NaPoWriMo National Poetry Writing Month March 31, 2014 Prompt for Day 1 for April 1, 2014

“Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things you didn’t do than by the ones you did do. So throw off the bowlines. Sail away from the safe harbor. Catch the trade winds in your sails…explore…dream….discover.

– Mark Twain

 

In other words. . .  if you haven’t joined the NaPoWriMo challenge in previous years; there’s no time like the present.  Welcome.   And if you are taking up the challenge again. . . welcome back.

 

It’s the NaPoWriMo head start program.    We get a jump on NaPoWriMo 2014 (or a few hours anyway) which begins as usual on April Fool’s day (here in the U.S.),  so be fearless enough to be foolish enough to participate and take up the challenge to write a poem each and every day this April.  Can you do 30 poems in 30 days?  Can you do 15?  Write as often as you can.

 

PROMPT

 

Topic:  Harlequin

 

(For April Fool’s day. . .the Harlequin character seems like a good subject for a poem)

 

And we’ll take things easy with a free-write approach.

 

The Harlequin character evolved from a demon or emissary of the devil character and started becoming a stock theatrical character as far back as 1262 where the character was used in popular French Passion plays.   More development  of the character occurred in the 16^th century where re-interpretation from the devil stock character into the Commedia dell’arte  Zanni of Zani character took place which made the Harlequin into an astute immigrant servant or trickster  (the English word Zany derives from this persona of the character).

 

Usually the Harlequin character is characterized by his chequered costume and though clever, witty and a trickster who was often ‘zany’ he was able to act sophisticated.  He really wasn’t a motley fool or silly clown.  The Harlequin’s development is closer to the modern romantic hero  than the court jester.   In the 1860s, the Harlequin character was often paired with a brutish clown figure and the beginning of what would become 20^th centuries slapstick comedy came to be.

 

And so let the Harlequin inspire your write on this April Fool’s day.   You can concentrate on the character in any of its personas, or perhaps it’s the costume that included dark mask and chequered patterns that will inspire something in you.

 

You’re poem can be any style, any length.

 

I suppose if you make a nod or two to its German, Italian, French or Spanish origins in some way, you might get extra boasting rights.   Perhaps you poem should be clever or witty or zany or mischievous.

 

You decide.

 

I will post my poetic offering  after tomorrow’s prompt.    I have no idea what I’m going to write for this one….but it MUST be done.

 

Copyright© Christopher J. Jarmick 2014

 

Read more about National Poetry Month 2014 and NaPoWrimo in my 3 Part Series here:

Click here for Part 1

 

Click here for Part 2

 

And

 

Click here for Part 3  

Consider sharing your poetry on your blog and also on the bubblews website. If you are not a bubblews member Sign up: If you are not already a member and would like to become one it’s easy, safe and you’ll make a few dollars for just reading, liking and writing some posts.  Click link to sign up  

The root of the word Poetry is from the Greek   ποιέω (poieō), “‘I

make’”). , poiesis, meaning a “making” or ‘creation’

 

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Poetry is Everything

 

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