Writing Exercise #104

Write a list poem (aka catalogue verse) where every line answers the question:

What was the last straw?

Writing Exercise #103

Write a creepy rhyming poem to the meter of a classic nursery rhyme. Do your best to not make the rhyming words predictable (like rhyming heart with art. BLECH!) Use slant rhymes aka "imperfect rhymes", for example: "I know I get mad easily, this universe is never pleasing me."

* this was inspired by "one, two, Freddie's coming for you..." that was in my head this morning while wiping down the kitchen counters.

Writing Exercise #102

Check out this poem by Felix Pollak:


THE DREAM

He dreamed of
an open window.
A vagina, said
his psychiatrist.
Your divorce, said
his mistress.
Suicide, said
an ominous voice within him.
It means you should close the window
or you'll catch cold, said
his mother.
His wife said
nothing.
He dared not tell her
such a
dangerous dream.



- - - - -


Write a poem "after Felix Pollak" that includes an image from a dream and its many interpretations. I like the idea of incorporating more people. Imagine what the dream of falling is to an actress as opposed to a kindergartner, or a shark to a convict as opposed to a surgeon...

Writing Exercise #101

Have I mentioned that I used word pools for 98% of the poems I have ever written? Here's one I hope you'll like. I mined these words from one of my favorite poems by Frank Stanford.


floating

man

driftwood

hooves

silent

rotten

ivory

half-blooded

dragged

fish

lights

wound

rain

moon

liquor

living

goodnights

beat

radio

lantern

marking

Writing Exercise #100

Read this spectacular poem by Megan Falley, then:

Write a poem where you plead your case about falling for someone who eventually broke the shit out of your heart. This doesn't have to be romantic love, of course. It just has to be the truth. The whole truth. And nothing but the truth. (which is a lie.)

Writing Exercise #99

Write a poem of 14 lines, each line beginning with the word "fix".

Writing Exercise #98

This poem Blood Honey by Chana Bloch is beautiful. Read it, treat this as a ghost line:


We’re still at large. We’re free


Don't know what a ghost line is? I explain it here. I woke up today feeling extremely lucky, thick with gratitude. I like the idea of writing a poem with "we're free" as the refrain. Heck, knock yourself out and write a ghazal why don't you!?!