2013 November PAD Chapbook Challenge: Day 7
Wow! We’ve made it a week into the challenge now. Let’s keep the momentum going. For today’s prompt, write a hardship poem. The hardship could be moving forward after a…
Wow! We've made it a week into the challenge now. Let's keep the momentum going.
For today's prompt, write a hardship poem. The hardship could be moving forward after a tragic loss, having to work through a difficult problem, or even just showing up to work. It can be serious, funny, or complicated.
Here's my attempt at a hardship poem:
"Miami"
Be a man. Man up. Take it like a man,
but when does it become too much to take?
"I'll kill you," he said, but still many say
the victim should shoulder some of the blame.
In grade school, I kicked a boy's butt who tried
to bully my brother, but fell silent
when a kid punched me in the arm all through
sixth grade. Is it an eye for an eye, or
turn the other cheek? He said, "I'll kill you,"
and still he's at fault for being bullied,
like how I felt at fault for being "loved"
as a child. But victims don't ask for it;
we never do.
*****
Publish your poems!
Learn how with the latest and greatest edition of Poet's Market, edited by Robert Lee Brewer. It's jam-packed with listings for poetry publications, publishers, contests, grants, conferences, and more. Plus, there are articles on the craft, business, and promotion of poetry.
*****
Robert Lee Brewer is Senior Content Editor of the Writer's Digest Writing Community and no stranger to bullies and those who force their will upon others. He knows how easy it is for some people to say, "speak out," but he also knows how hard it is to do so, whether you're a little girl or grown man. Robert is the author of Solving the World's Problems and a former Poet Laureate of the Blogosphere! He's married to the poet Tammy Foster Brewer, who helps him keep track of their five little poets (four boys and one princess). Follow him on Twitter @robertleebrewer.
*****
Find more poetic posts here:
- 2013 November PAD Chapbook Challenge: Day 6. Just in case you missed yesterday's prompt.
- WD Poetic Form Challenge: Somonka. Deadline is November 10.
- Beth Copeland: Poet Interview. Interview with the author of Transcendental Telemarketer.
Robert Lee Brewer is Senior Editor of Writer's Digest, which includes managing the content on WritersDigest.com and programming virtual conferences. He's the author of 40 Plot Twist Prompts for Writers: Writing Ideas for Bending Stories in New Directions, The Complete Guide of Poetic Forms: 100+ Poetic Form Definitions and Examples for Poets, Poem-a-Day: 365 Poetry Writing Prompts for a Year of Poeming, and more. Also, he's the editor of Writer's Market, Poet's Market, and Guide to Literary Agents. Follow him on Twitter @robertleebrewer.
