Writing Prompts Four & Five

Beginners and seasoned writers welcome. Today we will complete sister prompts: two prompts which compliment each other. Below you will find your fourth and fifth writing prompts.

Sit with these writing prompts for as long as you need, play with your lines. Consider language— and by language I mean expression, line length and rhythm.

Prompts may be completed in any language.

• Write a letter to yourself in the voice of your mother. This letter can take form as a short poem, or formal letter, the choice is yours. In this letter your mother shares an anecdote from her childhood. Consider the language she uses, the pace and tone of her voice, the images made vivid, and the lesson she is trying to teach you (if there is one).

Writing Prompt Five

• Using the previous prompt, re-read the letter your mother has written to you. Consider how you would feel when reading this letter. Go through it, lightly circling the words or phrases that are the most illuminating or poignant. Create a new piece of writing—poetry or prose—blacking out what is peripheral.

Below you will find a beautiful example of blackout poetry by Isobel O’hare. In her body of work, O’hare uses erasure to highlight paradoxes in the public apologies of sex offenders.

Share your writing: in the form of a comment below, on your blog, keep it private or send me an email at leafletrose@gmail.com. Be sure to tag me in your creations using #B2T and #leafjerlefia.

Missed the last prompt?

Find the last prompt here.