by Carolee Sherwood
Rules are all around us. Nearly every moment of every day, we are presented with the choice of whether to follow the rules or break them. When at a street intersection, do you come to a complete stop or a rolling stop? Do you say please and thank you whenever you interact with an other person? Do you “do the right thing” when faced with temptations, like leftover Halloween candy, handsome strangers or new shoe purchases?
For this writing prompt, consider all the rules of your household, the laws of your community or the tenets your religion. Think about all the manners your parents tried to teach you. Research some of the rules of science, like velocity or natural selection. Bone up on the rules of traditional poetry.
Now write a poem about following the rules. As strictly as you know how.
I’m kidding. Have we just met? You know me better than that.
Actually, for this Read Write Prompt, write a poem that breaks the rules somehow. Maybe by showing us something impossible? (Violate gravity, for example.) Maybe by showing us something that challenges expectations? (Feed your kids cake for breakfast.) Maybe by showing us something you’re not supposed to do? (Pretend you’re 16 again. Your parents aren’t home. Party!)
Throw caution to the wind. Be naughty. Be unruly. And come back on Thursday and tell your Read Write Poem pals all about it. Don’t disappoint!
(Pretend you’re 16 again. Your parents aren’t home. Party!)
How did you know? Were you there?
Geez, I feel violated!
sounds fun! see you next week!
[...] crawl, brown fur against the dirt, as if it never occurred to them to fly. For the Read Write Poem prompt, “(not) following the rules.” Other responses are [...]