read write prompt #71: it’s all about the first line
by Cristine Swint
Most writing books, whether they are about poetry, fiction, or nonfiction, will advise the writer to begin with a great first sentence. Never mind the back story, just dive right in there and show us some action.
In Natalie Goldberg’s classic, Writing Down the Bones,* she showcases the poetry of Russell Edson, known as a prose poem virtuoso. Goldberg uses Edson’s poems as an example of strong first sentences.
Web Del Sol offers us a taste of Edson’s delightful poetry. Here’s a first line from Edson’s poem “The Wounded Breakfast”:
A huge shoe mounts up from the horizon
And here’s one found on The Poetry Foundation’s website, from Edson’s poem, “Sweet Tooth“:
A little girl made of sugar and spice and everything nice was eaten by someone with a sweet tooth the size of an elephant’s tusk.
The idea behind Russell Edson-type first lines is to let your imagination rip.
No holds barred. Just write it.
The prompt is to share your first line here in the comments section, and then take someone else’s, and write to that line. Write the line down, and then keep writing for ten minutes to see what happens. Then form your poem based on the free-write.
Another option is to combine half of one person’s line with your line, or someone else’s line.
Or you can write to your own first line.
If you do use one of the donated lines, be sure to link to the person’s blog or website and give credit. It’s about the community, right?
*Goldberg, Natalie (2005). Writing Down the Bones, p 72. Shambala.
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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- yes, yes, here’s another virtual book tour stop for ‘a walk through the memory palace’
February 6, 2010 | 11:37 amFind the latest tour stop for Pamela Johnson Parker’s debut collection, A Walk Through the Memory Palace at Jillypoet, Jill Crammond Wickham’s blog, where you can find an interview with Pamela that discusses how she creates manuscripts.
Previous stops include Daniel Romo at his blog, Peyote Soliloquies and James Brush at his blog, Coyote Mercury.
You can find all our plans for the tour here.
- the best of the web is in our ranks
February 6, 2010 | 11:35 amSarah J. Sloat’s poem,”Attending the Tasting” (published in The Literary Bohemian) has been selected for Best of the Web 2010. Congratulations, Sarah!
- another (w00t!) read write poem member on the joe milford poetry show
February 6, 2010 | 11:34 amOn the Joe Milford Poetry Show tomorrow (Feb. 6): W.F. Roby at 9 AM (PST). Find the show here!
Joe describes Will as a “great language poet and bad-ass.”
- ‘literary podcasting made simple with wordpress.com’
February 6, 2010 | 11:33 amDave Bonta has published a how-to article that might be of interest to WordPress users: “Literary Podcasting Made Simple with WordPress.com,” based on his and Beth Adams’ experience at Qarrtsiluni.
Thanks, Dave, for continuing to help make the community aware of technological resources that can expand our art.
- the latest (virtual) book tour stop for ‘a walk through the memory palace’
February 3, 2010 | 3:53 pmThe latest tour stop has been posted for Pamela Johnson Parker’s debut collection, A Walk Through the Memory Palace. Find out how Daniel Romo responded to the work at his blog, Peyote Soliloquies.
James Brush provided our first tour stop at his blog, Coyote Mercury.
You can find all our plans for the tour here.
- planning for napowrimo in april, and you are invited!
February 2, 2010 | 6:12 pmHello, hello dear Read Write Poem community members! We are in the planning stages for NaPoWriMo. (What? Is that a groan I hear, or an excited exclamation?)
We are planning another prompt-every-day for those folks who love to write a daily poem in April (which is, as most of you know, National Poetry Month in the United States — although there is an international following of writing poetry every day in April, too, so it is not just about the States).
Anyway! This is a call for prompts because we want to run your ideas, one every day, in April. So here’s what to do:
- Prompts must be no more than 250 words, and we will take the first 30 that we receive.
- Include “NaPoWriMo Prompt” in the subject line of your email as well as your username (e.g., the name you use when you log in) so we can match you up with your prompt and give you the link love.
- Email your submission (in the body of the email — no attachments please) to prompts (at) readwritepoem (dot) org!
We’ll let you know when we’ve got the 30, but don’t delay because it takes a lot of time to format the posts and we want to be ready come April Fools’ Day. Woohoo!
- new senior contributors at read write poem
February 2, 2010 | 11:51 amWe are thrilled to announce that Ren Powell and Dave Jarecki are moving into the senior contributor role at Read Write Poem. Both have been writing feverishly for the site, as well as providing ideas for content and for the community as a whole. In short, they make this site a more lively, and better, place.
Ren and Dave will fill the roles vacated by Carolee Sherwood and Jill Crammond Wickham, who have moved into the manager role.
Everyone please thank Ren and Dave for their hard work and commitment to Read Write Poem.
- rounding out the virtual book tour of sarah j. sloat’s ‘in the voice of a minor saint’
January 31, 2010 | 1:53 pmOur last stop on the Virtual Book Tour of Sarah J. Sloat’s In the Voice of a Minor Saint is with Ren Powell. Find Ren’s review at More Babel.
Joseph Harker provided our first stop in December, and you can find David Moolten’s review at Edible Detritus. David’s was followed by Dave Jarecki’s. Dave’s review is at his blog. Find Jill Crammond Wickham’s at Jillypoet: Mom Trying to Write.
In case you missed the introduction, we are (virtually) hosting Sarah J. Sloat’s In the Voice of a Minor Saint. For complete tour information, such as how you can get your own copy of the collection or how you can get involved in future tours, read this post.
- make your own book: get off the computer and onto the paper
January 30, 2010 | 4:19 pmBeth Adams has posted her latest project at The Cassandra Pages. “A Handmade Book” may not explicate all the details of bookbinding, but Beth shows readers the “Secret Belgian Binding.” It’s a beautiful as well as inspiring post.
If you would like more detailed instructions, Google “secret Belgian bookbinding” and find sites such as this one. Or look for a local book arts class for hands-on instruction.
As Beth says, ” … it did me good to get away from the computer and feel my hands at work!”
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if i could wake the sun up now, i would
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When Godzilla flattens your car on Monday morning
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Balanced on the season’s seesaw pivot
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Five thousand ants careen down a hillside
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Wind tears silk petals from plastic stalks
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Dreams like dew in the early morning
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The drunks were inside at the bar
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every old lady lives in a shoe
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through rough patchwork fields
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The first exhibit is enough to put
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they towered before us clad in the colors of wonder
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• on a distant knoll in a sun-drizzled mist
• like a night breeze through my open window
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+ desert sky circles
+her daughter now motherless (first line of a second verse of a recent pantuoum)
So much of my poetry is haiku, so I have short first lines.
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She cradled the frozen bulb in her mouth
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I’m very certain she shined like lapis lazuli
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Here is my poem
I used “every old lady lives in a shoe”
for first line
by carolee
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Hey Wayne, Slow down and smell the poetry. Come back Thursday to share your writing!
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will do
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The water presses blue and deep against this dam
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don’t get caught leaving the trailer park at 4 a.m.
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We’ll love beyond the brazen fields above the starry fold
(from my latest poem)
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OH! Some really great lines here.
Here’s mine:
I took a stroll through my soul.
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[...] The first line was donated by throws his words, a fellow Portlander, via the first-line prompt at Read Write Poem. [...]
I know that life has loved me.
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that word you lost I found it under a rock
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[...] week’s Read Write Poem Prompt was “It’s All About the First Line.” We participants all donated a first line for other poets to use as a first line to write their poem [...]
Blood drips from my eyes
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drowning in a sea of blood
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less than complete he walked away
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If amnesia were a disease, I would excuse myself
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The cavity of the beast whispers of moonfish, thick-skinned and arrogant
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[...] is for Read Write Poem: It’s all about the First Line. The idea was that participants would contribute a line of poetry and then choose someone [...]
[...] I don’t know. I started one place, from the first line of course, the poetry prompt from Christine’s first line prompt at RWP a number of days ago. And I added an image to the mix. One from the artist Christine used for the [...]