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JoAnn's Blog

We Do What We Can

April 18, 2025
Tags: Poetry Friday, Spring, haiku, thunderstorm

 

bird silhouettes flit

through spring thunderstorm darkness

change is in the air

 

Faced with the current chaos, I'm trying to stay optimistic. Yesterday, my sisters and I made sandwiches for a local homeless shelter. Today, we'll make signs for tomorrow's town hall and protest. Mom and Dad always told us to stick together, which still sounds like good advice.

 

The sky is brightening already.

 

I've just heard of two calls for submissions to poetry anthologies that feel timely and relevant. Check the links for deadlines and details:

 

Live and Let DEI Anthology (no fee). Submit an original poem that makes creative use of the words that the Trump administration is flagging on government websites and research papers. See the list (PDF).

 

Made in the USA: Poems of Resistance. This anthology aims to capture the spirit of resilience, courage, and hope through powerful poetic expressions that challenge injustice, champion equality, and celebrate the unyielding human spirit in the face of fascism.

 

Good luck to all who submit!

 

Jone Rush MacCulloch has today's Poetry Friday Roundup. Enjoy!

 

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Springing Back into Writing

April 10, 2025
Tags: Poetry Friday, haiku

 Crocuses blooming through leaf litter

on our front hill—and a bee!

 

 

spring brings outlook shift:

from impossible chore to

opportunity

 

 

I used to (like last week) feel guilty about the piles of unfinished manuscripts crowding my desktop, my file drawers, my computer. Suddenly, it feels like spring, and something about the increased light or flipping the calendar page tilts my perspective toward the positive. National Poetry Month inspires me. Poetry Friday does, too. Plus we made it through another dark winter and a long, stressful election push. Now that pile of unfinished work feels more like a treasure trove I can dip, dig, or dive into as deeply and as often as I want. 


I turned away from writing because I got discouraged. Dis-couraged: I lost my courage. And that's how I felt for a while—lost. It's a horrible feeling, as if what I'm missing is a critical part of my identity. Too many rejections, not enough gumption. I tend to contract in difficult times. I turtle myself into a too-tight shell where I fidget and fret.


But I never give up completely. I keep filling notebooks with ideas. I give myself pep talks. I keep trying in tiny increments. And what usually brings me back to writing? Small poems. When the outlook is dire, I try to write a haiku a day. Not because they are easy, but because whittling down a complex concept to a few words provides clarity. I find comfort and challenge in the 5-7-5 structure. 


I've been working my way back to writing for a while now, and—who would have guessed?—it turns out that persistence was all I needed. I knew this, of course. I've done it before. Daily haiku eventually lead to picture book drafts. I just wrote a very rough one, my first in a long, long time. Yippee!


If you ever face the same problem, please don't give up. Let me know if you need a pep talk.

 

Irene Latham hosts today's Poetry Friday Roundup at Live Your Poem. Enjoy!

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How to Make a Protest Sign

April 4, 2025
Tags: Poetry Friday, protest, sign, resist

protest sign in progress

If you don't have time to make your own for Saturday's Hands Off protest, you can print one from Indivisible.

 

Lately I'm spending more time writing protest signs, social media posts, and letters to the editor than poems. I call my representatives regularly, and I protest often. But it's National Poetry Month, and I can't let that go uncelebrated. This year, I plan to work on a poem every day (and not feel obligated to finish it) and post once/week for Poetry Friday. Here's my latest.

 

 

How to Make a Protest Sign


Find something sturdy to write on:

a cardboard box, an old poster,

a paper or plastic bag.


Tape it or staple it

to a stick if you want to

or carry the naked sign.


Elegant lettering?

Eye-catching colors?

Feel free if you're so inspired.


It's fine to use somebody else's words

if they say what you want to say.

Give credit to the creator.


Humor is good,

but remember your rage.

What matters most is the message.


Make it as wide as the world,

as tall as your dreams.

Write it in blood if you have to. 


© 2025 JoAnn Early Macken

 

 

Matt Forrest Esenwine hosts today's Poetry Friday Roundup at Radio, Rhythm & Rhyme. Enjoy!

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