Poetry is not a puzzle, BUT...

Poetry Prompts #10

At the workshop this week we read and wrote poems based on work from José Olivarez (whose book I just reviewed HERE) and Harryette Mullen.

Mullen’s piece, “Any Lit,” is fun to read as you fall into the repetitive, alliterative music of it. (I recommend reading it aloud.) And, for me, when I finished reading it I was like “wow, that was fun. But, what was going on with that experience?”

Then in the workshop our friend Rocky pointed out that the poem title is also the word “Litany” broken in half and flipped. And then we did that with all the lines of the poem, broke them in half and flipped them. And then it felt different and weird and the lines took on a new energy and meaning that I still can’t fully describe the pleasure of. Maybe it’s the pleasure of a secular litany?

Anyway, when you read, read it the normal way first and then do it the other way. If you want!

But do it though. Report back.

More of a Comment Than a Question #34 - 3.23.23

Read “Poem With Corpse Flowers & No Corpses” by José Olivarez

• List 5 of your favorite things 

• List what needed to suffer to bring you those things

• List 5 minor miracles

• Write a poem about one of them

Read “Any Lit” Harryette Mullen

• Write some phrases you like the sound of

• Pick one and repeat it as much as possible