This week's
Poetry Friday is being hosted by
Jan at Bookseedstudio. She has invited us to engage with the theme "Float".
Last week I shared Wee-Sources about
writing in community. Thank you to the weaders who shared their writing resources as well!
This week I
float the idea of a Wee-Source of
writing in a KIND community.
I got an email this week that has made me 'float' inside...
Over the last few years I've made
four 10 Steps to Writing...Poetry Videos. (see the side bar here →)
In these videos I walk viewers through a 10 Step process for writing a particular poetry form. At the end of each video I invite viewers to send me their poems. Occasionally I hear from budding poets, usually kids, sharing their poems. It is
always a delight.
This week I heard from R.B. (a complete stranger) who shared his limerick after watching my
10 Steps to Writing Limericks.
Based on the subject matter of his limerick, I'm guessing R.B. is an adult:
R.B. indicates that this is his 2nd Limerick, but I have no recollection or record of receiving his first. Either way, R.B.'s random email made my week!
The other part of R.B.'s sharing that makes me so happy is that he is on a journey with poetry. His limerick is not perfect, but he tried a new form and shared it with another person, me!
I, too, am on a journey with my writing. And as I have shared, writing in community is always better than writing alone. Receiving R.B.'s email got me thinking about writing groups. A few years ago I was in search of a community in the form of a poetry critique group. I was invited (or I asked - I can't remember which) to join an online poetry critique group made up of "
a supportive community of people who write verse for children" (their words).
Upon reading their introductory email I thought to myself, "This will be so great! I've found MY people!"
After outlining the general membership participation requirements, I was asked to complete
TEN (🚩!) questions about my education/publication/dedication to children's poetry, including samples.
But as I did so, I thought to myself, "This will be so great! I've found MY people!"
I was then told that my application would be
reviewed by the "Membership Committee". (Really? A membership committee for
a supportive community of people who write verse for children? Ok.)
After a month, I got an email saying, "I'm sorry to report you didn't make it in."
Upon reading my rejection, I thought to myself, "This is
so not great. I feel terrible. But, I will keep writing and looking for MY people..."
A year or so later, I got another email from this group saying that a slot had opened and I could
apply again.
I thought to myself, "This still might be great. I might have found MY people...maybe?"
Cautiously optimistic, I again completed the
TEN (🚩!) questions and included my sample poetry so,
again, they could be reviewed by the "
Membership Committee".
A month later, I again got an email saying, "I'm sorry to report you didn't make it in."
vpn服务器美国!
Upon reading my
SECOND rejection from this group - with no clear indication of
WHY I was not good enough - I thought to myself, "
I SUCK! I want to quit writing poetry for children! I want to quit writing poetry for anybody! I want to quit writing!"
Mind you this group is not part of a publication or an educational institution. They are a critique group. An exclusive critique group that employs a nameless/faceless "
Membership Committee" to deem writers (me!) not good enough with zero feedback to as to WHY my answers/poetry samples didn't make the cut.
I never want anyone to feel how this group made me feel.
Eventually I dried my eyes, took a deep breath, and continued to
write.
And since that time I am happy to report that I have published my poetry - lots of times! I've gone on to have success without this group.
But I'd like to have success WITH a group.
A
DIFFERENT group.
A
KIND group.
An
INCLUSIVE group.
A group for
ANYONE on their writing journey, from any location, with any experience.
I want to lift other writers up and root for their success while they do the same for me.
That is why I am 'floating' the creation of a
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There is no
membership committee, just
vpn服务器美国 and
welcoming participants who want to give and get feedback on their poetry.
And by critique I mean
read and
respond using the OREO method* to other's poetry. It is a minimum once a month commitment to submit
one poem and write a response to
one poem
via email. If you'd like to write and respond to more in any given month, you will be able to. But at a minimum, it is 1 for 1, once a month. No judgement. No mean comments. Just a global cheerleading squad for you and your poetry writing.
*
vpn服务器美国:
Chocolate wafer: tell poet something you really like about their poem - what's unique? which image or word(s)/phrase(s) work well?
Stuff in middle: tell
poet something to improve in their poem - what doesn't make sense?
suggestion of something to leave out or add in? Said
KINDLY.
vpn服务器美国: tell poet something else positive about their poem - what else will encourage and empower the poet to move forward and improve?
If you are interested in joining and/or want more information, please email me at
bridget(at)bridgetmagee(dot)com by
31 August. I will coordinate the participants, distribute the email list and get the ball rolling for a
September start.
Will you walk through the door of community and opportunity to join me? I hope so!
 |
| Smidgey hopes so too... |
Today's poem is a reworked version of a poem I shared a few years ago about sowing the seeds of love:
Seeds sown
among poets,
soon-to-be poets,
and poetry friends
are cultivated in
honesty,
love,
and kindness
allowing skills,
confidence,
and a poetry community
vpn服务器美国
and blossom
across the world.
©2023, Bridget Magee. All Rights Reserved.
