Flash Poetry Challenge (8)—Elfchen Poetry—Has Ended (Results Pending)

The Flash Poetry Challenge (8) — has ended (results pending).

Challenge Theme: “Elfchen Poetry”—Write an Elfchen poem on any subject, any title, English only.  

Poems can be old or new as long as they were written by you.

Elfchen is not listed under PoetrySoup’s “Types of Poems,” so please carefully read the description of an Elfchen poem that follows:

An Elfchen is an eleven-word poem written across five lines. It’s also called an “Elevenie.” Elf means “eleven” in German, and -chen at the end of a German word indicates diminutive size and endearment. So, an Elfchen is a little poem of eleven words in five lines, as follows:

Line 1: One word—A thought, object, color, smell, etc. in one word.
Line 2: Two words—Something about the word, what it is, does, etc.
Line 3: Three words—Location or additional description.
Line 4: Four words—Metaphor or deeper meaning.
Line 5: one word—the result / outcome.

An example of an Elfchen poem 

Bonus Challenge:  Write an Elfchen chain.

An Elfchen chain is formed by using the last word of the prior Elfchen poem as the first word of your next Elfchen poem. Do the same for each subsequent Elfchen poem—the last word of the prior poem becomes the first word of the next. The poems are thus linked forming an Elfchen chain. You can write a chain with two or more Elfchen poems. You can also collaborate with other poets to form an Elfchen chain.  Completing the Bonus Challenge will give you an additional opportunity to be randomly chosen to be featured in the “results” blog. See “There is no judging” paragraph below.

An example of an Elfchen chain 

Challenge Duration: The challenge will end on Friday, January 24, 2025. If you meet either the Challenge or Bonus Challenge, and your submission date in the comments section is on or before January 24th, your entry will be included in the random drawing.

Submit your poem's title (and/or URL link) in the blog’s comments section below. See my example submission in the comments section below. (It is an example only and not an actual submission.) 

Good News! During the challenge, your submitted poem can be read by anyone on PoetrySoup. Everyone can see every submitted poem’s title or link information in the blog’s comments section as long as the blog is visible. After all, we know you write ‘em so we can read ‘em!

There is no judging. Each poem will be assigned a number that coincides with the order in which they are submitted to the challenge. After the challenge has been concluded, five poems that have met the challenge will be chosen at random and will be featured in a follow-up blog.  An additional wild card random drawing will take place to feature one of the poets who met the Bonus Challenge but was not selected as one of the original five to be featured. The random number generator on CalculatorSoup will be used to choose the 5 random poems and any wild card addition.

Remember, since this is not a contest, contest guidelines do not apply, but PoetrySoup’s Terms & Conditions of PoetrySoup Membership still apply.

As was done in prior challenges, the comments section will be reserved for poets' submissions and their interactions with the challenge sponsor. Everyone's cooperation is very much appreciated.

I welcome questions and comments via Soup Mail.

Share the news with your muse

Old or new, whatever you choose

It’s time to open the sluices of your creative juices …

Let the “Elfchen Poetry” challenge begin!

My Elfchen poem example:, “Grace Like Rain,” can be found at https://www.poetrysoup.com/poem/grace_like_rain_1415480

My Elfchen chain example, “Butter,” can be found at https://www.poetrysoup.com/poem/butter_1700951

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