Remember when Howard Beale implored people to stick the head out of the window and yell, “I’m as mad as hell and I’m not going to take it anymore!” in the classic Network? The thunder rolling in the backdrop as voices were heard calling out their anger all over the country, punctuated the sound sharp cries of their distress. Without that rain and the thunder, the scene wouldn’t have had as much impact.
It wouldn’t have had as much impact without that rainy weather. In Alanis Morisette’s song, “Ironic” she mentioned rain on your wedding, which for some brides would be an absolute disaster. Others, may be tempted to kick off their heels and dance in the storm.
You’ve definitely seen the weather impact life events in your life as well. On a winter’s night when you’re curled on the couch with a cup of cocoa, the snow falling outside makes it all feel that much more cozy.
Let’s write a poem about weather impacting an occasion and making the moment that much stronger. Whether it’s more intimate, more secure, just more. Remember, we’re potentially looking at these poems submitted for the anthology. What is this, you ask? Learn more about it here. Be sure to backlink your posts or share your link in the comments below.
Sometimes a piece of music touches us and inspires us in amazing ways, and while sometimes we let you find your own music to inspire you, today I have chosen a piece for you.
Lukas Graham’s song, 7 Years, travels through one man’s life and through an unknown future. I love the way he marks the passage of time with certain ages and specific things that were said to him at that age:
Once I was eleven years old my daddy told me
Go get yourself a wife or you’ll be lonely
Once I was eleven years old
I will post the lyrics and video below for those that haven’t heard the song yet. I want you to let this inspire you. Think to a specific age, to your thoughts and hopes and aspirations as that age, to the advice given you then. Write about it.
Remember you have until Friday to submit your entry by either leaving it in the comment section below or linking back to this post. All entries will be considered for the second edition of the anthology.
Anthology submissions are open. Please submit here.
Write for Us submissions are also open. You can submit here for that.
7 Years by Lukas Graham
Once I was seven years old my momma told me Go make yourself some friends or you’ll be lonely Once I was seven years old
It was a big big world, but we thought we were bigger Pushing each other to the limits, we were learning quicker By eleven smoking herb and drinking burning liquor Never rich so we were out to make that steady figure
Once I was eleven years old my daddy told me Go get yourself a wife or you’ll be lonely Once I was eleven years old
I always had that dream like my daddy before me So I started writing songs, I started writing stories Something about that glory just always seemed to bore me ‘Cause only those I really love will ever really know me
Once I was 20 years old, my story got told Before the morning sun, when life was lonely Once I was 20 years old
I only see my goals, I don’t believe in failure ‘Cause I know the smallest voices, they can make it major I got my boys with me at least those in favor And if we don’t meet before I leave, I hope I’ll see you later
Once I was 20 years old, my story got told I was writing about everything, I saw before me Once I was 20 years old Soon we’ll be 30 years old, our songs have been sold We’ve traveled around the world and we’re still roaming Soon we’ll be 30 years old
I’m still learning about life My woman brought children for me So I can sing them all my songs And I can tell them stories Most of my boys are with me Some are still out seeking glory And some I had to leave behind My brother I’m still sorry
Soon I’ll be 60 years old, my daddy got 61 Remember life and then your life becomes a better one I made a man so happy when I wrote a letter once I hope my children come and visit, once or twice a month
Soon I’ll be 60 years old, will I think the world is cold Or will I have a lot of children who can warm me Soon I’ll be 60 years old Soon I’ll be 60 years old, will I think the world is cold Or will I have a lot of children who can warm me Soon I’ll be 60 years old
Once I was seven years old, momma told me Go make yourself some friends or you’ll be lonely Once I was seven years old
The key to getting published is at once simple and painful…You have to put yourself out there. Keep submitting your work and sharing it with the world. Remember that you can always submit to our Write for Us segment and that our magazine submissions are now open for the year.
Big Pulp “defines pulp-fiction very broadly: it’s lively, challenging, thought-provoking, thrilling, and fun…” They are looking more for character and story elements than genre specific themes.
Bring me a sunset in a cup
Sprinkle in drops of rain
Watch as afternoon beauty
Is mixed with the world’s pain
Bring me the starry skin onto a plate
Mix in the dreams that lay awake
See as wishes fall to the floor
As the world gives up – the stars shine no more
Bring me daylight locked in a jar
Add in shadows that roam the night
Witness as hope stirs with fear
Welcome to the parallels of life my dear
Sonya is a believer. She believes in love even if she hasn’t quite found it yet. She hopes her writing can inspire others to believe in it too, as well as believing in themselves. She steals lunch breaks and midnights to write on the side of her full-time advertising career. She savors chai tea lattes, rainy days, rooftop bars, and handwritten notes. She enjoys exploring the world internationally, as well as at home in Miami, Florida. She believes that everything happens for a reason, and she’s okay with not quite knowing what that is yet. See more of her on her blog, www.singlestrides.com.
Part of what we do here at The Reverie Journal is to tell you about opportunities to share your work.
Of course, we certainly hope you’ll still consider submitting with us for our magazine or Write for Us submissions.
Today, let us introduce you to Asinine Poetry. “We specialize in poetry that doesn’t take itself too seriously.” In general, keep your poems to 50 lines or less and your prose to 5,000 words or less.
The devil won’t allow
uncertainty.
A bodiless sleep
for your little boy, for his
handheld head.
His blood no longer
his, no longer yours,
his blood a
nothingness, a blessing of
sand.
The mouth agape
censors itself, disavows
its gentle curse.
The hands
alone in their gathering.
Empty hands, their sky blue
reach, the monotonous
scream of sacrifice.
Sue Ann Simar has most recently published in Voices from the Attic, the anthology affiliated with the Madwomen in the Attic workshops from Carlow College. She also has a poem in the current issue of Backbone Mountain Review. Sue lives in Morgantown, WV and works in the healthcare field.
Today is World Poetry Day, dear poets. As such, we have to participate. I think it may be the law, the law of the poem. Or not.
But let’s have fun with it anyway!
For today’s prompt, let’s try something a little different. Your prompt is to write and share, but with a twist. Write a poem about any topic. Here’s a couple of ideas in case you need one: the freshness of spring, youth, rising from the ashes, and shedding old skin. You can certainly chose others, these were only suggestions.,
Hand write these prompts and not only link them up here. Share a picture of your handwritten poem – selections will be posted on GuardianWitness, the home of user-generated content on The Guardian. You can go over and see what they’ve already posted. The
The Deadline is March 31, 2016 to send to the GuardianWitness.
If you post it here, you’d either have to link up to the a post or you’d need to type out the poem. And if they post your selection, definitely let us know!
It’ll be a fun exercise and maybe you’ll have a poem to submit to our anthology afterward. Learn a bit more about what we’re looking for here from Friday’s post.