INKp.a.l.s (Partnerships Affecting Literacy) http://www.enzosurinink.org/literacy poetry in action Mon, 30 Apr 2012 10:00:18 +0000 en hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 INKpals’ One Poem a Day Challenge – Day 30 http://www.enzosurinink.org/literacy/2012/04/inkpals%e2%80%99-one-poem-a-day-challenge-day-30/ http://www.enzosurinink.org/literacy/2012/04/inkpals%e2%80%99-one-poem-a-day-challenge-day-30/#comments Mon, 30 Apr 2012 10:00:18 +0000 Enzo Silon Surin http://www.enzosurinink.org/literacy/?p=238 Today’s assignment signifies the end of our National Poetry Month One Poem a Day Challenge. We have been writing, presumably the entire month of April and have written at least one new poem for each day of the month. I hope you have enjoyed it as much as I have and look forward to continually supporting you and your writing in whatever way I can.  Now on to the business at hand.

Today’s assignment is to write a poem about whatever you want. That’s right, you are on your own. Today, let the world be your prompt. Though this is the last assignment of the challenge, it does not mean that this is the last time you will ever write a poem. At least I hope not. The point of the challenge was to spark your writing and get you going again. So today, the training wheels are off and it’s time for you to push forward with your writing. Always feel free to come back and try any of the prompts again.

The following poem is an excerpt from the poem, We Never Know How High We Are, by one of my favorite poets of all time, Emily Dickinson. I hope it encourages you to keep writing, like your life depends on it.

“We never know how high we are
Till we are called to rise…”

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Happy Writing!

-Enzo (INKpals)

]]> http://www.enzosurinink.org/literacy/2012/04/inkpals%e2%80%99-one-poem-a-day-challenge-day-30/feed/ 0 INKpals’ One Poem a Day Challenge – Day 29 http://www.enzosurinink.org/literacy/2012/04/inkpals%e2%80%99-one-poem-a-day-challenge-day-29/ http://www.enzosurinink.org/literacy/2012/04/inkpals%e2%80%99-one-poem-a-day-challenge-day-29/#comments Sun, 29 Apr 2012 10:00:07 +0000 Enzo Silon Surin http://www.enzosurinink.org/literacy/?p=230 Today’s assignment is to write a poem about an everyday chore like cleaning, doing laundry, mowing the lawn and so on. I was doing laundry the other day and you wouldn’t believe the type of poem that came out of just sitting there waiting for the wash cycle to complete. It ended up being 2 pages. I hope you find the same grade of inspiration while you complete today’s assignment.

The following sample is from the poem Dusting by one of my favorite poets: Marilyn Nelson.

My hand, my arm,
make sweeping circles.
Dust climbs the ladder…

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Happy Writing!

-Enzo (INKpals)

]]> http://www.enzosurinink.org/literacy/2012/04/inkpals%e2%80%99-one-poem-a-day-challenge-day-29/feed/ 0 INKpals’ One Poem a Day Challenge – Day 28 http://www.enzosurinink.org/literacy/2012/04/inkpals%e2%80%99-one-poem-a-day-challenge-day-28/ http://www.enzosurinink.org/literacy/2012/04/inkpals%e2%80%99-one-poem-a-day-challenge-day-28/#comments Sat, 28 Apr 2012 11:00:47 +0000 Enzo Silon Surin http://www.enzosurinink.org/literacy/?p=226 Today’s assignment is to write a poem about American Pop Culture. Feel free to use whatever comes to mind for you when you think about American Pop Culture; from music, to movies to fashion.

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Happy Writing!

-Enzo (INKpals)

]]> http://www.enzosurinink.org/literacy/2012/04/inkpals%e2%80%99-one-poem-a-day-challenge-day-28/feed/ 0 INKpals’ One Poem a Day Challenge – Day 27 http://www.enzosurinink.org/literacy/2012/04/inkpals%e2%80%99-one-poem-a-day-challenge-day-27/ http://www.enzosurinink.org/literacy/2012/04/inkpals%e2%80%99-one-poem-a-day-challenge-day-27/#comments Fri, 27 Apr 2012 12:00:49 +0000 Enzo Silon Surin http://www.enzosurinink.org/literacy/?p=223 Today’s assignment is to write a poem starting with the following line “at times, my life seems…”

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Happy Writing!

-Enzo (INKpals)

]]> http://www.enzosurinink.org/literacy/2012/04/inkpals%e2%80%99-one-poem-a-day-challenge-day-27/feed/ 0 INKpals’ One Poem a Day Challenge – Day 26 http://www.enzosurinink.org/literacy/2012/04/inkpals%e2%80%99-one-poem-a-day-challenge-day-26/ http://www.enzosurinink.org/literacy/2012/04/inkpals%e2%80%99-one-poem-a-day-challenge-day-26/#comments Thu, 26 Apr 2012 10:00:27 +0000 Enzo Silon Surin http://www.enzosurinink.org/literacy/?p=219 Today’s assignment is to write a poem using the following phrase “restlessness was never a problem.” You can use it to begin a poem, to end it or as a transition. We have four more days of assignments for National Poetry Month after today and I look forward to closing out this month with some very challenging assignments.

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Happy Writing!

-Enzo (INKpals)

]]> http://www.enzosurinink.org/literacy/2012/04/inkpals%e2%80%99-one-poem-a-day-challenge-day-26/feed/ 0 INKpals’ One Poem a Day Challenge – Day 25 http://www.enzosurinink.org/literacy/2012/04/inkpals%e2%80%99-one-poem-a-day-challenge-day-25/ http://www.enzosurinink.org/literacy/2012/04/inkpals%e2%80%99-one-poem-a-day-challenge-day-25/#comments Wed, 25 Apr 2012 10:00:01 +0000 Enzo Silon Surin http://www.enzosurinink.org/literacy/?p=214 Today’s assignment is to write a poem about color. You can write about how the color reminds you of something and what sort of emotions it evokes. The one thing that I want you to avoid is a poem that uses the cliche of “feeling blue.” No poem about being blue, The Blues and so on. Make it simple but challenge yourself to go beyond the cliches. Check out today’s example.

Today’s example is a poem by Rachel Contreni Flynn.

YELLOW BOWL

if the rug beneath us
is woven with tough flowers,
and the yellow bowl on the table

rests with the sweet heft
of fruit, the sun-warmed plums…

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Happy Writing!

-Enzo (INKpals)

]]> http://www.enzosurinink.org/literacy/2012/04/inkpals%e2%80%99-one-poem-a-day-challenge-day-25/feed/ 0 INKpals’ One Poem a Day Challenge – Day 24 http://www.enzosurinink.org/literacy/2012/04/inkpals%e2%80%99-one-poem-a-day-challenge-day-24/ http://www.enzosurinink.org/literacy/2012/04/inkpals%e2%80%99-one-poem-a-day-challenge-day-24/#comments Tue, 24 Apr 2012 10:05:58 +0000 Enzo Silon Surin http://www.enzosurinink.org/literacy/?p=211 Today’s assignment is to write a poem about what is currently in your pocket book, purse or wallet. Yes, just like the Capital One commercials, I do want to know what’s in your wallet. But don’t try to add things to them just to make your poem interesting. Write about whatever you find in there and let the poem take its course. I  believe one can write a poem of just about anything. And this being day 24, when we may start to slack off a little, I wanted an assignment that forces us to be creative again; to stretch us toward the finishing line. Who knows, it may be your best poem yet.

Today’s example is from a wonderfully simple poem by Richard Jones.

CHERRIES IN THE SNOW

Whenever I went searching
in her coat pocket or purse
for coins or candy
I’d find, crumpled, those small white tissues
covered with bloodred kisses….

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Happy Writing!

-Enzo (INKpals)

]]> http://www.enzosurinink.org/literacy/2012/04/inkpals%e2%80%99-one-poem-a-day-challenge-day-24/feed/ 0 INKpals’ One Poem a Day Challenge – Day 23 http://www.enzosurinink.org/literacy/2012/04/inkpals%e2%80%99-one-poem-a-day-challenge-day-23/ http://www.enzosurinink.org/literacy/2012/04/inkpals%e2%80%99-one-poem-a-day-challenge-day-23/#comments Mon, 23 Apr 2012 17:11:51 +0000 Enzo Silon Surin http://www.enzosurinink.org/literacy/?p=202 Today’s assignment is to write a poem about a dream. Sometimes I think poems read like a dream; you have a sense of familiarity though you’ve never experienced the people or the places in the poem personally. But how wonderful sometimes to have that lingering effect take hold of you. Unless of course, the dream was not such a pleasant one. Either way, you will end up with a wonderful poem. And sometimes, it can even lead to a very funny poem.

Today’s example is from a delightfully funny poem by Jack Prelutsky.

LAST NIGHT I DREAMED OF CHICKENS

Last night I dreamed of chickens,
there were chickens everywhere,
they were standing on my stomach,
they were nesting in my hair,
they were pecking at my pillow,
they were hopping on my head…

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Happy Writing!

-Enzo (INKpals)

]]> http://www.enzosurinink.org/literacy/2012/04/inkpals%e2%80%99-one-poem-a-day-challenge-day-23/feed/ 0 INKpals’ One Poem a Day Challenge – Day 22 http://www.enzosurinink.org/literacy/2012/04/inkpals%e2%80%99-one-poem-a-day-challenge-day-22/ http://www.enzosurinink.org/literacy/2012/04/inkpals%e2%80%99-one-poem-a-day-challenge-day-22/#comments Sun, 22 Apr 2012 10:00:53 +0000 Enzo Silon Surin http://www.enzosurinink.org/literacy/?p=198 Today’s assignment is to write a bilingual poem. The poem could be in English and another language or you can choose two other different languages altogether. You can even use text message/IM language if you so choose.  That would be a very interesting poem. I had a friend who wrote a poem using the type of language a reporter would use, in his own voice. The point is to write a poem that breaks up your typical writing pattern. It can be a fun exercise or a frustration one. But it’s Day 22. Are you up to the challenge?

For the sake of keeping this assignment fresh and original, I will not provide you with an example today. Let your imagination do the work and your pen do the talking.

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Happy Writing!

-Enzo (INKpals)

]]> http://www.enzosurinink.org/literacy/2012/04/inkpals%e2%80%99-one-poem-a-day-challenge-day-22/feed/ 0 INKpals’ One Poem a Day Challenge – Day 21 http://www.enzosurinink.org/literacy/2012/04/inkpals%e2%80%99-one-poem-a-day-challenge-day-21/ http://www.enzosurinink.org/literacy/2012/04/inkpals%e2%80%99-one-poem-a-day-challenge-day-21/#comments Sat, 21 Apr 2012 10:00:23 +0000 Enzo Silon Surin http://www.enzosurinink.org/literacy/?p=192 Today’s assignment is to write a poem about traveling. Whether it is to a local destination or one that is across the country, there is opportune time to write a good poem. Think back to a trip you took to that place and what it was like on your way there. Don’t focus as much about the place as you do on the act of traveling itself.

Today’s example is from another one of my favorite poets: Major Jackson.

Indian Song

Freddie Hubbard-s playing the cassette deck
Forty miles outside Hays and I’ve looked at
This Kansas sunset for three hours now,
Almost bristling as big rigs bounce and grumble
Along I-70. At this speed cornfields come…

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Happy Writing!

-Enzo (INKpals)

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