‘Tis the season of the heart here in the US. Heart-shaped valentines. Candy hearts. Big red heart boxes of chocolate candy. But have no fear. We’re not into clichés around here. We’re celebrating, all right, but not just hearts. Hearts. Hands. Feet. Stomachs. Ribs.

This week, we’re writing odes: poems of celebration and praise. Our subject, in keeping with the passion of February 14, is the body.

Here’s a brief history. One of the most ancient forms of poetry, odes were originally meant to be sung in public. (Go ahead! We dare you!) Over the centuries, the ode became a form heavy with classical references and “great” themes, its tone lofty and solemn (although, John Keats of “Ode on a Grecian Urn” fame, did write an ode about the poet John Milton’s hair).

Then, along came Chilean poet Pablo Neruda. Neruda wrote odes in everyday language about everyday things and people. He praised. He exaggerated. He made you want to run to your sock drawer and take a pair out to dinner.  You can read some of his odes here.

Beginning with a metaphor that establishes the greatness of the subject, Neruda would often conclude with a moral or philosophical note. However, rather than instruct, Neruda emphasized what he learned from the experience with the thing or person celebrated in the poem.

Your mission this week at Read Write Poem, should you choose to accept it, is to write an ode on the body. Your body or someone else’s. You might write about your toddler’s toes, your lover’s bellybutton, your father’s ailing heart (my inspiration for this prompt). Write about any old body part you might be in love with, no matter the owner. Just dig deep and show us the love!

*Of course, in the spirit of diversity and poetic liscense, you may also write an anti-ode. Curse the belly you hate. The shoulders that sag. The nose that threatens to tip you over.  The feet that toe-in…

~Jill.

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Come back starting next Monday after midnight (CST) to share parts of your poetry! Or your poetry parts.


4 Responses to “read write prompt #14: love poem to your crooked toes, or: writing an ode”

  1. 1 SB

    A reader has sent me a poem, hoping, I think, to begin a Valentine Haiku Dance: http://www.sbpoet.com/2008/02/valentine.html

    You are all invited to come play!

  2. 2 Christine

    Fun stuff, Jill!

  1. 1 This Haiku Has Legs » MAD KANE'S HUMOR BLOG
  2. 2 Via Negativa » Blog Archive » Ode to a newspaper article

WEEKLY READ WRITE PROMPT

July 2, 2008 — The current Get Your Poem On post is here. This is where you leave us a link to your blog, this week in response to Dana ShuffleWords idea, or any other kind of word play. (Or see if RWP-Twitter is for you!)

Next week's prompt will light you up. Thanks, Jill!



WEEKLY READ WRITE ARTICLES

June 26, 2008 — This month Jessica tells us which poets she first picked out to read, all on her own, because she wanted to. Who did you pick out?

Tom's Informal Talk About Forms has got more rhythm.

Christine's latest installment of Get The Lead Out discusses epigraphs. It's an inspired article.

We've been wanting more read here at Read Write Poem and Juliet brings it with her review of Spoken Word Revolution Redux.

January gives us a primer on revision.



POLL DANCE

July 5, 2008 — This time Carolee talks about how we talk about poetry we may not understand straight away in her "poll dance".

There's a new poll up. Yeah, a day early.



RANDOM PROMPTS

A different word or phrase will appear here each time you visit the site or refresh the page. Your current prompt is — flirt



RANDOM WRITING TIP

Think of something that is usually portrayed a certain way in your culture (bunny rabbits are sweet, dark rooms are frightening), and write a poem that challenges those assumptions.



RANDOM READING TIP

Familiarize yourself with local second-hand bookstores. Often they have cheap volumes of classics and well-known modern poets, and they will frequently carry obscure poets. This can be a great, cheap way to read someone new.



RANDOM COLLABORATING TIP

Send one of your poems to a collaborator so he or she can write a companion piece.


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