by Andre Tan
What does the brilliant burst of light in this week’s Read Write (Image) Prompt evoke in you? Hope? Joy? A fear of aliens?
Is your eye drawn to the details of the physical space? Does graffiti anger or inspire you? Are you curious about the dilapidated state of the building? What happened? What takes place in the room now or in the future? Who is or has been there?
Perhaps the photo sparks something less literal in your mind.
As writers and artists, many of us wonder what kind of positive effect our work can make on the world. At the height of this holiday season, we’d like to offer an easy way for the Read Write Poem community to make a modest difference, through poetry, in the lives of those in need.
For every poem written in response to this prompt, the Read Write Poem directors will donate one food item (or its cash equivalent, up to a total of $150) to Hopelink, an organization that supports the homeless, low-income families, the elderly and people with disabilities in the Seattle area.
Leave any initial thoughts that you might have about this prompt in the comments section of this post, then leave links to your work next Thursday in the comments section of the Get Your Poem On post.
Happy holidays, everyone!
(Note: If you include this photo in your post along with your poem, make sure you credit the artist.)
Andre Tan is Read Write Poem’s technology director. Whenever the right side of his brain subdues the left side with an oversized ACME mallet, he can be found creatively frolicking with a motley assortment of poets, filmmakers, actors and other artists.
Brilliant idea on the food donations… who says poetry can’t help those in need?
I like the idea of gifting!
(wondrous bright image)
The donation idea was Andre’s. I think it’s wonderful. Thank you, Andre.
Is it weird that I see a little robot dude in the floorboards? Its head is shaped like a stop sign.
Christmas
What if she didn’t know—
Mary—that her newborn
was special?
What if this peasant girl
thought the stable just went
with her position,
the way of the world?
What did she make
of this precocious lad
confounding the learned
in the temple?
She got used to
some of his ways.
She turned to him
for a solution
at the marriage feast.
She saw his dangerous
controversy.
She saw in agony,
his, executed as a
criminal.
What did she think
of him
after he was gone?
From Allan Cox’s collection, “Thin Wall of Radiance.”
Copyright© 2009, all rights reserved.
One more short one on the theme:
Retrospect
Dark gray sky
this Advent—
a reminder
of the stories
of the darkness
at the “It is done”
of the crucifixion.
Without Easter
there can be
no Christmas.
Fantastic prompt, Andre — really great.
Now this IS Christmas spirit that I support! Great idea Andre!!!
And I love image prompts too.
Inspiring. That’s my first thought. Thank you for forcing my hand.
wonderful idea.
adds a whole new dimension to “eat your words”
The first word that came to me was “YES!”
That’s what this image says to me. The rest of the prompt is delectable gravy….
Thanks everybody! Feel free to share this prompt with others. We’d love to max out the donation AND read some great work!
Great image – and a wonderful idea for the donations. Now I will have to post this week!
http://kondratas.wordpress.com/2009/12/27/new-dawn/
Thank you to Joseph Harker for informing me of the opportunity to write for this charitable cause, like Hopelink. Happy Holidays!
Thank you, RWP for the prompt.
Great idea, Andre. Can’t wait to contribute…
[...] Notes: Reference is made to Adrienne Rich’s Hunger. For every poem written in response to this prompt, the Read Write Poem directors will donate one food item (or its cash equivalent, up to a total of $150) to Hopelink, an organization that supports the homeless, low-income families, the elderly and people with disabilities in the Seattle area. Read here. [...]
nice prompt…it is one thing to share poetry…however everything is about SHARING EVERYTHING…..thanking you
I came here for some inspiration and again, the prompt brought tears to my eyes.
Glow of inner self. This picture is just so moving
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Shotgun House
Sunrise bursts through the eastern window
Sends its magic bullet zooming between the
Walls, above the floor, rips apart the dreams
Of the sleepers. Everything suddenly naked
And exposed, the graffiti carrying the latest
Code, satanic symbols once erased glitter
With fresh paint , the artists mutter curses
As the glare brightens
This is not its territory, this alien sunlight
Nosing around where no one wants it –
Unable to hide from its unblinking glare
The spiders, mice, roaches, scramble
Into the cracks between the boards
The larger residents – those who can
Walk away curse again, curse the sun
That cannot be stopped curse the night
For disappearing, curse the darkness that
Wouldn’t stay, curse their need to go out
Into the daylight and find a darker
Habitation where they can hide until
The night returns.
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