Intro: Have at it!

Please join in

Off the high of FunADay Pittsburgh 2016 ( you can read my efforts here: readthebirds.blogspot.com), I've decided to work on a poem a day for the year. What with open-heart surgery in the family and whatnot (he's doing fine now, thanks), I've gotten a belated start, so my year started Feb. 20.

I reserve the right to tinker with them once they're posted, and I interpret "poem" fairly broadly, being -- as Lou would say -- a fair broad. I think that's a pretty appropriate use of poetic license. And I am the designated driver.

In keeping with my readthebirds effort, I will post a description bulleted at the bottom of this post of whatever form I am playing with, and I invite readers to play along. You can write on your own, with a friend or relation. Try it with a child who likes to play with words or rhymes or forms. Anyone can participate: you, your friends, your friends' friends, your fake friends, incidental people you meet on the street. You retain all rights to your writing.

If you email me your poem at poemaday2016@gmail.com, I will post it under the date I receive it in my inbox. You may write under a pseudonym, but in your email, please do me the courtesy of giving me your real name and contact info. Specify clearly with each poem you submit that you want me to use your pseudonym or real name and I will honor your wishes. Of course, do not share anyone else's submissions without their permission (if you want to share, write to the poemaday email address, and I will ask the poet for permission).

You can stick as closely to the form as you want. I take liberties at will. Feel free to suggest forms for the group, if one develops, to try. Only one poetry submission a day per poet! Any comments left should be constructive in nature.

I have no idea if this idea will have any legs, but I heartily invite you to join in and to share the invite.

Love, Lisa

1. Day 1: Villanelle: The French villanelle consists of five tercets (a stanza of three lines, I thought they were called triplets!) and a quatrain (four lines). The first and third lines of the first stanza alternate as the third line of each succeeding tercet, and then form a couplet to end the poem. All first and third lines rhyme; all second lines rhyme. Here is the rhyme scheme: A(1)/ b/ A(2); a/ b/ A(1) ; a/b/A(2); a/ b/ A(1); a/b/A(2); a/ b/ A(1)/A(2). Famous examples: Theodore Roethke “The Waking”; Dylan Thomas “Do Not Go Gentle into the Good Night”