Writing Articles

Poetry Forms Challenge 2026: “Pirouette”

Another form to try!

Poetic Inspiration or Lack Thereof

Writing prompts don’t always work well for me. Here are some of the things I use, when feeling “uninspired,” instead. Feel free to give them a try if you’re facing a bit of “writers block.” Or go out into the sunshine, paint a picture, work on a puzzle – do something el…

Poetry Forms Challenge 2026: “Quadrille”

Longer than a fortune cookie, shorter than an epic poem – try your hand at the Quadrille poetry form.

Another Poem Fished Out of the Moat

Somebody said, “You get all the best spam!” Sure. But that doesn’t mean I want or need more of it. Nor does it mean any of this made it through the spam filter. No link backs for you, Spammers!

A hand holds a battered sand dollar in the foreground. In the middle ground, a bird perches on a whale's nose. In the background, an old tall ship and gathering storm clouds.

Peace, Fragile as a Seashell

Dec 2, 2025 | Poetry, Writing

A poem inspired by Vinitha Dileep’s Fiction Monday prompt for December 1, 2025.

Illustration: Two writers duel with fountain pens

Feelin’ Spicy

Nov 22, 2025 | Poetry, Writing

Poets responding to other poems is an old tradition – using the original poem as a prompt, a springboard, an invitation to a conversation.

Down the rabbit hole of questions and answers - a little brown bunny carrying a load of books

Rabbit Holes and the Incessant “Why?”

Nov 21, 2025 | Poetry, Writing

Where will they lead us, this time?

Humans imagined as a broad spectrum of flesh-colored crayons.

Just Another Crayon in the Box

Apr 28, 2025 | Poetry, Writing

How can you not want all the nuance and potential and variety in the world?

Imagine if words were flowers in a garden, or flowers were covered in words - that is what this image is trying to convey, a garden of wildwords.

Increase Diversity

Apr 28, 2025 | Poetry, Writing

Grant Wood's painting, "Young Corn," showing the rolling green and yellow hills and farmland of Iowa.

Heralding the Feast

Apr 16, 2025 | Poetry, Writing

A Dorsimbra poem inspired by the rolling hills and farms of Iowa and Grant Wood’s painting, “Young Corn.”

Older woman helping young woman to knead dough for bread

Ghost Story

Apr 7, 2025 | Poetry, Writing

Why shouldn’t they be just as we knew them?

Sinister clown performing on a small stage in a run-down motel

Fun House

Apr 6, 2025 | Poetry, Writing

I asked my mother, once, why some of us found circus clowns disturbing or scary. Objectively, I know that they are there to make the audience laugh and to bring joy. But count me among those who see Pennywise in every clown.