Poetry exercise

[serene]

[posted to my LJ and to kolkhozpoetry]

firecat, stonebender, and I are going to do the exercises from In the Palm of Your Hand (disclosure: the link gives me a cut if you buy the book) on Fridays for the time being. Under the cut is the first exercise. It is the first step toward writing the first poem. I *highly* recommend getting the book and reading the couple of chapters leading up to the first exercise (and the introduction, as well). But anyway, here's the first exercise (firecat, do you want to include the next two steps: "Taking Notes for the First Poem" and "Poem 1: A Childhood Memory" as part of today's exercise, or take it a piece at a time?)



A Process for Recovering Memories

Sit down with your notebook and jot down a few words or phrases for each memory that comes to you as you answer the following questions so that you will have an abbreviated record of the incidents you recalled. Something as brief as "crazy man in green hat" would do nicely. If some of these memories bring with them strong emotions, so much the better. The stronger the emotions the "hotter" the material! If a question fails to call forth an answer, that's okay too: just skip it and move on to the next question. The incidents that you come up with do not have to be memories from your childhood.

1. Recall a pleasant time in the past.
2. Recall a building in which you once lived.
3. Recall a secret you once had.
4. Recall a magical person from your childhood.
5. Recall an incident that filled you with dread.
6. Recall something dangerous you did when you were young.
7. Recall something sinful or bad you did as a child.
8. Recall something that happened during a school vacation.
9. Recall something that happened in a classroom or schoolyard.
10. Recall something that happened many years ago near a body of water.
11. Recall your first romantic infatuation.
12. Recall something funny that made you laugh happily.

Comments

My answers

[serenejournal.livejournal.com]

Recall a pleasant time in the past.
Catching butterflies with the kids.

Recall a building in which you once lived.
The first Green House.

Recall a secret you once had.
That I stole things.

Recall a magical person from your childhood.
Mr. Comito.

Recall an incident that filled you with dread.
Locked in the bathroom at Phil's place.

Recall something dangerous you did when you were young.
Ran away from home to sleep in the park.

Recall something sinful or bad you did as a child.
Let my friend be punished for stealing something I'd stolen.

Recall something that happened during a school vacation.
Trip to Morocco

Recall something that happened in a classroom or schoolyard.
Being called Pumpkinhead by 2nd grade teacher; meeting Kathy G.; Billy Steelsmith

Recall something that happened many years ago near a body of water.
Almost drowning in Spain

Recall your first romantic infatuation.
Alex Will

Recall something funny that made you laugh happily.
The argument about the green/white man.

[firecat]

I barged on ahead with all of chapter 2...Here is what I did. I'm not posting the exercises themselves right now, only the poem drafts...I may post in a separate entry what happened when I started dredging up childhood memories (it was difficult and unpleasant, although worth it).

For next Friday, if it works for you, I'll post the third poem in chapter 2 - "family secrets".

[serenejournal.livejournal.com]

Sounds great, and I'll work on some of the exercises this week, too, and post whatever feels post-able. :-)

[stonebender.livejournal.com]

1. Recall a pleasant time in the past.

Walking around the French quarter.

2. Recall a building in which you once lived.

The ugly pink building.

3. Recall a secret you once had.

I shoplifted.

4. Recall a magical person from your childhood.

The bus driver.


5. Recall an incident that filled you with dread.

Getting a neurological work up.

6. Recall something dangerous you did when you were young.

Using a lighter fluid to light toy trucks on fire.

7. Recall something sinful or bad you did as a child.

I broke someone's glasses.

8. Recall something that happened during a school vacation.

Being pushed down the street in a pedal car by a neighbor and crashing.

9. Recall something that happened in a classroom or schoolyard.

Pretending to be in a band.

10. Recall something that happened many years ago near a body of water.

My first time in the ocean.

11.Recall your first romantic infatuation.

Renée Fosdick

12. Recall something funny that made you laugh happily.

My father banging through the bathroom door to kill a mouse while half naked.

P. S. This exercise was a lot harder than it should have been for me.