A Collection of Poetic Prompt Responses
Celebrating the diversity that poetry inspires — day 24 prompt: “a path of loving expansion”
If you are expecting a collection of stories from ILLUMINATION, you are reading the wrong editor.
I recently completed Diana C.’s
Diana is the irrepressible igniter of innumerable imaginations through her publication incroyable,
which recently passed the 5,000 follower milestone — congratulations my friend.
I love the variety of responses that emerge from poets to the same prompt and have decided to start a series showcasing these, starting with the day 24 prompt because the universe sent me one I had not seen from that until today (thank you Jean Carfantan and your story):
A path of loving expansion
Joseph Lieungh and his indescribably unique style that needs to be read and experienced — not described:
Oh, to the clouds whispering and serenading my every way blanketed sun, flash memories of beaches and prairie excursions with untethered lines connecting hearts ever-expanding forever pulsing to love’s natural rhythm’s beat…
In this haze called life, is your path clearly defined? Or, is it much like a maze?
…
One way out is a path you must now find. Take your eyes off self and look at humankind.
Rita’s message resonates with me. I recently posted this comment in this story
of a great poet, Rebecca Stevens A., who writes essays daily about racism:
This is all very true. I cannot help wonder though if celebrating everyone’s differences, of which yes one should proudly embrace, fosters as much separatism as it hopes to cure. My words should not be twisted to mean that other races should assimilate to whiteness — I mean all races should dissolve race and assimilate to humanity.
The replies to my comment from Rebecca’s readers have been disappointing — they amount to shut up white boy, racism is all your race’s fault. I guess these readers prefer blaming over solving.
perhaps if I write the reflection first the poem will come. I saw the topic two days ago and thought Yay, piece of cake and Yay a happy one. I have walked so many dark roads of late responding to these challenges. Digging through the archives of 50 plus years of writing trying to refresh, write new, be interesting, truthful… I am exhausted and exhilarated in the same moment. And a little addicted perhaps to the “penny for your thoughts” operating model of this platform. This will be filed under “Screams of Conciseness”
A fantastic poem emerged from Carolyn’s method and I urge you to hit the above link and read it.
The method Carolyn described reminded me of this method of mine I employed when my tanka did not jump off the page to me:
Here is my tanka inspired by the prompt — when I chose this day to feature I had no recollection of what I had written — it definitely adds variety to the mix:
French kissing nerves rich Listen for responsiveness She holds my head’s place Contractions grasp my finger(s) Ecstatic expansion nears
My favorite line is the third — beyond the obvious image, the line means that I am thinking of my lover — she captivates my mind, then, always and forever.
Happy anniversary baby. I love you so much.
Speaking of love and relationships, P.S. I Love You writers and others who write in these topics, take note of:
and Agnes Laurens’
In Rama I create,
