Nonetheless, our optional prompt for today (developed by Rachel McKibbens, who is well-known for her imaginative and inspiring prompts) plays on the idea of stealing. Today, I challenge you to write a non-apology for the things you’ve stolen. Maybe it’s something as small as your sister’s hairbrush (or maybe it was your sister’s boyfriend!) Regardless, I hope this sly prompt generates some provocative verse for you.
Dear sis, I love you so
I want you to know
This is not an apology- let me be clear
How do I say it? It’s a mere-
‘Baring of the heart’
So we can make a fresh start
When you were eight and I was five
You remember Sara, you loved her like she was alive
I took her and broke her right eye
I couldn’t tell you when I saw you cry
I wouldn’t call it stealing, would you?
‘Coz in Sara’s place, you got a ‘Peaches n Pink’ Barbie – all brand new!
When you were thirteen and I was ten
You remember how I struggled with my studies back then
I needed mom’s help, I took all her time
Your share of it too
I wouldn’t call it stealing, would you?
‘Coz it allowed you to get away, doing the things you wanted to
When you were sixteen and I was thirteen
You remember how you dressed up as a queen
We had a celebration and I got all the attention
For making an exception
I wouldn’t call it stealing would you?
Because you were smart and I was not- you knew
Dear Sis, I love you so
So I thought you should know
This is not an apology
There’s no need for one, I’m sure you agree
It’s called ‘baring of the heart’
So we can make a fresh start
Dear sis, I love you so
Let’s hug and makeup; now that you know
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P.C. From the Net
Today, our poetry resource is the archives of The Found Poetry Review. During its five years of operation, this journal specialized in publishing poems that were “found,” rather than written. What does that mean? Well, it means poems collaged from existing language, rather than newly created from scratch. A sort of borrowing from the universe.
There’s a pithy phrase attributed to T.S. Eliot: “Good poets borrow; great poets steal.” (He actually said something a bit different, and phrased it a bit more pompously – after all, this is T.S. Eliot we’re talking about).
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