Introduction: What Did I Get Myself Into?
A poem a day for thirty days. That can’t be that hard, can it? Well, yes it can. You need inspiration to write a poem. That can come in the form of an experience or emotional state. Sometimes prompt can do that by providing the impetus to think of a particular object or feeling or by reminding you of something forgotten.
As a writer, motivation comes into play when you just don’t have the energy to put into the endeavor. I tried to stick to a timeline that gave me two to three hours each morning to read the prompt, write the poem, then post it to my blog. Most days, I was able to complete the task in about an hour, while on other days, I needed to take some liberties with the prompt—not because I didn’t like it—because the tangent was closer to my experiences. Some prompts were too specific for my liking. I listed each prompt in a condensed version.
I am pleased with my creations. I now have thirty-one poems (yes, 31) that would not have come into existence had I not embarked on this challenge. As for the best motivation? Sometimes you need to finish a poem before you have to leave.
- Leon Stevens, May 2021
