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Flowers of California: California Poppy

By Tania Runyan 2 Comments

california poppy

Tania Runyan writes a pantoum, a winding homage to the cups of sun and gold known as the California poppy in her Flowers of California series.

Filed Under: Blog, California, Flower Poems, Flowers of California, Pantoum, Pantoum Poems, poetry prompt

How to Write a Rondelet

By Megan Willome 2 Comments

bison calf with mother

Tap your inner songwriter with today’s poetry prompt, featuring the rondelet poem form, with author Megan Willome.

Filed Under: A Poem in Every Heart, Animal Poems, Blog, Children's Poetry, poetry prompt, poetry teaching resources, Rondelet, writer's group resources, writing prompt, writing prompts

How to Write a Diamante

By Megan Willome 4 Comments

cow and egret blue flowers

The diamante poem has a shape that illustrates the connection between opposites. Learn how to write a diamante with this fun explanation + poetry prompt!

Filed Under: Animal Poems, Blog, Children's Poetry, Diamante, poetry prompt, poetry teaching resources, writer's group resources, writing prompt, writing prompts

Teacher Stories—My First Villanelle (Thank You, How to Write a Form Poem!)

By Rebecca D. Martin 7 Comments

a blue bird in a tree with green leaves to highlight the villanelle and sonnet

So much is changing—has changed—in this world. Rebecca D. Martin finds a deep leaving-truth in her first villanelle and her first experience as a teacher.

Filed Under: Blog, English Teaching, English Teaching Resources, How to Write a Form Poem, Sonnets, Villanelles

Poetry Prompt: Peonies on How To Open Up

By Callie Feyen 4 Comments

Join author Callie Feyen as she explores what it means to open ourselves up in this world. Just like the peonies.

Filed Under: Blog, Poems, poetry, poetry prompt, poetry teaching resources, writer's group resources

Triolet, Rondel, and Rondelet: Variation is the Spice of Life

By Tania Runyan 2 Comments

Yant Flat at sunset rondeau poetry form

Author Tania Runyan played with the prompts in ‘How to Write a Form Poem’ and wrote a triolet, rondel & rondelet in 1 day. Difficult, but fun!

Filed Under: Blog, How to Write a Form Poem, poetry prompt

Poet-a-Day: Meet Monica Sharman

By Tania Runyan 2 Comments

Colorado River Horse Shoe Bend Arizona Canyon Pain Poem

What poem do you really need to write, but can’t? The hiddenness of the acrostic might be just your poetic ticket. It was for Monica Sharman.

Filed Under: Acrostics, Blog, How to Write a Form Poem, Poet-a-Day, poetry teaching resources

An Ode to Poetry: “How to Write a Form Poem” by Tania Runyan

By Glynn Young 4 Comments

“How to Write a Form Poem” by Tania Runyan is a guide to 10 poetic forms. It also stands as an ode to poetry.

Filed Under: article, book reviews, Books, Poems, poetry, poetry reviews, Poets

Poet-a-Day: Meet John Drury

By Tania Runyan Leave a Comment

Rockville Maryland Twinbrook Maple in Rain-John Drury Ghazal

What are the challenges and opportunities of the ghazal? John Drury explores the answers with you, in the rain…

Filed Under: Blog, Ghazal Poems, How to Write a Form Poem, Poet-a-Day, poetry teaching resources

How to Write a Form Poem: Hear the Poets Read!

By L.L. Barkat 3 Comments

How to Write a Form Poem Poets Read La Jolla Rocks California

Whether you’re teaching or learning, you’ll love being able to hear the poets read from ‘How to Write a Form Poem.’ Plus, see their regional items!

Filed Under: Blog, How to Write a Form Poem, Poets

Poet-a-Day: Meet Jill Baumgaertner

By Tania Runyan Leave a Comment

rolling hills and lake at Keswick and Derwent Water

The repetitive rural images of the Lake District provided inspiration for Jill Baumgaertner’s “Cumbria Pantoum.” What will inspire yours?

Filed Under: Blog, English Teaching Resources, Pantoum, Pantoum Poems, Poet-a-Day, poetry teaching resources

Poet-a-Day: Meet Todd C. Truffin

By Tania Runyan 3 Comments

Camper in desert

A soccer coach inspiring a villanelle? It could happen. (Indeed, it did, in this villanelle from Todd C. Truffin.)

Filed Under: Blog, English Teaching Resources, Poet-a-Day, poetry teaching resources, Villanelles

Poet-a-Day: Meet Janet Aalfs

By Tania Runyan 1 Comment

Red trumpet flower-Ode to a Lost Sweater red button poem

A lost red button calls out to become an ode for a wider memory in Janet Aalfs’ touching poem about her mother and more.

Filed Under: Blog, How to Write a Form Poem, Ode Poems, Poet-a-Day, poetry teaching resources

Poetry Prompt: Choose Risk Over Cuteness —The Acrostic Poem

By Callie Feyen 16 Comments

What do you risk when write an acrostic?

Think the acrostic poem is too cute? Think again. Join Callie Feyen and Tania Runyan and see how risky the form can be.

Filed Under: Acrostics, Blog, How to Write a Form Poem, poetry, poetry prompt, poetry teaching resources, writer's group resources, writing prompt, writing prompts

Poet-a-Day: Meet Richard Pierce

By Tania Runyan 2 Comments

Tall grass in sunset

Can the villanelle come round again? Poet Richard Pierce responds to Dylan Thomas’s famous villanelle with a powerful one of his own.

Filed Under: Blog, How to Write a Form Poem, Poet-a-Day, poetry teaching resources, Villanelles

Poet-a-Day: Meet Barbara Crooker

By Tania Runyan 1 Comment

Deer in tall grass

Sometimes a poem can start as free verse and as things go, the poem is asking to be written in form. Barbara Crooker’s acrostic shows the way.

Filed Under: Acrostics, Blog, How to Write a Form Poem, Poet-a-Day, poetry teaching resources

Poetry Prompt: A spiral staircase, anxiety, and the sestina

By Callie Feyen 34 Comments

What can a spiral show us?

Join Callie Feyen and walk a spiral staircase with Tania Runyan, poet and author of “How to Write a Form Poem,” in order to understand the sestina.

Filed Under: Blog, poetry prompt, poetry teaching resources, Sestina, Shakespeare, william shakespeare, writer's group resources, writing prompt, writing prompts

Poet-a-Day: Meet Elise Paschen

By Tania Runyan 3 Comments

Inner dome at St Stephen Walbrook

Elise Paschen shows us how it’s all about teleutons if you want your mysterious possibility in your sestina.

Filed Under: Blog, How to Write a Form Poem, Poet-a-Day, poetry teaching resources, Sestina

Poet-a-Day: Meet Marjorie Maddox

By Tania Runyan 8 Comments

Pink Magnolia Poet-a-Day Mary Poppins poem

Why write a pantoum? Poet Marjorie Maddox shares her reasons, on the wings of poetry and song.

Filed Under: Blog, Childhood Poems, English Teaching Resources, How to Write a Form Poem, Interviews, Pantoum Poems, Poet-a-Day, poetry, poetry teaching resources, Poets, writer's group resources

Poet-a-Day: Meet Celia Lisset Alvarez

By Tania Runyan 8 Comments

Florida Palm Trees

Why write a sestina? Direct from Florida, poet Celia Lisset Alvarez gives you a few fabulous reasons.

Filed Under: Blog, How to Write a Form Poem, Poet-a-Day, poetry teaching resources, Poets, Political Poems, Sestina, writer's group resources

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