Welcome to Poetry Under Cover’s next one-line poetry prompt.

The theme for this prompt is: whisper

What does whisper mean to you? Tell us— and wrap it in a one-line poem.

You do not have to literally incorporate the word whisper — you can use it if you want to, but you can also just use the idea of a whisper to spark your imagination.

A one-line poem is exactly what it sounds like: one line. Think of it as a sentence, one that can be as brief or long as you want it to be as long as it makes sense as a sentence. And it needn’t appear on just one line — it can exist across several lines as you see fit, for example:

.

soft as a whisper that starts a fire

.

whisper in my ear,
breathe into my hair,
let your hands say the things
you have no words for

.

Remember, PUC submissions are always about love, sex or passion in the context of a romantic relationship.

WHEN?

This prompt opens immediately and runs until the next one-line prompt is posted.

READ this if you want to play:

1 — If you’re already a Poetry Under Cover writer, please follow protocol and submit your work as a draft. Can’t remember how? Here’s a copy of our guidelines.

2 — If you aren’t a writer for PUC and wish to participate, you must be accepted as a writer — in order for that to happen you must complete this form. *DO NOT reply to this letter*

3 — USE PROPER TAGS: All submitted drafts must employ the following tags: Whisper Prompt, Poetry, One Line, and at least one of: Love, Sex, Passion (as appropriate to your piece). You may use up to five tags.

4 —TK it: In your draft, insert the following note in front of your title so we know it’s for this prompt: [TK whisper prompt] Your Title

.

All entries will be published on our prompt page, and the editors’ top picks will be highlighted on the PUC front page.

Ladies and gentleman, start whispering.

❤

Yours softly,
marika bianca
Editor, Poetry Under Cover

Poetry Under Cover: One-Line Prompt — Whisper was originally published in Poetry Under Cover on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.

Hello lovelies,

A note to let you know we’re now going to be publishing work Monday through Friday. This means if you’re a reader, you’ll be seeing more of us — and — if you’re a writer, your work will be published sooner.

Writers, please note that while you may see your work published the same day you submit, we reserve the right to schedule your piece for a near-future date, particularly if you’ve submitted more than one piece or if there is a large volume of submissions.

ღ p ღ o ღ e ღ t ღ r ღ y ღღ u ღ n ღ d ღ e ღ r ღღ c ღ o ღ v ღ e ღ r ღ

We have TWO prompts running.

An open-format prompt and a one-line poem prompt.

— New

the open format prompt, and

— Soft

the one-line prompt

ღღღღღღღღ

If you wish to submit for either or both, please read the prompt details here and get your work in.

ღ

Yours warmly,
marika bianca
Heath Houston
Editors, Poetry Under Cover

Poetry Under Cover: TWO prompts + news was originally published in Poetry Under Cover on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.

Calling all our hot PUC writers and potential writers — we have a prompt for you: welcome to Poetry Under Cover’s next prompt.

The theme for this prompt is: blue.

Unconventional on purpose — we want you to use your imagination. Blue can be a place, a person, a feeling, a memory. You can include the word blue in your piece, or not — use it as a jumping off point and see where it takes you.

Blue.

Keep in mind, pieces submitted to Poetry Under Cover must contain themes of love, passion and/or sex in the context of a romantic relationship. Please read our guidelines if you’re unsure of what we’re looking for and what’s acceptable.

Challenge yourself. Show us what you’ve got. Submit excellent work.

Your submission may take whatever form you wish as long as it is a poem — free verse, sonnet, haiku, one-liner — it can be whatever you please. Pick a form and send us your best work.

Remember, your poem must be about love, passion and/or sex, using the prompt theme, blue, as your inspiration.

When?

This prompt opens today, November 29, 2017, with submissions accepted through 23:59 UTC (19:59 Eastern Daylight time), Sunday, December 10, 2017.

Instructions:

1 — If you’re already a Poetry Under Cover writer, please follow regular procedure and submit your work as a draft. Can’t remember how? Here’s a copy of our guidelines.

2 — New writers, as always, are welcome — if you aren’t a writer for PUC and wish to participate in this prompt you must be accepted as a writer — in order for that to happen you must send us an email (PUC.submissions [at] gmail.com) with a link to your Medium profile and a link to the draft you’d like to submit. *Please DO NOT reply to this letter*

In your email to us, use the following subject: NEW WRITER blue prompt. In the body of your email include links to your Medium profile and to the draft you would like to submit.

3 — All submitted drafts must employ the following tags: Blue Prompt, Poetry, and at least one of: Love, Sex, Passion (as appropriate to your piece).

4 — In your draft, insert the following note in front of your title so we know it’s for this prompt: [TK blue] Your Title

5 — Do not submit your prompt poem as a reply to this letter or as a comment on Medium — submit it as a draft to Poetry Under Cover as outlined above.

It is assumed that all writers read instructions — as such, submissions failing in this regard will not be considered.

ALL accepted entries will be published on the dedicated prompt page with editors choosing a favorite and a runner up or two to highlight.

First place will be featured on the PUC front page for the duration of the prompt, while both first and second place will be featured on the prompt page.

So tell me, what does blue mean to you?

Ladies and gentleman, get those pens moving.

Warmly,
marika bianca,
Editor, Poetry Under Cover

Blue: Poetry Under Cover Prompt was originally published in Poetry Under Cover on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.

Thank you to all the Poetry Under Cover writers who brought their craft and shared their heart with PUC readers — you blew us away with the calibre of submissions.

See the winning picks and a roundup of all submissions, here.

Be sure to follow PUC so you don’t miss out on future prompt announcements.

Warmly,
marika bianca
Editor, Poetry Under Cover

One-Line Poetry Prompt: Crave was originally published in Poetry Under Cover on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.

Thank you to all the Poetry Under Cover writers who brought their craft and shared their heart with PUC readers — you blew us away with the calibre of submissions. Needless to say, it was incredibly challenging to pick out the standouts — the collection as a whole is a highly pleasurable read. But we promised to highlight some submissions and we keep our word: I’m happy to announce the Editors’ picks:

1st Place goes to Stella J. McKenna: Envy

Stella’s powerful piece takes us in an unexpected direction — and to a position with which many if not all of us are familiar: coveting that which we do not have. Beautifully soft words and a sucker punch that gets you in the end — a fierce longing that gets you right in the gut. This kick-ass PUC debut piece has gravitas — we’re looking forward to seeing more, Stella.

Envy

2nd Place goes to Cal Moore: Unravelling

Cal’s sexy piece is a delight to read aloud — with rhythm that playfully rolls off the tongue and wordplay, absolutely dripping with sensuality. It’s a reading that feels like a roll under the covers — and it doesn’t get more apropos for PUC than that. Cal is a brand-new PUC writer — welcome, Cal! — we’re delighted to have you.

Unravelling.

But with nearly 40 submissions, how could we stop there?

Honourable Mention goes to MentalDessert: Craving Our Pulse

MentalDessert’s piece brings the kind of raw sexuality we love at PUC — honest, real, raunchy — with deliciously vivid imagery so visceral, I’ve a scene in my head that has me saying: don’t mind if I do.

Craving Our Pulse

Note: all editors’ picks are featured on the Prompt page.

Here are all submissions for Crave — Poetry Under Cover’s first one-line prompt — in order of publishing. Thanks again to our amazing writers — keep ’em coming:

• Craving
• Morning Ritual
• Three, And a Crowd.
• Craving
• soft
• Glass Woman
• 08/12/17
• Breathe
• Endless
• yearn
• Hungry Vision
• Your Captive
• Rhythms of Lust
• Crave
• Nonstop Craving
• Morning Light
• Ready When You Are
• the weight of gravity
• Craving his touch
• My woman*
• push
• Her Mouth
• Nature’s kisses
• Timeless
• Her Center
• breath
• Dream of passion
• Poisonous Lips
• every nook and cranny
• Crave
• Love tease
• Crave
• CRAVE
• Marooned Pleasure
• Warm

Be sure to follow PUC so you don’t miss out on future prompt announcements.

Warmly,
marika bianca
Editor, Poetry Under Cover

One-Line Poetry Prompt: Crave was originally published in Poetry Under Cover on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.

If you wanted to participate in Poetry Under Cover’s first ever one-line prompt but ran out of time, you’re in luck because we decided to extend our rather tight original deadline to Saturday, September 23rd, 23:59 UTC (19:59 Eastern Daylight time).

We’re seeing a lot of stunning work come in and we don’t want to cut it off.

To have your work included in our upcoming roundup of smoldering one-liners, please read these detailed instructions on how to participate, in the original prompt post. If this is your first time submitting for PUC, you will also find instructions there on how to become a new writer.

New writers, as always, are welcome!

Crave Prompt in a nutshell

What makes you hungry — or who? What is it about them? What do you miss? What does it mean to you to crave? Tell me — and wrap it in a one-line poem. As always, submissions must fall under the PUC aegis of love, sex, and/or passion.

For example:

your teeth in my shoulder, your heat deep inside

Get us editors hot under the collar.

Submit your piece.

Feeling warm already,
marika bianca,
Editor, Poetry Under Cover

Crave: One-Line Poetry Prompt #1 — Extension was originally published in Poetry Under Cover on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.

Calling all lovers who have written for PUC or who would like to (and can follow instructions) — we have a prompt for you. Good morning beautiful people. Welcome to Poetry Under Cover’s first ever one-line poetry prompt.

The theme for this prompt is: crave.

A light brush of fingertips along the small of your back. Warm breath making the hair stand up on your neck. The sweep of a thumb inside your palm. His voice. Her smile. The weight of someone. A scent. Taste. A heartbeat under your ear. A pulse on your tongue. Breathing them in. Teeth finding their mark.

What makes you hungry — or who? What is it about them? What do you miss?

What does it mean to you to crave? Tell me — and wrap it in a one-line poem.

A one-line poem is exactly what you think it is: one line. Think of it as a sentence — one that can be as brief or long as you want it to be as long as it makes sense as a sentence. And it needn’t be displayed on one line — it can exist across several lines as you see fit.

So it could look like this:

in these moments of quiet i yearn for the sound of your breath in my ear, the brush of your lips on my neck

— or like this —

in these moments of quiet i yearn
for the sound of your breath in my ear,
the brush of your lips on my neck

— or however you would like it to look.

As always, submissions must fall under the PUC aegis of love, sex, and/or passion.

When?

This prompt opens today, September 12, 2017, with submissions accepted through 23:59 UTC (19:59 Eastern Daylight time), Sunday, September 17, 2017.

Instructions:

1 — If you’re already a Poetry Under Cover writer, please follow regular procedure and submit your work as a draft. Can’t remember how? Here’s a copy of our guidelines.

2 — If you aren’t a writer for PUC and wish to participate in this prompt you must be accepted as a writer — in order for that to happen you must send us an email (PUC.submissions [at] gmail.com) with a link to your Medium profile and a link to the draft you’d like to submit. *Please DO NOT reply to this letter*

In your email to us, use the following subject: NEW WRITER one-line prompt. In the body of your email include links to your Medium profile and to the draft you would like to submit.

3 — All submitted drafts must employ the following tags: Crave Prompt, Poetry, One Line, and at least one of: Love, Sex, Passion (as appropriate to your piece).

4 — In your draft, insert the following note in front of your title so we know it’s for this prompt: [TK one-line] Your Title

5 — Do not submit your prompt response as a reply to this letter — submit it as a draft as outlined above.

It is assumed that all writers read instructions — as such, submissions failing in this regard will not be considered without explanation.

ALL accepted entries will be published on the dedicated prompt page with editors choosing a favorite and a runner up to highlight.

First place will be featured on the PUC front page for the duration of the prompt, while both first and second place will be featured on the prompt page and get shout outs on social media.

So tell me, what do you crave?

Ladies and gentleman, get those pens moving.

Yours hungrily,
marika bianca, master of brevity™*
Editor, Poetry Under Cover

*titles bestowed by Tre held in perpetuity

One-Line Poetry Prompt #1: Crave was originally published in Poetry Under Cover on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.

you know when
a gentle rain falls
overhead at
the same time
as the sun’s
shining brightly
and everything’s
in technicolor
against a
dramatic sky — 
that’s him

him was originally published in P.S. I Love You on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.

You take my hand
to see
if I’m real.
I am.
We begin.

jump was originally published in Poetry Under Cover on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.

you held the storm
to me
and
i whispered:
i want all of you

all of you was originally published in The Coffeelicious on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.