Tania Runyan writes a pantoum, a winding homage to the cups of sun and gold known as the California poppy in her Flowers of California series.
Flowers of California: Lily of the Nile
After a lifetime of taking the unassuming flower for granted, Tania Runyan pens a love letter to lily of the Nile.
Flowers of California: Crape Myrtle
California’s papery crape myrtle blooms played companion to Tania Runyan as a budding writer in her back yard.
Clarisse McClellan, The Karate Kid, and (Finally) Reading Fahrenheit 451
Tania Runyan reflects on The Karate Kid and writes a letter to Clarisse McClellan from Fahrenheit 451.
Triolet, Rondel, and Rondelet: Variation is the Spice of Life
Author Tania Runyan played with the prompts in ‘How to Write a Form Poem’ and wrote a triolet, rondel & rondelet in 1 day. Difficult, but fun!
Poet-a-Day: Meet Christopher Patchel
What purposes does the art form of haiku serve best? Christopher Patchel considers this question, with the perspective of a graphic designer.
Poet-a-Day: Meet Rick Maxson
When Rick Maxson heard his wife singing, in a rare moment of freedom from pain, it needed a poem to hold his wonder. It needed a rondeau.
Poet-a-Day: Meet Monica Sharman
What poem do you really need to write, but can’t? The hiddenness of the acrostic might be just your poetic ticket. It was for Monica Sharman.
Poet-a-Day: Meet Megan Willome
When you’re going round in grief, the rondeau might be your poetic form. Megan Willome found hers at mile 37.
Poet-a-Day: Meet John Drury
What are the challenges and opportunities of the ghazal? John Drury explores the answers with you, in the rain…
Poet-a-Day: Meet Aaron Brown
Grief has the quailty of a kaleidoscope. So does the ghazal poem form. Aaron Brown mourns, through the ghazal, his war-torn city in Chad.
Poet-a-Day: Meet Sandra Heska King
Prompted to write a villanelle, Sandra Heska King created a container for sorrow and endings. You could try it, too.
Poet-a-Day: Meet Claire Bateman
What can you find in a Field Guide? Maybe a poem with a corolla, breaking open. Claire Bateman did.
Poet-a-Day: Meet Benjamin Myers
It’s difficult to tell a story with a sestina. And that’s exactly why Benjamin Myers explored a Muse story with this hard-to-hold form.
Poet-a-Day: Meet John Poch
What two things must your villanelle have—to make it minimally successful? Find out in this Echo and Narcissus poem from poet John Poch!
Poet-a-Day: Meet Jill Baumgaertner
The repetitive rural images of the Lake District provided inspiration for Jill Baumgaertner’s “Cumbria Pantoum.” What will inspire yours?
Poet-a-Day: Meet Todd C. Truffin
A soccer coach inspiring a villanelle? It could happen. (Indeed, it did, in this villanelle from Todd C. Truffin.)
Poet-a-Day: Meet Gabriel Spera
Can a sonnet be funny? (Should it be, especially if a household “disaster” is in progress?) Gabriel Spera chose amusement…
The Great Gatsby Book Club: Chapters 7-9—Borne Back Ceaselessly Into the Past
In the final installment of our The Great Gatsby book club, Tania Runyan explores what it means to be “borne back ceaselessly into the past.”
Poet-a-Day: Meet Janet Aalfs
A lost red button calls out to become an ode for a wider memory in Janet Aalfs’ touching poem about her mother and more.