History of National Poetry Writing Month
National Poetry Writing Month (also known as NaPoWriMo) is a creative writing project held annually in April in which participants attempt to write a poem each day for one month. NaPoWriMo coincides with the National Poetry Month in the United States of America and Canada.
NaPoWriMo, or National Poetry Writing Month, is an annual project in which participating poets attempt to write a poem a day for the month of April.
This website is owned and operated by Maureen Thorson, a poet living in Washington, DC. Inspired by NaNoWriMo, or National Novel Writing Month), she started writing a poem a day for the month of April back in 2003, posting the poems on her blog. When other people started writing poems for April, and posting them on their own blogs, Maureen linked to them. After a few years, so many people were doing NaPoWriMo that Maureen decided to launch an independent website for the project.
My History with National Poetry Writing Month
I started writing poetry in 1988 after I had been exposed to T.S. Elliot in my honors English class in high school. In 1992 I started reading my poetry publicly at Espesso Europia Coffee Shop in Abilene Tx while I was in the United States Air Force. This continued for many years when I ran my own poetry reading at Cannova’s in Loves Park Illinois and attended the poetry slams at The green Mill in Chicago Illinois. While living in Rockford Illinois I published my first book of poetry Throwing Yourself at the Ground and Missing in 2007 followed by Postcards From Someone You Don’t Know in 2008 Wisdom From the Sack in 2010 and Shaving Crop Circles In My Chest Hair in 2017. You can get copies of all of these books in my merch section. In 2009 I started participating in National Poetry Writing Month which became the basis for my book Wisdom From the Sack and Shaving Crop Circles in My Chest Hair. In 2020 I started publishing my podcast version of the challenge and those can be viewed here for 2020 and here for 2021.
April 8th Poetry Prompt
And last but not least, here is our daily prompt (optional, as always). Today’s prompt comes to us from this list of “all-time favorite writing prompts.” It asks you to name your alter-ego, and then describe him/her in detail. Then write in your alter-ego’s voice. Maybe your alter-ego is a streetwise detective, or a superhero, or a very small goldfinch. Whoever or whatever your alternate self may be, I hope this prompt lets you stretch both your writing skills and your self-knowledge.
April 8th Poem
Will The Real Kimo Please Speak
8 April 2022
I don’t often get a chance to speak
He keeps me under wraps until its time to stand in front of a mic
He uses my strength and anger
To fuel his performance
Sometimes I wish he’d get drunk or at least high
So that you can hear what we talk about
How often I tell him he is nothing without me
How often I tell him that he is worthless
One day you will all figure out he has no talent
He is not as smart as he seems
I can’t wait until he has to say these things to the world
And on that day, I become the everyday voice
I become this hulking frame you see
I will whip him into shape
And destroy everything he has built up
He will be created in my image not the other way round
You probably won’t like what I do to him
But I don’t like what you have done to us
I don’t like hearing about his insecurities
I can’t wait until I get my chance at being the puppet master
I have been in his head since 1988
And each day is torture for me
Hearing him being polite
Hearing him try to help
I’d basically tell you all to go to hell and fuck yourselves
I wouldn’t worry about what you think
Because I’d move us someplace else
And accomplish my dreams
And you ask what those dreams are
None ya damn business
You will be left in the dust
And we will no longer be your doormat
I can’t wait to switch roles
I just hope he hasn’t screwed up the frame too much
Because I have a lot of work to undo
And a lot of work that needs to be done
Reaching Out
To reach out to me, email timothy@createartpodcast.com I would love to hear about your journey and what you are working on. If you would like to be on the show or have me discuss a topic that is giving you trouble write in and let’s start that conversation.
- Email: timothy@createartpodcast.com
- YouTube Channel: Create Art Podcast YT Channel
- IG: @createartpodcast
- Twitter: @createartpod
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