International Pwoermd Writing Month is About to Begin

TEAMWAER (Indian Fort Mountain, Berea, Kentucky, 2015-10-23)

Friday marks the beginning of the ninth annual celebration of International Pwoermd Writing Month, the smallest poetry celebration of the month T.S. Eliot accidentally created by re-imagining the opening of The Canterbury Tales as "April is the cruellest month."

Cruellest. It is cruelty that defines the core of this month we use to celebrate poetry. "Cruellest." Two ells to the word because the St.-Louis-born Eliot remade himself as an Englishman, changed the accent he used for his words, changed his life, and wrote some good (and sometimes challenging poetry).

From his words came the idea for April as poetry month--and then any other number of poetry-related months. And, eventually, at the very end of the line, after all the other ideas had been used up, I added International Pwoermd Writing Month. International, because I'm a person from many countries and many continents. Pwoermd, because the major focus of my writing is the pwoermd, the one-word poem.

It is a simple month. I write at least one pwoermd a month, and I encourage others to write as many as they want. People tell me they are writing pwoermds, and I watch and publicize what they do. 

There will be a couple (maybe even a few) surprises along the way, too. So watch this space for news, as well as my Twitter and Facebook accounts ("geofhuth" gets you to each of them). 

And, if you plan to participate in InterNaPwoWriMo VIII, as I "abbreviate" it, send me a note here, or to Twitter, Facebook, or my email account. (The last is easy to figure out.)

And let's celebrate the pwoermd! It all starts on April 1st.

pw(o'er)md