Let's Pretend It's April Again

[Tiger the Lion]

Everyone game for another Write of Fall starting November 1st?

I think last year went well, so again, I'll be keeping it simple and mostly free of rules.

Share your thoughts and ideas here.

[rowens]

Here's an assignment:

Take the title: Glenn Gould is Bobby Fischer


Take a day to gather whatever you can, your thoughts, research. Don't have to have anything to do with those two men. Whatever that title alone brings up, even if you don't know anything about these people. Don't do any research. The letters, sounds, any associations on any level, something altogether or seemingly altogether random.

Take a day to give a few minutes to the title, sleep on it. Wake up the next day and write it. Whatever comes out, comes out.

[TranquillityBase]

Here's an assignment:

Take the title: Glenn Gould is Bobby Fischer


Take a day to gather whatever you can, your thoughts, research. Don't have to have anything to do with those two men. Whatever that title alone brings up, even if you don't know anything about these people. Don't do any research. The letters, sounds, any associations on any level, something altogether or seemingly altogether random.

Take a day to give a few minutes to the title, sleep on it. Wake up the next day and write it. Whatever comes out, comes out.

Professor Rowens,

Is this an assigment for November?  Or are the poems due as soon as possible?

Fear of God

___________________________________________________

I'm certainly game for November=April.  It been a long time since we had prompts.  A very productive activity.

[dukealien]

Here's an assignment:

Take the title: Glenn Gould is Bobby Fischer


Take a day to gather whatever you can, your thoughts, research. Don't have to have anything to do with those two men. Whatever that title alone brings up, even if you don't know anything about these people. Don't do any research. The letters, sounds, any associations on any level, something altogether or seemingly altogether random.

Take a day to give a few minutes to the title, sleep on it. Wake up the next day and write it. Whatever comes out, comes out.

Professor Rowens,

Is this an assigment for November?  Or are the poems due as soon as possible?

Fear of God

___________________________________________________

I'm certainly game for November=April.  It been a long time since we had prompts.  A very productive activity.

Since we're being religious-y, how about

Requiem for a Lightweight

[Semicircle]

A poem in a fantasy setting. Make creatures with nonsense names.

[TranquillityBase]

Pick a poetic form you've never used and write a poem in that form. Identify the form for the reader.

[dukealien]

A poem in a fantasy setting. Make creatures with nonsense names.

So difficult, for a symbolist!

[Tiger the Lion]

Prompts will be posted the night before. Likely between 5 and 7pm EST. Starting tomorrow.

[Tiger the Lion]

A philosophical note about prompts, if I might...

If a prompt asks you to write an 8 line poem about your pet and you end up with a 12 line poem about insects or a haiku about pumpkins, the prompt has still done its job. It's only mission is getting you to write. It's a rope, not a noose.


I posted this last year, but it's still true. Have fun kids.

[Poetry In Motion]

Can I use a Ghazal? I honestly don't use that poetic form often.

[Poetry In Motion]

I think for a theme it should be "Spooky Faces" or "Running Scared"

[Tiger the Lion]

Can I use a Ghazal? I honestly don't use that poetic form often.

of course

[Tiger the Lion]

Everyone game for another Write of Fall starting November 1st?

I think last year went well, so again, I'll be keeping it simple and mostly free of rules.

Share your thoughts and ideas here.

Hey Everyone! It's almost time for our 3rd annual write of fall we call Let's Pretend it's April! 

Much like NaPM, it is a challenge to write 30 poems in 30 days. 

The prompts for November are meant to be generic and encourage writing however far off topic. 

I hope for as many gems as in previous years. 

Ask questions or suggest prompts in this thread. See you all soon!

[O. M. Geezersnaps]

Is it in any way necessary for participants to be quality writers? If so, I may have to exclude myself. So far, I've yet to produce any emeralds or sapphires from my labors.

[Quixilated]

Anyone can participate!  No feedback required, no prerequisites. You don’t even have to write about the actual prompt.  Any poem you write that day counts. 

—-
Actually, speaking of quality, it’s a good opportunity to try out new styles and forms to see how it feels.  These writing challenges are a judgment-free zone.  Opposite of the workshops, this is more about quantity and less about quality.  If someone wants to workshop a poem later they could, but the main goal of LIPA is just to get words onto paper (or screen) each day. 

[busker]

Beware, I’m going through a particularly macabre phase right now
All poems be
about cannibalism.
Hail tribalism
of the twentyfirst century!
Thick and beige
the orcs rampage,
seeking man-flesh, quivering and pink
under the skin, freshly sliced up,
while second coming Jesus
takes his time to Christ up.

[rayheinrich]

I'm in for the 1st and subsequent dates evenly divisible by 5.

[O. M. Geezersnaps]

I'm in for the 1st and subsequent dates evenly divisible by 5.

Just remember to remember the 5th of November.

[rayheinrich]

Just remember to remember the 5th of November.

And suddenly I'm remembering going to see the musical Fantasticks, many years ago, with my first true love.

"Try to remember" song from Fantasticks

Lyrics:

__Try to remember__

Try to remember the kind of September
When life was slow and oh, so mellow.
Try to remember the kind of September
When grass was green and grain was yellow.
Try to remember the kind of September
When you were a tender and callow fellow.
Try to remember, and if you remember,
Then follow.
Follow, follow, follow, follow, follow,
Follow, follow, follow, follow.

Try to remember when life was so tender
That no one wept except the willow.
Try to remember when life was so tender
That dreams were kept beside your pillow.
Try to remember when life was so tender
That love was an ember about to billow.
Try to remember, and if you remember,
Then follow.
Follow, follow, follow, follow, follow,
Follow, follow, follow, follow.
...

Deep in December, it's nice to remember,
Although you know the snow will follow.
Deep in December, it's nice to remember,
Without a hurt the heart is hollow.
Deep in December, it's nice to remember,
The fire of September that made us mellow.
Deep in December, our hearts should remember
And follow.

Music: Harvey Schmidt, Lyrics: Tom Jones

And here's Jerry Orbach (my very own personal musical star) singing it:
(The same Jerry Orbach who goes on to become Lenny Briscoe in Law & Order.)



Ah, The very essence of nostalgia: True love and the Fantasticks.

(Let's just edit out that our former highschool was still white only
and napalm was raining down on the children of Vietnam.)

---

Here's an assignment:

Take the title: Glenn Gould is Bobby Fischer


Take a day to gather whatever you can, your thoughts, research. Don't have to have anything to do with those two men. Whatever that title alone brings up, even if you don't know anything about these people. Don't do any research. The letters, sounds, any associations on any level, something altogether or seemingly altogether random.

Take a day to give a few minutes to the title, sleep on it. Wake up the next day and write it. Whatever comes out, comes out.

I had a friend who loved Glenn Gould and I remember listening to a recording she had of Gould
playing Bach (can't remember what) and was surprised when he started singing along with himself
as he played. I love that Australian guitarist John Williams and he does something similar when
he plays, only it's more intentional. I can't imagine Gould ever inhabiting Fischer. Both very
eccentric, but Fisher seemed possessed by malevolent spirits, whereas Gould possessed his
own obsessive self. I know poetry is supposed to be creative; but not only would it be hard for
me to figure out a Gould version of Fisher, I don't think I would want Fisher in my brain any
longer than he's already been in it. ... YouTube is awash with Gould - I find out after falling
down yet another rabbit hole. It was great watching him move his lips along with his
animated playing. Thanks for jarring my brain, it was great remembering Gould and my friend.

And, veering on, I can't imagine writing poetry without moving my lips; poetry probably
shouldn't be written down, only spoken.

[Tiger the Lion]

Prompts will begin as early as the evening of the 31st. EST (Roughly 24 hours from the time of this post)
Have fun.