Poem Prompt

I’ll show you mine if you show me yours.

A year ago, I joined The Community Literature Initiative. Every Tuesday, we’d get on Zoom together for 3+ hours and have a lesson, five minutes to write for a prompt, and then we’d put our hearts and heads together to workshop poetry we’d have brought in. Afterward, a visiting published author and alum would talk with us and share some of their poetry.

It was a great experience, and I recommend it to anyone who feels called to apply.

Today, I’d like to share the first poem I wrote in class with you. And if you have five minutes before you read mine, I’d love it if you’d set a timer and see what comes out for you with this same prompt.

Ready?

Set,

here we go.

The prompt is:

“Timeless”

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Timeless

I feel a ticking
beating against the
inside of my skull

A countdown to forever
This spirit is eternal

My flesh but wrapping paper
for a present that will never end

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Well, thank you for joining me today. I’d love to read whatever it is you so bravely jotted down. It’s beautiful to see all the different shapes different minds make for the same prompt.

Aloha nui loa,

Julia