2021 Progressive Poem – Day One

This year I thought it would be fun to take the plunge and write the first line in our Progressive Poem that unfolds throughout National Poetry Month in America. My one line will help set the tone for what is to come … and in light of all we have gone through in the past twelve months, I am for sure wanting to invest something light and lively into our compilation …

Many poets expressed delight with last year’s two-lined version of the progressive poem, instigated by Donna, where each poet wrote two potential lines, and the next poet chose one …  then wrote their own two options to offer the next poet, and so on … I think we all felt that this lightened the pressure of writing that one perfect line. (I know it sped the process up for me!) With that in mind, I have started the month with two options… But don’t feel that you signed up to write one line, and been duped!😹 You can still choose to write just one line, on your day. The choice is yours.

My two, very different offerings to kickstart creativity are;

 

Option One:  In a swish and a swirl, they spiralled and twirled …

Option Two:  I’m a case of kindness – come and catch me if you can!

 

I like that they are have a very different feel to them, and I think I’ve left the door wide open for Linda Mitchell’s creativity tomorrow. (Though you might want to ignore the rest of this post until after you have written your lines, Linda, if you don’t want to be influenced by my thought process.😺)

How to Catch a Poem

I confess – I cheated. I pondered and penned my lines in advance. Many American friends were experiencing significant snowfall – which prompted magical memories of my days in the snow! Inspired by that, I wrote Option One. Linda, who picks up the pen tomorrow, might be thinking of something completely different to snow, if she even chooses Option One.

More recently I had the thought that a new month is a blank slate, offering 30 days to share 30 ways to be kind. But how to start a poem that prompts kindness, yet is playful and child-centred, not didactic and done before …  A poem where I only write one line! That led to Option Two. I didn’t actually get to share a kindness in my line – but perhaps I’ll help it spread!

I look forward to seeing what you all write!

 

---

 

History: 

The Progressive Poem was the brainchild of Irene Latham, in 2012, who then passed the baton to Margaret Simon in 2020. There are two rules. 1) The poem will pass from blog to blog with each poet-blogger adding a line. 2) The poem is for children. Other than that, anything goes. Some poets like to write about the process which is always interesting to read, but it isn’t necessary. And it shouldn’t make the next person to pick up the pen feel compelled to continue in a certain way.

 

2021 Timeline for April:

1 Kat Apel at katswhiskers
2 Linda Mitchell at A Word Edgewise
3 Mary Lee at A Year of Reading
4 Donna Smith at Mainly Write
5 Irene Latham at Live your Poem
6 Jan Godown Annino at BookseedStudio
7 Rose Cappelli at Imagine the Possibilities
8 Denise Krebs at Dare to Care
9 Margaret Simon at Reflections on the Teche
10 Molly Hogan at Nix the Comfort Zone
11 Buffy Silverman
12 Janet Fagel at Reflections on the Teche
13 Jone Rush MacCulloch
14 Susan Bruck at Soul Blossom Living
15 Wendy Taleo at Tales in eLearning
16 Heidi Mordhorst at my juicy little universe
17 Tricia Stohr Hunt at The Miss Rumphius Effect
18 Linda Baie at Teacher Dance
19 Carol Varsalona at Beyond Literacy Link
20 Robyn Hood Black at Life on the Deckle Edge
21 Leigh Anne Eck at A Day in the Life
22 Ruth Hersey at There is No Such Thing as a God-forsaken Town
23 Janice Scully at Salt City Verse
24 Tabatha Yeatts at The Opposite of Indifference
25 Shari Daniels at Islands of my Soul
26 Tim Gels at Yet There is Method at https://timgels.com
27 Rebecca Newman
28 Catherine Flynn at Reading to the Core
29 Christie Wyman at Wondering and Wondering
30 Michelle Kogan at More Art 4 All