For those of you kind enough to stop by again, I know you expected craft tip #9 today. It’s true, there was a craft tip in this section; it was a reminder to think about considering lists in poetry. A tip where Pattiann Rogers begins, “Putting a list together in a poetic way can be engaging and enjoyable.” It was a tip that included well-written list poems that were both engaging and funny. Definitely worth a stop.
However, I have to share the tip that made me stop breathing for a minute: ten pages a day. You read that right: TEN pages a day of poetry. This section of ten tips Patricia Smith wrote asserts: write ten pages of poetry daily. Ten. Pages. Every. Day. It doesn’t have to be good poetry. It doesn’t have to be finished poetry. It doesn’t have to be revised poetry. It does have to be ten pages. Intense.
As if she read my mind, her very next tip read: the ten pages are non-negotiable. Bahahaha! That was pretty impressive. Well-played, Patricia. Unfortunately, I know I can’t commit to ten pages of poetry every day. Yet, that number will be playing on a track in my head for several days. I do get the point. It’s the reason I am here reading one chapter of The Practicing Poet each day and pressing publish on a not-very-polished poem each day this month. You can’t win the lottery if you don’t play…and you won’t have a poem if you don’t write one. Commitment matters.
Ten pages of poetry each day is an admirable commitment. Choosing some kind of commitment is essential to make progress. As someone living an in-progress life, I do try to make commitments that will help me grow and that I can sustain. This year, Gretchen Rubin, host of Happier, has started a writing challenge for 2024 to write 24 for 24. For this challenge, I committed to spending 2-4 minutes daily writing ideas and quick lines - and 24 minutes a week writing poetry. Each month I have adapted the challenge to a workable plan forward.
Right now, a commitment of ten pages a day feels like a lot, but I guarantee you these words aren’t leaving my head anytime soon, so it will be interesting to see what might happen. How about you? What’s the commitment you have made to your poetry, writing, or art? I’d love to hear your thoughts - and if you plan to start writing ten pages a day, YAY YOU!
Just a note: The next section of The Practicing Poet is about working with sentences and line breaks. Instead of writing daily on each chapter, I believe I will write one synthesis on the entire section. I will still post a new poem each day on my blog, Merely Day by Day.
The Rabbit Hole
Timing (or algorithms): Poets.org posted this list poem on their Instagram page, That’s My Heart Right There.
A few list poem prompts from Poetry Is Pretentious.
It’s National Poetry Month. In April, I will reflect daily on the craft tip offered in The Practicing Poet: Writing Beyond the Basics, edited by Diane Lockward. You’ll find those reflections here. Of course, I will also write a poem using the craft tip in celebration - and because apparently, I like a good challenge - of Poetry Month. Each day, the new poem will be posted on my blog, Merely Day by Day. Thank you for stopping by.
Ten pages a day is ridiculous. Ten POEMS a day is insane. How about trying to write poetry for ten days in a row. That sounds like something a person with other interests and commitments could manage! (PS--the second link doesn't work and I do love me some prompts!)