get your poem on #29

Did you mix and match this week? Did you try a new poetic form on, or try something outside your usual style? Let us know, and put a link to your poem in the comments.
Was your inspiration from something or somewhere else entirely? Tell us about it.
(We’re curious: Did you get to visit protestpoems.org this [...]

get your poem on #22

Sorry this is late, folks! Deb set the the publish date wrong.
Did you write for someone else this week? Was it Ali Mohaqiq Nasab, or someone else? Let us know here, and put a link to your poem in the comments.
Perhaps some other act of free speech moved you. Tell us. Link us.
Was your inspiration [...]

read write prompt: #22 speak freely

This week we welcome one of our participants at Read Write Poem who will be joining our prompt team.

At fourteen Ren Powell read Helen Hayes’ admission of having misinterpreted: “And the Word was God”. Feeling a kinship with Hayes — an awe of the power of words — Ren swapped her teen-angst poems for playwrighting. [...]


welcome to read write poem

Read Write Poem is an online gathering place for those who love poetry — and for those who suspect that, with a little nurturing, they could grow to love poetry. Whether you are new to writing poetry or have been writing for years, you are welcome here. If you don’t write poetry but love to read and discuss it, this is also the place for you. Read more about the project.


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  • read write poem newsfeed

      You still have time -- until December 15 -- to get into the current Postal Poetry contest. Find details about it here.

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      Here's the New York Times article about all the winners of the National Book Award, including Mark Doty for Fire to Fire.

      Congratulations, Mark Doty!

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      "My Career in Radio" by Garrison Keillor: The poem, and there is always a daily dose of Garrison's poetry selections (of others' poems) in The Writer's Almanac.

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      poetryvlog.com is a terrific site, "A weekly video reading of poetry by the poet".

      About.com has an intriguing (long, and not vetted by Read Write Poem) list of "Video Poetry Archives and Anthologies" with links to all kinds of stuff.

      Christine offers us Collin Kelly's latest project: a video blog on YouTube.

      Do you have some link love, know of some? Do tell. Email us at news (at) readwritepoem (dot) org.

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      So how do you find poetry news in your area? One way is to look for the closest (geographically) writing program and find the supporting blog it is sure to have.

      Examples? Bulletin Board: MFA Carbondale for Southern Illinois and G*L*O for Portland, Oregon.

      It's a good way to find readings, seminars, submissions, etc.

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  • random
    poetry prompt

      A different word or phrase will appear here each time you visit the site or refresh the page. Your current prompt is — value

  • random
    collaborating tip

    Put together a group of words you like, and send it to a collaborator with instructions to use those words in a poem.


  • random
    writing tip

    When we free write, we often forget the rules. Don't forget the rules! They are as follows: Keep your pen/fingers moving. (do not stop.) Edit nothing. (no scratch-outs. nothing!)

  • random
    reading tip

    Use a website like amazon.com to find out what other readers buy who like a book of poetry you enjoyed. Simply enter the name of the book, select it from the list of possible matches, then scroll down to the section “Customers Who Bought This Item Also Bought” and see if there’s anything new there that strikes your fancy.

  • random
    poetry quote

    Inside my empty bottle I was constructing a lighthouse while all the others were making ships. — Charles Simic