If you have become comfortable with your poems, and would like to share them with others, try hosting special poetry readings at locations around your hometown or local area. Speak with your public library, schools, churches, or even area nursing homes. Many health care facilities enjoy having visitors for the residents.  If you are a success with the residents, they will often ask you to come back as well…

In the summer time,  libraries often have summer reading programs.  If you have poetry that has been written for children, perhaps you could share it at their reading circles.

Just by asking public places around  your community, or even talking with your chamber of commerce, you can probably find a wide range of areas to perform your poetry.

My poetry club that I have in my area is completely non-profit, and we have read in restaurants during the Christmas season, the library, my church, and the nursing home.  I will warn that during your first readings that sometimes the crowd might be small, but if you can create awareness, perhaps more will come.  Be sure to share your dates with newspapers, friends, family, and to post fliers.

Below is a link to an article that can help you host a poetry reading at a library…Perhaps it will give you some insight on hosting your own public poetry reading….

How to Host a Poetry Reading at a Public Library

Sometimes I do something kind of fun with the members of my poetry club.  When we need a “poetry pick me up,” or need some type of motivation to get us going-I do this:

I hand everybody a piece of paper and a pencil. And then I set the timer for about 10 minutes.  Then I tell everybody to write. –Sometimes I give them a subject, and sometimes I don’t. Everybody gets 10 minutes to try to write a poem. Sometimes this is fun, because it can be somewhat humorous, or even inspiring to see what others can come up with.

You can do this in the comfort of your home, or even with a group of friends who enjoy writing.  It’s also a great ice blocker for any kind of writing workshop.  While some may moan or groan-or even say it’s impossibe-It actually is not.  It doesn’t  necessarily doesn’t even have to be a poem…

This 10 minutes it your time for some fun inspiration. If you find yourself feeling out of words, or just need that “rush,” —try this fun “10 minutes to a poem” trick. 

Once everybody has gotten finished writing-share them with the group if you’d like. You may either all end up laughing–or even wowed by your own personal talent..

—for more tips on writing a poem in 10 minutes, try reading the article below on

“How to Make a Poetry Writing Game.”

In my part of the country, weather seems to be just…”blah.”

The sun hasn’t been shining too much (although it was a nice sunny day yesterday-first time in ages!) and it just doesn’t provide much for inspiration for me as a writer.  When it’s bleak, dark, and cloudy-it’s hard to come up with something cheerful to write about.  I realize you don’t always have to write cheerful poems, but it would be nice to write about something to cheer me up! 

So on the way to trying to get past this so called January writer’s block, I am going to list some possible ideas that you can use to write some poems about -that is-if you find yourself in the same boat that I am currently in!!!…

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—Ideas for poems in January

- Be inspired from work if you are currently employed outside the home.                                                          Write about the things that annoy you-or make you feel good about the job that you do.

-Look outside.  Write about the “sadness” in the trees and the plants. Seems like all of the flowers and trees are just in a deep sleep without their colorful petals, or dancing leaves that sway in the wind. We are just left with dull lifeless sticks..—Hoping to come back to life.

-Dreams and Inspiration… What are your upcoming dreams or inspirations for the new year?  What are your hopes  or plans for the Spring? (one of mine are to get all of my flowers planted so I can see them in all of their beautiful color again!!!)

-The Cold Winter Weather… If you are like me and live in a winter weather area, then there is plenty of cold chills shivering down your spine!  What do you do to warm up?… How do you feel about the cold weather? … What are some of your favorite things to do indoors?… Let the cold guide you to something warm in your writing!

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 Hopefully these ideas and topics can guide you to something in your writing–as well as mine. Hope to have a winter poem for you soon!….  

It’s that time of year when I have written all of the holiday poems-Christmas, Thanksgiving, and preparing for the new year.  I’m all tired out from shopping, the parties, and then-i am just plain, “pooped.” And the weather is cold outside, and all I want to do is stay inside, curled under my favorite blankie, and just watch movies all day.  Writing sometimes takes time to the back burner and I feel guilty. It’s not that I don’t want to write-I just find myself blank. Especially during my annual Christmas break of 2 week vacation that I take every year to be at home with my daughter during her Christmas break from school….

While I find myself blank from writing….and kinda “dried up” with ideas, I do have ways to get “the pot stirring again.”

There are ways to get ideas, and actually I do them at my club meetings during writing activities. I have a favorite one that I like to do .

—————–

*Grab a few envelope and label them with subjects like, “Spring,” “Fall,” “Love,” “Winter,” “Children,” “Nature,” or anything that you love to write about.

*Fill the envelopes withsub-categories written on slips of paper. For example: Love: heart, heartbreak, first love,valentines day, etc.  Spring: new plants, baby birds, baby kittens, sunshine, gardening, walking outdoors,Easter.

*Then pick an envelope. Draw a slip out of the envelope, and then begin writing about that sub-category. That usually can get the creative juices flowing again My poetry club actually liked this idea, and we use it quite often…

This year, try a  new trend.  My poetry club has done it for a couple years.

Go “Christmas Poetry Caroling,” instead of singing Christmas carols. 

Write a few original Christmas poems or find some of your favorites.  Go to nearby businesses, friend’s homes, nursing homes, or anybody who is willing to listen.  Take some time read some Christmas poems to share the spirit of Christmas.

Gather a group of your friends who enjoy to write, like reading poetry, or just like spreading Christmas cheer.  Get all dressed in your favorite warm clothing and be sure to wear some comfy shoes.  Begin heading out to the places that you plan to read.  (it’s probably a good time to call businesses or health-care centers ahead of time to let them know you are coming).  Introduce yourselves, and then take turns reading 1-2 Christmas poems a piece.  Spend at the most 15 minutes at most places.

At the end of your readings, you can gather at someone’s house for some warm hot chocolate or a small dinner.  

My poetry group always had a great time.  While it was a brand new activity in our area, we didn’t have a large audience always, but we always were received with great pleasure… It’s definitely a great new tradition to try if you think it would go in your town or neighborhood…

Or if you are a little iffy on going caroling in your neighborhood, you could always gather a group at a family’s house when you have Christmas dinner or gather together. Christmas poetry can bring inspirational Christmas spirit….

So you’ve looked through the cards , and read every greeting, and nothing seems like the way you want to say, “Merry Christmas.”

If you are like me, it’s possible you could be tired of all of the commercialism put into Christmas as well. After-all it was never supposed to be about all of the gift giving, and the gimme gimme gimme….

Perhaps it’s time to write what Christmas means to you-or write about the whole true meaning of Christmas-and why we have it in the first place. After-all, Jesus, our king and Lord and Savior, was born on this special day. The wise men did bring him gifts to show their gratitude, but it was nothing more. I’m sure they didn’t go on a major hunting spree to every craftsman within the area to find the very best. They found something that each was special…

You could write a poem about the birth of Jesus Christ, or how Christmas should be a time of family togetherness, and how special it is for everyone to be together. You could write a poem about the gift of life, or how beautiful the snow looks when falling from the heavens for the very first time. — There probably isn’t a greeting card out there that can express the love or the meaning that you have in your heart that explains Christmas…..

Instead of sending out the commercial cards this year- Type a poem, paste it on some pretty construction paper or cardstock, and mail it to all of those special friends and family relatives. It will definitely be an original thought, and a unique special gift for the Christmas season this year.

Tell everybody about Christmas—tell them from your heart….

Christmas is around the corner, and pretty soon, we will all be gathering our wish lists and shopping for those that we love.  While Christmas isn’t just about the gifts, it is about family and coming together to celebrate the birth of Jesus.

We will all definitely keep in mind this year about the true meaning of Christmas, and try not to let our current situations get us down-either it be unemployement, financial woes, or others.  As long as you are with your family or those that you love and care about the most-then that is truly the best Christmas present that you can have.

ACTIVITY FOR BLOG READERS:

By leaving a comment, let me know what your Christmas wish is-tell me about it in a few lines, and I will see if a poem can be formed by your Christmas wish request.  Think about what is truly important to you this year, and what your heart would like to have for Christmas.  Gather your paper and pen-pretend that I am “Santa” and write your wishes, and let’s see if your wishes can be turned into poetry….

Hey Readers & Poets!….

(WE NEED LINES!)

If you haven’t’ already-or if you want to add a second line, please add some more lines to our Thanksgiving poem! Add a few lines of what you would say at your table, or something that you favor about Thanksgiving. You do not have to be a professional writer to add your lines to these poems-It’s all just in fun! Right now, the poem I believe still falls short a few lines, and there could be more. —If I finish it, it will ruin all the fun Everybody come participate in our fun Thanksgiving poem….

THANKSGIVING POEM…

At the table of Thanksgiving,
Family gathers ’round….

To give thanks and their blessing,
as they bow their heads down.

Singing praises
to the heavens above

sharing this feast
with ones they love.

Children at the table laugh and giggle in delight,                                                                 their smiles lighting up through the shadows of the flickering candlelight.

• (NOW ADD YOURS BY LEAVING A COMMENT IN THE

“CREATE A POEM” SECTION  

In just a little bit over a month, we will be sitting down to friends and family, reciting what we are most thankful for this year.  With the economy in overhaul, and figures moving up and down-I am sure some of us are just thankful to have food, a place to live, and clothes for our body.  I don’t even want to think of asking for more money. I am just happy that our bills are being paid for now.

When we sit down to prayer with our family and friends, in a way-it’s like a poem from our heart. A prayer is somewhat like a poem.  There’s not really anything that is hard to say, because it’s from our heart. When you sit down to write your poem/prayer-only write what you feel.   If you compare a poem and a prayer-there really is nothing to it.  So if it’s your turn for the prayer at the table, remember what you are thankful for, what makes you happy, and if there’s anything special about the day that brought you and your family together.   I’d like to share a Thanksgiving prayer with you…..

Enjoy…

Today, I sit amongst my family and friends.
Thank you Lord, for bringing them safely to my table,

We are about to break bread together, as you once did with your disciples.

Lord, I know the world is at odds, and there is so much poverty, loss,
and many that go each day without a home, clothes for their family, and even food to eat.
I am so thankful that you provide those needs for my family, and friends.
Please help us all learn how we can help those who are less fortunate, so that they too,
can go to sleep each night in a warm bed, nestled in cozy pajamas, and a heated house.

Please bless this food we are about to eat,
and let it nourish our minds, as well as our bodies.

Protect us from harm, and any danger that may step in our ways,
and please control our tempers, amongst any family quarrels, that could possibly
develop throughout dinner or the day…

We all do remember that we love each other,
as you have taught us to love.

…and lead us not into temptation, as we fight for that last piece of pumpkin pie…

AMEN.

(ariana r. cherry: 2008)

I realize Halloween hasn’t’ quite passed us yet, but I thought it would be nice to write a Thanksgiving poem to get us all in that “turkey mood.” A few readers have begun to add their lines, and I wanted to let everybody know that the poem is still open for contributions! So if you can reach into the future just a little bit and get into the mood of Thanksgiving, go ahead and contribute some of your thoughts and things to be thankful for on the Thanksgiving holiday.

Here is our poem so far:

THANKSGIVING POEM

At the table of Thanksgiving,
Family gathers ’round….
To give thanks and their blessing,
as they bow their heads down.

Singing praises
to the heavens above

sharing this feast
with ones they love

To contribute to our Thanksgiving poem, just click on the “create a poem ” tab on this page and add your lines in the comment section