COME ONE, COME ALL / May 13

May 13, 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 — using a line or two generously given from one of our community members — 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 very last Big Tent Poetry show begin!

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: https://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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57 Responses to “ COME ONE, COME ALL / May 13 ”

  1. Madeleine Begun Kane on May 13, 2011 at 12:16 am

    Your news has created a pall.
    Big Tent will be missed by us all
    Cuz your prompts have inspired
    Us poets and fired
    Up minds when confronting a wall.

    Mad Kane’s Limerick-Off challenges

    • vivienne blake on May 13, 2011 at 1:15 am

      and so say all of us. A sad day this, the last under the big top.

    • Deb on May 13, 2011 at 7:40 am

      Awww, Mad. This is super. Thank you. And thanks to everyone who has made this little community wonderful.

      • Elizabeth on May 13, 2011 at 11:10 am

        Thanks Kane for putting it so succinctly. I, for one, will miss this place and space. It has been a home for me.

        Elizabeth

    • Brenda W. on May 13, 2011 at 12:22 pm

      Yes indeed!

    • Cathy on May 13, 2011 at 3:35 pm

      Perfectly put!!!

    • barbara on May 14, 2011 at 3:26 pm

      and so say all of us.

  2. Joseph Harker on May 13, 2011 at 12:16 am

    Thanks to Andrew for his lines!

    Abby (the Coworker’s Tale)

    • Andrew Kreider on May 13, 2011 at 9:37 am

      Joseph. Superb! A powerful poem indeed. I love the image of teastained lips turned to beaches. Thanks for breathing such life into a simple line.

  3. Dick Jones on May 13, 2011 at 12:50 am

    Thank you, Deb, for my line, on top of which I have built something strange!
    http://patteran.typepad.com

    • Deb on May 13, 2011 at 7:40 am

      I look forward to reading! :-)

  4. vivienne blake on May 13, 2011 at 1:14 am

    I have borrowed a fair few lines for two centos
    http://vivinfrance.wordpress.com/2011/05/11/2-centos-euphoria-and-tranquility/

  5. Elizabeth on May 13, 2011 at 1:17 am

    My fond farewell to Carolee, Deb, and Jill. Live long and prosper,

    http://soulsmusic.wordpress.com/2011/05/13/formal-farewell-to-big-tent-poetry/

    I used all of the lines,

    Elizabeth

    • deb on May 13, 2011 at 8:16 pm

      Thank you, Elizabeth. I am quite moved.

  6. Mariya Koleva on May 13, 2011 at 3:54 am

    Thanks to annell for her lines:
    http://phoenix-em.com/mariyakoleva/2011/05/two-lines/

    and good luck all!

  7. gautami tripathy on May 13, 2011 at 5:08 am

    Blogger is having some issues. So can’t post my link as of now. Will go, read the other contributions…

    • nan on May 13, 2011 at 5:52 am

      Ditto – will read now and post later :-)

      • pamelasayers on May 13, 2011 at 8:29 am

        Same here:)

        • Mary on May 13, 2011 at 11:22 am

          Yup, have lost some poems, hope they return. Will post when Blogger is back.

          • Elizabeth on May 13, 2011 at 11:41 am

            This is so hard, especially today! Please let us know when you are up again, so we can read your final posts here.

            Elizabeth

  8. Rachel Barenblat on May 13, 2011 at 5:26 am

    I didn’t write to the prompt this week, but here’s this week’s poem:

    Psalm of the sky
    http://velveteenrabbi.blogs.com/blog/2011/05/a-psalm-for-those-who-are-in-freefall.html

    I’ll miss you, Big Tent Poetry folks!

  9. irene on May 13, 2011 at 7:57 am

    The last time posting here. Gulp.

    continue or be damned

  10. Mr. Walker on May 13, 2011 at 8:32 am

    I borrowed a line from Linda Jacobs for Please Say Yes.

    I’m going to miss the energy of this circus. Best wishes to our ringleaders in their new venture.

    Richard

  11. Lindsey on May 13, 2011 at 9:23 am

    I actually ended up using several of the lines given and composing one poem.
    http://www.dishwaterdreams.com/2011/05/a-quilt-of-stories/

  12. carolee on May 13, 2011 at 9:27 am

    Thanks, everyone!! Thanks for coming by today and always!!!

  13. margo roby on May 13, 2011 at 10:05 am

    This is so sad, but also joyful for the ladies who have new things to look forward to. We shall miss them and follow them anyway.

    I did not arrive in time to contribute lines, for which I apologise and I thank those whose lines I enjoyed using.

    http://margoroby.wordpress.com/2011/05/13/last-poem-for-the-big-tent/

  14. annell on May 13, 2011 at 12:05 pm

    I thought I posted a comment this morning. But I will post again….so sorry. I loved the Big Tent, sorta like joining the circus, every child’s dream! I’ll miss you!

    • Mariya Koleva on May 15, 2011 at 9:37 am

      annell – I think you DID post a comment, only it went to my blog. I guessed it was not address to me :-)

  15. Brenda W. on May 13, 2011 at 12:09 pm

    Looks like I’m ending my time under the Big Tent on a dark note. I used Mr. Walker’s line. Thanks for the time here…it’s been inspirational and fun. SO many of you are friends now, and for that I’ll always be grateful to this circus. Here’s my piece:
    http://bozone-bw.blogspot.com/2011/05/bound.html

    • Deb on May 14, 2011 at 9:17 am

      I can’t post a comment this morning, for reasons mysterious, but I enjoyed your dark poem very much. Of course, I don’t believe in only writing cheerful stuff, because that would be misleading, disingenuous. Speaking the truth is not always pretty, but it can be good. :-)

      (Off my soapbox, now.)

  16. gautami tripathy on May 13, 2011 at 12:15 pm

    It isn’t to the prompt. I lost that poem in the blogger woes…

    Here:
    http://firmlyrooted.blogspot.com/2011/05/when-did-i-forget.html

  17. pamelasayers on May 13, 2011 at 12:29 pm

    It has been fun here, and I wish you girls the best on the new venture.

    http://flaubert-poetrywithme.blogspot.com/2011/05/parking-lots-and-studios-big-tent.html

  18. Versebender on May 13, 2011 at 12:34 pm

    Thank you all for hosting this forum…we will miss you. Best of luck in your new endeavor. Vb

    http://versebender.wordpress.com/2011/05/09/dove-anyone/

  19. Mary on May 13, 2011 at 12:53 pm

    Well, Blogger is working again as of a short time ago. I had posted this poem a couple days ago (some had even commented on it), and it totally disappeared out of my blog. So I put it in my blog again. Wonder if the other will appear. I used a line from Mr. Walker for this:

    http://inthecornerofmyeye.blogspot.com/2011/05/imperfect-forms.html

    (And thank you, ladies of the Big Tent. I will miss this place!)

  20. Kim Nelson on May 13, 2011 at 12:53 pm

    So sad to see the big tent folding up. It’s been a great venue!

    http://www.kimnelsonwrites.com/2011/05/09/courage-in-my-cup/

  21. Laurie Kolp on May 13, 2011 at 1:14 pm

    Me, too… I’ll miss everyone here (but I’m sure I’ll see you around). Best of luck to all.

    http://lkharris-kolp.blogspot.com/2011/05/big-tents-final-prompt.html

  22. Linda Watskin on May 13, 2011 at 1:34 pm

    I used Mr. Walker’s line: Every boy is small with so much inside as an epigram.

    http://word-painting.blogspot.com/2011/05/boys-of-ainsley-road-maryland.html

  23. Cathy on May 13, 2011 at 2:32 pm

    I am too, sad to see this wild party came to an end.

    So for this week poem, I use the line that Pamela had left. It just beg me to explored it.

    http://www.thequietone.net/the_quiet_one/2011/05/final-act-but-not-goodbyes.html

  24. nan on May 13, 2011 at 4:15 pm

    Here is my poem, after the tents came down. Thank you, BTP!!!

  25. Henry Clemmons on May 13, 2011 at 5:29 pm

    Sorry to see Big Tent go. Much success if future work.
    I chose a line from Irene.

    http://henryclemmonspoet.blogspot.com/2011/05/pearls-song-voice-is-above.html

    • Henry Clemmons on May 13, 2011 at 6:31 pm

      That meant to say, much success in future work. I wan’t here long, but I enjoyed the prompts and the people I met.

  26. Henry Clemmons on May 13, 2011 at 6:32 pm

    LOL, I wasn’t here long!

  27. Deb on May 13, 2011 at 7:08 pm

    Here is something for the tent.

    I’ll be reading you Sunday. With joy!

    Thank you for being here, for your warm words & regards. xo

  28. Connie L. Peters on May 13, 2011 at 7:08 pm

    I’m sorry to see Big Tent go, too.

    I based my poem on this line:
    The warehouse of your anxiety should be torn down. —Mariya Koleva

    http://enthusiasticsoul.blogspot.com/2011/05/big-tents-last-prompt.html

    • Mariya Koleva on May 15, 2011 at 9:42 am

      Hey Connie – your poem is great! I love what you did with my lines.

  29. Andrew Kreider on May 13, 2011 at 7:19 pm

    Thanks to Vivienne for the lines! Happy travels to all…

    http://thepenguinpoet.blogspot.com/2011/05/ordinary.html

  30. Kelly E. on May 13, 2011 at 10:29 pm

    I am so sad. Thanks a ton to Carolee, Deb, and Jill — and to everyone else who made this such a warm, nurturing and fun community.

    Here’s my contribution – based on a prompt from a few weeks back, to write about the center.

    http://www.starsandwillows.com/2011/05/the-center/

  31. Rallentanda on May 14, 2011 at 2:29 am

    A farewell poem for both BTP and Rallentanda.

    ‘Swan Song For A Diva’

    http://rallentanda.blogspot.com

  32. Jenni on May 14, 2011 at 10:56 am

    Here’s my attempt using only the words and lines donated by others:

    http://www.jennibbaker.com/poetry-mine/twittering/

    • Mariya Koleva on May 15, 2011 at 9:48 am

      Jenni – I recognised my own lines there! And I recognised so many others… Your poem is fantastic!

  33. Kelly E. on May 14, 2011 at 12:57 pm

    Hi, it’s me again. :) I got so inspired after reading a few of the poems, I decided to write one this morning using this week’s prompt. Hope it’s okay to post another poem.

    Thanks to Elizabeth for the line “I come to the sound of my own soul singing.”

    http://www.starsandwillows.com/2011/05/weeding-and-listening/

    • Deb on May 14, 2011 at 11:35 pm

      Of course! Write poets, write! :-)

  34. barbara on May 14, 2011 at 3:25 pm

    A little late getting to the party

    my poem’s clay
    thanks to Brenda for the line
    and to the tent: so long, and thanks for all the fish

  35. Mr. Walker on May 14, 2011 at 5:04 pm

    I already offered a poem in response to this week’s prompt. Now I humbly offer another as my farewell to Big Tent Poetry: About what’s at the center

  36. dani h on May 15, 2011 at 5:19 pm

    i can’t post now {hope i can get in before too late} but i have to join everyone else in saying thank you SO much for giving us Big Tent Poetry. wishing you only the best in your future endeavors.

  37. Jason Riedy on May 15, 2011 at 7:06 pm

    Piling onto the poofy folding tent: flight

    Thank you, Joseph Harker for the lines, and thank you to Deb, Carolee, and Jill for all the tentacular fun!

  38. Ava on May 15, 2011 at 9:48 pm

    Good luck to all. I will certainly miss BTP.