Challenge me to poetry – first list

As I was about to wrap up my guest posting marathon, I had an even crazier idea – that was to challenge myself in poetry. So I made an announcement in my Facebook profile, inviting all my friends to “Challenge me to poetry.”

I asked them to challenge me by giving me a word, phrase or subject that they fancy and I’d try to write a decent poem it. And boy! Did they challenge me! And I love all the challenges given to me, it really made me think.

I’ve never written so many poems in so little time in my life.

Here is the first list of the finished poems, and I haven’t even reached half of them. So expect at least two more installment of this list.

Yesterday, my name was happiness
A sentence submitted by Manuel Villoria, and I used it as a title for the poem although I never really used it in the poem itself. A poem that speaks of how happiness can come… and go in such a short time and what remain were only memories of yesterday.

Queen of the night
My friend Jan Geronimo submitted “cougar” to challenge me. Upon reading it, images of Demi Moore, Sharon Stone, and Halle Berry flashed in my mind. But I didn’t write a poem about them, instead I wrote about a typical next-door cougar and guess where she has been.

Anyang kayanakan tamu (When we were young)
Another Kapampangan poem, for words “bacting” (small bell) and “sorbetes” (dirty ice cream) submitted by high school batchmate Arnel Gutierrez. The poem recalls the simplicity of playing in the street in those times, and waiting for neighborhood ice cream man (sorbetero) to pass by.

Maari ba akong maging iyong kulambo? (Can I be your mosquito net?)
OFW and artist Ever Villacruz simply replied “kulambo” (mosquito net) to the challenge. So wrote I poem where one likens himself to a “kulambo” and protecting his love while allowing her still to breathe and move around.

Don’t grow up so fast, my son
High school batchmate Girlie Pascua Sarte challenged me to write a poem about a mother’s love to his son. She thought of the subject because her son is celebrating his 10th birthday this month. S0 I wrote a poem about a mother’s love and her anxiety for son who seems to grow up so fast.

100 things that make me happy
My friend and Entrep forum-mate Iva Borja asked me to write a poem about 100 things that I am thankful for. One of the challenges that wasn’t really fulfilled because I didn’t really give 100 things. Read the poem to find out why.

Storms don’t scare me
An inspirational poem from the challenge submitted by Joy Pangilinan who gave me “God and me.” I wrote a poem the storms that come in our lives and why one brave is afraid of all the storms.

Do you know where your children are?
An advocate of online safety, it is no surprise that Sonnie Santos challenged to write a poem about “web safety.” The poem that I wrote asked parents to be wary of their kids’ online activity and to have open communication with them.

Gray rainbow
From the word “rainbow” submitted by high school batchmate Rose Almonte, I wrote Gray rainbow instead. It tells of how one chases rainbow, only to find out that they are not really as colorful as he thought them to be. A not-so-happy poem. Consider yourself warned.

Nine poems down and 15 more to go. It’s a good I put in “No rush” in the rules, because I cannot really put out those poems so fast lest they will have a “mass-produced” appeal, and lacking in sincerity that I always put in my poetry.

It’s a good thing I can always summon the power of Royverine to help me finish this challenge.

Again, this is all part of the personal mission of “burying myself” and “writing it all down.”

And do watch out for the poem on “Soliloquy” submitted by Yatot. I don’t know what would come out of that self-talking.

Tags: cougar, FB, poem, poetry, poetry challenge, Roy, Royverine, web safety, yesterday