Yep—April 2020 is still straggling along... which means...
You will have a change to write poetry even if you've never done it before—the writing prompts aim to demystify the process of writing a poem. This will not take the place of the 2020 Writing Exercise Series, but will be in addition to it, so there will be a bounty of poetry to feast your eyes upon.
So. Let's begin.
April 25, 2020
National Poetry Month 2020 Activity Pack Day 25
1) Let's start out with this short clip of filmmaker Jim Jaramush talking about the poetic influences for his movie Paterson, of course Williams who long-made Paterson, NJ his home, but also a funny anecdote about Wallace Stevens.
2) TV TIME! Since we heard a little about Paterson, here is the scene from the movie in which Adam Driver reads William Carlos Williams' "This is Just to Say"
Here's a short clip where Adam Driver's character writes a poem.
Here is Larry Levis reading "The Wish to be Picked Clean" recorded in 1979.
And finally here is James Dickey reading his poem "For The Last Wolverine" from 1969.
3) Now go read one, or preferably all of the following three 'recently' published poems:
“Body of Rags, International Bridge Between the US & Mexico” by Ray Gonzalez in Poetry Magazine March 2019 (audio at link as well).
"Don't Tell Me to Write More Love Poems" by Jiordan Castle in Taco Bell Quarterly Issue 2.
"While Rereading Rilke's "The Panther"" by Wendy Barker in Del Sol Review Issue 24.
4) Go read all of the following three poems that were published more than two years ago:
5) I really enjoyed this short 'day in the life' style documentary about Stephen Dunn. Pulitzer prize winning poet, sure—but the guy also doesn't mess around with the ping pong.
6) The time machine is set to the blissfully ignorant time of February 28, 2015 for this "Narrative Thread" writing prompt inspired by the movie Falling Down..
