read write prompt #39: writing for months, writing for mouths
by Ren Powell
The Olympics begin in two days.
China’s central government in Beijing, despite its pledges and promises to be open to media and the Internet, has agreed to allow free access for only “some” Internet domains. And Tienanmen Square has once again become a political staging ground as people protest their forced dislocation to make way for the new buildings that will house Olympic spectators. There have been limits to Beijing’s plege of change.
While the controversial Olympic Torch relay ended, there is a poetic one taking place, calling attention to human rights. If you haven’t already checked it out, see the PEN Poem Relay. This poetic passing of the torch not only celebrates the Olympic ideals, but reminds us that, for all humanity’s beautiful bodies, drive for achievement and national and international fellowship, we have shortcomings when it comes to celebrating and protecting our basic human rights.
Shi Tao, a Chinese poet and journalist, was arrested for an email he sent to pro-democracy websites in 2004. His poem “June,” which you can find here, has been passed from one language to another in translation.
This week I suggest you write a poem inspired by Shi Tao’s. Write your month.
Write a political poem, if you are so inclined. September is certainly a meaningful month for Americans. In April of this year, 52 American soldiers were killed in Iraq, 1,259 civilians. No matter your politics, this is something to mourn.
I read recently that September is International Self-Awareness month. Write something personal if you’d like. Does your calendar have a month marked that you look forward to, or dread? What if you had a month to live? Or a month to live in prison? Maybe you could save the world in a month. Maybe it took a month for a life-lesson to sink in. Write a poem that is a diary entry, a countdown, a promise.
Have a go! And have a good month!
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get the read write poem badge! 
Wear it loud, wear it proud! Display the Read Write Poem badge on your site. Just click here or on the image above to get the code! read write poem news- yes, yes, here’s another virtual book tour stop for ‘a walk through the memory palace’
February 6, 2010 | 11:37 amFind the latest tour stop for Pamela Johnson Parker’s debut collection, A Walk Through the Memory Palace at Jillypoet, Jill Crammond Wickham’s blog, where you can find an interview with Pamela that discusses how she creates manuscripts.
Previous stops include Daniel Romo at his blog, Peyote Soliloquies and James Brush at his blog, Coyote Mercury.
You can find all our plans for the tour here.
- the best of the web is in our ranks
February 6, 2010 | 11:35 amSarah J. Sloat’s poem,”Attending the Tasting” (published in The Literary Bohemian) has been selected for Best of the Web 2010. Congratulations, Sarah!
- another (w00t!) read write poem member on the joe milford poetry show
February 6, 2010 | 11:34 amOn the Joe Milford Poetry Show tomorrow (Feb. 6): W.F. Roby at 9 AM (PST). Find the show here!
Joe describes Will as a “great language poet and bad-ass.”
- ‘literary podcasting made simple with wordpress.com’
February 6, 2010 | 11:33 amDave Bonta has published a how-to article that might be of interest to WordPress users: “Literary Podcasting Made Simple with WordPress.com,” based on his and Beth Adams’ experience at Qarrtsiluni.
Thanks, Dave, for continuing to help make the community aware of technological resources that can expand our art.
- the latest (virtual) book tour stop for ‘a walk through the memory palace’
February 3, 2010 | 3:53 pmThe latest tour stop has been posted for Pamela Johnson Parker’s debut collection, A Walk Through the Memory Palace. Find out how Daniel Romo responded to the work at his blog, Peyote Soliloquies.
James Brush provided our first tour stop at his blog, Coyote Mercury.
You can find all our plans for the tour here.
- planning for napowrimo in april, and you are invited!
February 2, 2010 | 6:12 pmHello, hello dear Read Write Poem community members! We are in the planning stages for NaPoWriMo. (What? Is that a groan I hear, or an excited exclamation?)
We are planning another prompt-every-day for those folks who love to write a daily poem in April (which is, as most of you know, National Poetry Month in the United States — although there is an international following of writing poetry every day in April, too, so it is not just about the States).
Anyway! This is a call for prompts because we want to run your ideas, one every day, in April. So here’s what to do:
- Prompts must be no more than 250 words, and we will take the first 30 that we receive.
- Include “NaPoWriMo Prompt” in the subject line of your email as well as your username (e.g., the name you use when you log in) so we can match you up with your prompt and give you the link love.
- Email your submission (in the body of the email — no attachments please) to prompts (at) readwritepoem (dot) org!
We’ll let you know when we’ve got the 30, but don’t delay because it takes a lot of time to format the posts and we want to be ready come April Fools’ Day. Woohoo!
- new senior contributors at read write poem
February 2, 2010 | 11:51 amWe are thrilled to announce that Ren Powell and Dave Jarecki are moving into the senior contributor role at Read Write Poem. Both have been writing feverishly for the site, as well as providing ideas for content and for the community as a whole. In short, they make this site a more lively, and better, place.
Ren and Dave will fill the roles vacated by Carolee Sherwood and Jill Crammond Wickham, who have moved into the manager role.
Everyone please thank Ren and Dave for their hard work and commitment to Read Write Poem.
- rounding out the virtual book tour of sarah j. sloat’s ‘in the voice of a minor saint’
January 31, 2010 | 1:53 pmOur last stop on the Virtual Book Tour of Sarah J. Sloat’s In the Voice of a Minor Saint is with Ren Powell. Find Ren’s review at More Babel.
Joseph Harker provided our first stop in December, and you can find David Moolten’s review at Edible Detritus. David’s was followed by Dave Jarecki’s. Dave’s review is at his blog. Find Jill Crammond Wickham’s at Jillypoet: Mom Trying to Write.
In case you missed the introduction, we are (virtually) hosting Sarah J. Sloat’s In the Voice of a Minor Saint. For complete tour information, such as how you can get your own copy of the collection or how you can get involved in future tours, read this post.
- make your own book: get off the computer and onto the paper
January 30, 2010 | 4:19 pmBeth Adams has posted her latest project at The Cassandra Pages. “A Handmade Book” may not explicate all the details of bookbinding, but Beth shows readers the “Secret Belgian Binding.” It’s a beautiful as well as inspiring post.
If you would like more detailed instructions, Google “secret Belgian bookbinding” and find sites such as this one. Or look for a local book arts class for hands-on instruction.
As Beth says, ” … it did me good to get away from the computer and feel my hands at work!”
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Damn, I love your prompts.
[...] I read this week’s Read Write Poem prompt in which I read about the PEN Poem Relay for Shi_Tao, a journalist imprisoned by the Chinese [...]
I second Katherine. Off to work I go…
-Nicole
thank you… shi wrote a beautiful poem… when i read abt yahoo exposing the writer it was a real eye opener but did not know the details… thank you for the links and getting the info out there… we could not possibly imagine this happening in US…
September means a lot of things to many people… like a month where kids are back in school, for others the 9/11 World Trade Center/Pentagon tragedy, etc..
So much to write! Fabulous prompt!
I’m off to work now!
[...] This free verse poem was written in response to Read Write Prompt #39: “writing for months, writing for mouths”. [...]
[...] Read the entire prompt at Read Write Poem. [...]
Let the poetry speak. Who is up to the task?
My month is December.
I am going to post today the story that lies behind my poem.
The poem itself , that I shall post this weekend, is an attempt for rhyme and meter when writing in English. The result has many flaws, but I hope it has some good points and I am looking forward for some insight from readers.
[...] This was written for Read Write Poem Prompt #39: Writing for Months, Writing for Mouths. This was inspired by this speech, “Come September” given by activist and writer [...]
It’s been a while since I’ve posted here- crazy summer, but I am ready now for September…
http://reginaclarejane.livejournal.com/82853.html?mode=reply
Oops, I am so sorry- posted this in the wrong place! Off to post it in the right place!
[...] readwritepoem’s prompt to write about months. Click here to see what other poets have done with the same [...]