resolving…

 
 
 
 
 
The year stretches out, just over the horizon. So much potential. What are your resolutions for 2016? Here are a few ideas to start your list:

• Read more poetry.
• Along the same lines, take a page from Ann Morgan’s TED talk and expand your vision by reading a book from every country in the world. (More here.)
• Set aside a specific time to read a poem each day: when you wake up, over breakfast, during your bus commute, before bed.
• Listen to poetry: find CDs in the library or browse The Poetry Archive, Poetry Out Loud, Penn Sound, and find many more links to poetry audio recordings on the Library of Congress web guide.
• Write more poetry.
• Try something entirely different with your poetry: rhyme it (or don’t), write a sonnet or a ghazal or a persona poem or whatever you’re least likely to write normally.
• Print out one of your poems that’s “finished,” cut it up into individual words and reassemble it into a new poem, getting rid of unnecessary words and replacing those that could be juicier.
• Ask for feedback.
• Do something new with your poetry: slam it, submit it, memorize it.
• Take a poetry workshop or class.
• When you’re spending money on poetry, support poets, indie bookstores and independent publishers.
• When you’re moved by a poem, write to the poet to say what you most loved about the poem.
• Take a resolutions workshop for writers on Sunday, January 3, 2016, at Village Books in Bellingham.
• Start or join a poetry group: reading, writing, critique, whatever.

Resolved: to have a poetry-rich 2016.
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