Day 20: National Poetry Month
Some of us struggle to write a poem a day, or to post regularly on our blogs every week for a month. Fiction Monday passed a huge milestone, this week, celebrating 300 weeks of prompts and inspiration! In my friend Vinitha Dileep’s honor, the word of the day is “Tenacious.” Her word for this week’s Fiction Monday prompt was “resolve.”
Tenacious
Tenacious roots resolve with tiny toes
and tender claws to cling to crumbling
walls. Old bricks and faded stuccos
yield. A resting spot where songbirds sing—
bright-winged wildflowers on the vine—
perk up the sagging old façade
and hug it tight, its fragile bones to bind.
Lopsided windows grin; none think it odd.
Such houses dot the countryside
where children laughed and church bells chimed
where still they stand while earth abides—
slow, patient nature takes its time.
Other National Poetry Month Posts
- National Poetry Month, Texas Style!
- Apricots: a Tanka Encompassing Three Prompts
- Bee Sting: Day 2 of National Poetry Month
- Cacophony and CBD: Day 3 in Nonsense Verse and Found Poetry
- Technically, a Writer: Day 3 of National Poetry Month
- Dive: Day 4 of National Poetry Month
- Storm Front: Day 4 of National Poetry Month
- Energized: Day 5 of National Poetry Month
- Grump: Day 5 ½ of National Poetry Month
- Future Frittered Away: Day 6 of National Poetry Month
- Hell, Hell, Hell: Day 7 (More or Less) of National Poetry Month
- Insomnia: Day 8 of National Poetry Month
- Juxtaposition: Day 9 of National Poetry Month
- Knife Edge: Day 10 of National Poetry Month
- Lost a Day: Day 11 of National Poetry Month
- Many Definitions: Day 12 of National Poetry Month
- New Form – Quadrille Quaiku: Day 13 of National Poetry Month
- Ode to Imagination: Day 14 of National Poetry Month
- Pixellated People: Day 15 of National Poetry Month
- Quintessential, Querulous Quintet: Day 16/17 of National Poetry Month
- Renewal: Day 18 of National Poetry Month
- Secrets of the Terrarium: Day 19 of National Poetry Month
- Tenacious: Day 20 of National Poetry Month
- Unruly: Day 21 of National Poetry Month
Your Turn!
You may have noticed that the dates these posts are posted don’t always match the dates of the prompts or the proper order of the Blogging A to Z Challenge. A “nature” poem was the WD prompt for Day 22 – Earth Day. And this is April 23, technically. Everything is cattywumpus! But I have always believed in adhering to the spirit of the day, if not the letter of the day.
If you are taking part in the Blogging A to Z Challenge, how is it going? (I know we’re supposed to take Sundays off, but they’re usually my “catch-up days.” This year, every day is a “catch up” or “get ahead” day.
If not, I hope you’re enjoying the posts here. Enough to leave me a comment, maybe?
The challenge is continuing apace. I got two more letters to prep to have no worries. I did miss a day or two, but went back and filled them in. Sunday is my normal post day, so I take Saturday’s off instead. My normal blogging schedule is three posts a week – Tuesday, Thursday, and Sunday. It’s the going out and visiting others which is the hard part of this challenge for me. Back when the challenge was pushing a thousand participants, it was impossible to visit everyone, but this year I managed it and left a message on every blog that let me do so. (Some of the wordpress blogs required special google log in and the one time I did that years ago, I got locked out of other accounts, so not happening..) Now it is much easier sailing – just dropping by people who visit me and left a message – a number less than 10 (17 overall, but I have several regular visitors like you!)
I will admit to a certain bias in visiting blogs whose owners visit mine, Erin. 🙂 That also means I’m unsurprised to have to few from the challenge, but sometimes it’s just best to wait and visit them later – when I have time to write something intelligent beyond “nice post.” Nobody wants THAT, right?
I appreciate you. Your visits have helped to keep me going on this thing!