Glo/NaPoWriMo 2023 Official Challenge

—This competition is for NaPo registrants only—

View Promotional Video

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xyi53q0BPqE

FOUNDERS: Ahavati & JohnnyBlaze
HOSTS:Eerie & Cabcool

TEAM NAPO'23: Ahavati, Eerie, cabcool, Josh, SummerRain75, wallyroo92, PoetsRevenge, LunaGreyhawk, wafflenose, Ljdynamic, Cipher_0, Fiftysevenhours, Webmiss, JohnnyBlaze ( Director Emeritus )

Welcome to the DUP Official Glo/NaPoWriMo 2023, those who finish this challenge will receive honorable mentions on Facebook and Instagram along with a TROPHEEE! custom designed by Webmiss!  

THE RULES!

An accumulation of 3 Strikes will result in your Disqualification. You will receive 1 Strike for failing to correct certain Rule Violations in an entry within 24 hours of its posting. We will not warn you to correct anything. You are monitoring yourself. Pay attention to our Daily updates to know If you have any Strikes or were Disqualified.

Our advice? Partner up with others who can check your entries for Guideline violations and immediately notify you of such. If you follow these rules, you won't earn a single Strike.

Only one poem per day can only be posted from 12:01 AM and 11:59 PM in your time zone starting April 1st --- before or after will earn you 1 Strike. You will create 30 posts numbered #1 through #30 regardless of when and if any late postings occur.

Your entries must have its number on top corresponding to the date of its posting, then a title in bold text, and lastly the body of your poem. Example:

https://deepundergroundpoetry.com/forum/474411/gotopost/

After 24 hours of posting, if there is:
No number ( or the incorrect number ) = 1 Strike
No title in bold text ( or no title ) = 1 Strike
Number, title, & poem out of order = 1 Strike
Notes other than the "unique word count" ( which is optional ) or the copyright symbol ® posted after the poem = 1 Strike

Theoretically, you could earn more than 3 Strikes from one poorly executed Entry and be Disqualified.

Entries cannot be edited after 24 hours of posting. Forum Time Stamps tell us if and when you have edited. An edit occurring after 24 hours can result in a Disqualification.

• Entries Must Be Pasted Into The Forum Direct Linking is prohibited.

• Poetry, Not Prose Entries must be in the format of lines and stanzas, not sentences and paragraphs. How "poetic" your entry is IS A NON-ISSUE.

• No Erotica Allowed Simply do not attempt to post erotica and you will be safe! Do not use language prompting the reader to imagine a sexual encounter. Do not make references or allusions to human body parts with intent to sexually arouse the reader.

• Entries Must Be In English

• No Images or Videos can accompany your entries.

Double Posting When Late We encourage you to complete poems ahead of schedule in the event you are prevented from writing and posting by an unexpected event such as a personal crisis, power or Internet failure, etc.

Follow this protocol upon your return: post a maximum of 2 poems per date until you are caught up. At the very top of each late post, attach a brief explanation stating why you are posting late whatever reason it may be. Example:

https://deepundergroundpoetry.com/forum/competitions/read/9560/840/#392950

• Strike if your late post(s) do not include an excuse.

50 Unique Word Rule

The body of each poem must contain a minimum of 50 "unique" words. You can repeat any word as many times as you wish, but it only counts as 1 unique word. You are allowed to make up your own words. Titles and quotes of other writers are not included in your unique word count. If you provide the number of unique words in your entry, please type it AFTER the poem is finished.

What counts as 1 unique word : Contractions | Ampersands | One letter words such as "a" or "I" | Numbers such as "4" | Hyphenated words such as "sugar-free" | Power words such as "Freedom"  

If you don't have a minimum of 50 unique words after 24 hours of posting, this will result in 1 Strike.

One Violation of this particular rule can result in you not receiving the Trophy.

Errors & Inconsistencies ( Typos, Grammar, Punctuation, etc ): This is not a competition to see who can write a technically accurate poem. You may submit more polished versions of your entries to your personal DUP portfolios or other comps at any time.

Multiple Accounts: If you are actively posting at DUP with multiple accounts not publicly disclosed in ALL of your profiles + forum signatures per site guidelines, you will be notified AFTER the competition that you were Disqualified. We do not reward individuals who secretly use additional memberships at DUP to exploit others.

Using Previously Written Ideas For Poems You may convert any written idea into a poem for entry if you wrote it down digitally or old school in a notebook and did not perform any further work on it. In essence, you may use any poem you "started" and it is only during April 1st - 30th that you may "finish" said poems.

If you paused during the "note-making" - i.e were interrupted or answered Nature's call - the note remains valid.

If you returned to the "note-making" after performing a chore or relaxing, then the note is no longer valid. You cannot consult the written version and must start writing it again from scratch during April.

Off Topic & Drama Posts will be removed from the Registration / Discussion thread. Only poem entries are to be posted to the NaPo challenge thread and NaPo Prompt Comp thread.

Acceptable Entries & Writing Prompts We provide prompts available in the NaPo Prompt Comp competition likewise beginning on April 1st.

Otherwise, you do have complete freedom to write about anything you want! You will not be disqualified based on content or quality - with the exceptions of Erotica, which is not allowed, and Plagiarism; if we discover that you are swapping words in pre-existing poems or copying partial to entire poems, you will be notified AFTER the competition that you were Disqualified.

PLEASE use common sense. Your poetry, unpolished or otherwise, is a reflection of the overall talent being fostered by DUP. We would hate to see outside readers, potential members, or even publishers turned away by material meant to garner attention purely from shock value. Don't be a shock jock.

Final Award Check After the FINAL entry is submitted on April 30th, Ahavati and the Directors will double check entries to ensure viability. It only takes 1 ineligible entry to negate your acquisition of the trophy, so be certain your work adheres to the Rules!

A special THANK YOU! to all braving this challenge! Particularly to our Team members for donating their valuable time to assist us in making this the most SPECTACULAR NaPo ever!

Sincerely Good Writing To All,

Team NaPo ‘23

These are the official registrants so far. Let me know if you aren't listed! Am leaving a spot open!  Have a feeling!

1/30

BANG!

Well, here we go, then,
the first day of NaPo

when on each successive
date a poem shall be writ.

What will come of it,
I'm not exactly sure;

but this experiment
in pressured poetry

without a doubt
is of concern to me,

so I may see if
writing to a deadline is of benefit,

or if by First of May
the only things remaining

will be paper scraps containing
thirty worthless rhymes

which I shall throw away
with no regrets.

#1 of 30

Masquerading Scribbler

inferior writer
hiding amongst
scrunched discarded paper
thrown away lines
murderming an art form
with simplistic aplomb

poetic ettoquette lays bleeding
leaving inadequate wording
maquerading poet
punching above my weight
fellowship of black ink
shaking their heads

fraudster they cry
don't darken our door
your monotany trademark
is now tiresome
modern day village idiot
writing idiotic subjects

delivering written vomit
unpalatable reading material
parchment language destroyer
creative non entity .  
character assassination... no
truthful mirror reflection

Total Word Count 75
Unique Words 75

1/30

Dancing


I danced the music
Not just the combination
I danced what I felt

Transported by the melody
Free from rigid counting
I heard what it said to me

Seize this life of yours
Abandon the pain
Grab hold of beauty

That which you can visually admire
can become what you make of it
on your own terms

I didn’t understand it.

I feared what appeared to be contentment.

Love yourself first
And the world
Will love you in return

Can that really be true?
I don’t know how to believe that.

It’s my dance
Mine alone

I’m lonely,
I’ll never tell you.
It’s who I am.
I’ll dance.
Because I’m just that good.

60 unique words

1/30

LJ’s Avatar

Yes, I find my avatar for Napo upsetting.
I have been letting this vanity get to me.
Can you see what I see, an injustice?
Send this photoshop to the abyss for its fail.
Here I am jailed for sixty days of torment.
Small moments of anger, but I am still here.

I want to gear myself for an adventure
of indentured servitude to numeric values
and bold titles displaying attitude on each page.
It has been ages since I have felt a purpose.
Having not dealt with issues of my self-image,
this remains a scrimmage in my mind;
maybe I can find some control to stay the course.

Of course, I could always leave team Napo.
Oh, believe me, I thought of it.
But then I would have to admit to something small
calling upon my sanity.
Instead, I will whisper profanity into the heavens
another good seven hundred to a thousand times.
This crime against my vision
makes me envision the end of April.

111 Unique Words

1/30

Obsessed with the Fate of Talented Strangers


Night into early morning
watching compatriots compete
reveling in their disparate regional accents
learning their funny, clever endearing colloquialism
justifying the incessant viewing
with the notions
that I’m learning, from the British
to bake an opera cake, a perfect pavlova,
and to use frangipane in a sentence
or by Australia's aspiring chefs
proper mise en place
or when you’ve stuffed up your marron risotto

Comforted by these ever-present, loyal, exotic  friends
available at the press of a button or mouse click
without the benefit of the seemingly delectable
or disgusting aromas or tastes
no actual physical contact
no fear of abandonment
no risk of rejection

There is a better, more courageous, healthier way
get into that kitchen and get cooking

Unique word count: 94

1 of 30
Morning Musings

It's 6:40 a.m 1st of April
Tenth day of Ramadhan
The days in this blessed month
Are quickly passing by
NaPoWriMo is here again

A year is not that long
If you do not count the number of days in it
And just let time run its course
365 days will roll away just like a dream

If I look back on the previous year
Many things have happened
Not only in my life but in the world as well
People have come and gone
Calamities visited throughout the year

Different parts of the globe Experienced the vagaries of nature
Our house was flooded thrice
In the last quarter of 2022

I have lost things in those floods
Things that cannot be replaced
Like photographs that hold many memories
Books that I collected through the years
And other things with sentimental value

The flooding was an eye opener
For many people whose lives were greatly affected
It was a reminder for us of the temporal nature of life

Everything can be taken away
In a sudden twist of fate
What you have worked hard for
Can be lost in the blink of an eye

1/30

335

Soothing to the touch
this thoughtless, mindless
often idiotic slumber

Three-hundred & thirty-five
days growth, like the slow
moving Mola Mola. . .

Thinking i was to save myself
from writing madness,
i fell
into mediocrity,
into hebetude

THEN SUDDENLY

Liken to bare feet
stepping on a plastic
toy in the middle
of the night,
(Yes) “ OUCH! “

Now wide awake
for 30 days
I must consciously
write, anew




58 unique words

1/30

A Lament of Hope

She sleeps … like in some other kind of form
she weeps even at the gentlest touch, fragile
as if her world tried to give birth
but such effort comes to nothing done

On a mundane Sunday morning
flattened at the altar of cut trees
I wonder what the padres truly think
strangely dressed as they are in kevlar
incense rising from their chainsaws —
they scatter beliefs across the congregation
who watch nations sink further in deep psychosis

During this war of attrition
Mother Earth turns over, maybe in despair,
cities crumble and nothing seems to wake us more aware

I sit in my sacred circle
flute in hand that makes no sound
and blow soft air like a butterfly’s wings
hoping, hoping …

1/30

Nebula

in the stillness of the morning
I search for you, seeking
a sign, a whisper, a touch
upon my spirit, anything
that betrays your presence;
are you here with me now,
or have you gone beyond
to become the nebula,
or perhaps a star?
have you found the peace
you were looking for?
I write to you at every sunrise,
hoping
you’re looking over my shoulder,
hoping
you read all the words
I couldn’t say to you
when your caress was tangible

1/30

The Taste of Poetry

To say that poetry tastes
like the salt of tears falling on a beach
may be true;
but perhaps too trite and obvious.

It also tastes like sugary marshmallow fingers
mixed with the sour tang of wood smoke
as friends share hearts in campfire songs.

Poetry tastes
like the bitter bile of recalled fear
when memories circle
too close to the heart.

It tastes like the heady sweetness of summer grasses at dusk
when eyes start to shine from thickets,
and like snowflakes descending
from heaven to tongue,
unique until the moment of contact.

Poetry tastes
like the cherry chapstick of a first kiss,
and the apple pie she baked for the family
the night she finally decided to leave.

1/30

The Everlasting Note

Out of the silence,
the music thrums into being.
As I awake,
layers of sound come into focus.
Snatches of melody emerge
and slowly, familiar themes unfold.

Throughout the day,
one song merges into another.
Like a drone,
a simple C plays on.
Honeyed yellow in hue,
its unique light
infuses each tune
with subtle positivity.

Motifs come and go.
Washes of cobalt and violet and emerald
reflect my mood;
creating life's soundtrack
while the everlasting note
plays on.

UWC 64/79

1/30

DEATH AND PEACE AND HELL

death
comes
around
and lingers
just outside
the bedroom,
smiling
through
a crack
in the door,
wanting in

nobody
really
wants
that bitch --
even those
who invite her
with guns
in their mouths
don't want her,
they just want
some peace

peace
doesn't just
come around
like death
but needs
to be coaxed
and she'll
fool you
and make you
think
she comes
in a bottle
but there's
no real peace
in there,
just hell

hell,
like death,
comes easy,
comes in
pill form
if that's
what you
want
or liquid
or in the
shape
of a lover
or the promise
of money,
she don't
care
as long
as she
gets a foot
in the door

(73 unique, hard pressed words)

1/30

Tone Deaf

Where do I begin, a question echoes in my mind
Trying to see more clearly to speak true
When in so many ways I still feel like I am blind
When sight is the obstruction of my faith in You

Stuck in patterns of trademarked cliches
Writing to fill the pages till I rediscover passion
Unencumbered by the sorrows known in my darkest days
Let truth be reborn in more than mere word but action

Preachy proclamations of a well versed tongue
All the lyrics to structure but mute the melodic tone
I’ve voiced a thousand songs my life has left unsung
What is the worth of my word when it ends at word alone

Cloven, I am divided, what is of the spirit or the soul
In a mind of contradicting wills, I find a sense of truth in being vulnerable…