Tag: Colleen Cheesboro

An attempt at #Tanka – Colleen Chesebro Poetry Challenge 120 Cold & Storm

Published on by Jan Sikes34 Comments

I had so much fun last week trying my hand at a form of Japanese poetry, Haiku, that I decided I’d continue on this week with Colleen Chesebro’s poetry challenge.

This week, the words are Cold & Storm. You can only use synonyms in creating the poetry.

The rules were simple:
Follow the 5/7/5/7/7 syllable structure. Your Tanka will consist of five lines written in the first person point of view. This is important because the poem should be written from the perspective of the poet.

My words for this Tanka poem are FRIGID & BLIZZARD

A frigid north wind

My breath fogs the frosted glass

When will he return?

He promised he’d be home soon

Love ending – the blizzard wins

I don’t know if I am supposed to attach a visual, but this one grabbed me. 🙂

For more on Colleen’s weekly poetry challenges, guidelines and poetry specifics, visit https://colleenchesebro.com/2019/01/22/colleens-2019-weekly-tanka-tuesday-poetry-challenge-no-120-cold-storm-synonymsonly/

Colleen’s 2019 Weekly #Tanka Tuesday #Poetry Challenge No. 119 “Mystery & Attract,” #SynonymsOnly

Published on by Jan Sikes26 Comments

I’ve watched from the sidelines for some time as Colleen Cheseboro issues a weekly poetry challenge. This week I decided to try my hand at Haiku – a form of Japanese poetry that consists of 3 lines with a 5/7/5 syllable count.

HERE’S THE CATCH: You can’t use the prompt words! SYNONYMS ONLY!  The prompt is MYSTERY AND ATTRACT.

Let me know what you think – honesty only! 🙂 I love trying new things when it involves words!


This challenge is for Tanka, Haiku, Senryu, Haibun, Etheree, Nonet, Shadorma, and Cinquain poetry forms. Freestyle rhyming poetry is not part of this challenge.  If you’d like to give it a try, visit Colleen’s site. https://colleenchesebro.com/2019/01/15/colleens-2019-weekly-tanka-tuesday-poetry-challenge-no-119-mystery-attract-synonymsonly/

Confidence #NewYear #Shadorma

Published on by Jan Sikes28 Comments

As I always do at the beginning of each new year, I seek a word for the upcoming year through meditation and self-reflection.

For 2019, the word I received is CONFIDENCE!

While many who know me may wonder why I would need that word, to me it made perfect sense.

Confidence to keep pressing forward, to keep pursuing a publisher and to keep writing is exactly what I need! If I can believe in myself and my work, then it is a thousand times more likely someone else will also believe in me.

So, to honor that commitment for 2019, I made a list of goals. Trust me, I never do that, but somehow I felt the inspiration this year. The goals are not earth-shattering, but instead simple.

However my #1 Goal is: I will publish a new book in 2019.

There. I’ve said it, now I must follow through. 🙂

I’ve learned so much about poetry from Colleen Cheeseboro and while I didn’t make it into the timeline last week to submit this Shadorma, I’ll post it here and credit her for the challenge.

Basically a Shadorma is a six line stanza with the syllable count: 3/5/3/3/7/5

So, here goes!

 Confidence
Time to let it flow
Let it go
Let it show
Trust the Universe, it knows
Your best way to grow

I’d love to hear from you how you approach a new year!