#103: Third Time’s The Charm (A Self-Spell for Teacher)

Today, on this third day of National Poetry Month, we are encouraged, if we need encouragement (and tonight at 7:45 after a 12 hour work day I DO need the encouragement), to write a CHARM poem. All right. And just in case you thought me incapable of rhyme: A Self-Spell For Teacher After twenty-five yearsContinue reading “#103: Third Time’s The Charm (A Self-Spell for Teacher)”

#102: Coyote and the First Pregnancy

Day two of National Poetry Writing Month, again, following the prompt from the napowrimo website: write a poem inspired by a non-greco-roman myth.  There’s been too many poems inspired by the Greco-Romans–so let’s diversify a little.  I give thanks and most of the credit for the following to Jarold Ramsey, who’s monumentally important book CoyoteContinue reading “#102: Coyote and the First Pregnancy”

#101: The Snake or the Dove

Once again, happy National Poetry Month, thanks for visiting, and welcome to the first installment of a poem-a-day for the entire month for NaPoWriMo! Let the games begin!  Let the poems spew forth from the generative void that is Michael Jarmer’s brain.  And let us begin by following the prompt on the NaPoWriMo website for theContinue reading “#101: The Snake or the Dove”

Embarking On Yet Another Forced Creativity Experience

Happy National Poetry Month! Beginning tomorrow (this is no April Fool’s joke), I will attempt for the second year in a row to participate in the NaPoWriMo challenge of writing a poem a day for the entire month and publishing each poem here on the blog site. I promise, no cheating; I will not be publishingContinue reading “Embarking On Yet Another Forced Creativity Experience”

#100: Serious About Poetry

I have just now reached my personal goal of writing 100 poems in a year!  I know poets who have written a poem every day for a year, so this may not be the most amaze-balls news of the world, but it’s amazing for me.  I think it’s a personal best, a personal record.  I’veContinue reading “#100: Serious About Poetry”

100 Poems by April

The title of this little blog post, I realize, is deceptive.  Please know that you will not find included herein 100 poems by a person named April.  Rather, it is my hope and goal (hence, this public announcement) to write my 100th blog poem by April 1. My rationale is, initially, silly. In April ofContinue reading “100 Poems by April”

#31: The American English Teacher Critiques His Own Poetry

Either he’s a Stat Blip Junky or he just can’t give up the poetry, one or the other.  In the following blog entry, the American English Teacher decides to keep writing poetry even though National Poetry Writing Month is over. The American English Teacher Critiques His Own Poetry I’m no T.S. Eliot, he says, pouringContinue reading “#31: The American English Teacher Critiques His Own Poetry”

Forced Creativity Experiences (Only the Bad and the Ugly)

In my last blog entry, I waxed lovingly about the benefits and the necessary prerequisites to submitting oneself to a Forced Creativity Experience such as the National Novel or Poetry Writing Months in November and April, respectively, and my experience in a songwriting circle that does a similar thing in the musical realm.  I subtitledContinue reading “Forced Creativity Experiences (Only the Bad and the Ugly)”

Forced Creativity Experiences (The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly)

April concludes and the new month begins with my successful participation in the National Poetry Month challenge of writing a poem a day for 30 days.  I’m happy to say that I missed not a single day and that all 30 poems are posted here at michaeljarmer.com for your reading pleasure.  I thought I wouldContinue reading “Forced Creativity Experiences (The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly)”

#30: The Last Poem of April

The Last Poem of April April was only cruel in that it exacted from me 31 poems, whether I liked it or not, but mostly, truth be told, I liked it, and I moved freely and by choice through the month, writing a poem every day until today, the day on which I write the lastContinue reading “#30: The Last Poem of April”