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Poem Train, an online educational society for creative arts where peer members offer honest, thoughtful critique and one-on-one mentoring for those seeking to improve their craft.

A complete description of our educational forums is found below. We are open to new memberships however our forums are closed to the public. You must register first for your free account and log into the forums before they will be visible.

To gain access to our educational fourms, please use the link above to register for your free account.

is the entrance to our Poem Train critique forums where you may choose your personal level of participation. However, our literary critique forums cover a far broader area than poetry critique. Our members may post and receieve comments and literary critique on their short stories, prose, artwork, paintings, drawings, music, lyrics and songwriting. Our critique forums are designed to include all areas of the creative arts.

We recently added a new writing exercise forum called Cirdadian Addiction. Members are challenged to write a poem a day for either fifteen or thirty days. This raw writing exercise is fantastic for discipline and reaching for new poetic voices within us. Come on in and join the others who have made it to the Circadian Addiction Hall of Fame.

Our forums are divided into categories:

Ticket Booth: Is our navigation forum where you may ask questions about the site.

Contest Corner: Keeps members up-to-date on all our current contests.

Cross over the Tracks: Has four creative arts critique forums. The Roundhouse is where you may receive critical comments and interpretation on prose and epic poems. Creative Junction is for visual arts in all mediums. The Boxcar forum is for short stories, vignettes, or for posting individual chapters in a longer work. The Whistle Stop is our music forum where members are invited to share their lyrics and compositions with other members.

Writer's Depot: This is our main poetry critique section which is separated into three levels of critique. Main Line is for interpretation and comments only. On Track is a mild poetry critique forum and the Firebox is our strict critique forum where every aspect of your poem will be addressed.

Railway Stoop: Is a restricted forum for young writers.

After-Dark Express: Is a restricted forum for mature themes.

Grand Central Station: This is our chat and announcement area.

Stop ~ Look ~ Listen: These are interactive forums where you can challenge other members to write or participate in a challenge posted by other members. The Water Tower forum is for writing exercises. The Community Car encourages members to add on to a poem started by other members. Both of these forums are a lot of fun!

Train Library: The library has five sections. The Bookshelf is where members share interesting books and resources they have found. Our Poetic Forms forum will introduce you to traditional forms of poetry. Learn about their history and read sample poems from the masters and our members. Write one of your own and share it with us! Grammar and Syntax forum is to assist you with the technical side of your writing. Poem Train has several members with English degrees and they are always willing to assist those who want to brush up on the rules of grammar. The Interchange Caboose is our literary discussion and debate forum. Some very fascinating viewpoints come to life within the Caboose. Our King Pins Corner is for famous poets and samples of their work. This is a new forum that has been received very well by our membership. We can never read too many classics.

Poem Train and our patrons sponsor several "member-only" writing contests that are free to enter and award cash and prizes to the winners.

Free Qaurterly Writing Challenge

Deadlines:

March 30
June 30
September 30
December 31

First Place award - $25.00

Winners are announced within 30 days from the time the contest period ends.

Tournament of Rails Writing Challenge

A year-long writing challenge for members only.

We tempt and tease you with a writing prompt and you have one week to show us what you've got!
Writing Certificates awarded monthly, prizes awarded quarterly. One Grand Prize is awarded to our TOR Grand Champion in January of the new year.

Grand Prize: Poet's Market Guide

Site credits:

All graphics and content Copyright © Poem Train, Cafe Poetica, Virtual Cafe and AfterWords 2002-2003-2004. All rights reserved.

Scripts provided by Java Script Source and Dynamic Drive

Poetry within the Cafe Poetica Critique forums belongs to each poet respectively. Please do not copy poems without the express written consent of the author.

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