Today I tried something new. I used clear plastic to create a new filter with some glue and glitter. Using the fisheye lens, my world became a snow globe. Using it as a bokeh filter, I created snowballs with light. Then I tried throwing them.

New Poems

Though the drafting part of the Chapbook Challenge is over, I plan to continue my daily poetry habit. On days without a dVerse poets pub prompts, I will work through In the Palm of Your Hand: A Poet’s Portable Workshop_{(associate link)} by Steve Kowit and The Creative Writing Coursebook_{(associate link)} by Julia Bell and Paul Magrs.

There is also Wednesday Poetry Prompts on Writer’s Digest. Yesterday’s prompt was to write a yesterday poem. 😁

Today’s prompt from Laura for Meeting the Bar at dVerse Poets Pub is to write a Fragment Poem.

Clinging Fragments

I. Like a snowball on the right day
clings to more snow and grows,
these fragments find each other
and combine into fresh states of play

II. Plastic-coated self / with impenetrable walls
wambles toward the evening / after pushing
to exhaustion / again I fight into the correct coil

III. In the jelly shower of imagination
where no one will deliver a pizza
yet past this loop of secretive neighbors
humility returns with the hitchhiker

IV. Being human is a window turned to mirror
the mind’s eye light-painting an orange glass globe
never in the same place in time / though I see
the trees and houses from the other side

November PAD Chapbook Challenge

Today the Next Steps are posted on Writer’s Digest. I have until January 15th to revise and submit the poems I wrote in November. Yesterday, I copied all of my poems into a Scrivener file. Today, I’ll create a template page for reviewing each poem and start looking at the work I did.

Step 2: Review and Read for Themes –

Here’s my revised review checklist from my post Revising Poetry-a Demonstration Part Two: The First Redraft

• Identify POV, tense, form, voice
• setting, narrative
• themes, moods
• identify sensory details
• identify best lines
• mark weak verbs & nouns
• words to mind map
• mark areas to expand
• highlight cliche language
• make easy cuts
• choose what to edit to (theme, idea)
• brainstorm alternate titles
• make notes to guide re-write
• do mind maps
• free-write around best lines, character and narrative
• do research
• write a narrative poem

If you’ve enjoyed the photographs I’ve been taking, I’ve added some to my RedBubble store and I’m excited about the new products. The abstract bokeh really lends itself to product design. So fun.

The Changing Focus Blogging Challenge

December’s theme is Rest, Sleep, and Hibernation. After brainstorming a bit last night, I thought I would start by collecting my own soothing sounds. Sounds I came up with so far are: kitty purring, the fire in the fireplace, waves on the lake, a breeze in the trees, bird songs, and rain.

I have a dream diary, which I have attempted to use over the years. I’m hoping as I progress this month, dream imagery will help me come up with some ideas for bokeh filters for the video.

Motivation and Reward: Today will be the first full day that the laptop is not allowed in the bedroom. I’m making a sign for the door to remind myself and a calendar to put stickers on to reward myself.

Tools: I’m going to re-read Teach Yourself to Dream _{(associate link)} by David Fontana, PhD. I downloaded audio books to my mp3 player in case I need sounds to go to sleep.

Happy Reading and Writing!