It’s Poetry Friday! Found Object Poet Linda Baie is hosting this week’s poetry links at Teacher Dance.
Happy Poetry Friday, everyone. Today, I’m wrapping up the annual daily write-in project.
In January, I invited everyone to join me for a month-long project, writing in response to found objects (the original post is here). This is the fourth time I’ve celebrated my February birthday with a daily project that gives back to the writing community.
In 2013, I sent original postcard poems to 44 friends. In 2014, Author Amok turned into a poetic version of a Color Run, with poets doused in all the shades of the rainbow for writing inspiration.
And for 2015, we wrote a poem for every day in February in response to sound clips.
This year’s theme was FOUND OBJECTS. Thanks to everyone who sent in objects for us to use as prompts! We wrote about 29 objects from a variety of categories: Toys, Food, Functional Objects, Art, Antiques, Nature, and Signs.
I was unprepared for the amazing response our project had this year. Here are the numbers.
2014’s Pantone Poem Project: 14 poets, 144 poems about colors.
2015’s Sound Poem Project: 14 poets, 177 poems about sounds.
2016’s Found Object Poem Project: 28 poets, 346 poems about objects.
We nearly doubled the number of participants and the number of poems this year! Yes, this February included Leap Day, but we can’t attribute all that writing to a single day. It takes stamina and commitment to complete this project.
The most-written-about objects were early in the month:
Lotus Pods (Day 10, 17 poems)
Antique Store Dolls (Day 6, 16 Poems)
Least written about objects were:
Garlic Bud (Day 28, 6 poems)
Horse Figurine (Day 20, 7 poems)
Maybe we were running out of steam by the last ten days. All five of the days I skipped this year were in the final ten days of the project.
There were five people who completed the challenge, writing a poem for each of our 29 prompts. As promised, I will be sending prizes to these prolific poets: look for something fun from one of my favorite Etsy shops, Petite Paperie.
Our 29-poem writers are: Linda Baie, Jessica Bigi, Donna Smith, Carol Varsalona, and last year’s winner, Charles Waters.
Congratulations to all of you on a great month of writing!
Before we get to a list of links for each day, I wanted to give special kudos to one poet, Jessica Bigi. Jessica was new to our project this year. I have appreciated her enthusiasm for our community and watching her poetry develop over the last month.
On our final day, I posted one last found object prompt for everyone to try. I wasn’t going to post any responses, but Jessica’s poem is so striking that I had to share it today.
The object is a door-knocker. What I did not tell you is that this is the door of a famous house, Orchard House, where Louisa May Alcott set her novel, LITTLE WOMEN.
Griffin
By Jessica Bigi
At age seven he
showed himself
to me wings of
golden sunshine
me inside a room
of a locust tree
looking through a
window to his world
and still to this day
I will never know why
though I have
never told a soul
until today
I guess age seven
is magical
and this a
Griffin knows
Would you like to go back and revisit all of the poems in our project? If your name is missing from any of these days and its important to you to see it listed, please let me know.
Model Responses and the Week 1 Prompts
Monday, February 1
FOUND OBJECT: 100 year-old Mailing Box
Poems by: Diane Mayr, Molly Hogan, Mary Lee Hahn, Linda Baie, Jessica Bigi, Margaret Simon, Laura Shovan, Matt Forrest Esenwine, Catherine Flynn, Jone Rush MacCulloch, Brenda Harsham, Charles Waters, Donna Smith, Carol Varsalona, Jan Godown Annino.
Tuesday, February 2
FOUND OBJECT: Fancy Produce
Poems by: Mary Lee Hahn, Jessica Bigi, Diane Mayr, Molly Hogan, Laura Shovan, Linda Baie, Matt Forrest Esenwine, Margaret Simon, Jennifer Lewis, Charles Waters, Donna Smith, Carol Varsalona, Jan Godown Annino.
Wednesday, February 3
FOUND OBJECT: Moth Eggs
Poems by: Jessica Bigi, Margaret Simon, Diane Mayr, Mary Lee Hahn, Molly Hogan, Linda Baie, Jone Rush MacCulloch, Laura Shovan, Charles Waters, Donna Smith, Carol Varsalona.
Thursday, February 4
FOUND OBJECT: Table Fan
Poems by: Jessica Bigi, Diane Mayr, Margaret Simon, Laura Shovan, Molly Hogan, Mary Lee Hahn, Linda Baie, Carol Varsalona, Catherine Flynn, Charles Waters, Donna Smith, Jan Godown Annino.
Friday, February 5 at Guest Blog, Radio, Rhythm & Rhyme
FOUND OBJECT: Tomato Moon
Poems by: Matt Forrest Esenwine, Jessica Bigi, Diane Mayr, Molly Hogan, Margaret Simon, Carol Varsalona, Laura Shovan, Mary Lee Hahn, Linda Baie, Charles Waters, Donna Smith.
Saturday, February 6
FOUND OBJECT: Antique Dolls
Poems by: Jennifer Lewis, Diane Mayr, Linda Baie, Molly Hogan, Catherine Flynn, Heidi Mordhorst, Laura Shovan, Carol Varsalona, Matt Forrest Esenwine, Mary Lee Hahn, Jessica Bigi, Margaret Simon, Patricia VanAmburg, Charles Waters, Donna Smith, Jone Rush MacCulloch.
Sunday, February 7
FOUND OBJECT: Blood Letting Knife
Poems by: Diane Mayr, Jessica Bigi, Laura Shovan, Catherine Flynn, Linda Baie, Molly Hogan, Carol Varsalona, Mary Lee Hahn, Matt Forrest Esenwine, Charles Waters, Donna Smith, Jone Rush MacCulloch.
Monday, February 8
FOUND OBJECT: Sculpture in the Woods
Poems by: Laura Shovan, Jessica Bigi, Heidi Mordhorst, Carol Varsalona, Linda Baie, Margaret Simon, Donna Smith, Diane Mayr, Joanne R. Polner, Kay McGriff, Molly Hogan, Mary Lee Hahn, Catherine Flynn, Jone Rush MacCulloch, Charles Waters.
Tuesday, February 9
FOUND OBJECT: Tire Tracks in Snow
Poems by: Molly Hogan, Jessica Bigi, Linda Baie, Violet Nesdoly, Carol Varsalona, Mary Lee Hahn, Donna Smith, Laura Shovan, Diane Mayr, Jone Rush MacCulloch, Catherine Flynn, Kay McGiff, Charles Waters, Margaret Simon.
Wednesday, February 10 at Guest Blog, Reflections on the Teche
FOUND OBJECT: Lotus Pods
Poems by: Diane Mayr, Patricia VanAmburg, Jessica Bigi, Molly Hogan, Laura Shovan, Charles Waters, Buffy Silverman, Catherine Flynn, Linda Baie, Carol Varsalona, Violet Nesdoly, Heidi Mordhorst, Donna Smith, Mary Lee Hahn, Margaret Simon, Jone Rush MacCulloch.
Thursday, February 11
FOUND OBJECT: Walnut Doll
Poems by: Diane Mayr, Carol Varsalona, Laura Shovan, Linda Baie, Violet Nesdoly, Donna Smith, Jessica Bigi, Mary Lee Hahn, Matt Forrest Esenwine, Margaret Simon, Catherine Flynn, Jone Rush MacCulloch, Charles Waters.
Friday, February 12
FOUND OBJECT: Whipped Cream
Poems by: Patricia VanAmburg, Diane Mayr, Jessica Bigi, Margaret Simon, Mary Lee Hahn, Donna Smith, Jone Rush MacCulloch, Catherine Flynn, Linda Baie, Carol Varsalona, Matt Forrest Esenwine, Laura Shovan, Heidi Mordhorst, Charles Waters.
Saturday, February 13
FOUND OBJECT: PUFFER FISH SKELETON
Poems by: Diane Mayr, Laura Shovan, Jessica Bigi, Margaret Simon, Linda Baie, Mary Lee Hahn, Donna Smith, Carol Varsalona, Catherine Flynn, Jone Rush MacCulloch, Charles Waters.
Sunday, February 14
FOUND OBJECT: Hot Potato
Poems by: Violet Nesdoly, Jessica Bigi, Laura Shovan, Carol Varsalona, Heidi Mordhorst, Diane Mayr, Linda Baie, Jone Rush MacCulloch, Mary Lee Hahn, Donna Smith, Charles Waters, Molly Hogan.
Monday, February 15 at Guest Blog, My Juicy Little Universe
FOUND OBJECT: Coffee Mug
Poems by: Jessica Bigi, Matt Forrest Esenwine, Catherine Flynn, Laura Shovan, Mary Lee Hahn, Heidi Mordhorst, Diane Mayr, Buffy Silverman, Carol Varsalona, Linda Baie, Donna Smith, Julieanne Harmatz, Jone Rush MacCulloch, Charles Waters.
Tuesday, February 16
FOUND OBJECT: Sculpture
Poems by: Victoria Costa, Jessica Bigi, Laura Shovan, Carol Varsalona, Mary Lee Hahn, Donna Smith, Catherine Flynn, Diane Mayr, Linda Baie, Robyn Hood Black, Buffy Silverman, Jone Rush MacCulloch, Charles Waters.
Wednesday, February 17 at Guest Blog, Mainely Write
FOUND OBJECT: Hot Pink Sandal
Poems by: Diane Mayr, Jessica Bigi, Carol Varsalona, Linda Baie, Catherine Flynn, Mary Lee Hahn, Buffy Silverman, Donna Smith, Jone Rush MacCulloch, Laura Shovan, Heidi Mordhorst, Margaret Simon, Charles Waters.
Thursday, February 18
FOUND OBJECT: “Typewriter Eraser, Scale X” Sculpture
Poems by: Jessica Bigi, Diane Mayr, Donna Smith, Carol Varsalona, Mary Lee Hahn, Linda Baie, Catherine Flynn, Margaret Simon, Laura Shovan, Matt Forrest Esenwine, Charles Water, Jone Rush MacCulloch, Buffy Silverman.
Friday, February 19
FOUND OBJECT: Deer Skull
Poems by: Mary Lee Hahn, Jessica Bigi, Donna Smith, Linda Baie, Matt Forrest Esenwine, Patricia VanAmburg, Charles Waters, Carol Varsalona, Heather Meloche, Laura Shovan.
Saturday, February 20 at Guest Blog, Deowriter
FOUND OBJECT: Horse Figurine
Poems by: Donna Smith, Jessica Bigi, Margaret Simon, Linda Baie, Carol Varsalona, Charles Waters, Jone Rush MacCulloch.
Sunday, February 21
FOUND OBJECT: Antique Sewing Machine
Poems by: Diane Mayr, Linda Baie, Jone Rush MacCulloch, Jessica Bigi, Matt Forrest Esenwine, Donna Smith, Carol Varsalona, Charles Waters, Catherine Flynn.
Monday, February 22
FOUND OBJECT: Stick Insect
Poems by: Mary Lee Hahn, Donna Smith, Carol Varsalona, Jessica Bigi, Charles Watesr, Jone Rush MacCulloch, Linda Baie, Diane Mayr.
Tuesday, February 23 at Guest Blog, BOOKSEED STUDIO
FOUND OBJECT: Library of Congress Cart
Poems by: Jan Godown Annino, Jessica Bigi, Donna Smith, Linda Baie, Laura Shovan, Carol Varsalona, Diane Mayr, Mary Lee Hahn, Charles Waters, Jone Rush MacCulloch, Heidi Mordhorst.
Wednesday, February 24
FOUND OBJECT: Phoebe Nest
Poems by: Jessica Bigi, Diane Mayr, Heidi Mordhorst, Mary Lee Hahn, Matt Forrest Esenwine, Linda Baie, Laura Shovan, Charles Waters, Donna Smith, Carol Varsalona, Jone Rush MacCulloch.
Thursday, February 25
FOUND OBJECT: Pearl Harbor Keys
Poems by: Diane Mayr, Laura Shovan, Donna Smith, Jessica Bigi, Heidi Mordhorst, Charles Waters, Mary Lee Hahn, Carol Varsalona, Molly Hogan, Linda Baie.
Friday, February 26 at Guest Blog, Michael Ratcliffe’s Poetry
FOUND OBJECT: Sun Sign
Poems by: Michael Ratcliffe, Diane Mayr, Jessica Bigi, Heidi Mordhorst, Donna Smith, Carol Varsalona, Mary Lee Hahn, Molly Hogan, Charles Waters, Laura Shovan, Linda Baie.
Saturday, February 27
FOUND OBJECT: Architectural Ruins
Poems by: Jessica Bigi, Carol Varsalona, Diane Mayr, Molly Hogan, Linda Baie, Donna Smith, Buffy Silverman, Margaret Simon, Charles Waters, Laura Shovan, Mary Lee Hahn.
Sunday, February 28 at Guest Blog, Bookseed Studio
FOUND OBJECT: Garlic Bud
Poems by: Carol Varsalona, Margaret Simon, Charles Waters, Diane Mayr, Donna Smith, Jessica Bigi.
Sunday, February 29
FOUND OBJECT: Carnival Truck
Poems by: Jessica Bigi, Charles Waters, Diane Mayr, Mary Lee Hahn, Linda Baie, Carol Varsalona, Molly Hogan, Donna Smith.
Before we close the project, I’d like to send a special thank you to all of my guest hosts: Matt Forrest Esenwine, Margaret Simon, Heidi Mordhorst, Donna Smith, Jone Rush MacCulloch, Jan Godown Annino, and Mike Ratcliffe. It was a lot of work to get the poems posted every day and I could not have done it (sanity intact) without all of you.
Since participation in this project has made such a jump, I will be looking for a different platform next year — one where we can all upload our own poems to community page that we share. Ideas? Suggestions? Leave a comment.
Before you know it, National Poetry Month will be here. I will not be doing a NPM project this year. Instead, I’ll be getting ready to launch my debut children’s novel!
Until then, enjoy the 2016 20th Anniversary National Poetry Month poster.
You can request a free poster from the Academy of American Poets.
what a wonderful mouth of writing Thank you Laura and all that made this wonderful everyone ones poems I enjoyed reading
Congratulations to all the writers, and to Jessica who outdid everyone, with one more! Like always, it is a special time, Laura. FYI-I’ve done FB groups and Google groups. Others may have a better favorite, or more to assess these two. Both worked for me. Thanks again, can’t wait for your book, Laura.
What a flurry of poetry! Wonderful response and responses! I’d almost just go for a linky page each day and post on our own sites. It would save you time and energy, yet you’d still have everyone checking in. I’m not big on the social media sites. I could do FB, but it isn’t a natural for me.
I didn’t have the gift of poetry to take part, Laura, but I so enjoyed following this challenge and enjoying so many amazing poet. Bravo to all!
A thousand thank yous to you, Laura, and everyone who helped by contributing photos and sharing hosting duties. I am in awe of the talent on display in all the poems shared over the course of this project. Well done, everyone!
Jessica’s poem is stunning. “and this a/Griffin knows” brought a tear to my eye. I’m not sure if I can offer any posting solutions for next year, but in a year’s time, I’m sure there will be some new program that makes hosting a challenge easy-peasy.
I am so thrilled that I accomplished what I set out to do and most of all was part of this wonderful community of poets who brought such joy to me this month. Thank you Laura for all that you did to promote the love of poetry and to your hosts for graciously offering their sites for the community. Jessica close out the month with a wonderful poem that has such reflective qualities to it. What else can I say but there is power in poetry. It is a gift. Perhaps, a linking tool would work better in the future and a midweek or end of week poem round-up would save Laura from daily returns to the site.
Congratulations, Laura, and to ALL the participants in your Found Object project. Amazing turnout and fantastic results! LOVE Jessica’s magical griffin poem to end things off.
It sounds like you and I are both looking for a similar solution for sharing poems. One option might be padlet, but while people can post their poems on one community board, it doesn’t have the capability for folks to comment on each other’s poems. Don’t know how important that is to you. Let me know if you come up with a solution and I’ll do the same.
Kudos to the 29 Poem Peeps! I was pretty proud of my 27 poem showing. The two days I took off were the Saturday of and the Sunday after the Dublin Literacy Conference. I was just a teeny bit busy!!
This was a fun challenge. Thanks for all your work!
Thank you so much every on for your positive feedback on my poems it means a lot to me it was a wonderful experience and learning opeturnat being able to be part or your group you are all such wonderful poets and friends
Thanks for the invitation to participate again this year, Laura. I had a great time and primed those poetic muscles that reside in each of us. SHOVAN POWER!!!!!
[…] I was unprepared for the response our project had in 2016. The theme was found objects. Twenty-eight poets wrote 346 poems in the month of February. (Find the list of found object poems here.) […]