Autumn begins here in the Eastern United States in two days’
time, and that got me thinking about
beginnings. Accordingly, in a spirit of beginnings, it might be
interesting to write a poem that begins with a line by another poet (kind of a new beginning for a previously written line).
This, of course, isn’t a new idea or one unique to me, but it’s a great way to create a poem, especially during those times when wrestling a poem out of your pen isn’t easy.
This, of course, isn’t a new idea or one unique to me, but it’s a great way to create a poem, especially during those times when wrestling a poem out of your pen isn’t easy.
Guidelines:
1. Read a couple of the example poems below.
2. Now read several other poems, poems that are long-time
favorites or new poems (perhaps in current issues of journals) that you haven’t
read before.
3. From the poems you read, select the one that “speaks” to
you the loudest and read it again.
4. Pick one line from that poem and use it as the first line
in your own poem.
5. Either use quotation marks or italics to set the line
apart and to indicate that it’s the quoted line (and make a note of the title of the poem from which the line comes).
6. Let the line you quote inspire you, let it direct the
content of your poem; give it its “head” and see where it leads you.
Tips:
1. Keep your poem under 30 lines.
2. Remember that good poems have more than one subject (the
obvious and the suggested or inherent).
3. Show, don’t
tell.
4. Don’t let the obvious meaning of the line dictate what
your content will be.
5. Let your poem connect, reveal, and surprise.
Examples:
Some Lines You Might
Like to Use:
- “In my beginning is my end” by T. S. Eliot from “East Coker”
- “Beauty is truth, truth beauty; that is all” from “Ode On A Grecian Urn” by John Keats
- “But at my back I always hear” from “To His Coy Mistress” by Andrew Marvell
- “Things fall apart; the centre cannot hold” from “The Second Coming” by William Butler Yeats
- “And miles to go before I sleep” from “Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening” by Robert Frost
- “Let us go then, you and I,” from T.S. Eliot’s “The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock”
- “Because I could not stop for Death,” from Emily Dickinson’s “Because I could not stop for Death”
- “I celebrate myself, and sing myself,” from Walt Whitman’s “Song of Myself”
- “Hope is the thing with feathers” from “Hope Is The Thing With Feathers” by Emily Dickinson
- “Scarcely a tear to shed” from “An Evening” by Gwendolyn Brooks
- “Our whisper woke no clocks” from “Dear, Though the Night Is Gone” by W.H. Auden“When we two parted / In silence and tears” from “When We Two Parted” by George Gordon (Lord) Byron
- "When we two parted / In silence and tears” from “When We Two Parted” by George Gordon (Lord) Byron)
A line that immediately sprang to mind is 'Let us go, then, you and I ...' from Eliot's 'Prufrock.'
ReplyDeleteThis prompt is great to take us back to poems we love and then to create new ones. Thanks, Adele!
Great line from "Prufrock," Jamie. Thanks so much for your comment.
DeleteThis is great. I've done something similar with students in which I give them a line from a poem to use as their opening line. All the students start with the same line, and it's amazing to see how different each poem turns out.
ReplyDeleteInteresting, Rich. Must be fun to see how each student "interprets" the line you give them. thanks for commenting.
DeleteThe first line is from the Greek poet (Nobel laureat) Odysseus Elytis poem "Event in August"
ReplyDeleteTHE SKIPPING STONE
And I picked up a stone and aimed it afar
between the still lake and daylight
that bled at the west hill line
Up and down, it skipped the water
and (spent) came to a stand
and sank
after it set my evening
in a silent
dirge.
Basil Rouskas
A great first line, Basil, and a fine job with your extension of it. Thanks so much for sharing.
DeleteI like your poem, Basil. The "inspiration" line from the Greek poet laureate is so evocative.
DeleteGreat way to jumpstart the writing process.
ReplyDeleteNice poem, Basil!
Yep, jumpstarting is what these prompts are about! thanks for commenting, Bob!
DeleteLet's go then
ReplyDeleteyou and I
Let's raise ourselves
to a higher high
Leave behind the gross and heavy forms
and fly
fly
to freedom
Leave this beautiful horrible world
and exist in a different consciousness
on another plain
Let's go then
you and I
Love it, Risa! Your signature style of dead-serious whimsy, brief, to the point, and so meaningful. I agree with Adele's comment about the "music in it." Thank you for sharing with us!
DeleteThis is the second time I've tried to post a reply to your poem, Risa! Apparently something glitchy is going on with Blogger.
ReplyDeleteI love the way you created a strong sense of sound with alliteration, assonance, and repetition. Skillfully done! Thanks so much for sharing.
Thank you Adele for this wonderful blog, the connections with others and these thought inspiring prompts!
ReplyDelete