POETRY PROMTS

Kevin Chesser

Write a poem where each line begins with the same phrase, like “when I die . . .” or “you’re not going to believe this, but . . .”, and run with it as far as you can. If you get stuck, use an element from the last line you wrote to bounce you to the next. Put it away for a couple weeks, and when you come back to it, ask: is there any merit in retaining the structure of the prompt? Or is this the seed of something different altogether? For reference, see “Lighthead’s Guide to Addiction” by Terrance Hayes.

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