I Set Out to Write a Poem a Day for 100 Days
Follow me on this journey as I explore whether I can rise up to the challenge.
This Publication Has Been a Long Time Coming
I’ve been flying under the radar on here observing the brilliant writings of so many wonderful people that make up the Substack community. The creativity of each post I’ve come across both an inspiration and a surprise. I’ve read brilliant essays about the intricacies of female friendships, philosophies for meeting different people, engaging summaries of popular shows, and even enjoyed slightly more fanatical essays about taking notes, and writing in the margins of books.
The Voice Inside Me Won’t Quit
While the brilliance of the Substack community is enough to keep me from ever publishing my own personal writing, a las, the voice in my head just won’t quit. Do it. Do it now. On repeat like a broken record. And like with most things in life, you don’t know until you try…so here goes.
What I hope to share here are poetic observations of life. Stories of my travels as a Mexican-American expat navigating new cultures while doing my best to respectfully represent our currently troubled nation. In addition to sharing poems and thoughts on topics that catch my heart and that I feel most moved to share. I suspect my space will evolve over time as I am just getting started, but I will commit to sharing a post a week. Probably more as I start building momentum.
So, I set Out to Write a Poem a Day for 100 Days
In an attempt to challenge myself I wanted to see how I would do if I tried to write one poem every day for one hundred days. Mostly driven by the excitement of having 100 pages or 100 poems in hand at the end of it, and documenting the journey. I used/will use a combination of poetry prompts from various books, and some curated by AI. I will start by sharing the prompt and my interpretation of the writing process before laying out the poem that was created as a result.
I’m still trying to determine if I will post each poem I write, or if I will summarize the week and share the best of the best. I’ll figure it out as we go along.
Most importantly, I want to hear from you. What would you write, or did you write, when presented with the prompt?
Day One Prompt: Write a hate poem that transforms into a love poem.
I was a bit resistant to this prompt at first and I wasn’t sure why. I also acted as an over-achiever because I wrote two poems. The first was a bit more personal. The second took on a political undertone. I think both poems are mild, but I can see the potential idea in both pieces and think with a little more work I can pack a better punch.
It is also about getting into the rhythm of practicing. I’m a little rusty and I can feel it, but I’m excited about this challenge. I wonder what themes will be common as I look back at this body of work. What will I share with you? I think to myself.
I’m committed to sharing some lines from the poems I write, or maybe even the entire poem, which will be fun and a little thrilling (in other words, scary).
I’m eager to get back in tune with my voice and into the groove of writing regularly. There was a time in my life that I wrote all day, it was like an involuntary reflex. I like to say it was the other thing I did besides breathing. I wonder if the fluctuations of the challenge will show up in the writing? Will the poems become easier to write?
Now let’s get to the poetry. Here is the poem I wrote for the first prompt that I pulled.
A Lover’s Quarrel
There's too much confianza
between us because we're friends
and not sisters.
When we think we're sisters
the gloves really come off
and below-the-belt is fair game.
That is when we release our
true emotions - we love each other
so much - we hate each other.
Then I remember that we are friends
that cannot live without
one another - and not sisters.
The silence taking up the space
that belonged to you - now
seeming so loud.
Longing for your voice,
I remember how we got here.
How easy it is for love to
flip a switch so quickly.
Copyright © 2025 by Carla Monroy
