Each month I send out a challenge for people to send me a 1-2 word topic they’d like me to write a poem to and I must write all the poems in the challenge within 48 hours. People CAN’T send names (yes, everyone wants one named after their child but they can send other 1-2 word titles. Each sender only gets me writing one poem per poetry challenge and the more surreal the challenge, the better.

So feel free to send me a 1-2 word title in the comments below.

And, because some of you are budding poets yourselves, this is now where you can also ask other commenters to challenge YOU with a title too. So let’s see what happens!

Also if you are a published, self published or street poet, this is where to let people know.

Donna Williams *)

author, artist, composer, screenwriter.

author of the poetry book, Not Just Anything , published by Jessica Kingsley Publishers.

http://www.donnawilliams.net

AND THE NOMINEES ARE…..

From Anna I was challenged with “Nearers me”

NEARERS ME by Donna Williams, copyright Sept 2008

He paced detached, with logic,

Attachment worlds away

A Schizoid left-brain world 

With all the sentiment astray.

She  pranced about the room

devoid of purpose or intent

a rote learned world of cartoon

in Idiosyncratic bent.

And there in artist’s labyrinth,

lost to mind and meaning

the right-brain sensate sat just staring

in preconscious state of dreaming.

The “self” asked some blasphemer, 

Which among these could it be?

And I looked among these fragments for

the one most nearer’s me.

From Lena I was challenged with “Flipping Pages”

FLIPPING PAGES by Donna Williams, copyright Sept 2008

Where on earth’s my flipping pages?

Said the writer in despair.

He had looked beside the toilet

and underneath the big armchair.

He had looked in the recycle bin

and in the space behind the bed.

Then he realised he hadn’t wrote them

For they were still inside his head.

From Leanne I was challenged with “Tension Monkey”

TENSION MONKEY by Donna Williams, copyright Sept 2008

Big buzz junkie,

Tension monkey,

Charlie Warmton’s gone to bed,

Brookenstein has fur balls,

and Smackerface just smacked her head.

Jackie Paper’s on the rampage

Sparkling Arkie’s all a shine,

Foosh cat likes the sardines and especially the brine.

Lettuce of the Goog is catching the 7.20 home,

And it’s just as well for Musto Snug is waiting there alone.

From Kay I was challenged with “Ha-ha Bug”

HA-HA BUG by Donna Williams, copyright Sept 2008

Her smile ate her face and she became a chuckle bunny.

The Ha-Ha bug had got her now, and by goodness she was funny.

Her belly laugh erupted in multitudinous loud laughters,

And soon even old Grumble Bum was hanging from the rafters.

Kay, you asked for a poetry challenge… so I give you the challenge of “Marker Pen”

From Alex I was challenged with “Lemongrass Tea”

LEMONGRASS TEA by Donna Williams, copyright Sept 2008

Turtled, was the ocean deep

Mango’d was my tongue

Feet danced on fire rocks

Fruit stalls in the sun.

An island people warm of heart

A Hindu land of tea

A salted ocean kissed the cliffs

Amidst lemongrass in Bali.

From Judy M. I was challenged with “Wonder Monster”

WONDER MONSTER by Donna Williams, copyright Sept 2008

Once upon a wonder, I had monstered at his mouth

As the pompous narcky diatribe poured forth and traveled South.

I hurried to the telegraph, in morse a code I’d send

Then I tripped upon my tail as I scuttled ’round the bend.

I heard the shrieks of pain from a millenia down a hole

And knew, too late, my comrades had been nastied by a troll.

From Marla I was challenged with “Empty Box”

EMPTY BOX by Donna Williams, copyright Sept 2008

There’s no such thing as nothing.

There’s always something there.

For even if invisible,

There still exists the air.

You can tell me green is yellow,

Or that a cat is not a fox,

But I just can’t buy that there’s nothing there

Inside that empty box.