April is National Poetry Writing Month, and many poets like to challenge themselves to write a poem a day. With that in mind, Wild Violet will be sharing poetry prompts each day: one geared towards adults and one for kids.
If you write a poem based on this prompt, feel free to share a link to your poem, or the poem itself, in the comments. Poems appearing in the comments are not considered published in Wild Violet, and you retain all rights to your work.
Past, Present, Future
For adults:
Often, we turn to our memories for poems, or we focus on present experiences. Sometimes, we even contemplate the future: hopes and dreams we hope to realize, or fears we hope to avoid. Today, write a poem that encompasses at least two tenses: reflecting on a memory in the past and tying it to something in the present, or comparing the present to what you believe the future might hold. For examples, read “Past, Present, Future” by Timothy Steele, “Perhaps the World Ends Here” by Joy Harjo and “And the Moon on Its Stem Will Steal You Away” by John Gallaher.
For children:
Do you remember what happened to you yesterday? How about a year ago? Or five? How do the things you believed or experienced in the past compare to who you are and what you think today? Do you think you’ll be different in the future? Spend some time thinking about that, and write down some thoughts. Then write a poem about yourself in the past, in the present, and what you think you’ll be like in the future.
Past, Present and Future Me
I used to stumble forward on chubby legs,
lurching as I tried to master walking.
Today, I stumble into a chair leg in the dark,
lurch forward and catch myself as I wince.
In the future, I’d like to stumble into elegance,
to somehow lurch forward into the graceful being
I know I’m destined to become.
About Alyce Wilson
