get your poem on #99
by Andre Tan
What did it feel like to tell a story without literally describing what happens? Did writing to this week’s prompt come easily to you, or did it end up being a drama or comedy of errors? Let everyone know how it went, and share your work in the comments!
Please read this page to find out how the Get Your Poem On and Read Write Prompt posts work.
Remember that work linked from this post is shared in precisely that spirit: sharing, as opposed to critiquing.
If you haven’t done so already, please read all the pages under About in the navigation bar.
If you participate in a Read Write Prompt, we ask that you link back here in your posts, either with a link to Read Write Poem or by using the Read Write Poem badge in your post. Sidebar links are great but it helps others find the site when you link in every post you contribute to the project. It’s not a lot to ask in acknowledgment of the work everyone is doing in providing prompts for members to use.
 Andre Tan is Read Write Poem’s technology director. Whenever the right side of his brain subdues the left side with an oversized ACME mallet, he can be found creatively frolicking with a motley assortment of poets, filmmakers, actors and other artists.
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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!”
 Archive for read write poem news »
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My poem this week is titled:
“STILL LIFE WITH YAEL AND SISERA“
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My lowly attempt: Graffiti (Samhain III)
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I really must stop leaving these until the last day! Nice prompt, by the way. Dear Soul
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A scene, a voice-over, a poem.
it takes two
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Mine was…experimental? This week. But I liked it. Did it satisfy the prompt? I don’t know. Once broke the void.
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Read Write Poem #99
Sleeping With The Enemy
http://rallentanda.blogspot.com
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Here is my offering:
http://firmlyrooted.blogspot.com/2009/11/scrawled-sheet-of-paper.html
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Here’s my contribution.
http://melrosemusings.blogspot.com/2009/11/destiny.html
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Here’s mine, kind of a scene within a scene…Florence
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Winter is not welcome
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I liked this prompt: it led me to ‘the water of things’ –
http://therer2doors.wordpress.com/2009/11/01/the-water-of-things/
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Here’s my entry (she said in a trembling voice).
SIBLINGS
http://makeda42.livejournal.com/46195.html
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“Morning News 1915″ is inspired by the scene in a painting.
http://theresebroderick.wordpress.com
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Here is where you will find my depressing little piece…it you reel like it, let me know in a comment what your “take” is on what has happened in my scene
http://cynthiashort.blogspot.com
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Cynthia Short replied:
November 5th, 2009 at 7:10 am
I need to make a rule to NOT type early in the morning…in the above I meant “FEEL” on “reel” of course!
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Cynthia Short replied:
November 5th, 2009 at 7:11 am
See, I did it again! Geez…
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http://poemsotherwise.blogspot.com/2009/11/yesterday.html
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I think I did this one totally wrong (gave the whole story, didn’t read that we didn’t need to use the broken glass example until after, etc.) but I still like how it turned out: Fumble.
Maybe I’ll try this prompt again sometimes, after I see what other people came up with.
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My contribution:
Her Pen Waits:
http://juliejordanscott.typepad.com/jjspoetry/2009/11/her-pen-waits-readwritepoemorg-get-your-poem-on-99.html
Thanks for a great prompt, Andre!
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This week I used the RWP prompt in crafting my weekly Torah poem, and here it is:
Aftermath
http://velveteenrabbi.blogs.com/blog/2009/11/this-weeks-portion-aftermath.html
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Here’s mine this week:
http://ravenswingpoetry.com/2009/11/02/truancy/
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well, since my first term finals are done, here it is:
Anaïs: Readwritepoem #99 -a letter to Liraz*-
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“Scenes froma Pizz Joint”, my attempt is here: http://deowriter.wordpress.com/2009/11/05/scenes-from-a-pizza-joint/
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My “Chance Encounter” is here:
http://zouxzoux.wordpress.com/2009/11/05/rwp-chance-encounter/
Looking forward to reading everyone!
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A Departure
The airport at Palm Springs, its mixture
High fashion and casual, undocumented
Workers and the beautiful people – both
Groups relaxed in the knowledge that they
Were secure from any disruption. On that
Late spring morning in the mid 1990’s two
Women entered the terminal, one with the
Typical “California girl” air, blonde hair
Flowing over her bare shoulders, a halter
Dress, sandals. The other, older, permed
Hair with gray roots untouched, glasses
But not the dark wrap-around kind, long
Sleeved blouse, dark colored slacks, a
Large tapestry purse dangling from her
Arm, her other had clutching her carry-on.
A quick conclusion, mother & daughter,
Daughter frowning, mother blinking at
The change from the morning’s glaring
Sun. Neither woman would be considered
Beautiful. No one would mistake them for
Celebs. The check in line was short, the
Older woman fumbled with her envelope
Of tickets, the daughter turned away, looking
Bored. As her mother reached for her
Boarding pass, daughter suddenly turned and
Said “You don’t have long to wait. You’ll
Be O.K. here. I can’t waste any more time.
I have a life to live you know.” With that
She whirled away as her mother stared at
The piece of paper already crumpling in
Her hand. A gentleman in the line behind
Her gently nudged her from the counter
Space. The doors had closed, the girl had
Disappeared. Still the mother stared, the
“Good byes, I love you” useless on her lips.
Her shoulders slumped, the brightly colored
Carry-on bag teetered on the floor. A young
Latino man wearing what might have been
A uniform approached her. She wasn’t sure
Just what he tried to say. He looked at her
Pass, and said “Gate 4,” loud and clearly,
Dumbly she followed where he lead her.
Then they were outside, but in the shade.
A group of people had already gathered.
There were benches, he set her bag beside
One, then helped her sit down, she felt to
Stiff to move. She couldn’t think about
The nightmare visit with her daughter.
She felt relieved to have escaped alive.
Now she looked about her at the people.
If her eyes held tears, she did not let
Them fall. In this city of make-
Believe, she wished for a pair of those
Wrap-around dark glasses. Her eyes
Felt naked, exposed without a pair.
No one had paid her the least bit of
Attention. Why, she could have been
a beautiful person in disguise.
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Derrick replied:
November 5th, 2009 at 9:29 am
This paints a picture of a sad and ‘lost’ lady and we can’t quite know what awful thing her daughter has done apart from her stark, unfeeling character. I feel sorry for the mother and the final two sentences emphasise that.
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Zouxzoux replied:
November 5th, 2009 at 10:08 am
A sad story. But it makes me think of that old saying “What goes around comes around.”
Nice work, hon.
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Cynthia Short replied:
November 5th, 2009 at 3:18 pm
This is a wonderful sad story, and even though I felt badly from the mother, I, like Zouxzoux wonders if the daughter behaved the way she was taught…
I like the small details you put in here, the clothing, crumpled paper, the sun. It gave it a sense of reality, of watching it unfold through a “candid camera”.
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David Moolten replied:
November 5th, 2009 at 3:52 pm
A very complete and well painted scene. I like how the poem has a “camera-like” tone, merely describing rather than judging, until the very end, and even then, though ironic, the comment is still wistful and oblique,which makes it all the more poignant. The impersonal quality of the gate, the constraints of it, no time or way to chase after the daughter and fix things, and the separation yawning before the mother. She is innocent and damned.
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Irene replied:
November 5th, 2009 at 6:28 pm
Stupid daughter!!
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Well… Perhaps it’ll make you smile.
http://iverhyck.wordpress.com/2009/11/03/it-is-no-use-crying-over-spilt-milk/
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Two Poems
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By which I mean Two Rooms, heh. I need more coffee.
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Thanks for the prompt. It was fun.
Summoned to a Lady’s Rooms
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Struggling, struggling, struggling.
Here’s mine, I’m still not happy with it.
Living In The Eastern Woodlands. My poem is The East Block Extravaganza 1973
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arriving late to the party but never the less arriving! hope you enjoy my poem for the week, thanks andre for the prompt, enjoyed the avenues it offered to explore
http://beatnikprose.blogspot.com/2009/11/at-gate.html
thanks guys and gals, look forward to reading your pieces
-lawrence
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itz been a long while since writing, this post seemed a great approach to begin again… blue blanket
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I think I’m cracking up today. Been following the poems all day and forgot to put my own link on.
http://beyondtheblog.wordpress.com/2009/11/03/politics
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Here’s my attempt –
“After the Last Supper”
http://djvorreyer.wordpress.com/2009/11/05/readwritepoem-prompt-99-the-scene-unsaid/
Thanks for your comments!
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Hi everyone, I haven’t had a chance to read all of your work yet, but what I’ve seen so far is fantastic! Thanks for playing along!
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tamrahays replied:
November 6th, 2009 at 3:09 am
I thought I posted it. I wonder where I posted it. Anyway, here is mine.
Things that have left
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Very nice work everyone.
This is my attempt at….
http://marksord.blogspot.com/2009/11/15-two-minutes-past-midnight.html
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Ive been to the city for a week…Vancouver…so I am late but here it is.
BROKEN GLASS
http://waynepitchko.blogspot.com
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