GOLDEN SHOVEL POETIC FORM

So I have participated in two workshops now and I can honestly say it is one of the best decisions I could have made for my writing. The exposure to new poets, poetic styles, ways to think about my writing and the feedback on my work has been invaluable to me. I can also feel it boosting my confidence in my own voice.

For this month’s contest I have been inspired by the Golden Shovel poetic form having done some variation of for both workshops. I am already the type that is so inspired by the words that I read and song lyrics that I hear that this felt right up my alley. As it turned out, it was also super fun to do! So that is this months theme:

Here are some guidelines to follow:

A “Golden Shovel” poem is one that is paying homage back to another poem. Here are the guidelines:

• Take a line (or lines) from a poem(or song or book) you admire.
• Use each word in the line (or lines) as an end word in your poem.
• Keep the end words in order.
• Give credit to the poet who originally wrote the line (or lines).
• The new poem does not have to be about the same subject as the poem that offers the end words.

Feel free to use the above guidelines loosely and find a way that makes it fun for you to make something of your own from one of your favorites.

I hope that you’ll visit the contests page and give it a try!

But definitely check out last month’s winners in the gallery!