Summary

The author shares a poem and a 2-line poetry prompt, discussing the benefits of using prompts to challenge one's creative voice.

Abstract

The author describes attending a poetry group's Zoom call and completing a 2-line poetry prompt, which resulted in a poem titled "Owls." The prompt consisted of an opener and a closer sentence, which the author found challenging to incorporate into their usual poetic voice. The author reflects on the value of poetry prompts in breaking creative ruts and pushing poets to explore new styles and forms.

Opinions

The author finds the given poetry prompt challenging due to its language being different from their usual poetic voice.
The author considers poetry prompts to be a healthy exercise for poets, as they help break creative ruts and encourage

A Poem and a 2-Line Poetry Prompt #2

Where will this prompt take your writing voice?

This week I hit “yes I will attend” on a Meet Up poetry group’s weekly Zoom Call meeting. The description on the event page said to choose one of three poetry prompts. Being the overachiever that I am, (or chronic over-YES-ing addict, you decide), I did all three. This is my poem response to the second prompt:

Framing your poem. Select one of the following pairs of sentences. Free-write by adding images, characters, ideas to these sentences. The sentences can appear anywhere in your future poem: beginning, middle, end, even back-to-back.

Prompt 2

Opener:

There are many strange sounds at night when you are alone.

Closer:

Then again, maybe someday they will talk to me again.

— Meet Up group directions

Given the language of these sentences is so far out of my poetic voice, I found this to be a rather challenging prompt. I am not sure if I will leave the poem in its original version or later edit out the prompt and allow the poem to take on its own creative direction, but I thought I’d share my response and invite you to write your own, if you like. Here is my poem:

Owls

There are many strange sounds at night when you are alone. The shifting of boards below, a creak that bears my merciless weight each step, my freedom each step, a burden upon someone else.

Just ask the lady downstairs.

I can hardly remember the ache of Barred owls drifting across the sand. In guttural trills, shifting in the pines, they called out to me.

I wonder sometimes at night, easing the door so no one sees, or hears or thinks of me,

if the owls of Florida remember me.

Then again,

maybe someday they will talk to me

again.

Poetry prompts are a very healthy exercise for poets to do. They dislodged us from creative style and form ruts that we tend to fall into with our poems. It is so easy to get into that space where all of our work begins looking and sounding the same. For the poet, practice is just as important as it is for the athlete, the public speaker, the surgeon. Practice may not necessarily make perfect, but it will challenge your creative voice to speak in new and compelling ways.

◦•●Christina M. Ward ●•◦