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Posted 11.08.12 in Features

August Writing Challenge 6: Jungle Trail Poem

photo by Steve Snodgrass

We are challenging you to write your own mini anthology of poems this August! To help you, every two days poet Jon Stone will set a new challenge on the Young Poets Network site to spark off a new poem.

 

Challenge 6. Jungle Trail poem.

A vertical phrase or sentence is hidden in the centre of the poem, like a hidden path winding through a jungle. 

 

Jon’s example of a Jungle Trail Poem:

Ravage

With saws and motors,  we  stir the air to various tormented
convulsions, regularly  terrorise  our ears until they chime
their defeat. It’s our  nature,  I guess, to make squeals
and roars and whines,  then  wails and shrieks and ballyhoo,
as we carve rivers, as  we  scissor through tangled land.
And all as happy to  terrorise  as we are to be terrorised:
with steel and stone,  each  blast and blow and spark-spritz,
whirr and purr, one and  other  ; our race one hopeless orchestra.

 

Submitting your poem

Jon has now chosen his favourite response to the Jungle Trail challenge, but you can still use his workshop to spark a new poem and send to one of the opportunities on our Poetry Map! Have a read of this Jungle Trail poem for inspiration:

Rainstorm Routine by Dillon Leet

 

Jon Stone was born in Derby and currently lives in Whitechapel, London. He is co-creator of the multi-format arts journal Fuselit and micro-anthology publishers Sidekick Books. He won a Society of Authors Eric Gregory Award in 2012 and his collection, School of Forgery (Salt, 2012) is a Poetry Book Society Summer Recommendation. He works as a court transcript editor.

Comments (9)

9 Responses to “August Writing Challenge 6: Jungle Trail Poem”

1. a.w says:

   August 11, 2012 at 11:41 am

   Hi. Just to let you know, I’ve been really enjoying these challenges!

   Is the phrase in this poem “we terrorise nature, then we terrorise each other”?
   Does the phrase have to be well-known or famous?

   Reply
   • Young Poets Network says:

     August 12, 2012 at 11:21 am

     Hi A.W. you can write you’re own phrase or select a quotation you think would suit your poem. It doesn’t have to be a specific quotation.

     Reply
2. Rachel says:

   August 11, 2012 at 3:16 pm

   Can it be on any subject, or does it have to be jungle-related?

   Reply
   • Young Poets Network says:

     August 12, 2012 at 11:21 am

     Hi Rachel, it can be on any subject.

     Reply
3. a.w says:

   August 11, 2012 at 10:16 pm

   Hi. Just to let you know, I’ve really been enjoying these challenges!
   Does the phrase have to be a famous one?

   Reply
   • Young Poets Network says:

     August 12, 2012 at 11:22 am

     Hi A.W. nope it can be one you’ve written yourself if you like!

     Reply
4. a.w says:

   August 12, 2012 at 5:45 pm

   Okay, thanks!
   (sorry for sending the other message twice :S)

   Reply
5. Libys mcguinness says:

   August 12, 2012 at 6:19 pm

   I love loggingg on to my computer and finding a new challenge every 2 days it keeps me happy!

   Reply
   • Young Poets Network says:

     August 13, 2012 at 8:46 am

     Glad you’re enjoying it Libys!

     Reply