Ball State University 308 Prompt Book III

ENG 308 Prompt Book Volume III

Ball State University Spring 2015

Acknowledgements Students in ENG 308: Poetry Writing created this book of prompts at Ball State University during the fall term of 2015. Students pulled their ideas from personal experience, course readings, others’ prompts, Internet resources, each other’s interests and poems. Each was written in the spirit of the “double-­‐dog dare”—we challenged each other to stretch our imaginations, our talents, and our expectations of what we thought possible. In total, the class produced 205 prompts, which students (collectively) used to write over 480 poems during the term in their poetry journals. For more information, please contact Liz Whiteacre at lizwhiteacre@bsu.edu.

It is our hope this prompt book will continue to inspire poems.

Cover art by Hattie Whiteacre.

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Table of Contents Griffin Buckley

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Letter Poem Overheard Poem Regret Poem Couldn’t Finish Something Jealousy Poem

Alisha Crump

8

Roommate Issues Prompt Favorite Restaurant Sun and Moon Significant Other Bad Habit

James Gartner

9

Epic Prompt Consequences Last Time Prompt Love/Hate

Nathan Hueber

10

Depression Poem Clichés Create a Character Epic Rap Battle!

Drinks on the House!

L. A. Knott

11

Misleading Poem Emulate Poe American Horror Heaven vs. Hell A Dumb Thing to Be Sad about

Drew Miles

12

Left Foot Inscription Wild Weather Disappearance Huh? Backwards Sense

Luke Miller

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Mac vs. PC Prompt Book Prompt Night Sky Poem

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Movie Theater Prompt Apocalypse Prompt

Casey Misner

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Write a Short Epic Monster’s Perspective Train of Thought Prompt Paradox Prompt Loss Prompt

Peter Moskalew

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Drawing Inspiration from Each Other LOL Poem Same Title, Different Poem Fee-­‐fi-­‐fo-­‐fum Da-­‐dum da-­‐dum da-­‐dum da-­‐dum da-­‐dum Prompt A Frank Poem

Allison Nusbaum

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Spiritual Poem Technology Prompt Bodies of Water Bodies Prompt Confusion and Pain Prompt

Brandon Phillips

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My Body Try This Tanka We Found Land 50 Shades of Grey

Austin Prather

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Bouncing Through Life What Are You Thinking Vices Nature Haiku Fountain of Youth

Chris Robinson

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Spirit Prompt Afterlife Prompt Writing Prompt Season Prompt Old Friend Prompt

Jessica Rose Self-­‐Actualization

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Someone You Admire Film Noir Happiest Moment Disappointment

Katie Savage

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Travel Anxiety Prompt Sculpture Prompt College Conformity Prompt Energy Prompt Van Gogh

Hannah Schneider

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Happy 50 words Lalalala Watching Strangers Sound Prompt

Matt Spack

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Grey’s Anatomy Poem Bon Fire Poem College Party Poem Middle School Poem Spring Break Poem

Conner Strack

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Being Blunt Lyrics Prompt Animal Anatomy Your Own Animated Film Breaking A Law of Physics

T. J. Tekulve

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Drop It Just Wake Up Aging Medicine Follow the Form (but not really)

Rick Thompson

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Lost Love 2nd Hand Prompt Laundromat Old Age Downtown Blues

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Jennifer Wells

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Comfortable Poem Gift Prompt Interesting Photo Mirror Poem Future Poem

Liz Whiteacre Letter/Direct Address Prompt Narrative Prompt Sensory Candy Flavor Exercise Occasional Poem What’s Missing?

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Griffin Buckley Letter Poem Write a prose poem that is written more as a letter to someone. They can be dead or alive.

Overheard Poem Write a poem either titled or made up of overheard conversations.

Regret Poem Write a poem about the time you bought something or you accepted something from a person and immediately regretted it.

Couldn’t Finish Something Write a poem about a time you couldn’t finish something and the struggles that went along with it.

Jealousy Poem Write a poem about a time you were jealous of someone or something and you ended up being cast out.

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Alisha Crump

Roommate Issues Prompt Write a poem about an issue or issues with a roommate.

Favorite Restaurant Write a poem about your favorite restaurant.

Sun and Moon Write a poem about the sun and moon or write a poem about each of them separately.

Significant Other Write a poem about your current significant other. If you do not have a significant other, then write about the kind of person whom you would want to be with.

Bad Habit Write a poem about a bad habit.

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James Gartner

Epic Prompt Write a poem in the style of epic poetry.

Consequences Write a poem about making a choice and the consequences of the decision.

Last Time Prompt Write a poem about the last time you saw someone you never saw again.

Love/Hate Write a love poem to someone you hate, real or fictional.

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Nathan Hueber

Depression Poem Write a poem (ten lines or more long) about depression, a character who deals with depression, or just the general feeling of depression.

Clichés Write a poem, length does not matter, about clichés or phrases used too often.

Bonus points if you can use a clichés within the poem.

Create a Character Write a poem that creates a character. You should give a name to the character (does not have to be a person) and attempt to give them a voice as well as either a background or a present situation. Make me want to read another poem about this character!

Epic Rap Battle!

Attempt to write a poem about a rap battle (use the movie 8 Mile as a reference).

You could write about the experience of being in a rap battle, the actual raps a person might use, or even about the feelings it might bring up. Be sure to utilize rhymes and rhythm. Extra points if you can throw in a few slams (school yard jokes) or crazy word play.

Drinks on the House!

Write a poem about an experience with alcohol.

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L. A. Knott

Misleading Poem Write a poem that is misleading in its title and subject.

Emulate Poe Write a poem that mirrors Edgar Allan Poe’s style.

American Horror

Write a poem about a horrific American tragedy ( a serial killer, a school shooting, a fire, etc.). It can be about a true event or one you imagine. Just make sure you make it clear to your readers that the event takes place in America.

Heaven vs. Hell

Write a poem in 10 lines about your own personal Heaven or Hell. What does it feel like? What is there that makes it your Heaven or Hell?

A Dumb Thing to Be Sad about

Write a poem about something that made you sad, specifically something dumb that shouldn’t have made you sad, but did.

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Drew Miles

Left Foot Type up a poem about the advantages of hands with your left big toe.

Inscription Write a poem that would serve as an inscription on the back of an old photograph.

Wild Weather Write a four-­‐stanza poem, each stanza describing a different weather event (i.e. tornado, hurricane, thunderstorm, blizzard, Indian summer). For a twist, rearrange a few lines between stanzas.

Disappearance Write a poem about a character who enters a restaurant to find it inexplicably empty, with every indication that people had been eating there just moments prior to the character’s arrival.

Huh? Backwards Sense Write a poem that makes no sense. Now rewrite it backwards.

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Luke Miller

Mac vs. PC Prompt Write a poem in which you pick a side in the Mac vs. PC argument. What makes one of them better than the other? What makes one worse?

Book Prompt Write a poem about reading a book. You can focus on the sensory details of the experience or the knowledge you gain from the book, whether you like it or dislike it, etc. Be creative!

Night Sky Poem Write a poem about looking up into the night sky. What is the weather like? What do you see?

Movie Theater Prompt Write a poem about the experience of seeing a movie at a movie theater. This can be about any part of the theater experience (getting concessions, actually seeing the movie, or the anticipation of seeing the movie, etc.). Be creative and have fun!

Apocalypse Prompt Write a poem that has to do with the apocalypse. It can be post-­‐apocalyptic, at the start of it, whatever. Be creative!

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Casey Misner

Write a Short Epic Write a short epic or maybe an event that’s part of a larger epic. Take inspiration from Homer.

Monster’s Perspective Write a poem from the perspective of a monster (or ghost or spirit or demon, etc.

Something spooky).

Train of Thought Prompt Write a poem expressing the literal train of thought the narrator (doesn’t have to be you) has while doing something.

Paradox Prompt Write a poem that involves some kind of paradox, or even multiple paradoxes, or may it’s about a certain paradox. Basically involve paradoxes in some way.

A paradox is a statement that contradicts itself, or something seemingly absurd but actually ends up making sense, or something that seems to make sense but actually ends up being absurd.

Loss Prompt Write a metaphoric poem about loss. Or just a poem about loss in general. I mean it’d be cool if you made it metaphoric, I guess.

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Peter Moskalew

Drawing Inspiration from Each Other

Choose from a poem you have workshopped in class and use that as inspiration for a poem (or poems). It can be a direct line, the idea, the structure, etc that inspires you.

Maybe you are inspired by Sara, a graduation, a soft fwumph, etc.

LOL Poem

Write a poem that has been inspired by a joke (the poem does not have to be funny).

Same Title, Different Poem

Write a poem that has the same title as a poem that we've already read in/for class (e.g. “Percussion Grenade,” “Who/What/When/Where/Why,” “The Big Permission,” etc.). Take the poem in a different direction, maybe your percussion grenade is a watermelon that is about to be smashed by Gallagher as his eager audience waits for the wet shrapnel to hit their plastic shields.

Fee-­‐fi-­‐fo-­‐fum

Write a poem about a giant, or perhaps from a giant's perspective.

Da-­‐dum da-­‐dum da-­‐dum da-­‐dum da-­‐dum Prompt

Write a poem in iambic pentameter.

A Frank Poem

Write a poem where each line is from a Sinatra song (lyrics or title). Obviously you would/should use more than one song.

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Allison Nusbaum

Spiritual Poem

Write a poem about spirituality, religious or otherwise. It can be about a specific experience, your thoughts on spirituality in general or your own spirituality in particular.

Technology Prompt

Write a poem about technology. It can be about an old piece of technology (or old technology in general), new technology (or new technology in general), the pace of technology, or its effect on yourself or society.

Bodies of Water

Write a poem about a specific body of water – a dam or stream or marsh, pond, waterfall, etc. Or write about the types of bodies of water and compare them all or just a pair. Or write about a specific body of water that is relevant or sentimental to you (ex. The pond at your grandparents’ house where you played during the summer or something).

Bodies Prompt

Write a poem comparing the bodies of two animals (humans included). Can be particular (that particular cat to that particular rhino, etc) or general species traits.

Confusion and Pain Prompt

Write a poem about pain, being in pain or being confused.

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Brandon Phi llips

My Body Write a poem about your body. Write about the good things, the things you really appreciate, that on most days you wouldn't notice. This poem may be any length, but make sure to get into detail!

Try This Use this in a poem or as inspiration: We are infinite.

Tanka Write a tanka poem about something you love. It can be your cat or dog or mom or dad.

Tanka is like a haiku but with two extra lines. Those extra lines consist of 7 syllables each.

We Found Land Write a poem about the controversy people in history had about claiming land, specifically naming it. Use language from the 21st century that is comparable to language then.

50 Shades of Grey Write a poem critiquing 50 Shades of Grey's plot line, from someone other than yourself.

It can come from a celibate 50 year old woman who has twenty cats, or a man who just read the book, and liked what he saw enough to try it for himself.

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Austin Prather

Bouncing Through Life Write a poem from the perspective of a young child that has recently won a bouncy ball from the toy machine at the local grocery store. The child bounces the ball will all his or her might and the ball bounces out of control. In your poem, describe all the places this ball bounces during its inertia filled journey.

What Are You Thinking Write a prose poem about whatever thoughts come to your mind during the writing process. The poem should have a stream of consciousness feel to it that captures the randomness of the thoughts that come to your mind.

Vices Write a poem about a particular vice that you struggle with in your life. If nothing comes to mind, then write about someone you know and they're struggle with a bad habit or weakness that creates an obstacle in their daily lives.

Nature Haiku Write a Haiku about a particular place in nature that you feel most connected to. This could be a lake your family used to go to, a beach you have vacationed to, a public park, or even your own backyard. Try to convey how this special place makes you within the confines of a haiku.

Fountain of Youth On a recent vacation to Florida, you stumble across the fountain of youth.

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Chris Robinson

Spirit Prompt Write a poem about the human spirit. Think of what it feels like to coexist with nature and other species in the world, how you do or don't feel connected to the world.

Literally write about the spirit (like your soul, not like cheerful spirit) that you feel dwells inside you and what it means to you to be that spirit.

Afterlife Prompt Write a poem about what you believe happens in the after life, or if there is one. Is there a heaven or hell? Purgatory? Do we wander the earth as ghost? Whatever it is that you believe happens. Write it from your perspective as if it were happening to you.

Writing Prompt Write a poem about what your name means to you, or how you feel that you've given your name its own variation of meaning.

Season Prompt Write a poem about one of the seasons; you must give this season a human form, describe it as if were a person.

Old Friend Prompt Write a poem about someone you lost touch with. It could be a friend from your childhood, an ex, anybody. Write about how it made you feel, if you still think about them or what you think it'd be like if you saw them again today.

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Jessica Rose

Self-­‐Actualization

In an essay talking about his hierarchy of innate needs, Abraham Maslow said, "A musician must make music, an artist must paint, a poet must write, if he is to be ultimately happy. What a man can be, he must be." So my prompt for you is to write a poem about doing something that makes you happy. Explain why it makes you happy, or if you can't do that, explain how it makes you feel. Go crazy!!

Someone You Admire

Write a poem about someone you admire. It could be your mom, dad, sister, brother, aunt, uncle, or anyone really! Tell me about them. Why do you admire them so much?

Film Noir

Write any type of poem where your narrator lives in a film noir type setting. Ideas could be like an ordinary day for a private investigator. A recent movie in the "film noir" type setting would be Sin City: A Dame to Kill For.

Happiest Moment

Write a poem about one of the happiest moments in your life thus far. If you can't think of anything, make it up! Remember, it's supposed to be happy, so have fun with it!

Disappointment

Write any sort of poem about a time where you have been disappointed by someone.

It could be something really big or something small. Tell me how you felt, do you trust this person now?

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Katie Savage

Travel Anxiety Prompt Write a poem about the anxiety you felt (or imagined you might feel) because of traveling.

Sculpture Prompt Write a poem about your favorite sculpture. Note its material: stone, iron, bronze, wood, etc.). Also note its size as well as something about the artist.

College Conformity Prompt Write a poem about conforming in order to fit in with your fellow students in college.

OR Write a poem about your choice not to conform while in college.

Energy Prompt Write a poem about the different kinds of energy the world uses today. The poem can be about sustainable “green” energy like solar panels or wind farms. Or it can be about less than “green” energy like oil or coal. Or for fun you can make up your own form of energy and write about that.

Van Gogh Write a poem about Vincent Van Gogh. This poem can be about his art, his ear, his troubled life, or his time working with Gauguin. I think I read that Van Gogh only sold 1 painting while he was alive.

A link to a quick read about this topic: http://www.missedinhistory.com/blog/van-­‐ gogh-­‐didnt-­‐chop-­‐off-­‐his-­‐own-­‐ear-­‐say-­‐scholars/

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Hannah Schneider

Happy

Write a poem that is simply a list of everything that made you happy in a day.

i.e.

sunshine a good song that person's t-­‐shirt a message from my mother

50 words

Write a poem consisting of 50 words, and they have to be what you would say in a day, if that is the amount in which you were allotted.

Lalalala

Write a song. It doesn't have to be good, but it could help broaden your understand of how you write with certain guidelines or audiences in mind.

Watching Strangers

Go out and observe a pair of people and write down everything you notice about them: hats, gloves, eyes, hair.

Then keep watching and write down what you find significant about their interactions: their body language, eye contact, phone usage.

Sound Prompt

Think of a sound that means something to you:

shower running upstairs a coffee pot brewing a sprinkler misting on the first night of summer when the sun stays up way longer than you're used too the hum of your phone vibrating with a new message

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Without explicitly detailing the sound, write a poem that not only explains what is happening but how it makes you feel.

Example:

(alarm in the morning) i am back up floating in warm water, not thinking, arms languid pulling me along the river, surrounded safe in sameness sounds.

Now NOw the Rush of White, The ROar of falls of crashing crashing crashing water BEgins and doesn't stop current dragging me, my muscles cannot Fight ribbons of waterwraparoundmywrists I am not an upstream swimmer NO NO dont pull me down the falls

i want to go back to the soft floating along, hearing nothing but chirps and brushes of leaves quietly discussing their next tea time With white flash I am at the bottom of the roar, sitting up in my bed looking out a bright window. To a morning of new fallen snow.

8:00am, I slap the snooze bar.

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Matt Spack

Grey’s Anatomy Poem Write a poem about watching Grey’s Anatomy. Tell how you feel, what exactly is going on. Or if you don’t watch the show, write about surgery in general.

Bon Fire Poem Write a poem about being around a Bonfire during a chill, autumn night.

College Party Poem Write about the best college party that you have been to so far. Explain what the theme was, why it was so much, and if would you want to do it all over again.

Middle School Poem Write a poem about your middle school time and why it was awesome or not!

Spring Break Poem Write a poem about an adventurous spring break, and why it was so awesome!

Elaborate on your favorite part!

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Conner Strack

Being Blunt Create a completely blunt, straight-­‐forward poem.

Lyrics Prompt Write a poem that you think could easily be a song as well. Write it for yourself, or try to imagine one of your favorite artists composing lyrics and what they would read and sound like.

Animal Anatomy Write a poem that outlines and describes anything from one physical feature of an animal to the entire appearance of the animal.

Your Own Animated Film Write a poem that summarizes, or provides a scene or two for, an idea that you would like to see be made into an animated film.

Breaking A Law of Physics Write a poem in which one of the laws of physics does not exist.

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T. J. Tekulve

Drop It

Take a random (non-­‐fragile, unless you don't mind it breaking) object and drop it to the floor. Write a poem about this action, whether you want it to be literal or symbolic.

Just Wake Up

Start writing a poem within 5-­‐10 minutes of waking up. Don't focus on what it's really about, just start writing and see where you end up.

Aging

Write a poem that somehow depicts its speaker aging, whether that be from a little kid to older adult or a specific time in between. You can do this by the types of words you use or just a story you write out.

Medicine

Write a poem about any kind of medication you're familiar with.

Follow the Form (but not really)

Take a well-­‐established form of poetry but make it your own in some way, whether that be messing up the rhyme scheme, adding bits and pieces, or anything else you can think of

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Rick Thompson

Lost Love

Write a poem about a time in your life when you knew someone loved you dearly but you were unable to reciprocate. What were reasons? Were they shallow in hindsight?

Do you regret that you couldn't love them back? How bad did it hurt you to break their heart?

2nd Hand Prompt

Write a poem from the perspective of a second hand item at a Goodwill, yard sale, or consignment shop. What would that "little black dress" or "used baseball mitt tell us if it could talk.

Laundromat

Go to a laundromat do a couple of loads and try to tell the story of the people you see.

Old Age

Write a poem about a resident at a nursing home. Maybe a grandparent or a stranger. Sit in the lobby and just watch. Notice the smells and sounds of the facility.

Then write about it.

Downtown Blues

Have a seat at M.I.T.S. (Bus Station) downtown in Muncie. Tell your imagined story of a person you see at the station. Use 3rd person omniscient. Minimum of 12 lines.

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Jennifer Well s

Comfortable Poem Write a poem about a place you feel comfortable or at home. (But not your home.)

Gift Prompt Write a poem about a gift you have received from someone (loved one, friend, stranger, etc.) and how it made you feel or the impact it had on your day, life, etc.

Interesting Photo Write a poem about an interesting photo. The photo can be anything (a family photo, monument, destination, war photo, etc.) and you can describe it, allude to what it means, how it makes you feel, or whatever comes to mind when you see the photo.

Mirror Poem Write a poem about a mirror that reflects something different than the object, thing, etc. put in front of it. What is reflected?

Future Poem Write a poem about an event in the future, could be near or 3015. You decide.

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Liz Whiteacre

Letter/Direct Address Prompt Write a poem in the form of a letter to someone specific OR write a poem (not a letter) that addresses someone directly (like Davis does with Tina in Tina).

Narrative Prompt Select a poem you've already written.

Now write a poem that happens before this moment. Next, write a poem that happens after the moment.

You should end up with 3 poems, if read in sequence, that helps readers understand some sort of narrative/story or evolution of an emotion.

Sensory Candy Flavor Exercise Eat a piece of candy and freewrite. What does it taste like? Don’t name the candy or flavor…can you describe it using experience, other things? Develop it into a poem.

OR, eat something else and write about it: help us understand the unique flavor/moment using metaphor, simile, and other descriptive language.

OR, take something that doesn't taste (like an object, an event, etc.) and give it a flavor.

Occasional Poem Write an occasional poem. It can be in response to any occasion. You can use Fatima as an example (in Matos' book A School for Fishermen) or these: • • • •

Elizabeth Alexander "Praise Song for the Day" George Starbuck "Of Late" poems at Poetry Soup interesting article at http://sadredearth.com/inaugurations-­‐and-­‐occasional-­‐poetry/

What’s Missing?

Take time this week to read through poems you imagine will be included in a greater collection. What's missing? Write the poem(s) that isn't included yet, but needs to be.

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