read write prompt #30
by Christine Swint
The prompt this week is the first line from Lucille Clifton’s poem, “Miss Rosie.” Close your eyes for a few moments and take a some slow, deep breaths. Repeat this line to yourself: “When I watch you”
Who are you watching? What sounds and smells do you recall? Where are you? Write a poem about what comes to mind.
If you want to collaborate, try alternating lines or stanzas with another poet, or even combine your lines randomly.
Lucille Clifton was born in 1936, in Depew, New York. Her long list of poetry collections, memoir, children’s books and awards can be found at poets.org and the PBS web site titled Poetry Series.
For an extra treat, listen to Lucille Clifton recite “Homage to My Hips.”
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get the read write poem badge! 
Wear it loud, wear it proud! Display the Read Write Poem badge on your site. Just click here or on the image above to get the code! read write poem news- ah, the question of too much poetry
March 17, 2010 | 11:37 am“The new math of poetry is driven not by reader demand for great or even good poetry but by the demand of myriads of aspiring poets to experience the thrill of ‘publication.’ “
So says David Alpaugh (along with a lot of other thoughtful things) in “The New Math of Poetry,” published last month in The Chronicle of Higher Education.
Read the article and let us talk. What say you?
- it’s a wrap: last stop on our (virtual) tour of molly gaudry’s ‘anatomy for the artist’
March 15, 2010 | 3:28 pm“I was physically drained by this poem. I understood it on my terms. If a poet’s innovative craftsmanship with form, word, sound, imagery, metaphor, can show me my own bones, then I want to read more of that poet’s work.”
Just a snippet from Wanda McCollar’s response to Molly Gaudry’s electronic chapbook, “Anatomy for the Artist.” Look for the entire post on Synecdochic Stuff and find the rest of our tour, below.
The first stop was Donna Vorreyer at her blog. Next up was Catherine Fitchett at Poetry Chook, Lawrence Gladeview at Righteous Rightings and Ren Powell at More Babel.
You can find complete information about this chapbook and tour here, including a link to where to find it and read it for yourself, online.
Next month’s tour will start mid-April. Don’t miss it!
- the (very) latest on our (virtual) tour of molly gaudry’s ‘anatomy for the artist’
March 11, 2010 | 2:25 pmRen Powell has just posted her take on Molly Gaudry’s electronic chapbook, “Anatomy for the Artist.” Find the post at More Babel.
And, in case you missed it, the first stop was Donna Vorreyer’s, at her blog. Next up was Catherine Fitchett at Poetry Chook and then Lawrence Gladeview at Righteous Rightings.
You can find information about this chapbook and tour here, including a link to where to find it and read it for yourself, online.
- a new poem every day in april (requires reading, not writing)
March 10, 2010 | 6:33 pm“Beginning April 1, Poets.org sends one new poem to your inbox each day to celebrate National Poetry Month. The poems have been selected from new books published in the spring.” Sign up here.
 Archive for read write poem news »
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First words this morning. I was going to write about the politic, thank you for a more pleasing challenge: Serendipity.
My tenth-grade students studied this poem a couple weeks ago and they loved it! Next year I’ll have them write their own beginning with the first line like you suggest here. What a great idea! Thanks!
[...] was written for the new Read Write Poem Prompt this week – to write a poem using “when I watch you”, the first line of Lucille [...]
I like the prompt! Here’s my poem, called “When I Watch You”:
http://ravenswingpoetry.com/2008/06/04/when-i-watch-you/
When I shut my eyes…I ended up in the head of Graham Dalton from “Sex, Lies, and Videotape”. Weird, I know, but here it is.
-Nicole
Hi Donald and Nicole.
Be sure to come back next Monday when get your poem on #30 is posted. That’s where you comment and give us your link. (People will miss it here…this is the prompt part of the exercise.)
Oh. No problem. I’ll make sure I repost my link Monday.
-Nicole
Donald and Nicole, how wonderful, you’ve already written your poem for this prompt! Would you mind coming back on Monday and linking to the post entitled, “Get your poem on?” Thanks. That way everyone will be able to read what you’ve written. This post is to anounce the prompt and to comment or offer feedback on it.
Linda, that is very serendipitous, to use Donald’s word. I’d love to read what your students come up with.
I wanted to add here as an aside to everyone, too, that even if you start with this prompt as the opening line of your poem, you can always not use the line, just the images it conjurs.
always playing catchup on this prompt… but i love what you offer… hopefully i can catch up… lucille is another great poet, thank you for the link…
http://eatsbugs.wordpress.com/2008/06/05/beat-dream-6508/
Hope you like it.
[...] read write poem prompt: start a poem with the lines when I watch you [...]
That poem……oh my, that poem.
[...] My poems were inspired by these three prompts: “catnap, “my nights” and “when I watch you.”) Technorati Tags: Sleep Poetry, Insomnia Verse, Husband Humor, Writing Prompts Home [...]
I posted a poem called Free that I wrote & now it’s not here…?
http://tinatrivett.blogspot.com/2008/06/free.html
eatsbugs & Tina,
Be sure to come back on Monday and post your link to the get your poem on #30 post. This is just for the prompt (but folks are clearly excited – woot – about this week’s prompt).
I just wrote a poem about watching (or not watching) my son–then I stopped by to see what the prompt was this week. I love the irony! Coincidence? Or is it…
jill, we’re all getting a similar vibe. We’re in tune with each other! Really, I don’t know, but I’ll call it serendipity. I hope you link your poem about your son.
I love Lucille Clifton–her work and the woman herself! I studied with her at UC Santa Cruz. If you ever get a chance to hear her read, go for it!
Thanks for bringing this moving poem to our attention!
And thanks for the excuse to post the poem I chose to put up!
[...] will be open, so you can leave a permalink to your blog post for this week’s contribution…when I watch you. * * [...]
Wow, I actually tried the prompt! Just wanted to add that I had the honor of having a poem workshopped with Lucille Clifton once, years ago. It was the prize, along with $50, for a competition through the Poetry Society of London. She is such a talented poet.
Okay, here’s the link to my rough attempt this week:
The Thing’s Gone Wrong
Here’s my take:
http://beansthought.blogspot.com/2008/06/prompt-when-i-watch-you.html
My first “prompt” attempt, not my last:
http://nibblepoems.wordpress.com/poems/
[...] is inspired by a prompt at readwritepoem – to write a poem based around the line “when I watch [...]
Here’s my poem…thanks for the prompt (It’s my first reply)
http://lfisher-writewhereiam.typepad.com/write_where_i_am/2008/06/and-more-about-the-garden.html