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

Breakdown by Taidgh Lynch

Posted by Poetry Potion on Saturday, September 24, 2011 In : But late is never a bad start 
You huff as you sit in your car broken down 
waiting on the hard shoulder. 
You ring for assistance, glance at the time 
on your watch, check the phone for messages 
then turn your attention to the radio 
listening to traffic reports and news updates. 
You drink a flask of tea, polish off a whole 
packet of chocolate biscuits

Outside the window traffic motors on 
A woman drives by with screaming kids. 
An articulated lorry rolls on. 
You look up and out of your windshield, 
spy a bird soaring in the sk...
Continue reading...
 

We by Simphiwe Phukwane

Posted by Poetry Potion on Saturday, September 24, 2011 In : But late is never a bad start 
THROUGH ANTICIPATION
WE ENDURED
ALL WE WERE PUT THROUGH

BECAUSE WE KNEW
WHERE OUR COURAGE
WILL TAKE US

WE HAVE BROKEN
THE COMPULSORY CHOICES
THEY HAD GIVEN US

WE HAVE RISEN
FROM THE SOFT HARD
SURFACE THEY HAD LAID FOR US

WE HAVE GONE BEYOND
STRICT LIMITS SET FOR US

WE CAME VICTORIOUS
FROM DEFEAT
THAT HAD BEEN GIVEN TO US

WE HAVE AWAKENED THEM
WHEN THEY THOUGHT WE WERE SLEEPING
OUR CONSCIOUS UNCONSCIOUSNESS  BROUGHT
US THROUGH

WE HAVE COMBINED 
OUR FIGMENTS INTO REALITY

THROUGH IT ALL

WE KEPT STRONG
A...
Continue reading...
 

Sept Peace Week: Day 5 Writing Prompt

Posted by Poetry Potion on Saturday, September 24, 2011 In : But late is never a bad start 
www.poetrypotion.com presents
a poem a day challenge
www.poetrypotion.com

Day 5 Writing Prompt

23 September 2011
"But late is never a bad start"
(from Africa My Beginning, Africa My Ending by Ingoapele Madingoane)
the full poem is below...
 
[about the challenge]

submit your poems here
OR www.poetrypotion.com/a-poem-a-day-challenge-submissions

DEADLINE: 11:59M, 23 SEP



 

Africa My Beginning, Africa My Ending by Ingoapele Madingoane

 

Africa my Beginning

They came from the west

Sailing to the east

With hatred and disease flowing

From...


Continue reading...
 

I Miss Myself by Taidgh Lynch

Posted by Poetry Potion on Friday, September 23, 2011 In : Give me back myself 
Nightly I return to that same spot 
where we talked under the hickory 
tree. I frantically search my pockets 
search for where you left me. 
I search the obvious places and the 
hidden ones deep in my heart. If only 
the outside or sit inside your ear and listen to 
how I sound. I could rebuild myself and piggyback 
on the soft hill of your lips and speak kind words.

I disappeared when you left  
I think you packed me in your travel case, 
leaving no forwarding address. 
Maybe I exist somewhere happy i...
Continue reading...
 

Sept Peace Week: Day 4 Writing Prompt

Posted by Poetry Potion on Friday, September 23, 2011 In : Give me back myself 
www.poetrypotion.com presents
a poem a day challenge
www.poetrypotion.com

Day 4 Writing Prompt

 22 September 2011
"Give me back myself"
(from Give back peace by Sankichi Toge)
the full poem is below...
 
[about the challenge]

submit your poems here
OR www.poetrypotion.com/a-poem-a-day-challenge-submissions

DEADLINE: 11:59M, 22 SEP




Give Back Peace by Sankichi Toge
 

Give back father, give back mother,
Give back grandpa, give back grandma,
Give back boys, give back girls.

Give me back myself, give me back men 
Linked to me.

As long a...


Continue reading...
 
 

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