Are you ready to write some poetry? It is the weekend and either you are extra busy or have lots of time to relax and write....
I have the pleasure of speaking in college and high school classes as well as other places out and about town and the parks and hills and wherever I am called to facilitate the creative process.
One of my stand-by talks is for students in art classes who are learning to write objectively about a work of art – or later in their jobs about anything, anywhere, anytime.
This time, I had each student look in their books for the important objective information about the work of art: the name, size, artist, and then I ask the same question over and over again.
“What do you see?” This simple question is the root to exceptional writing. It has the power to take you anywhere you might want to go with your words.
Please take note of how specific I am as I write what I see:
I see a grey papermate flexgrip ultra fine pen. (not just a pen)
I see my phone: a t-mobile smart phone called “my touch”… which I secretly wish was an I-phone (not just a phone)
I see lacey curtains and through them, a woman and a boy walking. The woman is wearing a white sweatshirt and black pants. I can’t see the boy clearly, but at first I heard the mother speaking loudly to her son. Maybe she isn’t “mother” but she sure has that demeanor. (not just curtains)
I see an experimental work of art I created a few moments ago, or rather I tied together the pieces a few minutes ago. (not just art)
Purple frame, yellow dictionary paper that was once unused and unwanted, with another layer of paper with a short story from Mary Noallies Murfee, also known as Charles Egbert Craddock. (not just art)
I see a copy of Anne Morrow Lindbergh’s poetry collection, The Unicorn and Other Poems which I use as a mouse pad. It has a gold cover, published by Pantheon, and has a painting of a caged unicorn on the cover. If I looked inside the book I could probably see the who the artist may be. (not just book as mouse pad)
I see a flower I created, or covered, with poetry and dictionary pages. (not just wood flower or flower)
I decide to take a photo of it with my Mary Noailles Murfee art, just to enjoy the contrast, so now I see the contrast as well as images of the evolution of my creativity. (not just take photo)
Prompt: Now, it is your turn to list what you see as well as write a poem from what you see. As a bonus, you may want to take your notebook out-and-about and take notes of what you see someplace beside your home. I will also include a couple extra photos for inspiration (and practice “seeing”). You may use this option from your own photos. The video is about a poet in residence I am not sure where taking students on a subway ride to use their senses and experience to write.
I am known to go to a park or a path or a coffee house and take tons of notes from all my senses.
It will bring you very lively, very concrete, very image filled poetry, perhaps different from what you are more used to writing.
Word Prompt: Seeing
Sentence Starter: I see.....
(or) When I see insert description of what you see, I remember....
(or) When I see insert description of what you see, I feel....
Most of all, enjoy. PLEASE – enjoy.
I am grateful you are here, writing poetry.
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