I’d forgotten all about #Inktober until last week when I read Michelle Kogan and Ruth Hersey’s #Birdtober posts and they nudged my memory. Was Inktober still a thing? A quick Google search reassured me:
Initially, #Inktober started as a challenge for people to make a drawing in ink in response to a daily prompt word and then tweet it. Some poets opted to respond with poetry instead (#Poemtober). I thought this might be a playful exercise for me this October, so I started participating–at least in my notebook. I haven’t shared my responses on Twitter, but here are a few of my efforts:
Day One: crystal
If I had a crystal ball
for future-gazing
would I lose
day after present day
gazing into its depths?
Or would I drape it
in plushest black velvet
swaddle its mysteries
content to linger
in ignorance?
©Molly Hogan
Day 2: suit
For Kurtis
You’re my #1 guy
You suit me to a T
Without U
Where would I B?
O U Q T*
You’re my A to Z!
©Molly Hogan
*In case you haven’t experienced the wonderful book CDB, this translates to “oh you cutie”
Day six: spirit
Come October spirits rise
Take to the air
Spook and surprise
Fright us!
Delight us!
Open our eyes!
The world is much larger
than many surmise.
©Molly Hogan
This week’s Poetry Friday Roundup is hosted by Irene Latham at her blog, Live Your Poem. She’s sharing a wonderful autumnal harvest of goodies including exciting news, a Neruda poem and her latest Artspeak duo. Make sure to check it out along with other Poetry Friday offerings linked there.
Nix the comfort zone 
Any prompt that creates something is great. Last year I took the prompts to do a daily cartoon, this year I’m going more traditional, but I did write a poem to one of my drawings already: http://linesbyleon.com/2021/10/03/inktober-day-3/
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I once collaborated with my daughter during Inktober–she sketched and I wrote poems in response. That was fun, too!
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I’m doing Poemtober as well (with a different, older list). I hope you’re having as much fun as I am with it. I love these lines in your poem about the crystal ball:
“Or would I drape it
in plushest black velvet
swaddle its mysteries
content to linger
in ignorance?”
A lot to contemplate in that one. Thanks for sharing these!
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I should go back and check out some of those older lists. I’ve only done this once or twice before so there’s a goldmine of prompts just waiting for me! Happy writing!
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I love the way you play, Molly! I’m enamored of the line “Come October spirits rise.” So many possibilities with that one.. .would make a great prompt all by itself. xo
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I love poems that begin like incantations. Thanks again for hosting!
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Wow, I love the crystal ball poem. What questions you ask! I don’t think anyone of us would know how we would truly interact with that crystal ball. Thought-provoking. That poem to Kurtis is such a QT, 2!
Molly, I had never thought of doing this, but I too was inspired last week by Jone, who is also participating in this Poemtober event! I am joining in too.
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The more the merrier! I’ll have to check out Jone’s post from last week. I’m not a full-fledged participant, but I do enjoy dabbling. Have fun!
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My favorite poem was the playful one for your hubby. Best of weekends to you both!
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I’ve got a soft spot for that guy! 🙂
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Oh, these are great–such a variety. The crystal one especially captures me…
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I’m a head-in-the-sand kind of gal, so I think I’d be lingering in ignorance. lol
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What fun and playful poems! I love that you are doing this. That suit poem is great! And spirit is full of rhyme surprises!
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I’m really trying to let the spirit move me and just play with my first response to the words. I still haven’t been organized enough to tweet any poems. Oh, well.
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Fun collection Molly, especially your suit poem—you had me smiling, I look forward to more, thanks!
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Thanks, Michelle. Writing the suit poem made me remember the joy of the book, CDB, and I just reordered it. I can’t wait to share it with my students.
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A poetry playground. Thanks for the fun. You always turn whatever busyness you’ve got going on into art. And, that’s one of the many whys I love your work!
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Thanks, Linda! I am trying to focus on more light-hearted things when I can. #Inktober is perfectly timed and delightfully low-stakes.
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I hope I can sneak in to write a few to these prompts, Molly. I’ve loved those who’ve shared, yours, too, especially that sweetest & most creative love poem for your “Q T”.
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I do hope you play along!
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Heeeee! What fun. All fun and amusing, and seriously, the world *is* much larger than many surmise. Enjoy playing without requiring too much of it.😉
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Playing is always good 🙂
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Haha, I started to type my comment and then my eye landed on Heidi’s above and I saw I was typing word for word what she had said: “the world IS much larger than many surmise!” It really is. I’m glad I helped nudge you to Poemtober! These little bursts of creativity with Birdtober are helping me stay sort of cheerful this month! Ruth, thereisnosuchthingasagodforsakentown.blogspot.com
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It’s a nice focus, for sure! Thanks again for the nudge!
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Ruth–Once again I find I can’t respond to your post 😦 I’m not sure what’s up with that. I wanted to say how much I enjoyed it, and especially these lines: “We just crossed paths a few times,
birds and birders,
as we lived the quiet drama
of our own lives,
and they got on with theirs.”
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You have made maximum use of these word prompts Molly. I enjoyed the pondering of ‘Crystal,’ the clever use of wordplay and letter play in ‘Suit’ and the gentle alliterative sounds of ‘Spirit.’
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Thanks, Alan. I’m enjoying playing along without pressuring myself to tweet daily. It’s what works for me right now.
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I immediately thought of CDB! The third one sounds like the ones in Eve Merriam’s Halloween ABC. Good for you for notebooking your way through this challenge and not bothering with Twitter. Whatever it takes to stay creative and sane (like leaving the crystal ball covered).
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