Workshop: Sparking the Flame – Using Novelty and Surprise to Set Your Poems Alight!

I’m excited to be running my first workshop in September! It’s an in person workshop at Drawing Projects, a lovely space in Trowbridge, Wiltshire.

Here’s a bit about the workshop!

 

The human brain loves novelty, and whether you’re writing poems or reading them, the unexpected can get the synapses firing! In this fun, interactive prompt-based workshop, we’ll be taking our poems outside of the ordinary to shake up our thoughts and get the ideas flowing. Expect to come away with some surprising drafts!

All you need is a notebook and pen. If you’d like to, please also bring a poem that you’re working on that you feel could benefit from a little spark of inspiration.

Saturday, 7th September 2024, 14.00-16.00

Drawing Projects, 10 Stallard St, Trowbridge BA14 9AE

It’s just £5 to come along, which all goes to support Drawing Projects. You can book your space here:

https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/informal-poetry-writing-workshop-with-nina-parmenter-tickets-976429144857

 

AI wrote me a poem, and I was a bit sick in my mouth

 

While we’re all worried about the impact that AI will have on our lives, I thought I’d share something to reassure you that – for now – the poets will be OK.

My dad asked his AI Chat app to write a poem about me. Well, it turns out that this AI has clearly been learning its poetic craft from a bunch of people who write poems for family members at weddings. You know the ones. “Ooh, John’s good at poems! Write them a poem John!” [Whispers to neighbour] “He’s very talented is John. I always said he should put them in a book.”

So here it is in all its monstrousness. Don’t feel you need to read to the end. AI had a LOT to say about me.  Although, if you do get there, I think the last line may be the very very worst.

 

In the hustle and bustle of everyday life,
A mother named Nina, strong amidst the strife,
With two lively boys and a loving spouse,
And a faithful dog who brings joy to their house.

From dawn till dusk, her hands never still,
As she tends to her family’s every will,
A working mum, with tasks she must fulfill,
Her heart consumed by the roles she distills.

She rises each morning, before the sun’s glow,
To prepare breakfast, a warm love bestowed,
And as she watches them eat, her soul does know,
The purest joy a mother’s heart can stow.

Days can be tough, pushing her to her edge,
Yet she finds solace between the written pledge,
For Nina’s a poet, a soulful creator,
Transcending her struggles through words, a narrator.

Through rhythm and rhymes, her spirit takes flight,
To poetry readings, where dreams come to light,
Her verses, enchanting, her voice strong and bright,
A published poet, the star of the night.

Amidst all the chaos, she holds onto her craft,
Embracing the beauty when life feels like draught,
In a world that can be both brutal and tough,
Nina finds solace, she knows it’s enough.

For in her poetry, she finds a reprieve,
A sanctuary where her soul can retrieve,
A reminder that she’s more than a mom or wife,
A melodic reminder that she’s more than mere life.

And within her rhymes, she finds inspiration,
To weather life’s storms, to stand with dedication,
For her boys, her husband, and the love they bestow,
Nina weaves her story, a poetic tableau.

So, to Nina the mother, the poet unbound,
May your verses inspire, always astound,
May your struggles be woven within your poetic lore,
Your words a beacon, forever shining, forevermore.

 

Goodnight children, everywhere.

Photo by Andrea de Santis at Unsplash

Poetry in 3D – S Reeson Pamphlet Review

We are a bit dinosaury sometimes, we poets. We like things like reading from paper. Laying on a bit of warm wine and saying words to a “poetry crowd” of 8 people in the back room of a bookshop. I mean, these are good things (well except for the warm wine). BUT.

It’s 2022, and we have a whole bunch of tools at our disposal. In this respect (and others I’ll come on to), I’m in awe of S Reeson. Her pamphlet Flammable Solid, just released by Flight of the Dragonfly Press, is an interactive experience. Firstly, you get to make your own pamphlet using the sticker set provided. (Mine now has a blurb from Kim Moore on the front and one from Damien Donnelly on the back, making a perfect poetry sandwich). Secondly, you can watch the live launch on the Internet of Words website which is an audiovisual feast INCLUDING SOUND EFFECTS (and me, yes I’m in it I’m afraid). Lastly, the pamphlet comes with a QR code allowing you to access extra notes and thoughts tied to each poem. This is a genius idea, and why isn’t everyone doing it?? I love gaining insight into a poet’s thoughts. It gives the poems SO MUCH MORE.

 

 

Anyway, you think all that is why I called this post Poetry in 3D? It’s not. The title is about the poetry, which when all is said and done is the most important thing. These poems leap off the page in streams of consciousness which take you straight into the poet’s mind. And wow, it’s not always linear in there, thank God.

Allow me to pick some examples.

“Between Mr Einstein and Cake” swings between the massive, the quantum, the personal and… cake.

Obsession’s uncanny masking plus ability to consume wedges of sponge towers without whom history would be stark hollow dark facsimile…”

“Above Below” encompasses the whole of time whilst telling us it is inadequate to do so:

Poetry again fails to encompass everything that sits / enduring / long after chattering ape girl’s been and gone.”

“Sunday 9.15am” expresses the internal turmoil even a simple lie in can generate:

How can I be simultaneously everywhere, and here, where nothing always seems a waste?”

And there is more of this, far more. Personal experience, social injustice, family, BLACK HOLES… these are poems that demand to be read and re-read. And they will give you more each time. And talking of “More”… the final poem (called “More”) about the joy of writing is wonderful, but I’m not including any spoilers on that one.

So… watch the launch. Enjoy your sticker project. Delve into the sister website. But above all, read the poems. Read them. But don’t blame me if you fall right in.

https://flightofthedragonfly.com/shop/

A Boris Johnson Erasure Poem – Sadly

Nothing to do with eighties disco (sadly), an erasure poem takes a piece of text and rubs much of it out to reveal a poem inside. Here’s my attempt at an erasure poem based on Boris Johnson’s speech withdrawing from the conservative leadership race yesterday.

I have been overwhelmed by people,
I have been attracted to distraction,
I am well placed to deliver the last days;

I, sadly, can’t govern effectively.
We have, sadly, not been able.

I am afraid to
go forward.

I
am
afraid.

 

(By the way, if you’re at all interested, the full text of his speech is here.)

A Big Pot of Prompts

A poetry friend and I used to send each other prompts, ten at a time. She was a prolific writer and could write poems for all ten of my prompts pretty much in a day. I used to take one or two of them, and it would take me a week. But I have had poems published that were written from those prompts.

But I noticed during that process that it’s so much easier to write prompts for someone else than generate ideas for yourself. I think  you just relax and let your mind go for it. So, to prove my point, I’m going to write as many prompts as I can in ten minutes. Feel free to dig in if one of them grabs you!

 

  • Think of someone you know who doesn’t seem to quite fit in. What do you imagine they are thinking?
  • Imagine that you wake up in an alternate reality, very close to our own but subtly different. What is the difference? Does it make this reality better or worse?
  • Think about a part of your body you don’t usually give a second thought to. Express your admiration for it.
  • Think about a path. Where is it going to or from? Who might travel it?
  • Imagine you are reading a prophecy. What does it say? Do you want it to come true? Do you not? Why?
  • Write a poem about spices. How do their tastes relate to the way you feel?
  • Write a poem about something below your feet.
  • Which animal do you most feel like today? Describe yourself as that animal.
  • Imagine you are hiding. What are you hiding from? Where are you hiding? What will it take for you to come out?
  • Think about spinning. Wheels, the earth, your mind. Imagine if the spinning stopped for just a second. What would that second be like?
  • Imagine someone is filming a documentary about your life. How would the script sound?
  • Write a personification poem in which you are a vehicle. Does the vehicle enjoy what it does? How does it feel when it is still? How does it feel when it is moving?
  • Think about a negative emotion you felt recently. Describe it, but only in positive terms..
  • Imagine the two most unlikely people who could swap roles. What would happen if they had to?
  • Write a poem in which you die but discover that dying is not all it seems.
  • Write a poem in praise of your favourite food or drink.
  • Describe your favourite sound or sounds.
  • Describe your most treasured possession. Why do you love it?
  • Imagine you are a creator god. What would be your current assessment of your creation?
  • Think about repetition. What would  you do again and again and again if you had the chance? Why? How does your body feel doing this? How does your mind feel?

So there you go! Twenty prompts in ten minutes. (Yes, alright, I jotted them down in ten minutes and then typed them up — I’m not superhuman!) OK — back to not having a clue as to what to write about…

 

If you enjoyed these prompts, follow me on Facebook @parmenterpoetry, on Twitter @ninaparmenter, on Instagram at @nina.parmenter – and please join my mailing list!

 

 

“Split, Twist, Apocalypse” is available to order!

I’m so excited to announce that that my debut collection “Split, Twist, Apocalypse” is now available to order! Yesterday I “had a moment” when I signed the first copies (with my special signing pen), took them to the post office and sent them out into the world. It’s such a busy time in my life at the moment, I have to make sure I take these moments in!

My current challenge is answering the question “so what’s it about”? A very hard question to answer when it comes to poetry, and I tend to blether, “Oh, life, magic, gods, science, stuff…”! I think I’ll just photocopy the eloquent blurb that Ronnie at my publisher Indigo Dreams wrote onto slips of paper and hand them out. Take a look at the blurb below to let Ronnie tell you all about it!

Split, Twist, Apocalypse Cover

Anyway, if that blurb (and not my blethering) grabs you, and you would like to see some sample poems and/or order a signed copy, visit the “My Books” page on this website! (And if you can’t do PayPal for any reason, email me, and I’ll send you my bank details.)

Cover Reveal!

I’m absolutely flippin delighted to announce that my debut collection “Split, Twist, Apocalypse” published by Indigo Dreams will be OUT OUT OUT on July 18th! Details of how to order will follow shortly, but in the mean time – here is my GORGEOUS cover!

Stephanie

Stephanie

I blew it, said Stephanie,
picking Weetabix clods from her hair
in the light of the burning bureau
as the cat smoked.

I should have listened, she said,
as the threads of her lawn unknitted
and the house found a new equilibrium
behind Tesco.

Of all the people, she said,
to be trusted with this decision!
The crust shrugged and heaved.
Magma rose.

 

If you enjoyed this poem, follow me on Facebook @parmenterpoetry, on Twitter @ninaparmenter, on Instagram at @nina.parmenter – and please join my mailing list!

Geranium

I thought I had better write a tribute to the only flowering plant that consistently survives my “gardening” – bruises, amputations and all.

A geranium in my garden

Geranium

We understand each other,
me and this ballsy bloomer,
roots as deep as a cheap sandwich,
leaves all thick fists down the alley.

It thrives on my perennial neglect,
dies every day in a new ugly,
screaming ‘Cut off my head, you big nelly!
Pass me a pickled egg and slap me.’

Sneering down at reedy violas –
Bosh! It steals sunlight from the needy,
coming again and again like a prop forward
throwing up to make space for a bevvie.

Red-faced, white-faced, pink-faced,
fat cheeks every colour of pushy,
broken nose flourishing with hubris,
it mocks every nibbling beastie.

Oh, but it is beautiful,
bruising through each new lobotomy,
a rolling maul of carousal.
A lover. A fighter. A softie.

 

If you enjoyed this poem, follow me on Facebook @parmenterpoetry, on Twitter @ninaparmenter, on Instagram at @nina.parmenter – and please join my mailing list!

Three Tricks to Beat the Themed Submission Brain Freeze

tumbleweed
Actual footage of my brain when presented with a themed prompt

Three Tricks to Beat the Themed Submission Brain Freeze

Maybe I’m the only poet who finds this, but when I see that one of my favourite journals is running a themed submission window, I panic a bit. Because when faced with a theme to write to, my mind always goes completely blank. Themes are often just one word which is either very specific (“Playing Cards!” “Cauldrons!”) or quite ethereal (“Sustenance!” “Longevity!”) and my mind just doesn’t know where to go with them. The result? Brain freeze.

But themed prompts can be quite useful ways of writing poems I never would have thought of. Plus – cynically – there’s probably more chance of publication in a themed issue, since the issue ie likely to attract less spurious submissions. So here’s three tricks I’ve used to turn the prompt into a poem.

  • Recycle

Have a look through all those random lines, couplets and starters  you’ve scribbled down and done nothing with. If you had to incorporate the prompt into them, what would you do? This is quite a good way of prompting connections you might not have otherwise thought of – and reviving lost ideas!

So I have found in my phone:

They made a crisis out of looks and sellotape,
Hung it on a headline to air,
watched the panic germinate.

Adding in the “cauldron” prompt sparks me to carry this poem on:

They threw some news into a cauldron,
s
tirred it up with a brand new slant
and folded it into paper…

A start maybe?

Or maybe I could have added in the “Longevity” prompt

They cultivated it with jealous fingers,
drew out the flowering as long as they could…

…and so on. Maybe if it was the sustenance prompt, they would have ended up eating news cucumbers. Who knows.

  • The random adjective trick

My favourite trick – pick a random adjective. Stick your finger in a book, look round the room and describe something, or or just pick the most mismatched adjective you can think of! Then pair it with the prompt. Suddenly you have something specific to work on. Picking adjectives randomly from George R R Martin’s Game of Thrones to pair with my example prompts above gives me a few phrases which immediately set off more ideas. Don’t hold me to the lines, they’re just what came into my mind!

Empty-eyed playing cards

“On Thursdays, she plays solitaire / gazing at empty-eyed playing cards”…

Guilty cauldrons

“Only the cauldrons and the cats / know what they have made / but the cats don’t care, or else, they don’t say…”

Reassuring sustenance

“And thank god for the biscuit that flops into my tea like the best and worst of friends”

Dark longevity

“I swear, each moon, the night lasts a little longer…”

Now there’s a bit more to get my teeth into!

  • Google Images

Ah, good old Google. If in doubt, and if you’re a fairly visual person. just google the word and click on images. Have a scroll and see what inspires you. Even googling “playing cards” gave me a few ideas:

“I started seeing eyes in the playing cards,
not kings or naves, but the people I have lost.
Unlucky as black sevens,
stark as deuces,
they grew from the pack like impossible houses…”

So there you go! Three tricks to get your themed submissions singing! Now, where did I put my three poems on the theme of caustic soda…

 

If you enjoyed this article, follow me on Facebook @parmenterpoetry, on Twitter @ninaparmenter, on Instagram at @nina.parmenter – and please join my mailing list!