Four Poems in The Were-Traveler

My poem 'Finish the Job' is a macabre
look at a mummy in the making.

Time is doing that thing it does where it flies by so fast I can't keep up.  I've realized that I had some poems published in December and never blogged about them here!  Since this is indeed already April, and National Poetry Month, I think it is appropriate to call your attention to the issue (which I think is a good read.)  It is Issue #19 - Speculative Poetry, over at The Were-Traveler.  I have four poems in this issue that is jam-packed with 71 poems of the sci-fi, fantasy, horror, science, or just plain strange variety.

The four poems I have appearing in the issue are:  Finish the Job, Token of Affection, Flight School, and The Perfect Poem … Tribute.  For three of these poems the editor selected a piece of art or other image to highlight the poem.  So if you haven't had your fix of speculative poetry today, pop on by and give them a read!

Image Credit:  Mummy, Wikimedia Commons, GNU Free Use 1.2

NaPoWriMo 2017 - Prompt #11 - Breaking the Rules

The Moon as seen from the International Space Station,
hanging over the limb of the Earth.  Not your standard
view of the Moon - this image evokes something new.

A common bit of advice in writing is "Learn the Rules, Break the Rules."  Something very fresh can happen when we seem to be following along a known path, and then go somewhere unexpected.  So what are some of the "rules" of poetry, if there is such a thing?  Here are a few you may have heard:

• Don't write cliches.  Cliched poems include poetry about the Moon, your dog, and your breakup.
• Don't use epigraphs.  These are those bits of quotes or song lyrics at the top of your writing showing your inspiration source. 
• Don't use a word in all capitals.  This is SHOUTING in your poem.
• Don't write "doggerel" forms like Limericks or "Greeting Card" verse.
• Don't break classic forms.  For example, don't change the standard rhyme scheme of a sonnet.
• Always be honest.  The standard wisdom is that the truth resonates with the reader.

Prompt #11:  Write a poem that breaks a "rule" of poetry writing.  Use an epigraph, write a Limerick, or tell a lie.  Why did you choose to break this particular "rule?"  It what way does breaking this rule give you as the writer some additional freedom?  It what ways does breaking the rule impose new limits?  As you craft your poem, look for ways to use this broken rule to bring something unexpected and new into the work.

There is no "For something more specific ..." today!  Just go and break rules.

Of course I'll be breaking the rules with some aspect of sci-fi, horror, or fantasy.  Maybe it is time for yet another poem about the Moon ...

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: Moon, NASA

NaPoWriMo 2017 - Prompt #10 - The Mundane

The mundane spoon.
Where can this concept lead?

Consider the spoon.  It is a simple, everyday object.  It does not seem to have much about it that one might consider poetic.  But there are many different ways to consider the humble spoon ... how about 'spooning' as sleeping next to someone, a souvenir spoon collection,  a spoon used as a percussion instrument, or 'spoon feeding' someone information?  And of course there are strange crossovers like the 'spork.'

There is a paradox in poetry - the more specific and concrete the language and imagery, the more universal and accessible the poem becomes.  A poem that is more general and less specific is less relatable.  Therefore, writing about the mundane creates pathways for the reader to enter and engage with the poem.   

Here are a few other thoughts about the spoon ...

"I was born with a plastic spoon." - Pete Townshend
"Gag me with a spoon." - Valley talk, attributed to Moon Unit Zappa among many others ...
"Ten thousand spoons when all you need is a knife." - Not an example of irony, by Alanis Morisette
"Spoon!" - Battle cry of comic hero The Tick.

Prompt #10:  Write a poem about a spoon (or other specific, concrete, mundane object).  Consider some of the ideas above about the spoon, and others like taking medicine, measuring ingredients, or stirring tea.  Consider what it is made out of, what it holds (or once held) and if it still matches the set.  Craft your poem to be as specific as possible about your mundane object.

To make the prompt more detailed, you can write a sonnet about your mundane object, and put a little surprise about it in your final couplet.

Of course I'll be wondering what mundane aspect of sci-fi, horror, or fantasy I need to consider.

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: Dessert Spoon CC 3.0 Wikimedia Commons

NaPoWriMo 2017 - Prompt #9 - Jargon

A slice of the gorgeous meteorite Esquel, with its clasts of
gem-like peridot (olivine).  Meteorites are often studied by
Cosmochemists to learn more about the early Solar System.

Continuing along the idea of language, our next prompt deals with "jargon."  Jargon is a unique vocabulary that is commonly associated with a job or discipline.  For example, let's look at some of the words found in the discipline of Cosmochemistry.  There we find words and phrases such as:  ternary diagram, cosmic abundances, chondritic, CRE age, presolar grains, and mass spectrometry.  These words all have a very specific meaning to me, and help me understand more precisely what another scientist is trying to say.  However, if I were not familiar with Cosmochemistry, many of these terms would mean nothing, or worse, create misconceptions.  Jargon can include slang or an in-group language.  It can separate those who are included from those who are not.  Or it can include more people by attempting to specifically clarify meanings.

Prompt #9:  Write a poem that uses at least one word of jargon from a single discipline or source.  Are you using this word to be more specific, that is, to better communicate an idea?  Or are you using it to create a lack of understanding and distance?  Is your use of jargon one that creates an air of authority or expertise around your poem?  Is the language used to protect and shield, or to open and reveal?  Consider these questions when crafting your poem.

For something more specific, and a little bit of fun, use a rhyme scheme in your poem where one or more jargon words are rhymed.  Need some additional fun?  When crafting your poem, use a discipline with which you are completely unfamiliar, so that is requires some research to write.

The fields of science fiction, horror, and fantasy have their own jargon.  So perhaps I'll look there for a bit of inspiration, myself.

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:  Esquel  CC 2.0 Wikimedia Commons

NaPoWriMo 2017 - Prompt #8 - Absence

In a field / I am the absence / of field.

In the poem "Keeping Things Whole" by Mark Strand, we encounter a unique treatment of the concept of absence.  A recognition that, just by being, we must create a space for ourselves within the larger environment.  We push ourselves into the air, the flowers, the wheat.  Where we are, those things are not.  Then we pass through, and the field remains nothing but a field once again.  Absence is so much more than a empty place.  In some Asian architecture and decorating, the lack of a item or piece of furniture is just as important as a piece placed elsewhere. (i.e. Feng Shui)  The nothingness has both form and function.

Prompt #8:  Write a poem that evokes absence.  Consider the concept in its broadest sense.  Write the poem that grapples with nothingness - its definition, its function, and the emotions around it.  Consider loss - the space once claimed by a person, animal, or place that used to be in your life.  Perhaps it is the loss of a function, a role, a job, or friends.  Write the poem that explores something that is not there.

For something more specific, try playing with the white space on the page.  Play with line lengths, word spacing, and paragraph breaks.

And of course I'll be considering the concept of absence as reflected in science fiction, horror, and fantasy.

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: A Field in Belgium

By I, Luc Viatour, CC BY-SA 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=998412

NaPoWriMo 2017 - Prompt #7 - Counting Up and Down

Counting - a way to win, and a way to know you've won.

The whole concept of numbers and the process of counting is fascinating.  Carl Sagan says, "The simplest thought, like the concept of the number one, has an elaborate logical underpinning."  Imagine then the processing behind the otherwise straightforward act of counting from one to ten.  Go from there to think about just how many things we count - time, music, money, collections, and so much more, and we realize counting is part of the complex language of culture - the how and why we count.

Prompt #7:  Write a poem that evokes the concept of counting.  Imagine some of these examples to get you started:  counting to ten when angry, counting the minutes going by as we wait impatiently, counting in a number system other than base ten, such as binary, counting and skipping a number, countdowns, awarding prizes in order of first, second, third, counting cards, and all the words we use for things that are counted.

For something more specific, try writing your poem in a verse structure, like a sonnet, that requires the counting of lines and rhymes.

And of course I'll be considering different aspects of counting as reflected in science fiction, horror, and fantasy!

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: RoyalFlushHearts, public domain.  Wikimedia Commons

NaPoWriMo 2017 - Prompt #6 - Poetry from Art

Medusa, the Gorgon of legend.  What do you see
in this work of art?  A creature of horror or of pathos?
 A mood that's grim or that is sad?  How does the dark,
monotone color palette work in this piece?

If you have been reading my blog through the years, you know my fascination with using art as inspiration for writing.  I've had the honor of posting some amazing pieces of art here, mostly with permission of artists on Deviant Art.  So of course, eventually, "poems inspired by art" would have to come up in the prompt list for this year's NaPoWriMo.  The official term for this is "ekphrastic poetry" and it has a long and glorious history (of course!).

Here are some call backs to great art that has appeared on this blog evoking fantasy, science fiction, and horror themes.

"Colchian"
"Reborn"
"A Fada Azul"
"Space"
"Yorick's Date Tonight"
"I Did Not Do It"

Prompt #6:  Find a work of art that intrigues you, and write a poem that invokes the piece.  Are you focusing on the colors in the art?  Is there an apparent 'theme' or story in the image?  Is there a mood or emotion that interests you?  Consider these sorts of questions as you ponder your poem.

For something more specific, use a photo that you took yourself as the inspiration for your poem.

If you, like me, are considering different aspects of science fiction, horror, and fantasy, then definitely check out the six pieces of art above, and flip through any posts labeled with "Prompt the Muse" for additional inspiration.

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: Medusa, public domain.  Wikimedia Commons

NaPoWriMo 2017 - Prompts #4 and #5 - Making Words, Making Lists

Oldest known picture of a dragon, Ishtar Gate
What name would you make up for it?

Time to play a little catch up!  I was not feeling well yesterday, so I have two prompts to post for today (not to mention two poems to write).

So for prompt #4 we are going to expand on the language idea from prompt #3.  This time, you will be including a word or words that you make up!  You've probably seen plenty of poems with nonsense words or words the author has 'coined' themselves.  A classic is Jabberywocky by Lewis Caroll. 

Prompt #4:  Write a poem with a word or words that you make up.  Do your made up words have meaning or are they utter nonsense?  What is the reader's experience with these words - will they perceive a meaning from context, or will the words remain mysterious?  How do the words function in the poem?  Are they used to create a sense of confusion, playfulness, or perhaps alienation?  Consider these questions as you make up your words and craft your poem.

For something more specific, try writing your poem such that the nonsense word is repeated several times.  You can decide if this helps to underscore the meaning and emotion, or if it changes from one use to the next.

For prompt #5 we are going to take a look at a Japanese form known as zuihitsu - "fragmented ideas that typically respond to the author's surroundings" or "random jottings."  Kimiko Hahn says of the form that it is "a kind of randomness that is not really random, but a feeling of randomness ... can also resemble other Western forms: lists, journals ... Letter writing, diary form."

Prompt #5:  Write a poem in the form of zuihitsu.  To focus your writing, use the Western form of a list poem with at least 8 items on the list.  What is the relationship between the items?  How is the poem both random, and yet not?  How does the list form serve the poem?  Think about these questions as you create your poem.

To be more specific, try a list poem like a "Top Ten" list, numbering backwards from ten to one.  How does this sort of form change your approach to writing the poem?

And of course, as usual, I'll be trying to imagine how to do both of these through a speculative theme like science fiction, fantasy, or horror.

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: Dragon Image - CC 2.5 - Ishtar Gate Dragon

NaPoWriMo 2017 - Prompt #3 - The Lens of Language

A view juxtaposing language and culture.
This is the largest statue of Nichiren in Japan.
Sado Island, Japan.

Our prompt for the third day of NaPoWriMo 2017 is one that looks at language.  It is common enough to find poems with a word or line in another language, but have you explored this yourself, as a writer?  As we know, language is far more than a kind of code, it is an integral part of culture and how we form and express thoughts.

Prompt #3:  Write a poem with one line in a foreign language.  Do you expect your reader to be able to understand the line?  How does it work in the poem if the reader understands it literally, or not?  How does having multiple languages in your poem change the experience of reading the poem?  Is the change used for emphasis, to evoke a cultural association, or to express emotion?  Consider the answers to these questions as you craft your poem.

If you want something more specific, try writing your poem two ways, with long line lengths, and then short line lengths, and see how this works for you.

And of course, as usual, I'll be trying to imagine how to do this through a speculative theme like science fiction, fantasy, or horror.  I might try a fictitious language like Tolkien's elven tongue, if I'm feeling particularly ambitious.

Happy Writing!

Prompts crafted by:
J.A. Grier, Senior Scientist and Education Specialist, Planetary Science Institute
Amy Grier, Managing Editor, Solstice Literary Magazine
Image Credit:  My picture taken by me on Sado Island, Japan.