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

The winter chills doesn’t thrill my cool blue winter mood

The sun shining outside lies to me, trying to present warmth,

when all I feel outside is coolness.

A ray of sunshine sparkles through my window,

playing with my head, while I try to warm up under the covers in my bed.

I really wish Spring would come already….

Winter seems so long,

so dreary…

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Winter is still playing with my area…. Athough today, temperatures are supposed to get around 40 degrees. I really hope the weather gal wasn’t kidding. Last week, temperatures fell below zero… Some of the coldest since 1994 where I live. One day, I spent in sick, with awful sinus problems. The winter makes it hard to get motivated, to write, and to want to get out and shout out to the world sometimes. When it’s cold, I’d rather lay in the blankets where its warm and curl up with a good book—when I really should be curling up with my journal writing something captivating! ….I apologize for the missed posts…But winter just isn’t my time— I dearly hope that February passes through without too much more of this bone chilling cool weather—While I could be wishing my life away by hoping February is over soon—-All i really want is to get outside, sit on my porch with an iced tea, and write away-and then of course, go play in the dirt in my garden!!….—Heres waving my hats to all of you who seem to be “mourning in the cold winter…”

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!….  

With the economy having some troubles this past year, there are many of us looking for ways to supplement our income. Here at Today.com , they offer you some ways to earn extra money that you can use to supplement your income right from home. If you enjoy writing or speaking to the people via the internet, perhaps Today.com is right for you. You can write whenever or wherever you would like!… Find a subject or topic that is suitable for you, and begin creating your writing voice. It is free to join, and you can have a cool blog just like the one here that you are on right now!…

Also, there is a forum where you can meet other great bloggers like yourself –You can talk and learn about blogging, share news about your area, get your questions answered, or just talk about whatever may be on your mind -(keep it clean though!,,haha)…

Or if you are a poet like me and want to share your poetry with the internet world–then this site is for you too! It’s hard to get paid for your poetry-so why not try Today.com !..and get paid for sharing your most precious works….

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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 .

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*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…

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So  if you find yourself dried up and stuck inside “winter’s spell,” or just too lazy from vacation….gather your envelopes and slips of paper, then get your pen–Perhaps you too…will write again

Barack Obama been elected the next president of the United States.   I just wanted to take a moment to note this moment in history.  This shall be some trying times for the next few years of our nation.  While he lead an inspirational campaign, in my opinion, I am a bit nervous as well.   America has overcome racial barriers and now we have our first African American president.  That is definitely something historic in itself.

While Obama may have led the better campaign, I am nervous of how much Barack has won over America and how citizens fawn over him.  I really hope that this nation doesn’t get let down—-I do hope that he can bring change, yet like I said, I am sorry to say (while voting democratic most of my voting life-while having a few liberal tendencies), I am nervous. While I have seen Americans support their president elects, I have never seen quite anything of how Obama can light up a room, and change the opinions of an individual’s mind. He is quite the keen speaker. And yes-he does have charm…

I really hope that congress and our next president elect can better our economy.  I hope that more Americans can find better health insurance.  I also hope that low -middle class families can begin to learn to survive without worrying about the status of their home before going to bed at night….

I will pray.  I will write poetry to help myself look for the answers and hopefully overcome in doubt that I may have.

I will hope-Just as Barack promises to bring us hope, …..and change.

Whatever that may be. 

Hold on to your seats come January 2009. We are in for a ride. 

It’s always shaky the first few moments of a new president, and it could be interesting to see the events as they unfold.

…..Maybe things will get better.  We can only hope.  Until this economy can get better, that is when perhaps America can begin to see the results that Obama has promised us.   Remember to pray every night, and God will lead us through.

 

Thanksgiving is on it’s way and it’s time to start thinking about what we are most thankful for.  Every day I am just thankful to be alive and have a family.  I give thanks every night that I have a job, home, and food to feed my family.  While the economy and the stock market may be failing, it’s hard to keep our heads held high.  I try to just be thankful that I am here. After-all-money isn’t something that I will be taking to heaven.

When you are down on life, or things don’t seem to be looking that great, take a piece of paper, and write down the things that you are thankful for.  It can give you a better lookout and realize that you perhaps may just have it better than you think you do.  Or visit a soup kitchen, or help the homeless. Then you really will realize that your life may just be alright. Helping somebody else will also make you feel better that you are contributing to society as well….

I have wrote a poem called “THANKFUL FOR LIFE,” for just this occasion….

Enjoy:

THANKFUL FOR LIFE

Life….

Love…

Laughter.

Live life to its fullest

Cherish each moment, each second; every breath.

Living in God’s beautiful creation.

And embracing it with warmth and happiness.

I thank God for each new day

That I get to spend on his earth.

I am thankful for this life,

And am most thankful for his love, and forgiveness to me.

Poetry is so much more than writing. 

It’s like an open book to our heart. There is so much to be seen and told.  Somehow, writing brings out what we might be afraid to say or tell somebody else.

During high school, there was a time my parents were having some relationship problems. I was a sophmore.  It was a pretty difficult time dealing with that plus the ridicules of high school as well. Poetry kept me going and let me express what was going on inside.  I was seeking counseling, and she also agreed that poetry was a door that I could sweep my grief under.  I wrote about how events at home were bothering me, my fears, and hopes as well.  I also write about how high school was too. In high school, I wasn’t exactly popular. I was one of those artsy people who were kind of odd. I didn’t dress in punk, wear black, or dye my hair (no offense to those who did though).  I was just a band nerd, a drama geek, and had a passion for art and poetry.  People thought I was weird.  I think I was just too old for my age as I spoke better with my teachers rather than children  my own age.

But poetry was my escape from reality. I stayed up hours of the night writing my little heart out.  It released alot of tension and anger that I was feeling.

If you need to express yourself, release feelings-or work something out-Try writing it down. You dont’ even have to share it with somebody.  Just keep them, and you can look back on them later.  It’s a way of release without hurting anybody or being afraid to approach someone. 

Poetry can save you.

It saved me.

Poetry is a dying art, and is trying hard to overcome the cracks in the sidewalk. I keep trying to bring it out, to let everybody know about this great way to express yourself. It doesn’t even have to ryhme…

I was somewhat successful when I started a poetry club in my area. I started in 2004, and we are still going strong. We haven’t really gotten alot of new members, but they are the greatest set of people that I could have ever met. We do alot of our reading at an area nursing home, and the residents just adore us.  They even ask for copies of our poems..

Recently, I tried to have a poetry contest for children.  One school just basically gave up and didn’t cooperate like promised……  I had 2 entries from 2 very talented young girls from a  summer reading program at a nearby library….But just two…

I don’t want people to be scared or intimidated by poetry-I just want them to feel it—see it—hear it..

Poetry allows people to express whats going on from the inside-You don’t have to be a perfect writer.  Just pretend your poem is your diary or journal, and let loose.  There are no rules to free writing poetry.  Forget those Haikus, and all of those other styles-

Poetry is YOU-  Poetry is from the heart.  Poetry is REAL

Afterall—poetry break all of the rules

So just to try—just once. Grab a piece of paper and write what you are feeling.   Did your spouse make you mad? Was that storm scary?  Are you worried about the economy and your money? Aren’t you just plain sick of those gas prices? Are the children driving you nuts?…  Don’t you just love watching your child sleep?

Write about it–you just might be surprised what comes out.