Artwork by my dear friends

Welcome to the Practice Pad.

          I love to write poetry from prompts and I love to see the different ways of meeting a prompt's challenge by others. Instead of writing in a journal by myself, I thought of making a forum and opening it up to anybody who wants to write with me. If nobody is interested, I'll just work at it alone.

A Few Guidelines

         First, this is not a contest because there are no prizes or competition; this is a forum just for the plain enjoyment of writing poetry.

          Whenever I can find the time, I'll find or think of a prompt and put it on the forum page.

          Your poem can be as short or as long as you wish. since it will probably end up being a rough draft for future work, I suggest you don't spend too much time on it, but this is totally up to you. Just give yourself the permission to explore whatever the prompt suggests and wherever your writing takes you. As for me, although this may change according to what we are working on, I plan not to spend more than an hour on each prompt, because I want to continue writing regularly without wearing out my enthusiasm.

         If you are participating, please write or paste the poem directly inside your post and indicate the number of the prompt you are using. If you have made an item, which is up to you, you may give a link to your item instead.

         Any type of poetry (formal or free verse) is fine. If you like to write in forms, please let us know which form you are using.

         This forum's rating is high enough for those of us who may get a bit frisky at times, but still, please try to keep the rating of your poem not higher than 18+. In my experience, most writing.com members like to read work 18+ or under. Also, please remember to be "humanly correct." Any work or post that directs slurs at any one group or any one individual will be deleted.

         Commenting on each other's poetry is welcome, as long as the comments are encouraging. Let's keep in mind that, although some of the poems may be complete, most are probably first drafts.

         Prompts will be on the forum page with a number. This way, if you want to write from a prompt you missed, you can always make up. Remember to put the number of the prompt inside your post or on the subject line.

         You may write as many poems from one prompt as you wish and if you think of an original idea for a prompt, please e-mail me.

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PROMPTS:

53. Write a poem about a dawdling engine, real or symbolic.

52. Write a poem for a furniture piece or for a set of furniture. Use the idea to fit whatever pleases you.

51. Write a poem to include in it a phrase from any song you have heard recently.

50. Write a poem to or about mountains in summer.

49. Write a poem about a good idea getting away from you.

48. "The streets of heaven are far too crowded with angels," said by Tom Hanks during the Academy awards. Prompt courtesy of no home 'puter .

47. Write a poem involving a fortune cookie.

46. Prompt: Write a poem that takes off from a scientific fact.

45. Prompt: Write a poem to fog.

44. Prompt: "The best in this kind are but shadows." Shakespeare --A Midsummer Night's Dream. Act V. Scene 1.

43. Prompt: "Hell is--other people!" From No Exit by Jean Paul Sartre

42. Write a poem using the prompt "Above the Trap Doors," quote of a chapter heading from the Phantom of the Opera by Gaston Leroux.

41. Write a poem to the prompt "crossing a thin, thread-like bridge."

40. Write a poem about x-rays or seeing through layers.

39. Write a poem from the perspective of a person, seeing ghosts as he or she walks through a haunted house.

38. Write a poem using a Disney character

37. Write a poem about a doll.

36. Write a garden poem.

35. Today's prompt is: "Images in the Dark"

34. Write prompt thinking of the words "Cold Dawn."

33. Write a poem about a cashier.

32. Take any Yogi Berra Quote as your starting point and write a poem. Write out the quote somewhere in your post. A suggestion for a website for Yogi Berra Quotes is: http://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/authors/y/yogi_berra.html

31. Write a poem to create a legend, myth, or fairytale about falling stars.

30. Write a poem about an animal as if it's an omen of good or bad. (Poe's Raven, for example)

29. Write a haiku chain about coming to an understanding or a sudden enlightenment about a negative situation.

28. Sometimes, time is compressed inside a moment. In other ways, in a specific moment, we feel we've lived years. Write a poem about such a moment.

27. Write a poem about imagined history and other qualities of several items on an auction, garage, white elephant, or tag sale.

26. Write a poem as if you are a potter and you are creating a very special container.


Prompts 1-25 "First 25 Prompts"  

--Please note: When a prompt says "you" the poem does not have to be about you. It could be about someone else and/or can be written in third person.---

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