2017 was my first year to participate in Madness Poetry, an event in which 64 poets from around the world are pitted against each other in a battle of words and wit until just one remains. It takes place during March, and I decided (somewhat foolishly?) to participate again this year. Last year I made it to the 3rd round (top 16) and I hope to make it as far again. It won’t be easy – 32 of us will be eliminated after just one poem.
Here’s how it works: each poet is given a word which they must use in a poem and submit before the deadline. Usually you have about 36 hours in which to create your masterpiece. Then the other “authletes,” classrooms of students, and individuals vote for whichever poem they like best. Folks, these words are not the easiest words to nonchalantly slip into a children’s poem: last year I composed poems with the words hodgepodge, sabbatical, and introspection!
I haven’t been writing as much as I should recently, so this should kick my butt into high gear. Even if I do get eliminated in the first round I think I’ll arbitrarily assign myself another poet to follow and use that person’s word as a prompt. It will at least get me writing!