| The Stafford Challenge is a yearlong international poetry project inspired by the daily writing practice of the great poet William Stafford. Launched on January 17, 2024—Stafford’s birthday—by poet and storyteller Brian Rohr, the challenge invites participants to write a poem every day for a year. In the inaugural year, over 1,150 poets from 28 countries and 49 U.S. states (plus DC) signed up to participate. Now in its second year with over 1,200 participants, this challenge is a celebration of daily creativity, community, and the belief that poetry can help us navigate and make meaning of the world around us. The project is free to join and welcomes writers of all levels. Click here to learn more: https://staffordchallenge.com
Here is a write-up about the anthology:
About The Stafford Challenge 2024-25 Anthology
Featuring original work from acclaimed poets like Kim Stafford, Naomi Shihab Nye, CMarie Fuhrman, and more, this collection represents just a fraction of the thousands of poems written between January 17, 2024, and January 16, 2025, by the poets of The Stafford Challenge community. Inspired by the daily writing practice of William Stafford, these writers—from seasoned poets to those discovering their voices—dedicated themselves to this yearlong poetic journey, and each poem here stands as a tribute to that commitment. This collection is a celebration of the creative spirit, dedicated to anyone who has ever felt the deep pull of language, creativity, and the desire to express something potent and true. More at: https://wildpoetpress.com/anthology/
When the world surprises you, don’t stop writing
By Brian Rohr
When the world surprises you, don’t stop writing,
even if the systems you know break.
War may shatter, plans may be dashed,
dreams may come true,
whatever you do, do not stop writing.
Do not stop writing when they say, I love you, but…
Do not stop writing when they say, I love you, and…
Do not stop when they say, your performance could have been…
or was worthy of…
Keep going when you get the call you’ve longed for,
or dreaded to receive.
Keep on, keep on.
Don’t stop when your unpaid bill arrives with a letter.
Don’t stop when you are on the ground, bloodied, broken,
unused or used up.
When a storm or fire comes, and you are tired,
and going on means going on and on,
don’t stop writing.
When your teacher dies,
or your friend dies,
and more people you know keep dying,
don’t stop writing.
When life is in your womb
and you don’t know to celebrate or cry,
write. Write.
When the kids are scared, and you are scared
and the walls around you crumble,
tend as you need to tend,
but don’t stop writing.
Keep on.
When all the books have been read
all the years, lived
all the tears, shed
when all the words have been spoken
all the grime cleansed,
the dust settled,
even then,
even then,
don’t stop writing.
When the light dims,
the echo fades,
the last thought breathes,
and you remember a life,
don’t stop, until you truly know,
that it is the end.
Then, let go,
and fade into the sweet night's wind.
|
|---|
