Expulsion

Summary

The web content presents a poetry prompt titled "Expulsion" with a focus on the theme "out of the way," including a photograph, a poem, and a call to action for writers to explore the concept through their own work.

Abstract

The website features a poetry prompt named "Expulsion," dated March 20, 2021, which encourages writers to delve into the theme "out of the way." It includes a moody, expressionistic photograph by Jr Korpa as a visual stimulus. The prompt is accompanied by an evocative poem that touches on themes of internalization, hope, materialism, and theatrical finales. The poem reflects on the personal and metaphorical spaces where we either remove or are removed from elements in our lives, suggesting a cathartic yet hazardous environment. The author, J.D. Harms, invites contributors to write about the motion or space related to expulsion and to tag him in their responses, fostering a collaborative and creative community effort.

Opinions

The poem conveys a sense of disillusionment with material success ("vagrant materialism") and unfulfilled potential ("trophies were all made by you then allowed to rust").
There is a dramatic and performative aspect to the act of leaving or being forced out ("scaling the stairs as if it were a tightrope...toppling the stages for ordinary soapboxes").
The author seems to value clear endings and the importance of moving on ("the tragedy of the exit, the one who isn’t coming back ever").
The prompt suggests a playful and reflective approach to the theme, with a nod to wordplay and personal anecdotes ("keep out of Harms’ way" and the idea of a band name).
The call to action emphasizes the importance of community and sharing within the writing process, encouraging tagging and interaction among writers ("Tag me in it...And, remember, please rock on!").

20 March 2021 Saturday Poetry Prompt: out of the way

Standing up, or just now unveiling the desire to be somewhere else, anywhere but beneath the glare

taking daylight fully internal, exposure to rays of busted hope, vagrant materialism, stymied showcases

where the trophies were all made by you then allowed to rust

or scaling the stairs as if it were a tightrope, and you the actor to bring the audience to their feet

exploding in unison, the tragedy of the exit, the one who isn’t coming back ever, toppling the stages for ordinary soapboxes

but permit phone calls upon expulsion to the west for a visible sunset rather than those cloudy monstrosities

enough particles in the air to make breathing hazardous, or at least it’s not the greatest farewell.

Prompt:

We can get kicked out of school, ejected from bars (if we’re making a small scene), thrown out of movie theaters if we snuck in. Alternatively, we kick stuff out of the way, smash something broken into the garbage bin, and put our recycling on the curb (Like how the last image wasn’t so violent?? I can learn…ahem). Naturally, people make clever jokes about “keep out of Harms’ way” (though my brothers and I used to talk about starting a band with that name)…Whatever the case may be, bad attitudes or bad habits, we have a special space for getting stuff out of the way. Write a piece about that space, motion, or absorbent nasty neural networks that never throw anything out…ahem. Tag me in it (J.D. Harms). And, remember, please rock on!