2019 April PAD Challenge: Day 3

Have you ever tried writing to poetic forms before? If not (or if you want to dive even deeper), check out my updated list of 100 poetic forms here. Now…

Have you ever tried writing to poetic forms before? If not (or if you want to dive even deeper), check out my updated list of 100 poetic forms here. Now for Day 3's prompt!

For today’s prompt, write an animal poem. The poem could be about an animal. Or it could just mention an animal in passing. Or include an animal in your title and fail to mention the animal once in your poem. Your poem, your rules.

Remember: These prompts are just springboards; you have the freedom to jump in any direction you want.

(Note: Hopefully, you've been having a very smooth start to the month, but if you happen to run into any issues posting poems, please just send me an e-mail at robert.brewer@fwmedia.com with the subject line: April PAD Posting Problems.)

*****

Poem Your Days Away!

Online poetry prompts are great! But where can you get your poem fix when you unplug? The answer is the Smash Poetry Journal, by Robert Lee Brewer.

This book collects 125 poetry prompts from the Poetic Asides blog, gives poets plenty of room to write poems, and a lot of other great poetic information. Perfectly sized to carry in a backpack or purse, you can jot down ideas for poems as you’re waiting in line for a morning coffee or take it to the park for a breezy afternoon writing session (or on a bus, at a laundromat, or about anywhere else you can imagine–except under water, unless you’re in a submarine or a giant breathable plastic bubble).

Anyway, it’s great for prompting poems, and you should order a copy today. (Maybe order an extra one as a gift for a friend.)

*****

Here’s my attempt at an Animal Poem:

“about animals”

the thing about a turtle
is it can hide inside its shell
& the thing about a bat
is it can't use its eyes so well

& the thing about people
is that they frequently devise
ways to overcome their ways
whether they be wise or unwise

*****

Robert Lee Brewer is Senior Content Editor of the Writer’s Digest Writing Community and author of Solving the World’s Problems (Press 53). He is only human. Follow him on Twitter @RobertLeeBrewer.

Robert Lee Brewer is Senior Editor of Writer's Digest, which includes managing the content on WritersDigest.com and programming virtual conferences. He's the author of 40 Plot Twist Prompts for Writers: Writing Ideas for Bending Stories in New Directions, The Complete Guide of Poetic Forms: 100+ Poetic Form Definitions and Examples for Poets, Poem-a-Day: 365 Poetry Writing Prompts for a Year of Poeming, and more. Also, he's the editor of Writer's Market, Poet's Market, and Guide to Literary Agents. Follow him on Twitter @robertleebrewer.