This Month’s Wordy Invitation: Write a Poem or Blessing
{One Word 2026 April Linkup}
Maybe you chose a specific One Word for the year. Or maybe you didn’t.
Either way, here’s a way to reconnect with something that feels meaningful to you right now. It need not be permanent.
For the new few weeks, try this :
Play with your One Word (or any word that is capturing your attention) by creating more words around it.
Write a Poem
You don’t have to be a poet (I’m not) to write a poem. It can be small and simple. Or not.
You might:
- Write a 3-line haiku
- Create an acrostic using your word
- Jot down a few lines of free verse
- Try blackout poetry with a page from a book or magazine
Or, if writing feels like too much, find a poem that already exists and notice how your word shows up in it. Is there any word or phrase you’d like to change?
Here are a few of my playful creations with my One Word Shift:
FREE VERSE
SHIFT
While we weren’t looking
After the lean winter
The tree swells fat againOur gaze turns round to see
The brown skinny limb
Now muscled up green and fullWithout our endorsement
With none of our guidance
The leaves create the perfect shift
BLACKOUT POEM
I revisited my first blog post on Shift from New Year’s Day and printed it out. Then crossed out words to make a blackout poem from it.
You can read it easier here:
I open cold.
Practice noticing deeper breaths.
Looking for differences
stirred on the lungs, heart, brain.
Traveling on ordinary changes
affects my world,
speeding or slowing.
Important shifts
align underneath
the direction freely designed
Plans accommodate growth.
Certainty changes.
Stay grateful for
shifts.
Write a Prayer or Blessing
If poetry feels intimidating, try a prayer or blessing instead.
Think of it as a gentle offering to yourself or someone else.
It could be:
- A hope for your day
- An offering of support
- A line of gratitude
- A phrase to carry with you
It can be one sentence. Or maybe a paragraph. Maybe you’ll write it down or maybe you just keep it in your head.
You might even take a favorite quote, scripture, or passage and weave your word into it.
Here’s the blessing I wrote for you:
A BLESSING FOR LIFE
May your turns swing smooth,
May your winds sway slight,
May your path spin forward,
And may your love shift deep.
Share What You Discover
However you choose to engage with a word this month, I’d love to hear about it. You can leave a comment below or add your own blog link here through Sunday, May 10.
Looking ahead: our One Word linkup for May opens Tuesday, May 26.
Question for you:
What word have you been hearing lately?
If you’d like to receive our monthly One Word emails and ideas for 2026, join here.
Lisa, you’re shifting, and I’m exploring as we journey through 2026. The blackout poem brings an interesting perspective.
I love the idea of using your blog post as a basis for a blackout poem! I shall have to try it!
WOW!!!!
You accomplished so much with your poetry!!!
Intrigued by the idea of a blackout poem!
Thank you for the blessing Lisa! You always have such neat ideas for our WOTY! It’s been an interesting month for our family but to answer your question, I keep hearing the word Peace which goes hand in hand with my phrase for this year ‘the sanctuary of Thanks-living.
I’ll try out your suggestions above, there’s much food for thought in them. I look forward to the outcome!
Blessings, Jennifer
I really enjoyed your poems Lisa, and the blackout one reminded me of the activity we did with inmates (in my previous life) when talking/teaching them about poetry and writing. It’s always very revealing and insightful exercise.
Thanks for the ideas for this month and I’ve used your suggestions in my monthly post about Silliness.
I enjoy writing poetry, Lisa. That is when I first knew I wanted to write. My initial poem was published decades ago, but I got scared and did not want to work with a traditional publisher at 21. Anyway, God would not let me give up on something I enjoy. Now I get to write about Him using my own publishing company. Thank you for your creative inspiration to encourage us to embrace our one word!
Wonderful post! I’ve always loved poetry and have an entire book case full ofn poetry books. Writing poems makes one stop and think and reflect on life in a unique way. For me, it increases gratitude.