Here’s an invitation to all of you poets (or potential poets, which is all of you) out there to join me in Silver Lining June. This is a collaborative project for the blogging and writing community to create together.
Back in April I ran a challenge called “Golden Shovel April”, which called upon the community to create a Golden Shovel poem based on the prompts provided. It was a fabulous success and a number of the participants asked me to continue. However, I want to provide a little variety and so I’m going to run a new challenge based on the “Silver Lining” form — which is a variation on the Golden Shovel that I came up with earlier this year.
What is the Silver Lining form, you ask? It’s a miner variation on the Golden Shovel form that I “invented” earlier this year. It offers a little more flexibility. Here are the “rules”:
Silver Lining “Rules”
1) Take a line (or lines) from an existing poem (I provide this in the prompt section below)
2) Use each KEY word in the line (or lines) as an end word in your poem. You can skip words like “the”, “and”, “or” etc. that are less core to the meaning of the line. This is the key difference between the Silver Lining vs. the Golden Shovel.
3) Keep the end words in order.
4) The new poem does not have to be about the same subject as the poem that offers the end words.
5) Make sure to credit the poet who originally wrote the line (or lines) and link to my prompt post.
6. Have fun! If the rules are too rigid for what your muse is calling for then break them!
Silver Lining Example:
Prompt: “Cursing the winter solstice sun” (from Under the Solstice Sun by Monty Vern)
New Silver Lining poem (note that it excludes the “the” from the prompt line)
Fallen Sun
She cursing
Anger burning through cold winter
Sharp winds whipping away solstice
Me, her fallen sun.
Silver Lining June Prompts
Choose one, two, or all three and create your own Silver Lining poem for each prompt you select.
June Prompt No. 1
“A molten gold flows away from the sun.”
from “Evening Sea Wind” by Carl Sandburg
June Prompt No. 2
“It is in the smell of an avocado blossom, and in the true passion of a kiss.”
from “The Unnamable River” by Arthur Sze
June Prompt No. 3
“The day is done, and the darkness
Falls from the wings of Night,
As a feather is wafted downward
From an eagle in his flight.“
from “The Day is Done” by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow
Additional Guidelines
(1) You can either post on your own blog and link to this prompt post so that we can all see it and further share, include it in this post’s comments section, or post on twitter and tag me (@montyvern).
(2) While there is not any hard deadline, the intention is to share your poem(s) during the prompt month (feel free to post each poem separately if you decide to do more then one). If you post prior to the end of the month, then I will try to include your submission (along with mine) in a monthly round-up post for us all to enjoy. If you’ve posted on your own site then I will include an excerpt with link. If you post either in the comments or twitter I will include the entire poem with credit to the author.
(3) While there is absolutely no requirement, I highly encourage you to tag one or two potential poets in your post and invite them to join. Let’s grow our creative community!
If you missed the Golden Shovels created by the community in the April challenge, check out all the contributions in the Golden Shovel April Round-Up. Feel free to give these prompts a try as well. They were great poem line prompts with lots of creative potential.
That’s it. Time to get poetic! Enjoy!
Be well,
Monty
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Monty’s Blahg 
I like the idea of the golden shovel – light… I’ll see how I feel in the coming weeks as I’m still recovering from the virus. I read that Shanghai is lifting the lock down! I hope it is not just a tease!
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We are all holding our breath to see if the lockdown is truly lifted and we stay open. Certainly hope so!
Would love to have your poetry contribution but totally understand. No worries.
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Oooo I liked doing this the first time you did it! I will try to get in on this, but June is busy with report cards, end-of-year school things, and planning for the school’s summer camp that I am running haha
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No worries. Would love to have your words but fully understand. 😊
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Aw thanks!!
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I like your twist on the golden shovel. I’ve written down the word lists and will let them simmer, then see what I can cook up. I hope your wife’s recovery is going smoothly. Take care, Monty.
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Great! Would love to have your creative contribution if the muse hits you right! My wife’s recovery is slow but positive. Thanks! Be well.
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