We have all experienced a host of things 'just once' across our various lives. The poem presented below grew from a list I compiled in my writer's notebook concerning things I have only experienced once.  My initial quest was to create a list of things and then see what emerged. I did not know, at that time, a poem would rise up and out of my list.  Lists are important to writers/ poets. They stimulate thinking and ideas, and each listed item holds potential as a future writing topic or focus. Our 'Once' lists are not only fun to create, they can reveal hidden treasure... Once upon my time Once, Just once, In a lifetime -My lifetime to be exact I bought a small red car, -because it was all I could afford I had my haircut in Mooloolaba, -a somewhat spontaneous act Owned a cat named, Alice -who suffered strange fits Bought a goat herder’s hat on the recommendation of George Harrison well, through an advertisement to be accurate. Visited Halifax Nova Scotia and met a...

The word unique is often abused and misused. Some people think it needs a qualifier as in - 'quite unique, somewhat unique, or very unique.'   Unique is a word that can clearly stand on its own. Something is either unique- or it isn't. End of discussion! Sometimes we experience events in our lives that present as unique. As writers and poets, we frequently search for our unique experiences, our unique observations. We search for those things that set us apart. We celebrate the uniqueness of our life events.  I consistently encourage young poets to search the realms of their experience to uncover their own unique events. I have at least two- maybe three. Things that have either happened to me, and me alone,  or things I have witnessed.  They are stories for another time, perhaps... It is said we tend to tell our stories many times before we write them down. It is very much the case for the following poem. I have related this event frequently across the years as part ...

Many years ago I read a wonderful and quite clever poem by Spike Milligan. It was a rather short poem, and it has stuck with me ever since... Said Hamlet To Ophelia Said Hamlet to Ophelia, I'll draw a sketch of thee. What kind of pencil shall I use? 2B or not 2B? Spike Milligan I have always enjoyed the challenge of writing short, pithy poems, ever since encountering Spike's poem. Here are a few examples of short form poetry. They are no less challenging than a longer poem. The economy of words means you have to make sure every single word pulls its weight. There's nowhere for any words to hide.  I encourage anyone holding, within, a desire to write short, pithy poetry to join in and have some fun with this short form poetry... You Have Risen In My Estimates You have risen in my estimates You are now at 37 That’s a significant improvement -You started at 11 Alan j Wright Haiku Huffiness Haikus get huffy When you don’t play by the rules Watch… Alan j Wright Mov...

   Dodoitsu:  The Dodoitsu, is a Japanese poetic form that doesn't have meter or rhyme constraints but they do have syllable constraints (like many Japanese forms). This 4-line poem has seven syllables in the first three lines and five syllables in the fourth--and final--line.  The Dodoitsu often focuses on love or work with a comical twist. Here are three Dodoitsu I recently made... Flower Power Blackout I brought my love some flowers To raise her spirits higher However, two hours later They're still in the sink. Alan j Wright Coaxing Forth Poems Unwritten poems hide away Deep inside my pen of choice I tell them it's safe out here And switch on the light. Alan j Wright Clowning About The clown tried to bring forth fun The children didn't buy in But when the clown cried loudly They burst out laughing. Alan j Wright It's Poetry Friday and this week our kindly host is  Mary Lee Hahn at Another year Of Reading . Mary Lee is writing poetry prompted by 'percentages....