half marathon – Ordinary Average Thoughts

2021 Poetry Marathon

2021/06/262021/06/26 Kevin J. O'Conner

The 12 poems from this year’s half marathon, written between 6 a.m. and 6 p.m. PT. Hour 12—A nonet: https://thepoetrymarathon.com/blog/kevinjoconner/2021-poetry-marathon-hour-12/ Hour 11—A poem containing at least five phrases from a list of 10: https://thepoetrymarathon.com/blog/kevinjoconner/2021-poetry-marathon-hour-11/ Hour 10—A poem about any holiday in December or early January: https://thepoetrymarathon.com/blog/kevinjoconner/2021-poetry-marathon-hour-10/ Hour 9—A poem based on a common saying: https://thepoetrymarathon.com/blog/kevinjoconner/2021-poetry-marathon-hour-9/ [...]

2020 Poetry Marathon

2020/06/272021/06/26 Kevin J. O'Conner

2019 Poetry Marathon: My half-marathon recap

2019/06/23 Kevin J. O'Conner1 Comment

Originally posted here. Another year’s half marathon come and gone. As I often point out, I prefer to do the half marathon because I like to sleep; consequently doing the full 24-hour marathon simply wouldn’t work for me, as it would take me at least a couple of days to get back to normal. Making [...]

Poetry Marathon 2016, Hour Twelve: Stipulations for receiving

2016/08/132016/08/14 Kevin J. O'Conner

Twelfth poem of the day. I followed the prompt, which was to write a poem using at least five of the following words: moon, lake, glory, jeep, breastbone, spare, canopy, panic. This means I am officially done with the half marathon. Depending on how I feel after I come back from tonight’s reading, I may try to add a [...]

Poetry Marathon 2016, Hour Eleven: Neither neither nor nor

2016/08/132016/08/13 Kevin J. O'Conner

Eleventh poem of the day. I followed the prompt, which was to write a poem from the point of view of someone without a home. Where is there left to go when you’re neither neither nor nor? When you’re not allowed a name only a label? When you’re defined by what you (don’t) have instead of who you [...]

Poetry Marathon 2016, Hour Ten: Critical decision

2016/08/132016/08/13 Kevin J. O'Conner

Tenth poem of the day. I went with a found/blackout poem approach, then added my own twist at the end. It is often said that this is the former summarizing the latter In the former situation, I tend to judge the relationship right down to natural instinct To the extent the end of the story came into [...]

Poetry Marathon 2016, Hour Six: Sidetracked

2016/08/132016/08/14 Kevin J. O'Conner

Sixth poem of the day. The illegible text tricks those who aren’t paying attention distracting them from the secret messages hidden in plain sight on the other side of the spread where truths burst forth from the page disguised as poetry Those fixated on the decoration know who they are They do not know they are [...]

Poetry Marathon 2016, Hour Four: The dream is always the same

2016/08/13 Kevin J. O'Conner

Fourth poem of the day. Who told bigger lies? I know, it wasn’t a contest but I’m always looking for that edge You may have been better at it but I made up the difference with sheer quantity Our self-delusions reached deep into the core planting the seeds that churned up the earth as they grew [...]

Poetry Marathon 2016, Hour Three: The disposable nature of pop music

2016/08/13 Kevin J. O'Conner

Third poem of the day. There is no profound in a three-minute pop song unless it is playing when everything goes wrong Nothing makes memories quite like emotion the music is but illustration it’s just that the words hit you in the same place as your feelings The catalogue may build over time but how can [...]

Poetry Marathon 2016, Hour Two: Georgia

2016/08/13 Kevin J. O'Conner

Second poem of the day. Nostalgia can be such a beautiful waste of time when you think back on the small, unimportant things Past glories fade into nothingness Past defeats still sting though perhaps not as much The ritual of buying a can of coffee from the vending machine on the walk to the train [...]