It's the Poem-A-Week Challenge Discussion Thread

[Angeline]

Each to their own walk through life. I make no excuse for being a fighting man.

I am a first time reader of Shakespeare. I take your point regarding rearranged lines, vs what might be considered a prototypical Found poem. And find the distinction between a Blackout poem and a Found poem interesting.

The collection of lines resulted from a very slow read, taking pause to consider lines like ‘…banners flout the sky…” Much is written about Shakespeare’s Macbeth. However, perhaps not from the perspective of its stunning action sequences. The lines collected were lines that I found stunning. I realize there is a great depth more to Shakespeare than that which I have superficially lined.

It’s not a crime to be enamored of a good fight. Shakespeare’s Macbeth is every inch a fighting man’s story. In war, fighting men are pawns of higher powers. Including their own fallibilities.

It's very well done, well put together. It's a Cento, a kind of found poem composed of lines from a literary work to both serve as homage and create something new.

Yes it's obviously Shakespeare and, as one reads, obviously Macbeth but all Centos should have the work from which they're drawn cited. It's the poet's way of saying "I know I didn't write these lines myself." If you really want to go crazy you can add a footnote that annotates, by act. scene and speaker, the source of each line. But as an experiment in writing a Cento, just noting the author and work should be fine.

I really like how you combined the lines to create the sights and sounds of battle.

 

[Angeline]

BTW there are some great examples of Centos here:


https://www.poetryfoundation.org/articles/157330/cento-celebrating-home

 

[42BelowsBack]

It's very well done, well put together. It's a Cento, a kind of found poem composed of lines from a literary work to both serve as homage and create something new.

Yes it's obviously Shakespeare and, as one reads, obviously Macbeth but all Centos should have the work from which they're drawn cited. It's the poet's way of saying "I know I didn't write these lines myself." If you really want to go crazy you can add a footnote that annotates, by act. scene and speaker, the source of each line. But as an experiment in writing a Cento, just noting the author and work should be fine.

I really like how you combined the lines to create the sights and sounds of battle.

Annotations coming.

 

[SapioSexual9]

Oops

 

[42BelowsBack]

Oops

Shush Just kidding! If ya didna say anythin we’d be none da wisa.

 

[42BelowsBack]

To close 2025 I celebrate writing well over 52 xs in under 26 weeks. Not all posted on Lit. Some poems I submitted for wider publication in magazines and journals.

I thank myself for writing through rejections.

I look back and see I still suck at writing titles for poems.

And although guilty of posting incomplete poems, I don’t feel guilty. Okay just a little guilty. 2026 will be my Lit review redemption. Sometimes you’ve just gotta throw the baby out with the bath water though.

Other self flagellatory successes in my 2025 year book: I gave feedback to both emerging and established poets.

Including poets I previously wrote with in workshop settings. Results were varied. Feedback primarily identifies my ignorance, but has resulted in some thought provoking conversations. It also resulted in doing time with some assholes. lol.

If I have to single anyone out for special mention: , everyone who posted in the 2025 poem a week challenge. Everyone who shared their poetry in forums this year. Past Lit poets. And I especially thank and acknowledge @Angeline and @Tzara for their services to poetry. I’ve learnt a bunch from both of you.

As to those who have problem with me being real on a porn site. Go Fuck Yourselves. Merrily.

Seasons greetings All the best for 2026.

 

[SapioSexual9]

My yearly report 2025

Yikes! I wrote some real clangers. Numbered two poems 37. Made it to 41/52 (still got time to write one more). Sucked a lot of cock.

 

[_Land]

My yearly report,
I wrote over 1500 poems this year .......many will not be seen.
My writing and my voice have developed a lot this year through practice, changing things up, attempting new forms and voices, and through some high end collaboration. I have 2 books that will be published in 2026, that's a huge step forward for me as I've never felt confident enough to take that step.

I'm having fun writing, not just poetry but essays and fiction as well.

I love the way this year has shaped me despite great loss and challenges , or perhaps because of them.

I love having reconnected to the beginning of my real writing experience here at lit. To feel the absence of those who first encouraged and put up with me to the ones still here, and to the new voices that have since found a home here. Many blessings during the Holiday Season.

_Land(Bear Sage)

 

[SpermFactory]

In 2025 loved the Like emoji. Love to write in this kinky community, rote 41 poems, still don’t look like cookie dough or leave Stimpy ass imprints in seats. Some of my 41 poems weren’t weren’t suck full. Still not a cock sucker. Or a feedback whore.

 

[SapioSexual9]

In 2025 loved the Like emoji. Love to write in this kinky community, rote 41 poems, still don’t look like cookie dough or leave Stimpy ass imprints in seats. Some of my 41 poems weren’t weren’t suck full. Still not a cock sucker. Or a feedback whore.

Lit life coach

 

[Wonderer67]

9 days left in the year and 8 poems to go.

It feels forced, but I’m going for it.

 

[Wonderer67]

The source of my wiring of grievances to the cookie gods. My mom used to make these pinwheel pinwheel at chtimastime.

They are painstaking to make… they require a bakers hand. But I try every year to make them… they are refrigerator cookies, and so you have to make the dough, refrigerate them to make them harden up some, then roll them into thin sheets, let them harden again, then take the chocolate and the vanilla ones and roll them up into a roll. Then slice. Mine came in very dry this year.

Inspiration for Festivus poem of airing of grievances.

What they should look like…

https://imgur.com/a/mpcSiJs

How they turned out.

https://imgur.com/a/U5glnDr

 

[Angeline]

There's just a few days left until the 2025 Poem-a-Week challenge concludes. Thank you all for making it a rip-roaring success! You still have time if you want to add poetry before the 2026 challenge starts. I'll unlock the new thread (and the Revise-a-Poem challenge) sometime on 12/29 for anyone who wants to get an early start.

 

[Wonderer67]

Im prolly forcing it to get to 52.

I don’t know if that’s writing discipline or if I’m just mailing it in. Haven’t felt too good about the last couple that I’ve created. They’re ok ish.

To me at least, a poem has to come to me. Or feel interesting or powerful enough to write about.

This doesn’t feel like it.

 

[Angeline]

Im prolly forcing it to get to 52.

I don’t know if that’s writing discipline or if I’m just mailing it in. Haven’t felt too good about the last couple that I’ve created. They’re ok ish.

To me at least, a poem has to come to me. Or feel interesting or powerful enough to write about.

This doesn’t feel like it

Just my opinion but give yourself some time to digest how you feel about these poems you think you're forcing. Maybe it's just my way but I've learned not to trust how I feel about a poem right after I wrote it.

And even if you conclude those poems are not what you want to produce the process is still good because the more you write the more you improve.

Also it's really not about the number, right? You wrote all year: that's a significant accomplishment.

 

[Wonderer67]

Just my opinion but give yourself some time to digest how you feel about these poems you think you're forcing. Maybe it's just my way but I've learned not to trust how I feel about a poem right after I wrote it.

And even if you conclude those poems are not what you want to produce the process is still good because the more you write the more you improve.

Also it's really not about the number, right? You wrote all year: that's a significant accomplishment.

Sound advice, Angeline.

At the very least it may give me some good material for the revision challenge.

 

[SpermFactory]

Interesting reading. Thank you @Tzara I enjoyed your poem and the links.

 

[42BelowsBack]

Interesting reading. Thank you @Tzara I enjoyed your poem and the links.

Ps this is discussion is akin to giving monkeys a loaded gun.

SF I think, 2026 will involve being heavily inspired by others ideas and craft. Which I see you are already doing.

@Tzara it seems enjoys stylistically laconic poets (among many others). After reading a dictionary definition of laconic, I’m still not sure I understand how to write stylistically laconic poetry. It’s probably something as simple as write to the point. Which takes a lot of skill.

Example: Apparently the following D. H. Lawrence poem is laconic Baby Tortoise (confused, scratching my head or is it my ass)?

Maybe the secret SF is write like a spartan… “Woman fetch my loin cloth, This. Is. Sparta!”

 

[42BelowsBack]

Ps this is discussion is akin to giving monkeys a loaded gun.

SF I think, 2026 will involve being heavily inspired by others ideas and craft. Which I see you are already doing.

@Tzara it seems enjoys stylistically laconic poets (among many others). After reading a dictionary definition of laconic, I’m still not sure I understand how to write stylistically laconic poetry. It’s probably something as simple as write to the point. Which takes a lot of skill.

Example: Apparently the following D. H. Lawrence poem is laconic Baby Tortoise (confused, scratching my head or is it my ass)?

Maybe the secret SF is write like a spartan… “Woman fetch my loin cloth, This. Is. Sparta!”

Ooo Ooo Arh ah I think I’ve got it!

And a List of the so called ten best laconic poems. Laconic poems don’t have…. (have a look and see it for yo self SF).

 

[SpermFactory]

Ooo Ooo Arh ah I think I’ve got it!

And a List of the so called ten best laconic poems. Laconic poems don’t have…. (have a look and see it for yo self SF).

Got it! (Famous last words).

 

[SmilingLez]

Example: Apparently the following D. H. Lawrence poem is laconic Baby Tortoise (confused, scratching my head or is it my ass)?

Thanks for the link - cool poem.

 

[aiyia]

This thread, it is just for discussion
So don't bring poetic percussion
Violators we'll beat
And badly mistreat
inflicting a massive concussion

 

[Angeline]

THIS MESSAGE WILL SELF-DESTRUCT SOON: i admit it. Suck on it bitch.

I made up a fake English accent in my SAID, poem. No English Farmer, Englishman or English King would ever laud the caber under a Scotsman’s kilt. I was momentarily horny because of @Angeline use of the word ‘pornographic’ in a poem. It’s the way angeline uses it. Check it out. I was inspired.

Are you sure it was my poem and not this guy?

 

[aiyia]

The source of my wiring of grievances to the cookie gods. My mom used to make these pinwheel pinwheel at chtimastime.

They are painstaking to make… they require a bakers hand. But I try every year to make them… they are refrigerator cookies, and so you have to make the dough, refrigerate them to make them harden up some, then roll them into thin sheets, let them harden again, then take the chocolate and the vanilla ones and roll them up into a roll. Then slice. Mine came in very dry this year.

Inspiration for Festivus poem of airing of grievances.

What they should look like…

https://imgur.com/a/mpcSiJs

How they turned out.

https://imgur.com/a/U5glnDr

I like yours better, they look friendlier and homemade and contain more love

 

[aiyia]

I saw a t-shirt that said:

SENTENCE FRAGMENT