Spring Tulips

thirsty for sunshine

tulips stretch open and drink

spring satisfaction

by Marcie Flinchum Atkins

April 4, 2010

NaPoWriMo Day #4, Second Dose

In my last post (this morning), I received a kind comment from Ron. It made me think...perhaps I should do a follow up poem. It seemed sort of fitting on this Easter Sunday.

So, here's my second inside out poem

my tea stain is clean

not because of my good deeds
but because of grace

by Marcie Flinchum Atkins
April 4, 2010

NaPoWriMo Day #4

Today's prompt is to write about something inside-out or outside-in.

Here's my attempt:

Words

As soon as I said those
words

I wish I hadn't.

They tumbled out
quickly, irrationally

like overturned tea
that can't be returned to its cup
leaving a stain on a beautiful tablecloth.

I wish I could push
rewind.

by Marcie Flinchum Atkins
April 4, 2010

Looking for an Agent?

I'm looking for an agent. Amy Tate and Becky Mushko, in my local critique group, mentioned checking out Chuck Sambuchino's blog Guide to Literary Agents. From March 31, 2010 to April 14, 2010, Chuck is sponsoring a "Dear Lucky Agent" contest. Submit your first 150-200 words of your middle grade or young adult novel for a chance at getting a critique with judge/literary agent Regina Brooks of Serendipity Literary.

NaPoWriMo Day #3

Today's prompt was to write about something that you fear. Immediately, I knew I had to write about roosters.

Here's my attempt.

Roosters

Fluffy, yellow chicks
tap out of their shells
in time for Easter,
receive coos and aahs
from onlookers.

But not from me.

Those fluffers
morph into
spur-packing,
leg-whelping,
sharp-pecking
roosters!

I stay away.

by Marcie Flinchum Atkins
April 3, 2010

NaPoWriMo Day #2

Day's 2 Poem includes a cool web tool. I headed over to Acronym Attic, typed in the acronym RWP (for Read Write Poem--sponsor of the NaPoWriMo), and used one of the phrases associated with RWP in a poem. My phrase was "Regular White Paper".

Here's today's attempt:

Regular White Paper

I'll take
regular white paper--
no lines,
no colors,
no holes,
no bindings,
no percentage of post-consumer recyclability.
Just regular white paper
to make my
mark.

by Marcie Flinchum Atkins
April 2, 2010

NaPoWriMo Day #1

Today is the first day of April, and the first day of my poem-a-day challenge. I am reading the Read Write Poem prompts. Some days I'll try them. Other days, I might just do my own thing.

Today's prompt was to "Shuffle a Poem". You can view the details here, but the gist is that you shuffle your iPod. Write down the first 5 titles that pop up and use them in a poem.

Here's my attempt.

Fellow traveler--
Do you hide behind your
       book,
       earbuds,
       laptop?
So much for my sad song...

Do you miss
      hearing,
      noticing,
      wondering
what might have been if you
let the words escape?

Do you want to
     see,
     connect,
     believe?

Pardon my dust...
You can sit here.
What I've witnessed is
indescribable.

by Marcie Flinchum Atkins
April 1, 2010

Playlist:
Fellow Traveler--Ginny Owens
Indescribable--Chris Tomlin
Let the Words Escape--Chris Rice
Pardon My Dust--Chris Rice
So Much for My Sad Song--Chris Rice
(So much for shuffling--3 of them by the same artist--sorry)