April always feels like new beginnings. Perhaps this is proximity to springtime, the sun returning after too many months of grey skies. Or maybe, focusing on filling an empty page every day is reason enough to feel the magic of possibility.
You see, dear reader, April is National Poetry Month, which means I will once again attempt to pen a poem each day. If successful, I will have written thirty new poems. While I have challenged myself for the last three years, 2020 was the first in which I found true success.
Throughout the past month or so, I found myself looking back. And I stumbled upon the exploration of last year’s challenge in What We Called the April Poems. But seeing as we’re one day away from April, I’m excited to extend an invitation to poets and writers alike to join me in this pursuit!
What does this challenge entail?
Combine three rules with a dash of inspiration and you get the April Poems. I will be posting daily on this blog with three words and some inspiring aesthetics. Here’s hoping that you, dear readers and writers, will share your triumphs and trials faced during this next month.
Rule #1: Three words
The most important rule is the implementation of three words. There is no word count, no strict structure to the pieces written, only these words as a guide. Instead of seeing them as a limitation, they’ve always forced me to flex my creative muscles a bit more than usual. Assigned by the best friend, I have no way of knowing ahead of time where the words will take me.
Rule #2: Stream-of-Consciousness
As I have always been habitual in my need to overthink, this commitment to stream-of-consciousness writing ensures I don’t have the capacity to get stuck in my mind. Explained a little more concisely, the style of SOC captures a continuous flow of uninterrupted thoughts. And staying true to the fleeting feel of words without editing continues to hone my voice and strengthen the craft of my poetry.
Rule #3: Don’t look back
While this may seem like it goes hand-in-hand with the second rule, I can assure you, this extends beyond the moment of writing. Throughout the month, I don’t look back to find a theme or central character or to edit any previous days' poems. However, like many writers, my obsessions still exist. There is a bit of a treasure hunt that occurs once the month concludes and I read the poems in full, laying the groundwork for a possible chapbook or collection. As humans, we’re constantly making connections.
Though the last year has been anything but normal, I do find a sense of comfort in tradition, in dreaming big, in creative pursuits. Sure, I have no idea where these April Poems will take me. And yes, I know many writers can’t face any other unknowns. Even if you only write one poem or journal entry, a short story or opening to your next novel, there is power to be found in community. This lesson is one I’m grateful to have learned from my writing group and the phenomenal authors we had the honor of publishing in Pages Penned in Pandemic: A Collective.
No matter the chaos or darkness of the world, I have hope that together we will craft some new words into existence. Sharing stories is something I will never take for granted. Here’s to the next new beginning.
