NaPoWriMo 2017 - Prompt #12 - Refocus the Pronoun

Our usual starting focus.

We approach poetry from the base of our own experience.  It is therefore no surprise that many poems are written from the perspective of the first person - the "I."  But sometimes we gravitate to this kind of focus when another would better suit.  Especially for emotional poetry, the first person perspective can be overwhelming and sometimes even overwrought.  Exploring points of view can generate new ideas and new options we had not considered.  Exploring both second and third person pronouns can breathe new life into your creation.

Prompt #12:  Idea One - Take a poem you have previously written from the point of view of "I" and refocus it - either change the pronouns to something like "you," "they," "E," "Xe," or remove the need for pronouns completely.  What does this refocusing do to the poem?  Does it reinforce the main ideas, emphasize the imagery, or distance the reader?  Idea Two - If you don't have a poem to start with, then use this prompt as a chance to craft something new that's not from the "I" point of view.  Explore how the same poem changes if you craft it from different points of view.

Not sure which old poem I will choose, but of course it will be something in the sci-fi, horror, or fantasy genres.

Did you use this or one of our other prompts?  You can post your poem in our comments, if you like.

Happy Writing!

Prompts crafted by:
J.A. Grier, Senior Scientist and Education Specialist, Planetary Science Institute
Amy Grier, Managing Editor, Solstice Literary Magazine
Image Credits: "I" GNU Free Documentation License, Wikimedia Commons