27 | April | 2016 | A Whispered Wind

Hump Day Poetry is a weekly poetry blog-share every Wednesday

Here’s how you can join in

The rules:

1. Write a poem (any type of poetry, even for other challenges) You have from Wednesday to the following Tuesday to link up!
2. Grab the badge and display it on your blog to show your support.
3. Link it to my poem of the week with a pingback or by leaving the link to your poem in comments.
4. Visit other bloggers’ poetry for that week. Like, leave a comment, and share! (Please try to visit as many other poets as possible. Keep the community love flowing!)

Note: to create a pingback, simply include the url of this post somewhere in your post. Please check my page to ensure your pingback has posted. If not, it is either awaiting moderation, or the pingback failed (happens sometimes!). To ensure your post is seen, you may want to just add the link to my page. I would rather have duplicates than not get to read your poetry!

Click HERE for further information.

And now for my poem of the week….

Morning Breezes
~for Lisa D.

a sinister breeze blows
awakens me from deep sleep
a scream down the street
of one in pain and despair

a flashback occurs
my own pain and fear
his hands curled
around my neck, tightening

my own screams for help
gone unheard
I faced my attacker alone
clawed at his chest

the screams in my head
and the screams down the street
are one in the same
someone’s life is in danger

and I rise from my bed
frightened, confused
’til reality sets in
and I am safe once more

yes, a melancholic breeze blows
ushers in dark memories
when you were gone
and my life was so uncertain

Happenings in the World of Poetry

Each week I will list 5 poetry (and fiction!) bloggers who I follow and enjoy their work. I hope you will take a few moments to check out their blogs. Here is this week’s offerings:

Paper Plane Pilots is an amazing group of poets and fiction writers. They also host a free literary magazine and are currently accepting submissions for issue eight of In-flight Literary Magazine. The deadline to submit is June 1st.
At the NPM Daily blog, you’ll find a new interview with a poet each day during April.
The WaterSedge Poetry Chapbook contest is hosted by Writer’s Relief, Inc. The chapbook contest runs to May 25, 2016. The winning poet will receive a $500 cash prize; publication of the poetry chapbook in both print and e-book formats; Amazon distribution for Kindle and print; and 25 free print copies. The contest is limited to poetry chapbooks 24 – 48 pages in length, and the entry fee is $20. Click the link above for complete contest submission guidelines.
The Fictional Cafe is accepting submissions for poetry (and fiction!). You must join to submit, but you can join for free.
Poets & Writers has updated their database for contests, grants and awards. There are tons of upcoming deadlines for poetry. Check it out!

And here are a few articles that I found particularly interesting:

An interview with Emily Skillings
A tribute to poet Maurice Kenny who recently died
A review of Paul Mariani’s book on Wallace Stevens

Are you looking for weekly poetry (and sometimes fiction) challenges? Never fear! Check out the following:

If you know of other happenings in the world of poetry or blogs that host poetry challenges, let me know in comments and I will include them in next week’s Happenings!