Everyone thinks of changing the world, but no one thinks of changing himself
― Leo Tolstoy
The Poetry 101 Rehab was initially set up for those who missed the creative writing challenge of the Writing 201 Poetry course run by the Daily Post.
Some may remember that last week I was of a mind to change things. Sometimes change is not a good thing. Listening is always a good thing.
So Poetry 101 Rehab is back. Not that it was away for long.
How does it work?
Feel free to answer the prompt, twist it or ignore it; write a poem of your own or share a poem by another author. Write about your inspiration, your creative process or other poetry related thoughts, but this is in no way obligatory. Nothing is obligatory in this challenge. The idea is to get together, talk poetry and enjoy.
How can you take part?
Anyone can take part, anytime you want. Publish your poetry post and add a link to it by clicking on the Poetry 101 Rehab badge below or share your link in a comment. Use the tag Poetry 101 Rehab, so we can find each other in the Reader.
I will be your host, and I’m here to reply to your comments, read your poetry, like and comment. While this post is the starting point for this week’s challenge, do visit fellow poets in the link-up and chat to them on their blogs!
The prompt for this week is MAGIC.
Row upon row
of empty seats.
Day after day,
they stayed away
Who will pay?
None can say?
It sure ain’t,
magic.
This week’s prompt is a slightly bitter take on one of the consequences of the recent Brussels Lockdown and it’s also the prompt for the first day of the WordPress Writing 101 Poetry course to which I have signed up. I do hope neither you nor the people at WordPress mind me mixing the two together here in this post.
What will your take on the keyword MAGIC be?
Write about it in a poetry post and share your link in the comments section of this post and / or by clicking on the Poetry 101 Badge above.
writing 101 poetry | one | magic | prompt by la duchess d’erat
Hi Andy! I’m taking the course too so I’ll just share my offering here also.
https://writersdream9.wordpress.com/2015/12/07/daily/
LikeLiked by 1 person
Great news, and thanks for contributing, maybe we need a little more magic in this grim world of ours?
LikeLiked by 1 person
I totally think so!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Great prompt. This is a magical season!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thanks Melinda, there is a little magic and darkness in our world perhaps…
LikeLiked by 1 person
Let’s hope the magic wins in the end
LikeLiked by 2 people
Listening is a rare virtue. Chapeau.
Not always the client is right, but the bloggers are! 😉
LikeLiked by 2 people
As I am finding in my new career as a consultant, I need to listen about 10 times as much as I speak. A tough gig.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Precisely!! Tough but a great skill to have also for all types of relationships.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Sometimes we learn too late.
LikeLike
It is never too late to be what you might have been.
George Eliot
LikeLiked by 1 person
Are you reading my mind? 🙂
LikeLike
I wish I had this talent!
LikeLiked by 1 person
You do.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thank you.,
LikeLiked by 1 person
Waning Crescent Moon: http://wp.me/p5BCD4-js
I have on my HD a series of moon photographs that were the inspiration, this morning, for the poem that I have written for Poetry 101 Rehab. A bit of whimsy. I’m happy to see the original challenge title back. It feels more free, this way, and open to contributors’ diverse moods of the moment.
LikeLiked by 1 person
It is a lovely poem. And thank you for showing me the right path! This place, this ‘rehab’ will be better with diversity, and I will try not to let my own ‘mood’ interfere so much 🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person
Your poem, which I like, Andy, reminds me of what happened to charitable donations in the aftermath of 9/11’s destruction of the World Trade Center in New York. All the money, it seemed, flooded in that direction, leaving others, more in need, dying on their wilted vines. Donations are a good thing, but it is unnerving, unexpected abandonments that go unnoticed by most.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Charming.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Why, thank you…
LikeLiked by 1 person
Ooo, Ooo, Ooo! Love “magic” as a prompt! And yes, we need some–along with prayer–to lift the dark grimness surrounding the world. Tragic always, but especially during a season which is meant to be JOYful.
LikeLiked by 2 people
I’m just a tad snarky this evening… and well there is magic in ‘falling water’
(Just remember not to eat yellow snow…)
Falling Water?
LikeLiked by 1 person
Ouch.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Hi Andy, this is my effort 🙂 https://altheauthor.wordpress.com/2015/12/10/magic/
LikeLiked by 1 person
Painful Al, and very good.
LikeLiked by 1 person
I was really drawn to your photo, very familiar, and what a great Tolstoy quote Andy – how very apt. And your poem is magic 😉
LikeLiked by 1 person
In response to this week’s prompt, here is another little piece of etymological trickery… https://oudeis2005.wordpress.com/2015/12/11/magic/
LikeLiked by 1 person
Love the brevity!
LikeLike
Finally got this done:
https://lazulitopia.wordpress.com/2015/12/11/magic-the-accent-mark/
LikeLiked by 1 person
Like the last line, up to each one of us to find our own way?
LikeLike
Well we have to make our own choices, ultimately.
LikeLike
Hi Andy! Cool that you stayed with Poetry 101. I love the bitterness and sorrow of your poem; it feels like the saddest darkest loneliest magic. (Certainly not all magic is beauty and wonder.)
I have kind of a double this week – I actually wrote on magic for a Poetry 101 a few weeks ago, but I rather (egotistically?) liked it, so I hope you won’t mind my submitting it again, as well as a new one. Here is the older one: https://tuckedintoacorner.wordpress.com/2015/11/17/poetry-101-rehab-changes/
and here is today’s one: https://tuckedintoacorner.wordpress.com/2015/12/14/poetry-101-rehab-magic/
Hope you like them 🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thank you, thank you, and thank you, that about covers it? Now I will go read your poems, and thanks for sticking with the Rehab after the change in host, much appreciated, didn’t want to lose all the contributors that Mara so successfully checked in to the rehab 😉
LikeLike