Saturday, October 17, 2015

Prompt #235 – From A Different Perspective


This week, the challenge is to imagine that you’re someone else (a historical figure, a celebrity of any kind, anyone famous or infamous, a homeless person, a painter, a musician, one of your relatives or neighbors, a character from a song or novel) and, then, to write a poem from the perspective of that person. These are often called persona poems.

Guidelines:

1. Start with a list in which you include as many details about the person you’ve chosen as you can.

2. Reflect on those details and decide which you can best use in a poem.

3. Remember that you’re writing from the perspective of the person you’ve chosen, not your own perspective. Consider how the person you’ve chosen might think and feel.

4. Begin writing and see where your poem takes you. One possibility is to begin or end your poem with a quote—something the person you’ve chosen actually said or wrote.

5. Consider writing a monologue in poem form.

Tips:

1.  Be careful of saying too much and including too many details. Stay focused.

2.  Remember that you’re “speaking” through someone else’s voice.

3. Think in terms of your person’s viewpoints and perhaps include a fictional layer to address concepts and ideas with which you’re not completely comfortable yourself.

4. Don’t lose sight of the fact that you’re not writing about someone else, you are that someone for the space of your poem.

5. Remember that your poem shouldn’t include commentary or analysis.


13 comments:

  1. This is interesting, Adele. Perhaps even possible to consider writing from the perspective of someone you really don't like.

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    1. Thanks, Jamie, for your comment and for the great idea!

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  2. What a great prompt—the potential for so many poems.Thank you, Adele.

    ~ ~ ~


    Red kite and the Fieldmouse



    Red kite—your claws dark, hooked and strong.


    Something strange when at sunset a bird

    with an open beak flew wildly towards me—

    "stop", said the oak tree.


    Red kite—your claws dark, hooked and strong.


    In another moment away to her nest

    and I a supper for the great reaper—

    "stop", said the river.


    Red kite—your claws dark, hooked and strong.


    I, for a few days more to play in the fields,

    and a song for every day in my home country.

    "stop", said the valley.


    Red kite—your claws dark, hooked and strong,

    it's time for us to fly

    high over the oak tree, river and the valley.

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    1. Wonderful, Lewis! I'm so glad you like this prompt and hope you get a few more out of it! Thanks so much for sharing with us.

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    2. Very nice, Lewis -- thank you for sharing!

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  3. Amita Jayaraman (Mumbai)October 20, 2015 at 10:47 AM

    Another wonderful idea to inspire us! Thank you, Adele.

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    1. Thanks so much, Amita,

      It's always nice to hear from you!

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  4. I don't know how I missed a week, so this poem is....well... you'll see

    I Met The Devil in Florida

    I met the Devil in Florida
    His name was loneliness
    His manifestation lust
    With chains of sensuality and desire
    He bound me
    Abyss on abyss
    Trapped
    in what some call love

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    1. Risa, I love this! Not upbeat as most of yours are but, still, one of your best! Thanks for sharing it.

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    2. Beautiful, Risa! Your poems always say so much, so perfectly, in as few words as possible. Thanks so much for sharing with us!

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    3. 'Another Sunday' and 'I Met The Devil in Florida'—I really like these poems, Risa! Maybe the beginning of a new expression! :)

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