Spring Poetry Extravaganza and Contest

Welcome To The Spring Poetry Extravaganza & Poetry Contest

Link To Contest Page:
Spring Poetry Contest

We all remember when, as children, we had to memorize and recite a poem. I chose a poem by Robert Frost called Stopping By Woods On A Snowy Evening. It is the only poem I've ever memorized. Frost's ability to take me into serene places, make me think about the world around me, and to help me make decisions like which road to take, inspired me. Thus began my love of poetry.

I don't know at what point in my writing career it happened, but poetry became an obsession. Sometimes the madness, (and I believe that it is a madness,) can over power me if I let it. Even sleep is not immune from its authority, for many times I am awakened by the need to quickly record the words that never seem to fully abate, even when I am exhausted. The "madness" lies in the fear that if I do not heed her call, and I do not write it down, something vital may be lost forever.

There is more to poetry than just pleasant words. The French author and philosopher Voltaire, (1694-1778) saw into the spirit of a poet when he said, "Poetry is the music of the soul and above all, great and feeling souls."

Poetry is cathartic, a tool which can cleanse us of life's destructive toxins. I truly believe that poetry saved my life. Until it found me, I was a lost soul, searching for validation, for purpose and for healing. Once our paths met, poetry led me down a gentle, cleansing and therapeutic path. I slowly emerged from inside a dark and destructive cocoon, and when I escaped that deadly place, I found hope within the poetry that completely defined me.

To me, poetry has more life to it, than any other genre. For instance, a love story can be very passionate and descriptive, but when told in poetry, we can actually feel the love. Example: Sonnet # 43 Written in 1853 by Elizabeth Barrett Browning (1806-1861)
http://www.poets.org/poems/poems.cfm?prm...

The art of writing poetry is not simply an exercise in creative ability, but rather a test of how well you can interpret, and how much you celebrate, that which life puts before you. Each poet will have his or her own interpretations, and thus, style of poetry.