For the past near sixty-one days, I have blogged every single day. Last month for Two Writing Teachers Slice of Life Writing challenge was arduous enough. That self-promise of thirty-one days straight of blogging, especially when I had posted barely a couple dozen times from all of May 2020 to March of 2021, was truly diving off the deep end to see if I can swim. [I actually did that dived into a 16 foot deep pool without knowing how to swim.] No, I still cannot swim – don’t ask. Luckily I was much better at following through on immersing myself into regularly blogging again.
Because it is following right behind the March challenge, April is its own war as it is all about poetry. Each year for National Poetry Month I look around and enjoy the work of other poets. Each day I also post original work of my own, honoring National Poetry Writing Month. At least I’ve tried to. I admit I in previous years I have been a spotty poster during April at best. If a dozen new works happen it was a good year. C’est la vie.
As I had naught else to do, I also challenged my self to try more of a poetry form I was not fond of the Villanelle. I absolutely knew I could not do thirty days of them, but I have managed one new one per week, the most recent as of today which I published this morning. Which means I now have five villanelles in my poetry portfolio. Having written four more it is better than the single one that has existed for nearly decade by itself, so that is a huge win in my book.
2021 is the only year in which I have participated in National Poetry Writing Month where not only have I not bailed halfway through the month from writing exhaustion. Granted some were posted late, like yesterday’s coming in at nearly 11:30pm, but I will have thirty new poems under my belt, including four new villanelles! With the finish line a mere three days from now, I am confident I will complete it. I cannot begin to tell you how proud I am of myself for this!
Slice of Life – Tuesday Writing Challenge – Two Writing Teachers
Raivenne-lations 
Go, you! I committed to writing a few poems this month, but knew I could not commit to each day. Challenges seem to almost always come at just the right (or just the wrong) time. Congratulations!
Thank you! It’s my two favorite monthly challenges back to back, it exhausts me every year, but I somehow made it this year.
Congrats on your accomplishment! It’s hard to construct a villanelle and it’s great that you rose to the challenge!
I’m pretty chuffed myself. Thanks!
Congratulations! I hope you have some sort of celebration planned for yourself. You deserve it. I have never participated in the poetry challenge because I know it is beyond my capabilities. You have challenged yourself and have met that challenge.
Thanks, Arjeha. No celebrations other than to not write anything for a few days to rest my brain, 😀
Wow! Quite an accomplishment. Loved reading about the way you’ve tackled this challenge.
Thanks, Vivian.
I’m with you! I’m not sure how I’ve been dragging myself through to the bitter end of poetry month, but here we are. I’ve really admired and appreciated your fearlessness when it comes to poetic forms. I only wish I had that discipline and attention to my writing. I know those poetic forms await a time i’m ready to take them on, but boy have I appreciated watching you on this journey over the past month.
Thanks Lainie! “Dragging” is the word! But hey we did back-to-back monthly challenges. I look forward to reading the result when a form finally captures you. 😀
Hurray!! And hurray for all those villanelles! Having SOLs month and poetry month back to back is grueling, for sure. And yesterday knocked me flat. I wrote, and then fell asleep before posting! But I still got that Golden Shovel written! For me, the bigger test will be to see how active I stay on my blog after April … will I disappear until our 2022 SOLSC? Hmm …
Now it’s time to click through and read your villanelle! Congrats, my friend! ❤
Thanks, GG. Congrats to you and your daily Golden Shovels. We made it!