I have been this young poet. I have experienced the frustration that descends when topic choice is not offered and you are writing merely to please the teacher. This was me in Grade 5. In the interest of honest disclosure, this poem has autobiogrpahical underpinnings. It is a poem for all those quiet subversives. Names have been changed,  withheld to protect people, ants and cats... This poem is for all those young writers who want ownership, need ownership, in order to write with a sense of authenticity and voice.   I Don’t Want to Write A Poem About Cats Our teacher Ms Hydracklu Has insisted we write a poem about cats. Ms Hydracklu loves cats But they’re not exactly my favourite animal, or topic Since my sister’s cat –Princess Alice Peed in my track shoes. I sit in class Chomping on my pencil And staring at the floor under my seat It seems inspiration has run away to hide It’s turning into a –catastrophe… Suddenly, Ms Hydracklu announces- It doesn’t have to rhyme! I haven’t got a sin

In this post I am turning my attention back to the Trinet, a seven-line poetry form based purely on  its word count. Trinets are terrific! Here are the guidelines for writing a Trinet Poem: 7 lines Lines three and four have 6 words in each line All the other lines have 2 words per line The Trinet has no restrictions for rhyme, subject matter, or syllables. The trinet is pretty straight forward as a poetry form. Here are two examples of Trinet poems- Cake On A Plate Shall we? Should we Have another slice of orange cake? It would be shameful to waste We would Enjoy it I'm sure. Alan j Wright Fly By Night The fly spins constantly in those buzzing, death throe, circles A break dance of mortal magnitude Summertime pest Never welcomed Not mourned. Alan j Wright It is Poetry Friday and our host this week is Irene Latham. Irene's post is all about community Poetry Project and includes the composing of a progressive poem. Check it out at Irene's blog.

I love the randomness of poetic sparks. I embrace them with enthusiasm. They are a vital life source for poets.  This idea burst upon the scene while scanning through my twitter (X) feed earlier this week.  Social media can be mirky water to navigate, but if we move quickly past the toxic waste, there is treasure to be found.  I came across an extensive rolling conversation where contributors were suggesting possible scenarios for a funeral. Humour and quirky darkness kept me engaged. The inventiveness of the contributions was most evident. Brainstorming at its best. Ideas dripping with potential. So what has emerged from my reading that day is partly found poetry further enhanced by improvisation on text and woven into a brand new poem. I could not have foretold what would spark my poetic juices that day, but that twitter feed has sparked a poem. I am most pleased to have composed this rather subversive ode to wicked intrigue. It reminds me that we must remain open to possibility at

Hold me closer tiny dansa! Today I am devoting my energies to the dansa poetry form. It owes its orign to the Occitan language of Catalonia.  Here are the guidelines for writing the dansa: Opening quintain (or 5-line stanza) followed by quatrains (or 4-line stanzas) The opening line of the first stanza is the final line of every stanza, including the first Rhyme scheme in the opening stanza: AbbaA (capital A represents the refrain) Rhyme scheme in all other stanzas: bbaA There are no rules for subject, length, or meter. So here's my attempt at a Dansa...                     Whistler In The Winter Wind Winter is a bully An unfriendly wind slapped my face An icy blast devoid of grace I wrapped my coat more tightly around me Winter is a bully. The bus shelter offered little respite The prospect for refuge out of sight I willed the bus to arrive Winter is a bully. Then I heard whistling rising up It reached my heart, filled my cup A whiskered man, whistled defiantly Winter is a bully.

I have featured Docupoetry poems in previous posts. They combine primary source material with poetry writing. A number of sources may be accessed to inspire docupoetry. Sources include: news articles  letters  photographs  diaries, journals  court transcripts  medical records  public records  non-fiction texts reports Poets can therefore access a wide range of documents brimming with poetic potential in the pursuit of such writing.  When writing docupoetry, the poet may arrange lines or phrases from the source texts to create poems, convey their interpretation of the documents through original poetry, or write poems that fall on somewhere between these various objectives. I find this form of poetry  instantly appealing.  Yesterday in a debriefing session with a group of teacher at a nearby school, I mentioned the subject of docupoetry and they expressed interest and curiosity in this poetry form as an alternative way of conveying information. So, here's another docupoem charting Ro

 This post is in response to a request arising from an on-line poetry workshop I conducted recently titled- 'Poetry-Graffiti For The Heart.'  I was asked if I had a list of recommended poetry titles. I am often a little reticent to share such lists as I believe it is important for educators/ teachers of poetry to curate their own lists. The titles that spark my passion and interest in poetry may be different to those that inspire others. That said, I have updated a previous list of titles I hope might set the ball rolling for others. I see it as a possible starting point rather than a definitive list. I further suggest that as a teacher of poetry set aside a little time to wander through your school's library and cast an eye over the poetry collection. Have a really good look at the assembled books. Take some books from the shelves and open them and examine the poetry within the covers. If what you are seeing is a  collection of dated, unattractive titles and there doesn

 The neighbourhoods in which we live, are full of diverse characters. People with stories to tell. Unique individuals, quirky and idiosynchratic. They fascinate us. They puzzle us. They arouse our curiosity. They challenge the norms. We celebrate their difference. This poem about Keith is a composite of several individuals. It is based on people that lived in the town I grew up in and people I live amongst now. It's a character sketch, using a rich trove of information. I weaved those observations together in the creation of Keith.  An Incomplete Portrait Of Keith   Keith is a handyman Fixes all manners of things -even poker machines Learned his trade up north Speaks with a slow Queenslander drawl And often says, I reckon At the end of his sentences.   Sometimes smokes rollies Wears an old felt hat all year round Lives in a small, lightly furnished flat With boxes of old records and a cupboard full of cowboy shirts And plumber’s singlets.   The story

 Well, it's Poetry Friday and this week our host is Tabatha Yeatts at The Opposite Of Indifference. Tabatha's post is about Scheherazade, a character  from The Thousand and One Nights (also known as The Arabian Nights). I freely admit I love variety in my poetry- a variety of forms, indeed, but also a variety of line lengths.  I find it stimulating to mix up my approach to poetry on a regular basis. It helps to keep my attention sparked. This time I'm sharing a bit of short stuff.  When writing short verse there is an everpresent need for pithiness.  I immediately think of poets such as Edward Lear, Ogden Nash, Spike Milligan, Shel Silverstein who were great exponents of short verse.  When writing short verse each word seems to carry an increased load. You do not have the luxury of time and words when making your pitch. Those limitations become an engaging challenge.  I have noticed within myself a tendency to wander in the direction of humour and wordplay when making short

 Pleased and proud to be working with ALEA Top End to present this free Poetry Workshop on February 29th, 3.00 pm. Darwin Time ALEA Top End - Australian Literacy Educators' Association Join us for our first PL of the year with Alan J Wright (what a fabulous way to kick off 2024 am I right!) ALEA Top End are proud to offer this session FREE for all members and non-members across Australia! Simply follow the link and register to reserve your spot! https://www.alea.edu.au/.../poetry-graffiti-for-the-heart...