Well, I’m a week into PoMoSco, the monthlong poetryfest sponsored by The Found Poetry Review. I’ve composed six poems so far, keeping to the suggested prompt schedule of badges because I need all the help I can get. I had to skip one day because the prompt was to include an overheard conversation, but I didn’t eavesdrop on anything good! So that one’s pending.
You can go to the PoMoSco website and look at a map of all the participating PoMoSco poets (aka Scouts) around the world (the world!!). I am the only one in Wyoming. No pressure. I started out doing more Wyoming-centric poems, actually (elk, the tie hacks), but now I have diverged into science fiction, climate change, and confessional poetry. And a poem that I composed from the instruction book for my Zombicide board game!
Will I ever write “found” poems again after this month is over? I know I’m only a week in, but even though I’m having a great time and I think I’m expanding my vocabulary (getting out of a favorite words rut, I guess), I don’t feel like it’s my milieu. That said, do I have a milieu? I do very often include overheard conversations in my poems, so maybe I’m just blathering here and I should shut up and wait for another few weeks of exploration. One great perk is my re-discovery of Jimmy Santiago Baca’s poems. I used his chapbook Set This Book On Fire! to earn my First In Line scout badge. You can read my poem here.
Part of the month’s work involves community feedback via the comments on each poem’s page. Love this! I am discovering new poets and poems every day, like this terrific ee cummings first in line poem, and a lovely short poem composed of lines from an interview with Cheryl Strayed. And this All Ears poem, which reveals something new to me with every read. I am in great company.
Photo from Unsplash.
