napowrimo #29: i don’t think i can
by Carolee Sherwood
Wednesdays this month, we’ve been trying to give you list-based prompts. Today, I’d like you to do a quick 5-minute free-write on this subject: “I don’t think I can.” Start every sentence in the free-write with “I don’t think I can.” (I don’t think I can write another poem. I don’t think I can live without chocolate. I don’t think I can clean the house before my husband gets home.) Repeat it and repeat it.
Don’t think too much. Move quickly. You’re not trying to craft a poem at this stage. You’re just trying to move fast enough so that your mind accidentally gives up poem clues. You’ve been at this NaPoWriMo thing for a while. Your mind is onto you. You’re going to have to trick it.
Then, you have a couple of choices for writing your poem. The first option is to cross out all the “I don’t think I cans” and see what list of actions you end up with. Do they tell an interesting story? Do they create a small character study? Are they “shoulds”? Are they things you want to do but haven’t? Are they things you’re afraid to try? What if you tried them? You can title your piece “I don’t think I can” or give it a new title that twists the meaning of your list somehow.
The second option is to choose one of the things your list says you can’t do and write an instruction poem describing “how to” do that thing.
You have plowed through NaPoWriMo. Today is Day 29. You can do it!
(You may wonder, “Why bother to write ‘I don’t think I can’ so many times? Isn’t that busy work?” It’s not busy work. You repeat the lead-in to your sentence each time so that your brain gets into a rhythm and so that it resets itself and removes the temptation to get too clever or slow down and think too much. Just keep writing. The first thing that comes to mind: I don’t think I can. And then write down the next thing.)
Note: This month, since we’re all trying to write every day, we’re leaving the comments open with each prompt so you can post links to your poems as you write them. So, go ahead and write your poem, post your poem (with a link to Read Write Poem and a Read Write Poem tag, if you would) and come back to this very spot and share your link with us.
Of course, if you’re a creature of habit, you can always post your links at tomorrow’s “Get Your Poem On” post. Who are we to mess around with what works for you?
And don’t forget to go read the poems of others in this wonderful writing community. We’re all in this NaPoWriMo “mess” (ha ha!) together; let’s support each other in the insanity that is writing (every day)!
|
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!”
 Archive for read write poem news »
|
|
Loading ...
Not on this prompt, but I couldn’t resist the chance of being first comment!
Day 29.
http://paperdreams-jgc.blogspot.com/2009/04/day-29-i-dont-think-i-can-make-it-so.html
My # 28 Poem:
Mars, God of War:
http://brokeness.blogspot.com/2009/04/napowrimo-28.html
here’s mine
http://knittingthewind-westering.blogspot.com/2009/04/i-dont-think-i-can-answer-as-you-want.html
[...] napowrimo #29: i don’t think i can [...]
http://poemsotherwise.blogspot.com/2009/04/lane-service.html
I don’t think I can
[...] Tags: love, napowrimo, Poetry It’s been too long since I’ve followed a prompt, or even written a poem at all, but here is today’s [...]
It turned out to be a love poem
Carolee I hate you. I’ve just spent my morning writing in my least favourite form, because no other form would hold what i had to say.
<a href=”http://watermaid.wordpress.com/2009/04/29/29-how-not-to-move-house/”How not to move house
I’m in such a state that I can’t do a link properly any more.
How Not to Move House
two poems, today’s prompt and yesterday. definitely tiring!
You can stop
defining the cut
http://firmlyrooted.blogspot.com/2009/04/raise-bar.html
Today NaPoWriMo 29
Wow!!! 29!!!!
Mine I titled; Yes, I Can
(of course)
it’s on my Facebook Notes
and here:
http://dash30dash.ning.com/profiles/blogs/yes-i-can-napowrimo-29-2009
write on
After yesterday’s sestina, I had a long list of “I don’t think I cans,” and I could barely do this poem. But here it is: short and silly.
Note to Self
http://blog.elizabethenslin.com/2009/04/note-to-self
No Matter
http://etopiakilla.blogspot.com/
the word prompt used
carte blanche..
somehow my messages always gets filtered:(
another attempt
word prompt used
: carte blanche
[...] Though not strictly written according to the prompt , this one was inspired by it, nonetheless. Find the original prompt here: napowrimo #29 [...]
I dug up and old prompt for this one, #19 to be exact:
http://iwriteforreal.blogspot.com/2009/04/napowrimo-poem-19.html
Godess, We’re keeping a lookout for you. The spam filter will learn you are for reals.
My NaPoMo poem #29, a lighthearted look at the things I don’t think I can live without: So Many Gifts
I havn’t really followed the prompts this month, even though I have enjoyed them, but this one inspired me. Ok, the phrase itself inspired me, at any rate. So, here it is: “I don’t think I can…”
Are we nearly there yet?
Yes!
If You Can
If You Can
[...] Other poets have done other things with the prompt. Here. [...]
#29 I don’t think i can
MAYBE
I don’t think I can believe we only have one more day of napowrimo to go!
http://freckledwriter.blogspot.com/2009/04/i-dont-think-i-can.html
here’s mine
The prompt went a little sideways on me….
From: I don’t think I can … be a writer
I got: How to Not be a Writer.
the robin’s nest outside my door inspired my recommended daily allowance of napowrimo-allowed cliches in this springy poem: promise
Ha–I don’t know where this came from, but here’s “retribution” for #29–
http://therer2doors-thespacebetweenwords.blogspot.com/2009/04/retribution.html
Up and ready here.
http://lori102870.blogspot.com/2009/04/sea-turtlenapowrimo-29by-me.html
my response to #29 I don’t think I can
http://eneri-hot.blogspot.com/2009/04/i-dont-think-i-can.html
I am still attempting to catch up. This is a combination of #25 and #27. I want to say thank you to the lovely folks at ReadWritePoem for the amazing prompts and support they have given us all month. Thank!
http://page247.wordpress.com/2009/04/29/napowrimo-2527/
FOWL CALL – NEVER TRUST A MOCKINGBIRD
catching up on my poetry
here is today’s offering
http://a-mus-ing.blogspot.com/2009/04/testing.html
[...] For Read Write Poem’s prompt [...]
I made it tonight but just barely. Muse don’t leave me now.
I Don’t Think I Can Toe-Dance
http://mariascala.blogspot.com/2009/04/napowrimo-20-i-dont-think-i-can.html
Didn’t follow the prompt. This poem manifested itself from a long walk in the woods this morning:
http://texas2tennessee.blogspot.com/2009/04/foreign-tongue.html
This is my very first response to the napowrimo prompts. I have been following you all, though, for the entire month–just couldn’t keep up.
Oops, didn’t realize I was supposed to paste the link – here goes:
http://athenathoughts.wordpress.com/
[...] with humanity. NaPoWriMo Read Write Poem Prompt #29 [...]
[...] Where did that come from? Well, from Carolee’s great prompt from yesterday, that’s where. The freewrite that started the poem is after the [...]