OctPoWriMo Day 24 – Join us here

Welcome to Day 24! Today’s prompt is breathe. It comes at a perfect time for me. I’ve had nothing but computer issues lately, and for the first time since I started #OctPoWriMo I’ve missed several days of posting. I started getting stressed about it but finally decided that I have to keep moving forward. I’ll try to catch up and post the prompts I missed this weekend but if I don’t, I don’t. There are a lot of other things happening in my life at the moment that have made this month less than a happy one. I could wallow or I could let go and breathe. Letting go is the option I choose.

Have you noticed that when you are stressed, you tend to hold your breath? I once read that an antidote to this is to sing because you can’t do both at once. I am a terrible singer but do find it helps me relax. Music, in general, has this healing quality for me. Each time I write, I have headphones on and music filling my ears. It allows me to escape to another place.

How do you deal with stress? Do you practice mindful breathing or meditation? Can you let go and see what happens?

Suggested form: Song

Word prompts:

surrender

empower

rest

song/music

breath/breathe

trust

wonder

Remember, our prompts are only suggestions, you can find your inspiration wherever your muse leads you. Please visit the other participants, share the hashtag, #OctPoWriMo on social media, and share your link in the comments below. Let us know how this journey into poetry is going for you and if this is your first year or if you have been with us from the beginning.

Michele Vecchitto is a writer and former middle school teacher.  Her poetry has been published in literary journals and anthologies as well as in three self-published volumes. Michele read her poems at the Austin International Poetry Festival and was honored to be included in When Time and Space Conspire.