Today’s assignment is to write an imitation poem. For those of you new to imitation poems it is exactly as it sounds. You will write a poem that follows either the style, the theme, the rhythm or the shape of another poem. Some poets use it as way of breaking out of a particular pattern in their writing or as a way of experimenting. Other times, it pays homage to a favorite poet. Sometimes it can result in the best piece of writing by helping you improve your own technique.
So find one of your favorite poems and get writing.
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Happy Writing!
-Enzo (INKpals)
Enzo Silon Surin on April 18th 2012 in National Poetry Month
Today’s assignment is to write a poem about music or listening to music. There is just something about the notes of a piano piece played adagio that cuts down to the core of my being and on its way up brings out poems I never imagined I could write. Most poets will say they write to some type of music in their heads or in the background to spark the muse. Now it’s time to write about the music itself.
For today’s example is an excerpt from the poem, Listening to Jazz Now by Jimmy Santiago Baca:
Listening to jazz now, I’m happy
sun shining outside like it was my lifetime achievement award.
I’m happy,
with my friend and her dog up in Durango, her emailing
me this morning…
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Happy Writing!
-Enzo (INKpals)
Enzo Silon Surin on April 17th 2012 in National Poetry Month
Today’s assignment is to write a poem about yourself. A poet friend of mine gave this assignment a couple of years ago and it was very interesting to discover a number of things about myself that I didn’t really pay much attention to. One of the things I discovered was that at certain times I would get so consumed by my thoughts that I’d forget to breathe. Strange, huh? I began writing a number of poems after that, each discovering something new about myself; it was a wonderful exercise.
Today’s example is an excerpt from the poem, Self-Portrait by Adam Zagajewski:
Between the computer, a pencil, and a typewriter
half my day passes. One day it will be half a century.
I live in strange cities and sometimes talk
with strangers about matters strange to me…
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Happy Writing!
-Enzo (INKpals)
Enzo Silon Surin on April 16th 2012 in National Poetry Month
Today’s assignment is to write a poem about a poem. I know it sounds silly but it is called an Ars Poetica, meaning it is based on the art or nature of poetry. So basically it is writing a poem about the writing process or paying homage to poetry as a craft. One way you can start is by thinking what poetry means to or what you consider to be poetry.
Today’s example is an excerpt from a poem about everyday things. It’s really more of an exercise on process but have fun with it.
The Silence Poem
Poetry is Cassius chasing
his tail or maybe it’s me watching
my dog chasing his tail or just
maybe it’s my other dog Louie
watching me watching Cassius chasing his tail, waiting
to see what sort of words will make their way
out of my pen…
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Happy Writing!
-Enzo (INKpals)
Enzo Silon Surin on April 15th 2012 in National Poetry Month