About the Challenge

"Poetry is the spontaneous overflow of powerful feelings: it takes its origin from emotion recollected in tranquillity" ~ William Wordsworth

A Poem A Day Challenge is a week-long (5 days) challenge that runs every third week of the month.

Participants receive writing prompts, daily, for which they write and submit a poem by 10 pm on the same day.

The best THREE (3) poems are selected and published the next morning.

TO PARTICIPATE: enter your email address here http://eepurl.com/eQCM6 and you will receive a daily prompt.

RULES OF THE CHALLENGE:

  • you have to sign up to receive the writing prompts
  • you have to write a new poem for the writing prompt and submitting by 10pm on the same day
  • you may not submit a poem you have already written before.

CHALLENGE PRIZE: From August we are offering a prize for the best overall poem. More info on the prize and how this is decided will follow.

QUARTERLY PRINT EDITION: Poems selected for the publication will be compiled for a quarterly print edition of A Poem A Day challenge. More info on this will follow.

submit here or here make sure to include the words:  APOEMADAY at the top of your submission


April: Freedom Week

When Common asks Assata Shakur 'what is freedom?' at the end of his tribute song, Song of Assata. Assata responds, "You're asking me about freedom? i know a whole lot more about what freedom isn't... coz i've never been free." She goes on to imagine what freedom could be.

It's Freedom Week in South Africa, that historical first vote for the oppressed Afrikan masses of South Africa happened eighteen years ago on 27 April. Now let's writer great poems, interrogate, question, image, dream about freedom.

peace

zamantungwa
editor, publisher

A Poem A Day Challenge, Every 3rd Week of the month

Poems

Church street by Thabang Moabi

Posted by Poetry Potion on Friday, November 18, 2011 In : Soweto Poets 

In my daily routine
My way home passage
Is an infernal place
Bad deed don't seem to elapse
Prostitute roam in the midnight

Church street doesn't tally the words of God
A corpse is lying in a red pool
Blood has painted the future

Sangomas throw bones and foretell lies in lieu of money

We have adopted so much to bite our tongues trying to pronounce who we are

You should have told me more about red
I could have known
I might be dead
I could have known
The smiling world isn't friendly

© Thaba...


Continue reading...
 

soaked by zamantungwa

Posted by Poetry Potion on Friday, November 18, 2011 In : Soweto Poets 

tales
acted out

a libretto 
in three acts a velvet curtain raised

a high pitched overture

knitted in bloodlines tangled
 
drowned in scarlet
nothing sound penetrating


identity flicked by tongues
velvet

© zamantungwa


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Day 4 Writing Prompt | 17 November 2011

Posted by Poetry Potion on Thursday, November 17, 2011 In : Soweto Poets 

(Soweto Poets Week)


"flicked velvet tongues of scarlet"(from 'An abandoned bundle'  by Oswald Mbuyiseni Mtshali)
the full poem is below...
 
DEADLINE: 11:59M, 17 NOV
 
An abandoned bundle by Oswald Mbuyiseni Mtshali
 
The morning mist
and chimney smoke
of White City Jabavu
flowed thick yellow
as pus oozing
from a gigantic sore.

It smothered our little houses
like fish caught in a net.

Scavenging dogs
draped in red bandanas of blood
fought fiercely
for a squiriming bundle.

I threw a brick;
they bar...
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He Loves Me by Su...

Posted by Poetry Potion on Thursday, November 17, 2011 In : Soweto Poets 

I fell and knocked my head
I am so clumsy broke my arm
I bumped into the open door
I didn't catch the ball in time
I made him angry
It is all my fault
I shouldn't make him jealous
I know its the last time
I promised I'll leave again
I came back cause he's sorry
He loves me
To death...

© Saurell Boyers

Day 3 | 16 November 2011


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Below many woman would be by Morula Wa Kutukgolo

Posted by Poetry Potion on Thursday, November 17, 2011 In : Soweto Poets 

Without women rights
Below many woman would be,
And punches would still
Be rolling upon that which is
Delicate and soft,
Fragile and tender,
Meak and physically weak.
Without women rights
Below many woman would be
And sky high many man's confidence
Would be,
Many man's bragging and boasting
Sky high would be.
Many man would still be
Bearing with pride
The image of a beast and monster,
Opposer of Him
Who gave men strength and power
To protect and provide,
To shield and shelter;
Not abuse and ...


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