COME ONE, COME ALL / January 28

January 28, 2011
By

by Carolee, Deb & Jill

It’s show time! It’s time to post your original poem, written in response to Monday’s prompt – did you change your point of view? — or any other inspiration from the week. (We love it when you write to our prompt, but we also love it when you write on a whim. We all know how fickle that muse can be.)

What did you write? Please leave a link to your blog post, or leave your poem itself, in the comments!

Let the show begin! This post is “sticky” — it will stay right here in the spotlight for you all weekend.

Here’s how prompts work under the Big Tent

You’ve got all week to write your poem, based on this week’s prompt. Come Fridays (today!) you’ll find a “Come One, Come All” post (this one!) where you can 1) leave a link to your poem or 2) leave the poem in its entirety.

We want to give you all weekend to post your work and read each others’ work. Take your time. Enjoy all the poems that are new to the world.

Some hints

Hint: We’ve set Big Tent Poetry to Central Time.

Hint: An easy way to check on new post comments is via a RSS reader, if you use one. Here’s the address you would add to your reader: http://bigtentpoetry.org/comments/feed.

Hint: If you are new to our site, or put more than one link in your comment, your comment(s) will be held for moderation for your first few posts. We’re checking the filters often, so don’t despair! That said, if it takes more than a half a day to see it come live on the site, do email us at info (at) bigtentpoetry.org. (But be patient, okay?)

Circus etiquette

We figure you know how to play in the poetry community, but here are the basics:

Be nice. Have fun. Remember we aren’t a critique forum. We want to support each other as we bring more poetry into our lives. Only provide critique if someone specifically asks for it.

Although we love seeing our badge in the sidebar of your blog, we would appreciate it if you would also link back to the site in each of your poem posts. Linking within your post helps people travel back and forth from your site to the Big Tent Poetry site, and it helps perpetuate Big Tent Poetry “findability” in Google searches — and that helps us all.

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67 Responses to “ COME ONE, COME ALL / January 28 ”

  1. Madeleine Begun Kane on January 28, 2011 at 12:36 am

    This was a fun prompt! I ended up writing from the point of view of a pet photographer. So here’s my Dogged Photographer limerick. Thanks!

  2. Brenda on January 28, 2011 at 12:44 am

    Such an intriguing prompt -it was irresistible. I found a great photo in the flickr site that was recommended. The poem was fun to write as ‘the photographer – I chose to be more like ‘a director’ describing the poetry of the scene to the actors so they could become it for the shot they were already in. ::grins:: And made a simple recording of the poem, too. The Photographer of White Clay.

    • Brenda on January 28, 2011 at 11:18 am

      I apologize for my ‘commenting’ style – began blogging in 2004 and in different writing communities spent 2-3 hours every day commenting before or after work (a background as an editor & graduate degree in Eng Lit helped) until I got burned out. So I’ve come by circuitous route to the ‘reciprocal’ model. For Big Tent poetry prompts, yes, I will always comment in return on your post. It’s made my on-line writing life easier, doing it this way. I do subscribe to many of those who’ve been by and do read most posts though, really, I don’t comment unless it’s a communal gathering, the way it is around one of the Big Tent Poetry Prompts.

      Now can I feel less guilty? :)

      • Brenda on January 28, 2011 at 1:40 pm

        Now I want to delete the comment on the comments & can’t. Ha. Serves me right.

        • Deb on January 29, 2011 at 9:14 pm

          No worries about your comment. (But if anyone needs to have comments deleted you can always email us. :-) Doesn’t take it out of the stream. But … )

      • renkat on February 12, 2011 at 6:13 am

        Hi Brenda,

        I have had the same kind of experience as you have had. It takes time to come up with a meaningful comment when a smile is all that is necessary. But it would take too long to make a nodding and smile video to upload for each post. It would be cool if someone could develop a kind of “I read and enjoyed this” button for these kinds of communities that doesn’t link up to the facebook … ahhem, circus.

  3. Rinkly Rimes on January 28, 2011 at 12:52 am

    http://rinklyrimes.blogspot.com/2011/01/portrait-of-unknown-girl.html

    An interesting idea and it will be good t see other peoples’ takes on it.

  4. Joseph Harker on January 28, 2011 at 1:04 am

    An attempt that probably could have gone better… Tsubaki (The Geisha’s Tale)

  5. vivienne Blake on January 28, 2011 at 1:06 am

    I wa brooding mine right up until yesterday, then wham! http://vivinfrance.wordpress.com/2011/01/27/conrontation/

    • Madeleine Begun Kane on January 28, 2011 at 2:37 am

      Wow! You set yourself quite the challenge and really pulled it off!

    • Joyce Ellen Davis on January 29, 2011 at 1:54 pm

      Oh, V! I love you, and I love this–well-done! You are great.

  6. Barbara on January 28, 2011 at 1:14 am

    I love these photos, and don’t think I did justice to them, but it was fun
    Building Bombers, Mother

  7. Christopher on January 28, 2011 at 1:28 am

    Here is my offering

    http://northernwall.blogspot.com/2011/01/on-retreat.html

  8. pamela on January 28, 2011 at 1:53 am

    A interesting prompt.
    Here is what I think the photographer
    might have been thinking …

    http://flaubert-poetrywithme.blogspot.com/2011/01/song-from-sea-big-tent-poetry-38-did.html

  9. Nathan Landau on January 28, 2011 at 2:14 am

    It rather took off on its own this week.

    The Personhood of Great Apes

  10. Victoria (liv2write2day) on January 28, 2011 at 2:25 am

    Here is mine…a bit macabre this week, in the form of a rant.

    http://liv2write2day.wordpress.com/2011/01/28/perfect-family-big-tent-poetry/

    I will read tomorrow.

  11. Dick on January 28, 2011 at 2:38 am

    On prompt this week! Although my portrait is decidedly two-faced. http://patteran.typepad.com

  12. Jeanne Aguilar on January 28, 2011 at 2:59 am

    Here are mine~several small ones!

    http://sidelinesbyjeanne.blogspot.com/

  13. Joanne Johns on January 28, 2011 at 2:59 am

    Mine is called Out of Frame

  14. Marian Veverka on January 28, 2011 at 3:44 am

    Memories from a long time ago

    http://Marianv.blog.co.uk

    • vivienne Blake on January 28, 2011 at 6:35 am

      This is a heartrending story, beautifully told. Sorry, the system wouldn’t let me comment on your blog.

  15. gautami tripathy on January 28, 2011 at 4:33 am

    wrote it from a random photo from the point of view of the photographed person:

    http://firmlyrooted.blogspot.com/2011/01/singular-thoughts.html

  16. Kenia Cris on January 28, 2011 at 5:58 am

    The whole idea for this poem was generated from a family photo, taken a long time ago, by an aunt of mine. I couldn’t use it for the post, though. I chose to tell a family tale, as I’ve had it in mind for some time now, maybe the photographer wouldn’t tell it exactly this way. Hope you enjoy it. Happy Friday everyone. =*

    Portrait of the poetess as a young woman

  17. nan on January 28, 2011 at 6:33 am

    The omniscient photographer gets the photo. My poem is called wedding day.

    • Jeanne Aguilar on January 29, 2011 at 12:18 pm

      not sure if my comment showed up on your blog…or maybe it will later? Your poem flowed so beautifully and I loved the way you captured the thoughts of the older one looked over the younger one! So precious!

      • Jeanne Aguilar on January 29, 2011 at 12:19 pm

        I mean “older one looking over…”

  19. Elizabeth on January 28, 2011 at 6:54 am

    Thanks for the prompt, brought back wonderful memories,

    http://soulsmusic.wordpress.com/2011/01/28/moment-of-wonder/

    Elizabeth

  20. Laurie Kolp on January 28, 2011 at 7:20 am

    I enjoyed this week’s prompt. Thanks so much coming up with such creative and unique ideas each week. Hope you have a great weekend!

    http://lkharris-kolp.blogspot.com/

    • Laurie Kolp on January 29, 2011 at 7:17 pm

      **One of the many things I love about Big Circus Poetry is that everyone’s so supportive. I appreciate the time you take to visit my blog, read my poetry and comment. And I really enjoy visiting your blogs as well! I can’t tell you how much you all mean to me!**

  21. RJ Clarken on January 28, 2011 at 8:02 am

    This was a totally fun prompt! Thanks so much.

    It was a real ‘day at the beach’ …

    http://1ightverse.blogspot.com/2011/01/and-you-thought-red-carpet-was-only.html

  22. mark on January 28, 2011 at 8:14 am

    I took a mighty swing, but I’ll leave it to you to determine if it was any good or not. Interesting idea, this prompt….

    ‘School Pictures’ http://radio-nowhere.org/nb/?p=645

  23. Jade on January 28, 2011 at 8:36 am

    Portrait of a Young Lady

    Great prompt idea!

  24. Deb on January 28, 2011 at 10:18 am

    Glad you guys likes the prompt. I’ll be back to read you soon. And hopefully have a poem of my own!

  25. annell on January 28, 2011 at 10:28 am

    I am so sorry, but I was not able to respond to this prompt. It is my desire to respond authentically to the responses, and this prompt seemed to be too contrived. I just couldn’t do it.

    • Deb on January 28, 2011 at 1:56 pm

      No worries. Write to what inspires you. And you are still enthusiastically invited to leave a link to a new poem, no matter the inspiration. <3

  26. Cara Holman on January 28, 2011 at 10:50 am

    I wrote this at 2 in the morning, when I couldn’t sleep anyway. Maybe that should always be my writing time. :) Smile for the Camera .

  27. angie on January 28, 2011 at 10:55 am

    I really love this prompt!!
    I’m going to try it again, try to get more into a photographer’s head — I didn’t quite folow directions this time.

  28. Tumblewords on January 28, 2011 at 11:52 am

    This was a challenge – thanks!

    http://firsttumblewords.blogspot.com/2011/01/abiqui-for-big-tent-poetry.html

  29. Connie Peters on January 28, 2011 at 1:27 pm

    I didn’t have a lot of time for this one, but it was fun.

    http://enthusiasticsoul.blogspot.com/2011/01/big-tent-prompt-from-photographers.html

  30. Strummed Words on January 28, 2011 at 1:49 pm

    I used a provided photograph for this poem. It made me think of several things at once.
    http://strummedwords.blogspot.com/2011/01/magpie-tales-snowy-woods.html

  31. Robin on January 28, 2011 at 2:59 pm

    Missed writing and reading with you all the last couple of Fridays — semester start up and small stones project have kept me busy. Happy to be back under the big top! This one’s not really to prompt, but here ’tis:

    http://robin-turner.blogspot.com/2011/01/children-still-lived-here.html

  32. Rene Foran on January 28, 2011 at 4:19 pm

    Welcome to the weekend!
    And here is my offering. Enjoy!

    http://nottherockefellers.blogspot.com/2011/01/threshold.html

  33. jinksy on January 28, 2011 at 6:41 pm

    I’ve just realised the poem I wrote HERE for Magpie Tales this week was all about ‘a change of view’, as I saw the picture in a different way from other people – It it cheating to add it here for Poetry Tent as well?

    • RJ Clarken on January 29, 2011 at 1:21 pm

      Not at all. It’s a wonderful poem, so the more views, the merrier!

  34. Donna Vorreyer on January 28, 2011 at 9:43 pm

    Mine was inspired by Dorothea Lange’ Migrant Mother.

    http://wp.me/pv41q-kx

  35. Linda Watskin on January 28, 2011 at 9:52 pm

    My prompt came from a school photo taken of a student.
    http://word-painting.blogspot.com/2011/01/theresa.html

  36. Nancy Posey on January 28, 2011 at 9:57 pm

    http://alabamatarheel.wordpress.com/2011/01/29/big-tent-prompt/

    I used a photograph of my father’s maternal grandparents. Fun prompt.

  37. Sam on January 29, 2011 at 2:58 am

    This is one of those pieces where the first line pops into your head and the rest of the poem just flows. Rather whimsical, though. :)

    “The Doom of the Stinky One”

    http://thinkingcities.blogspot.com/2011/01/doom-of-stinky-one.html

    I’m also continuing to work on poem I posted last week:

    “In a Pool of Starlight”

    http://thinkingcities.blogspot.com/2011/01/in-pool-of-starlight.html

    I added a few more stanzas this week; it’s really been surprisingly difficult to convey the images and feelings in the particular style I’m trying to use…

  38. Joyce Ellen Davis on January 29, 2011 at 1:14 pm

    How far behind am I? Anyway, here are 2 for 1: my food poem from last week and a commentary on a picture…. Please click on my name, both poems are here!

  39. Erin Davis on January 29, 2011 at 7:10 pm

    Here I am, late again, but I found a great image to work with for this week’s poem. I’m looking forward to reading everyone’s submissions this weekend!

    http://freckledwriter.blogspot.com/2011/01/learning-early.html

  40. Kristen McHenry on January 29, 2011 at 7:57 pm

    A little bit of twist on the assignment:

    http://thegoodtypist.blogspot.com/2011/01/to-do-list-after-hour-of-writing-in.html

  41. Deb on January 29, 2011 at 8:36 pm

    Finally. A drafty draft: Sleep Swimming.

    • Donna Vorreyer on January 30, 2011 at 4:11 pm

      This is really lovely, Deb. Great photo!

  42. Jeanne Aguilar on January 30, 2011 at 4:38 pm

    After looking through so many photos, I ended up making a little spin-off page from this week’s prompt with a poem written for these photos (along with some friendship quotes). My poem is called “Old Friends” Well…it is a “spin off” so it doesn’t exactly follow the prompt!

    http://sidelinesbyjeanne.blogspot.com/p/hold-true-friend-with-both-your-hands.html

  43. S.E.Ingraham on January 30, 2011 at 7:57 pm

    An interesting prompt – I wrote to a photo I found at live journal’s 100 snapshots exercise (something I’ve taken part in myself; I think we might be up around our 5th or 6th set of 100 snapshots!)

    The Road to Take

    http://thepoet-tree-house.blogspot.com/

  44. Umamaheswari Anandane on February 1, 2011 at 8:22 am

    My photograph poem :
    http://umaspoembook.blogspot.com/2011/01/three-friends.html

  45. renkat on February 12, 2011 at 4:53 am

    Hi all. I used to be involved with RWP but have been away from the virtual community for a while now. Looking forward to finding inspiration again!

    I did not make it all the way to comfort, but began working through a difficult watershed this week. http://tribeofmadorphans.blogspot.com/2011/02/roots-and-skipping-generations-1.html

    Ren

    • Deb on February 12, 2011 at 10:15 am

      It’s great to have you here, Ren! Welcome to the Tent.