Monday, April 28, 2008

call for "seed" poems

sorry to keep you waiting! little seeds of drama in our own lives (plus napowrimo) have been keeping us busy, busy, busy, but here we are, anxiously awaiting your poems.

what seemingly simple, ordinary, everyday "thing" lead you to explore a greater life drama? or where else were you inspired to go by the prufer poem?

post links to your poems here in the comments section. thanks!

Monday, April 21, 2008

Poetry prompt based on Kevin Prufer's "Seeds"

Kevin Prufer's poem, Seeds, is loaded with concrete images, scenes from a daily life. From the opening visual of "The pepper on the cutting board and the seeds inside it..." to the "sliced cantaloupe and its stringy heart..." and the faucets which won't stop dripping. However, this is far more than a poem of the domestic. Prufer seemlessly merges the domestic with the dire, using the simple action of cutting, and then bleeding, to ruminate on a loved one in the hospital.

How can you merge the domestic with a greater theme? This week, give it a try. You do not have to write about a huge drama. It could be as universal as a fender bender, no one harmed. The spilled milk, maybe? The idea is to move from the mundane, common, the everyday, into the universal ache. Of course, it could be the illness, but it could also be the fight with a child, friend or spouse, the bills, the taxes, the lonliness, the regret...

Maybe this poem meant something entirely different to you. Perhaps your reading of it lead you in an entirely different direction. Whatever the path, follow it. Re-read Seeds, then write a poem based on your reaction/interpretation.

Come back next Sunday, April 27, and post a link to your poem.

And, hey, if you have an idea for a prompt related to this poem, leave your idea in the comments section this week. No poems, please! Save those for next week!

Happy third week of National Poetry Month!

Wednesday, April 9, 2008

Seeds by Kevin Prufer: Our April Poem

Thank you, everyone, for all of your wonderful suggestions! So much great poetry to choose from. The truth is, our choice, Kevin Prufer's poem, Seeds, was our immediate choice because it resonates for both Carolee and I, what with hospitals and mortality being our own personal "white elephants" of late.

We hope you approve, enjoy, read, think, respond! Discussion begins today and will continue through Saturday, April 19. Sunday, April 20, we will post a prompt related to this poem. You will have all of TV Turnoff Week (April 21-27) to write a poem! (Aren't we thoughtful?) Then, Sunday, April 27, you can come back and post the links to your new poems.

Consider the entire month of April your "free-for-all!" After all, many of us are attempting the 30 poems in 30 days challenge, and that is tough enough!

Thanks for poeming with us!