Gavin Bennett's Blog: 2016 April PAD Challenge: Day 9

Today I’m going to be speaking about poetry at a conference in Blue Ridge, Georgia. Topics covered include revision (or as I like to say, “re-creation”) and platform (or “finding more readers for poetry”). If you’ll be at this event, please say hi today. If not, hope to see you at an event in the future.

For today’s prompt, write a hide out poem. When I was a kid, we’d build “hide outs,” I guess from our parents or other kids. An assortment of criminals (fictionalized and real) have their hide outs. But maybe there are other hide outs, like a “man cave,” “she shed,” or the local pub. Heck, maybe it’s the library. Give it a thought, and I’m sure you’ll find the right hide out poem for you.

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Poet’s Market 2016

Publish Your Poetry!

The 2016 Poet’s Market, edited by Robert Lee Brewer, includes hundreds of poetry markets, including listings for poetry publications, publishers, contests, and more! With names, contact information, and submission tips, poets can find the right markets for their poetry and achieve more publication success than ever before.

In addition to the listings, there are articles on the craft, business, and promotion of poetry–so that poets can learn the ins and outs of writing poetry and seeking publication. Plus, it includes a one-year subscription to the poetry-related information on WritersMarket.com. All in all, it’s the best resource for poets looking to secure publication.

Click to continue.

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Here’s my attempt at a Hide Out Poem:

“Story Behind the Painting”

I’ve never been a “what you see
is what you get” type of person,
whether it’s because of thoughts

swirling around in my head, or
my proclivity for reading into
songs or telling stories about

art. Take this landscape painting
of an Italian countryside with
a peaceful house and vineyard:

Most people can’t see it, but
there is a boy hidden in that
tree to the right of the house

and below him is a concealed
girl in the bush; they are telling
each other lies to test their

truths. And inside the house
is a father who, passed out
again, neglects everything.

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Robert Lee Brewer loves making up new stories for the same paintings in the family dining room, but it’s even more fun when his kids join in the effort. Of course, he was tempted to write about the secret hide out of his car keys, which often lose their way.

Brewer is Senior Content Editor of the Writer’s Digest Writing Community, which means he gets to do a million things to help writers find more success with their writing (including this blog). He’s also the author of Solving the World’s Problems (Press 53).

Connect with him on Twitter @RobertLeeBrewer.

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