The Stafford Challenge

Hello and good morning.

My name is YOUR NAME and I am a poet who involved in a project that I think you will be interested in. My hope is that I can enlist your help in spreading the word about it.

The Stafford Challenge
As you likely know, the poet William Stafford was known for writing a poem a day. Inspired by his practice, this project, which is called "The Stafford Challenge" (with Kim Stafford's blessing), is a call out to poets, writers, and anyone who wants to join in to make the commitment to write a poem a day for a year, starting on January 17th, William Stafford’s birthday.

People are invited to sign-up and know that they are joining a community of others who are also committed to engaging in this challenge/practice, which may be a stretch for many. I know it will be for me.

As part of the project, as a way to honor the commitment and as a morale boost, there will be a monthly Zoom event with established poets. This will be an opportunity for them to teach, give a reading, offer encouragement, and celebrate the power and love of poetry.

The roster currently includes distinguished poets such as:

Kim Stafford, Former Poet Laureate of Oregon
Naomi Shihab Nye, Former Poetry Foundation’s Young People’s Poet Laureate
Emmett Wheatfall, Wonderful local Portland-based poet
Lauren Camp, New Mexico Poet Laureate and 2023 Academy of American Poets Laureate Fellow
Jessica Jacobs, Founder and executive director of Yetzirah: A Hearth for Jewish Poetry
We are in conversation with other poets and will list them upon acceptance.

Learn more at: staffordchallenge.com.

Interested in sharing?
I would truly appreciate your support in letting people know about this unique project. If you are interested and open to sharing, here is some language you can use.

Short write-up to share:
Join a community of poets committing to write a poem a day for a year, starting January 17, 2024. Learn more at: staffordchallenge.com.

Longer write-up to share:
The Stafford Challenge is a commitment to join a community of poets who are writing a poem every day for a year, starting January 17, 2024. This project is inspired by the legendary poet William Stafford who made it a practice to craft a daily poem.

As part of this endeavor, there will be monthly Guest Poet Zoom events featuring accomplished poets who'll impart their wisdom, share their work, offer inspiration, and celebrate the magic of poetry. The roster includes distinguished poets such as Kim Stafford, Naomi Shihab Nye, Emmett Wheatfall, Lauren Camp, and more.

Learn more and sign-up at https://staffordchallenge.com

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/staffordchallenge

Thank you again for considering.
If you have any questions or comments, please reach out to Brian Rohr who created this challenge at news@staffordchallenge.com

With respect,
YOUR NAME

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