Poetry?? Poetry!!!

Did you know that there are poetries with just one word? Or that famous poems can be as simple as a post-it note on a refrigerator? And here’s the kicker – there’s a heap of nonsense poems out there, taken seriously and all!

Did you know that my debut in poetry was an epic saga about a mosquito, then a cockroach, and shockingly, it made its grand debut in my school magazine? And hey, guess what? You, yes you, can write poetry too! Mind-blowing, right?

Hey there! I’m Seethalakshmi, also known as Preethi. I’ve got a background in Mathematics, but took a wild turn into the world of poetry a few years back, even though I never studied literature. And guess what? You can dive into poetry too!

In my journey with poetry over the past few years, I’ve noticed that many folks feel poetry is reserved for the elite, sophisticated, or artsy types. But that’s just not true!

Poetry is for everyone—for you and me to every person out there. We’ve been surrounded by poetry since birth—through lullabies, sing-songs, rhymes, prayers, classical tunes, movie songs.

So, how do you get started?

To make poetry a more integral part of our everyday lives and bask in its beauty, I’m planning a little something called #CollaborativePoetry. Yep, you heard it right!

You and I can team up and create poetry together. How cool is that? Let’s bring some poetic magic into the world, one collaboration at a time!

#CollaborativePoetry Guidelines

So, without further ado, let’s dive into the guidelines:

  1. There are no rules when it comes to poetry. Come on… poetry is all about breaking rules and having fun, right? So, there’s absolutely no restrictions on theme, topic, or structure of poetry.
  2. As for the number of lines, let’s stick to a maximum of 10 lines. The idea is simple: you start with a line, followed by a line from my side, and so on, alternatingly.
  3. Wondering where to write? Well, if you know me personally, you can connect with me over WhatsApp. If not, just drop me an email at promisingpoetry5@gmail.com saying Hi with the subject line as #CollaborativePoetry. We can then connect over Google Chat and create a poem at our convenience.
  4. Who can write? YOU!! Yes, YOU!! There’s no age limit and no need for any prior knowledge of poetry.
  5. Which language? English or Tamil, or both. Take your pick!
  6. If you are a privy person and still want to try this, well, there’s an option of staying anonymous even while having your poem in the public eye.

What’s in it for you?

  1. You get the exciting opportunity to collaborate with me. Need I say more? But hey, I’ll throw in some extra incentives just in case.
  2. If you’ve ever felt the urge to try poetry but hesitated, here’s your golden opportunity and a supportive space to do so.
  3. Your masterpiece will be proudly featured on this website, accompanied by a catchy one-liner about you.
  4. Enjoy the perks of backlinks to your website, blog, or any of your social media pages.
  5. And who knows? If this endeavour evolves into a book, your name will grace its pages too!

Sample

Still undecided? Allow me to tantalize you with a taste—a piece in English and another in Tamil, born from collaborations with my tween daughter and my mother (my willing partners in crime)!

The first lines were their creation, while I followed up with the next, and so on alternatingly, in a delightful dance of creativity. We didn’t have any themes or titles in mind, and yet, within 10-20 minutes, these gems emerged!

In this world of beauty,
You're my poetry.
Between both of us
An untold story
Is woven back to life
Like the dawn that never dies...
The memories of us
Stitching those distances
Makes me feel safer-
The sky, your comforting hug!

~A collaboration with my daughter

அன்பு என்பது
பாலைவனச் சோலை
பரந்த விண்வெளி
காணும்-கையளவு காதல்-
யாசிப்பதால் கிடைக்காதது
காத்திருந்தால் சுவையாகிறது,
தன்னைத்தானே நேசிக்கிறது...
நேசித்த நிலையில் விரிவடைந்து
ஆன்மீகத்தை அடைகிறது...
ஒரு பாலைவனச் சோலை
பரந்த விண்வெளியாகிறது!

~A collaboration with my amma

If you still have any doubts, ask away in the comments section or email me at promisingpoetry5@gmail.com

Ready to dive in? Let’s conjure up some poetic magic together!

Edit: Happy to share that this blogpost is rewarded as the top blog by the Blogchatter community:)

Top post on Blogchatter
26650cookie-checkCollaborativePoetry – Let’s Create Poetry Together