Peter is the author of Stubborn Child, a finalist for
the 2006 Paterson Poetry Prize, and three chapbooks of poetry. His essays and
poems have appeared in The Atlanta Review, Beloit Poetry Journal, The Green
Mountains Review, The Journal, The Lindenwood Review, The Literary Review, The
Little Patuxent Review, Rattle, Witness and elsewhere. He has received
fellowships for writing and teaching from The Atlantic Center for the Arts, The
Folger Shakespeare Library, The National Endowment for the Humanities, The New
Jersey State Council on the Arts, Yaddo, the Virginia Center for the Creative
Arts and the White House Commission on Presidential Scholars.
From Peter
Assignment: Write a postcard-sized poem in which you apologize for
or argue against something or someone for an offense, real or imagined.
Requirements: Choose three postcards that attract you and one that disgusts or confuses you and incorporate one or more of these images into your
poem.
[Note: When Peter uses this prompt at his Getaways, he provides participants with postcards from which to choose. He also offers a site for postcards at which you’ll find several postcard examples:
Alternatively, Peter suggests that you might choose from your own postcards or even old photographs or letters.]
[Note: When Peter uses this prompt at his Getaways, he provides participants with postcards from which to choose. He also offers a site for postcards at which you’ll find several postcard examples:
Alternatively, Peter suggests that you might choose from your own postcards or even old photographs or letters.]
Variation: Have someone apologize to you instead. Wouldn’t that be
sweet?
Challenge for the delusional: C’mon, do you really need any more
stimulation? Oh, all right. Integrate some writing from one or more of the
postcards into your poem.
Note: Speaking of “challenges for the
delusional,” be sure to check out Peter’s book Challenges for the
Delusional: Peter Murphy’s Prompts and the Poems They Inspired (“a
selection of Peter Murphy’s infamous and eccentric poetry-writing prompts. For
19 years he’s shared these prompts at his writers’ conference, the Winter
Poetry & Prose Getaway, and this collection features a sampling of the many
diverse and wonderful poems that they’ve inspired. Contributors include:
Stephen Dunn, Kathleen Graber, Dorianne Laux, James Richardson, and more.” Click Here to Order
Examples:
Note: Speaking of “challenges for the
delusional,” be sure to check out Peter’s book Challenges for the
Delusional: Peter Murphy’s Prompts and the Poems They Inspired (“a
selection of Peter Murphy’s infamous and eccentric poetry-writing prompts. For
19 years he’s shared these prompts at his writers’ conference, the Winter
Poetry & Prose Getaway, and this collection features a sampling of the many
diverse and wonderful poems that they’ve inspired. Contributors include:
Stephen Dunn, Kathleen Graber, Dorianne Laux, James Richardson, and more.” Click Here to OrderExamples:
Thank you, Peter!
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This prompt calls to mind
one that was posted in August of 2012 . If you missed it first time around and would like to try a different spin on the apology poem, here's the link.
