look-out in your area for happenings such as that.

Conference contests

If you plan to go to a conference, see if they sponsor any contests. Blue Ridge Mountains Christian Writers’ Conference sponsors their own competition each year, and the money from the fees provides for scholarships for conferees who couldn’t attend without assistance. There is no cash prize, but you receive a very nice award at fine banquet and ceremony. The experience is highly worthwhile. I happened to win 1st place for poetry this past year, which encouraged me in so many ways. It also contributed to the opportunity to write this very blog!

Beware of Scams

Unfortunately some companies thrive on tricking writers into purchasing publication which is deceptively masked as a contest. Winning Writers offers great information on how to avoid scams that are disguised as poetry contests. If you’re not sure if a contest is legit, it’s better to stay away from it. Any “contest” charging a high fee and guaranteeing publication is probably not a true contest.

So now, it’s time to get it out there.

Research contests, study previous winners, and submit your work.

Know any decent poetry contests you could share with us? Tell me below.