Day Thirteen

Happy thirteenth day of Na/GloPoWriMo! While thirteen is often considered an unlucky number, any day that you write a poem has a special luck of its own.

Today’s featured participant is Aakriti Kuntal, whose “meta”-poetry response to Day Twelve’s respons features a host of unusual images.

Our resource for the day is Poets & Writers’ “Craft Capsules” feature. Here, you’ll find essays on craft elements ranging from revision to using narrative to the lyric “I.” While some of the essays are focused on fiction, their lessons are widely applicable across genres and writing styles.

Last but not least, here’s our prompt for the day (optional, as always). Start by taking a look at these three short poems by Bill Knott.

Dear Advice Columnist

I recently killed my father
And will soon marry my mother;
My question is
Should his side of the family be invited to the wedding?

To X

You’re like a scissors
popsicle I don’t know
whether to jump back
or lick

Quickie

Poetry
is
like
sex
on
quicksand
therefore
foreplay
should
be
kept
at
a
minimum

Now, try writing a short poem (or a few, if you’re inspired) that follows the beats of a classic joke. Emphasize the interplay between the form of the poem – such as the line breaks – and the punchline.

Happy writing!