Prompt: Exodus

“i am the bush. i am burning. i am not consumed.” Lucille Clifton

Why have the prompt ideas of Genesis and Exodus been on my mind?

It wasn’t until this morning that I realize these two poetry prompts are not only a nod to my religious roots, but also also my photography background.

Sebastio Salgado, one of the greatest photographers on the planet, created two legendary photographic compilations titled Genesis and Exodus.

I viewed Exodus, images of human migration, at exhibit in South Korea when I was starting my photography career and it cemented in my mind the importance of printed work. Definitely one of the most influential moments in my artistic life. There is something absolutely magical about seeing a massive photographic print. An image on internet can never convey the same power.

I will say about Salgado’s migration images, at the time I thought they was pure magic, and the pictures are still haunting and beautiful. But I picked up the book recently in a Nairobi bookstore and was shocked to realize how my view of his work had changed. The images might have been accurate depictions of humanitarian crisis in Africa 30–40 years ago, but do not depict the Africa I know and love today. They show a one-sided story of voiceless multitudes. I hate that his subjects are not given the opportunity to speak for themselves. But nevertheless, they are brilliant photographs.

Genesis, pictures of the earth, was released a few years later and I’ve seen in book form, but not in museum format. . .hoping one day I’ll have the chance.

Now, on to poetry!

I loved your responses to the Genesis Prompt. I’ll post links to them below the content of this post.

For Exodus, I’ll leave the prompt as open-ended as possible as far as which direction you want to approach.

Below are some ideas and examples, I look forward to seeing what you come up with!

Please let me know in the comments if you would like to be added as a contributor.

Narrative Style

I think a narrative style poem would obviously lend itself well to an Exodus theme — in what places have you been trapped and escaped? Or where are you trapped and dream of escape, but have not realized the exodus?

Dream of a Good Day by Barbara Howes

Barbara Howes’ poem is a short narrative. Another approach would be the long, rambling style of Common Pointless by Paul Killebrew that juxtaposes long goodbyes and mundane details of life. If you have time, do click through to the full text on Poetry Foundation.

I was born in Tennessee. I was raised on ideas. Now I fall down as a person in bodily emulsion. But spiritually speaking? I’m not suffering. . .

A wary sun bided its time in the drowsy grad school of an overcast sky, and then, finding its moment, delivered a bleaching intensity to the reading glasses resting on the dashboard of our financed Acura under a dewy windshield, casting bleary water shadows through the double lens of windshield and glasses across the car’s front seat, the deep blue fabric of which was brushed into dark and light patches working crossways from the sun cast complexly through fat leaves of the adjoining yard’s many hardwoods.

Observation

Exodus could also be a simple observation of life as in the haunting poem by Rilke.

Sometimes a Man Stands Up by Rainer Maria Rilke

Sometimes a man stands up during supper and walks outdoors, and keeps on walking, because of a church that stands somewhere in the East. And his children say blessings on him as if he were dead.

And another man, who remains inside his own house, stays there, inside the dishes and in the glasses, so that his children have to go far out into the world toward that same church, which he forgot.

Guiding Vision

Exodus could be used poetically the guiding vision for a people or a nation as in one of the most famous — and I would say, contentious poems — of America history.

Lazarus set out a beacon vision for the country that are a beautiful depiction of freedom and possibility for America, but a vision which subsequent generations of citizens and presidents must decide whether they actually believe and will act upon.

The New Colossus

BY EMMA LAZARUS

Not like the brazen giant of Greek fame, With conquering limbs astride from land to land; Here at our sea-washed, sunset gates shall stand A mighty woman with a torch, whose flame Is the imprisoned lightning, and her name Mother of Exiles. From her beacon-hand Glows world-wide welcome; her mild eyes command The air-bridged harbor that twin cities frame.

“Keep, ancient lands, your storied pomp!” cries she

With silent lips. “Give me your tired, your poor, Your huddled masses yearning to breathe free, The wretched refuse of your teeming shore. Send these, the homeless, tempest-tost to me, I lift my lamp beside the golden door!”

Obscure Reference

One of the most intriguing poems I have come across referencing exodus is by Hannah Gamble — excerpt below. Fascinating description — Its hands smelled like exodus. The mystery of the It is at the center of the poem. Fascinating.

It Was Alive, Though Differently

It had a secret name which in later years came to mean I will continue to stand here. . .

The hands smelled like exodus. The hands were the law.

One hand grew older, and the other hand younger.

They said, fairly often, We’d like to try that again.

Both were restless and wanted rest.

One hand said, I will go where you go, while the other hand continued on alone.

Exodus Imagery

Of course maybe the most straighforward manner to approach the prompt would be to use of exodus imagery — crossing the Red Sea, Moses, The Pillar of Fire, Manna, the Jordan, the Promised Land. The challenge here is how to use such images in a unique manner.

to a dark moses from the Collected Works of Lucille Clifton

to a dark moses

you are the one i am lit for. come with your rod that twists and is a serpent. i am the bush. i am burning. i am not consumed.

Guérin Asante Sylvia Wohlfarth Dennett Anna Rozwadowska Lindsay Lonai Linegar Carver Bain Michelle Muses Aaska Ejaz Chiedza Kikumi LB Blue Fences kurt gasbarra Tre L. Loadholt

Jo Ann Harris FILZA CHAUDHRY Suwimali Bandara Kurt Gasbarra Crystal E.Wild Flower Sarah Book Amy Jo Reynolds antoinette nevitt Dennett Joe Váradi Austin Briggman Dana Sanford Shringi Kumari Anisesh Tracy Aston wimpy af Ashwini Dodani Vaishali Paliwal Leah J.🕊 Tapan Avasthi