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.

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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

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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).