The Totally Optional Prompt is 'Poem to the Editor'

I checked editorials in some local newspapers, you might need to check your own, and their current issues are state school testing, freedom from religion, religious liberty, the subprime meltdown, and federal spending. The challenge is to write a letter to the editor. To get the letter published the title should make the subject clear, it should express an opinion, have a novel approach to the issue, and have a clever or humorous twist at the end. If it's any good I'm going to send mine in, with the blog URL of course.

Cultural Note: Newspapers around here commonly have a letters-to-the-editor section on the editorial page where readers can submit opinions.

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And a side note: I was stopped at a rail crossing watching the train go by and saw this stenciled on a rail car: 'Warning, this car may fall over'. I suppose some lawyer required the sign but it sure doesn't inspire confidence.

Remarks on the prompt, your latest poetry discovery, or this 'poetry exchange' blog can be made as comments to this posting. Late Wednesday night, between one rerun and another, I'll post a Request For Poems, where you can leave a link to your poem inspired by the prompt, or any other poem you want to share.

Request For Poems, Moon Island

It's time to show your cards, and read what the other poets brought to the table. The Linky widget included with this posting is a fine way to leave a link to your poem inspired by the 'Moon Island' prompt, or any other poem you want to share. Comments are available if Linky doesn't work for you, or you want to add encouraging remarks.

This is an unusual time of year, days are short, normal schedules are so yesterday, and real attitudes don't match idealized tradition. I hope you are able to keep track of the loose ends and stay sane. Well, at least as sane as you were before it all started.

Saturday night, right after 'Hockey Night in Canada', I'll put up the next Totally Optional Prompt. And, thanks for your support.

The Totally Optional Prompt is 'Moon Island'

Moon Island is out in Grays Harbor, it's been there for years, and migratory shorebirds have used it as a stopover between Alaska and Mexico. Back in the forties the channel was dredged and the dredge spoils filled in the area between the island and the industrial area, which means it's not exactly an island any more. The filled area became a runway and sewage farm, and the remaining mud flats are now a wildlife area. Shorebirds still use the mud flats, waterfowl use the sewage pond, and there are birds on the runway when winter high tides flood the marsh grass under a freezing fog. So take your pick, an island that isn't, changes that do or don't make a difference, birds adapting, or freezing fog on Moon Island.

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Remarks on the prompt, your latest poetry discovery, or this 'poetry exchange' blog can be made as comments to this posting. Late Wednesday night, between one rerun and another, I'll post a Request For Poems, where you can leave a link to your poem inspired by the prompt, or any other poem you want to share.

Request For Poems, Road Sign Redux

It's time to show your cards, and read what the other poets brought to the table. The Linky widget included with this posting is a fine way to leave a link to your poem inspired by the 'Road Sign Redux' prompt, or any other poem you want to share. Comments are available if Linky doesn't work for you, or you want to add encouraging remarks, or any other remarks.

Saturday night, right after 'Hockey Night in Canada', I'll put up the next Totally Optional Prompt. And, thanks for your support.

The Totally Optional Prompt is 'Road Sign Redux'

Take Highway 50 east out of Ely, Nevada, and in thirty miles there's a lane-and-a-half (ie narrow) paved-dirt-paved road north across the desert to the end of Jakes Valley, across Long Valley, and into the bottom end of Ruby Lakes. If you keep going north you get to the interstate between Wells and Elko. The stretch across Long Canyon is a straight-arrow straight dirt road for fifteen miles. From one end you can see the dust plume of the incredibly rare traffic coming from the other end (one time the only traffic was a helicopter coming up the road at ten feet elevation). Out there in the middle of lonesome is a less-than-useful sign:

KEEP RIGHT
EXCEPT TO PASS

I've always been intrigued by this less-than-useful sign. This has got to be a metaphor for something.

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In constructing prompts I try to present scenarios that stir me to think and write, in the above I see three possibilities. I'm also interested in what prompts and scenarios trigger your poetry genes. Leave them in a comment for Tiel, or better yet offer to host TOP for a month.

Remarks on the prompt, your latest poetry discovery, or this 'poetry exchange' blog can be made as comments to this posting. Late Wednesday night, between one rerun and another, I'll post a Request For Poems, where you can leave a link to your poem inspired by the prompt, or any other poem you want to share.

Request For Poems

It's time to let the cat out of the bag, and see what's in other poets' bags. The Linky widget included with this posting is a fine way to leave a link to your poem inspired by the 'Birds and Bonds' prompt, or any other poem you want to share. Comments are available if Linky doesn't work for you, or you want to add encouraging remarks, or any other remarks.

Saturday night, right after 'Hockey Night in Canada', I'll put up the next Totally Optional Prompt ('Hockey Night' ends by 10pm here on the wet coast, although some games are over in the first period). And, thanks for your support.

The Totally Optional Prompt is 'Birds and Bonds'

Brown Pelicans breed on the southern California coast and then migrate north for a relaxing late summer on the Oregon and Washington coasts. Heermann's Gulls also breed down south, and they come north to steal food from the pelicans and hang out with the local gulls. This has got to be a metaphor for something.

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Remarks on the prompt, your latest poetry discovery, or this 'poetry exchange' blog can be made as comments to this posting. Late Wednesday night, between one rerun and another, I'll post a Request For Poems, where you can leave a link to your poem inspired by the prompt, or any other poem you want to share.

Request For Poems, Road Sign

It's time to throw your hat in the ring, and see what the other poets have on their minds. The Linky widget included with this posting is a fine way to leave a link to your poem inspired by the 'Road Sign' prompt, or any other poem you want to share. Comments are available if Linky doesn't work for you, or you want to add encouraging remarks, or any other remarks.

Saturday night, right after 'Hockey Night in Canada', I'll put up the next Totally Optional Prompt ('Hockey Night' ends by 10pm here on the wet coast, although some games are over in the first period). And, thanks for your support.

The Totally Optional Prompt is 'Road Sign'

Years ago I drove south from Hanksville, Utah, on Highway 95. The highway goes by Hog Spring, crosses the Dirty Devil River, the Colorado River, White Canyon, and the end of Fry Canyon on its way to Highway 261, which continues south down the Moki Dugway to Mexican Hat. Highway 95 crosses the end of Fry Canyon in a wide bend to the left. On the outside of the bend a dirt road goes off to the right and up to the top of the canyon. About 200 feet up the dirt road there used to be a large sign that read:

THIS IS NOT
STATE ROUTE 95

I've always been intrigued by this sign that tells where you are not, rather than where you are. This has got to be a metaphor for something. If not a metaphor then maybe an inspiration?

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Remarks on the prompt, your latest poetry discovery, or this 'poetry exchange' blog can be made as comments to this posting. Late Wednesday night, between one rerun and another, I'll post a Request For Poems, where you can leave a link to your poem inspired by the prompt, or any other poem you want to share.

Request For Poems

It's time to show your cards, and read what the other poets brought to the table. The Linky widget included with this posting is a fine way to leave a link to your poem inspired by the 'animal' prompt, or any other poem you want to share. Comments are available if Linky doesn't work for you, or you want to add encouraging remarks, or any other remarks.

Saturday night, right after 'Hockey Night in Canada', I'll put up the next Totally Optional Prompt. And, thanks for your support.

Totally Optional Prompt: in some haste

I apologize for the early prompt this week, but some family affairs have come up that may make it necessary for me to travel at a moment's notice. So:

What do you see when you look at animals? A reflection of yourself? A resource to be used? A kindred part of God's creation? A bundle of physiology and biochemistry?

Four poets below have offered their versions of animal experiences. What's yours?

James Wright: A Blessing

Denise Levertov: Come into Animal Presence

Christopher Smart: For I Will Consider My Cat Jeoffry

Marianne Moore: The Paper Nautilus

Request for Poems: Thanksgiving

It's Thanksgiving week, and we're all busy as can be. So drop off a link if you can. Also check the comments from the previous post, as we had a few early drop-offs.

Totally Optional Prompt: Free prompt

Thursday is Thanksgiving Day. Many of us will be with families and some of us will be traveling. So this week is a free prompt.

If you have time and the inclination, share something with us about Thanksgiving and thankfulness. If not, share something else. If you don't have time to do that, at least come by and see what others have shared!

Request For Poems: Places

TOPers, where'd we go this week?

Totally Optional Prompt: Places

These poems all feature places. Are they "about" places? It's hard to say. The place in each of these poems might really be a state of mind, a tradition, a set of memories, or something else entirely.

Elizabeth Bishop: At the Fishhouses

Adam Zagajewski: To Go to Lvov

Rita Dove: Daystar

Shel Silverstein: Where the Sidewalk Ends

How do you use places in your poetry? Share an example with us this Wednesday. Or share something else entirely.

Request For Poems: Evocative

So! Let's see what people managed to evoke:

Totally Optional Prompt: Evocative Poetry

Hi, all: I'm your host for the month of November. I'm not the night-owl Mike is, so expect the posts to appear a little earlier in the evening! (Also don't forget to set your clocks back tonight.)

This week, we're going to try to write some evocative poetry.

To get you started, read the poems linked here:

Eugenio Montale: Bring Me The Sunflower (scroll down to read this poem as there several on the page-- of course read the others if you feel like it!)

Lucille Clifton: climbing

Paul Celan: Deathfugue

Marjorie Agosín: The Empty House

Pick one you like and spend some time with it. Let it move you. How does it make you feel?

Then sit down and write a poem you think will make the reader feel the same way. Evoke the feeling. You'll find this is a bit different than saying how you feel.

Come back here Wednesday evening to leave a permalink to your evocative poem.

As always, remember this prompt is

Totally Optional

so feel free to pick a different poem, or a different emotion, or just share anything at all that strikes your fancy.

Request For Poems

It's time to show your cards, and read what the other poets brought to the table. The Linky widget included with this posting is a fine way to leave a link to your poem inspired by the 'Work' prompt, or any other poem you want to share. Comments are available if Linky doesn't work for you, or you want to add encouraging remarks, or any other remarks.

Poetry Collections Replay
Poets, such as you, can create a collection of their works in a word processor, such as MS Word, save the document and use pdf Online to convert it to pdf format. A pdf file is half the file size, can be accessed with a free Adobe Acrobat reader and is an easy way to distribute your works to interested readers. Over in the sidebar is information on obtaining some available poetry collections.

Saturday night Tiel will put up the next Totally Optional Prompt. And, thanks for your support.

The Totally Optional Prompt is Work

I accumulated these quotes over a number of years. The attributions have not been double-checked and might not be accurate, that would be too much work.

My father taught me to work; he did not teach me to love it. Abraham Lincoln
You’d be grumpy, too, if you woke up and found yourself at work. Bob Thaves
I am a friend of the working man, and I would rather be a friend than be one. Clarence Darrow

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Remarks on the prompt, your latest poetry discovery, or this 'poetry exchange' blog can be made as comments to this posting. Late Wednesday night, between Letterman and Conan O'Brien, I'll post a Request For Poems, where you can leave a link to your poem inspired by the prompt, or any other poem you want to share.

Request For Poems

It's time to throw your hat in the ring, and see what the other poets have on their minds. The Linky widget included with this posting is a fine way to leave a link to your poem inspired by the 'Horse' prompt, or any other poem you want to share. Comments are available if Linky doesn't work for you, or you want to add encouraging remarks, or any other remarks.

Poetry Collections
Poets, such as you, can create a collection of their works in a word processor, such as MS Word, save the document and use pdf Online to convert it to pdf format. A pdf file is half the file size, can be accessed with a free Adobe Acrobat reader and is an easy way to distribute your works to interested readers. Over in the sidebar is information on sharing available poetry collections.

Saturday night, right after 'Hockey Night in Canada', I'll put up the next Totally Optional Prompt. And, thanks for your support.

Totally Optional Prompt by Ted Kooser

This week's prompt is from Kooser's book 'Delights and Shadows', published by Copper Canyon Press. Kooser often presents a straightforward view of the ordinary, something I appreciate and occasionally try to emulate.

Horse

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As per the sidebar we welcome suggestions on prompts and modifications to the site that will make it more useful.

Remarks on the prompt, your latest poetry discovery, or this 'poetry exchange' blog can be made as comments to this posting. Late Wednesday night, between Letterman and Conan O'Brien, I'll post a Request For Poems, where you can leave a link to your poem inspired by the prompt, or any other poem you want to share.

Request For Poems

It's time to show your cards, and read what the other poets brought to the table. The Linky widget included with this posting is a fine way to leave a link to your poem inspired by the 'Liu' Chang-ch'ing' prompt, or any other poem you want to share. Comments are available if Linky doesn't work for you, or you want to add encouraging remarks, or any other remarks.

Saturday night, right after 'Hockey Night in Canada' (go Oilers again, a hex on Calgary), I'll put up the next Totally Optional Prompt. And, thanks for your support.

Totally Optional Prompt by Liu' Chang-ch'ing

This week's prompt is a poem from an old paperback that is written in Chinese. The only English is the translated poems and the title, 'Three Hundred Poems of the Tang Dynasty'. The Tang Dynasty dated from 618 to 906. Since I don't read Chinese the only other thing I can say about the book is that it has a red cover. The translations and typos suggest to me that English was not the translator's first language. It's a book with character that I treasure.

On Hearing a Lute-Player

Your seven strings are like the voice
Of a cold wind in the pines,
Singing old beloved songs
Which no one cares for any more.

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Tiel and I sent messages announcing 'Totally Optional Prompts' to a lot of people and places. No doubt we missed a few, so please invite anyone who hasn't shown up yet. After all, more poets makes life more interesting.

Remarks on the prompt, your latest discovery, or this 'poetry exchange' blog, can be made as comments to this posting. Late Wednesday night, between Letterman and Conan O'Brien, I'll post a Request For Poems, where you can leave a link to your poem inspired by the prompt, or any other poem you want to share.

Request For Poems

It's time to put up or … read what the other poets have put up. In comments to this posting leave a link to your poem inspired by the 'Akahito' prompt, or any other poem, or any other way to get there, and one way to get there is to use the Linky widget included with this posting.

Saturday night, right after 'Hockey Night in Canada' (go Oilers), I'll put up the next Totally Optional Prompt. And, thanks for your support.

Totally Optional Prompt by Akahito, circa 730 A.D.

from: One Hundred Poems From The Japanese
translated by Kenneth Rexroth

I wish I were close
To you as the wet skirt of
A salt girl to her body.
I think of you always.

'Salt girls' boil seawater down for the salt.

Questions and suggestions about this 'poetry exchange' blog can be made as comments to this posting. Late Wednesday night I'll post a Request For Poems where you can leave a link to your poem inspired by the prompt, or any other poem you want to share.

Welcome

Welcome to Totally Optional Prompts. We created this site because we miss Poetry Thursday and believe there should be a weekly prompt devoted strictly to poetry. Every Saturday evening (or thereabouts) you will find a new weekly prompt on this site, and by the following Thursday morning there will be a post ready to receive people's responses.

If you'd like to suggest a prompt, feel free to leave a comment either in this post or in the Saturday evening prompt post.

Please remember, prompts are (as Liz and Dana used to say) completely and totally optional. Also please remember, this is a poetry appreciation site, not a critique site. If you'd like to receive critiques, say so in your post. Unsolicited critiques will not gain you a lot of friends (it's just like life that way).

We hope you'll all join in and make Totally Optional Prompts the kind of community we all knew and loved at Poetry Thursday!