For the second year in a row I took part in the poetry marathon. It's an event I discovered on Facebook where poets could apply to take part of the marathon of posting a poem for 24 hours - one poem every hour for 24 hours. You had the option to do that or you could post 12 poems for the half marathon. I chose to do the half marathon. It was challenging too, for after four poems, I felt myself losing a little steam, and by the time I reached the half which was the sixth poem, I was falling asleep.
I completed it though, and it was a rewarding experience. As an aspiring writer of the books I've mentioned, and the poetry books (especially the Christmas ones) I've put out this was rewarding. I was very proud to receive my Half Marathon certificate, which was my second one. So if I felt this way, I can only imagine how it was for those who stayed up for the twenty four hours and oh there were more than enough of those. I have to give them credit for being able to do it. After two years of getting a half a marathon certificate, I do hope to try for the 24 hours myself. That would be the new goal for me. Being an insomniac already would indeed help, but staying awake a full 24 hours now at 46 now that's a goal in itself too.
Another goal to add to this marathon that I have not followed though it's optional anyway it's to follow the prompts they give us to follow for each hour a poem is due. I feel more comfortable submitting my own poem, for I love writing whatever I'm feeling at the moment, or whatever inspires me, so I didn't follow any prompts last year. For this year I didn't follow any until the twelfth hour. Many of my fellow poets followed the prompts as a challenge for them, and I decided to try it at least once. It was fun, but I still prefer to post my own poetry. However that doesn't mean I couldn't follow rules, if necessary, but I would need more than an hour to follow a prompt since I'm not accustomed to following them as it is.
The Poetry marathon is certainly a way to meet other poets and to make new friends which I've done. I've met some wonderful people already, and many talented ones. More than anything it's allowed me to challenge myself, and I learned more about pacing myself, and disciplining myself for if there is one way to help you practice for deadlines then submitting poems that are due at the end of every hour is a great way to do that. Poems have to be posted before the end of every hour for them to count for the marathon.
Great idea.