Two poems have been posted at www.tupelopress.wordpress.com/3030-project, a third for posting tomorrow is sent and thoughts for a fourth are stirring.  This is a challenge---30 poems in 30 days---and I am finding it invigorating.  

Support from Tupelo staff member Kirsten Miles is energizing.  Her encouragement is direct, sincere and always includes an invitation to the 10 of us to support each other.  And we are beginning to do that with FB comments and entries on our group page.  Imagine my surprise today when I noticed that a line from my first poem was a prompt for another poet's second poem.  I felt supported!

I am not prone to share first drafts, or even second drafts, with others, so it is a huge letting go of control to just send these on to be posted.  As I understand it, this is not primarily a workshop experience, we are not critiquing and making craft suggestions---though of course that is always a possibility should any of us want to do so.  What this lack of critique at this point in the writing process is doing for me is strengthening my trust in my intuition and skill to judge whether something is working or not.  And, I can always revise and revise and revise some more all 30 poems before submitting them anywhere else once this month is over.  Let me say again, however, it is a huge challenge to let a poem go so soon in its process.

I'm also learning that I am not someone who writes just for myself.  I really want what I write to be read by others.  This project makes that possible in a unique way.  I'm thinking I will be a much better poet and filled with gratitude when this month comes to an end..

When Patsy knits, she places a ball of yarn in a pottery knitting bowl, casts on and trusts the bowl to continue feeding her the yarn she needs when she needs it.  Not a bad example for me (who knows absolutely nothing about how to knit) as I begin Tupelo's 30/30 Project.  We were encouraged to send our first poem ( to be posted on 12/01/13) today, given we're beginning on a holiday weekend.  I just clicked "send" on mine.  Guess that means the yarn is in the bowl, and I have cast on the yet to be revealed pattern.

I took an intuitive leap, and in six days I will begin to keep my promise---a new poem a day every day for the month of December that will be shared with a wide audience in Tupelo Press' 30/30 Project (www.tupelopress.com).  I've thought about "writing a poem a day" ala William Stafford and others before.  I write, or do something related to my writing, everyday--but never a poem every day that I actually let anyone else see.  Today, I trust the leap and the promise.

I find that the poems I am working on now begin with "seeing", with really noticing, and not hurrying to give them words.  That's why the photographs are becoming more and more a part of my writing process.  I take pictures without knowing when, or if, I will find the words for the poem I see.  Or, more to the point, when, or if ,the words are going to find me.  So, you will find more pictures than words on this blog....at least in these first days....