more beginnings and endings

poetry workshop

I wasn't sure what the effect was of yesterday's read-around (first lines, last lines, titles).

But one way to make yourselves aware of all these elements is to do one or all of the following:

--write a poem composed only of first lines
--write a poem composed of last lines
--write a poem composed of titles

Obviously, this can be fictional. But another way to write such a poem is to do a portmanteau. That is, take other poets' first lines and restitch them to make a poem, or take titles or last lines. Find a poet with a behemoth volume, go the first lines section and steal away! Or find good first lines and only use the last lines...

Anyway, thanks also for reminding me of how utterly odd Wallace Stevens could be (as Julia kept calling out those oddities).

aloha, Susan