Animate is a poetry prompt that focuses on speaking as if we are a particular object or thing. This time, we’re speaking as boxes & baskets.
Prompt Guidelines and Options
1. Speak in the first person.
2. Be specific. Think nouns instead of adjectives.
3. Consider where you—a box or a basket—are located, or where you came from, or where you are going. Or, speak as if you have a special desire or concern: maybe you are hungry, missing something, afraid of a sight or sound, in love with another box or basket that is like you or not like you (a box falling for the UPS driver!). Be creative. Any type of situation is fair game.
4. Consider doing a little research about the box or basket you will speak as: folklore, history, associated words, music, art, sculpture, architecture, fashion, science, and so on. Look for unusual details, so you can speak convincingly and intriguingly about yourself.
That’s it! We look forward to hearing you speak poetically, from the viewpoint of boxes & baskets.
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Featured Poem
Thanks to everyone who participated in last week’s poetry prompt. Here is part of a recent poem by Katie we enjoyed:
forward and backward
dancing, you go
backward and forward
surely and slow.
—by Katie
Photo by Raita Futo. Creative Commons via Flickr.
Browse more writing prompts
Browse poetry teaching resources
How to Write a Poem uses images like the buzz, the switch, the wave—from the Billy Collins poem “Introduction to Poetry”—to guide writers into new ways of writing poems. Excellent teaching tool. Anthology and prompts included.
“How to Write a Poem is a classroom must-have.”
—Callie Feyen, English Teacher, Maryland
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- Poetry Prompt: Misunderstood Lion - March 19, 2018
- Animate: Lions & Lambs Poetry Prompt - March 12, 2018
Katie says
Heather,
Thank you for using part of “The Prince of Andalusia” as your featured poem.
Gratefully,
Katie
Katie says
While reading Andy Catlett, Early Travels by Wendell Berry today I revisited a fond memory from my childhood – my mother’s button box. I recall my mom sending me to retrieve it from the shelf in the pantry many times when she was sewing or mending. I loved the feel of running my fingers through the four or five inches or so of buttons of all colors, shapes, and sizes. We recycled worn out clothes as rags and so needed to cut off the buttons so as not to scratch the car when washing or polishing.
Here are a few simple cinquains from my recollection:
buttons
some had four holes
others just two for thread
to fasten the shiny round disc
firmly
many
many missing
buttons from shirts and pants
washed and worn enough times to need
repair
& an acrostic
Buttons
Used
Time &
Time again
Over
-N -over
By
Our
X-tra caring mom:)
Debbie says
Love these!
Katie says
Thank you, Debbie:)
Katie says
Bent straw
Also twigs and rushes
Swirling around the handle
Klutching, holding, nesting
Evening mealtime biscuits
Treasure of flour and shortening and love.
Kaiya Rose says
I’m a Jack-in-the-box.
I’m trapped in the box.
Wound up, soon to spring
Back out of the box.
But the walls are too tight
The ceiling is closed
And I have to stay
Put away in the box.
Shannon says
Kaiya, this is great! Your words really show me the tension poor Jack is feeling. Maybe one day you will write about what happens when someone turns the crank? 🙂
Kaiya Rose says
Oooh, great idea! Thank you, Shannon!
Katie says
Kaiya, I love your poem! Thank you for sharing:) Gratefully, Katie
Kaiya Rose says
Thanks, Katie!
Katie says
box or
basket, lid or
holes, guess it must depend
on what the intended contents
will be
Katie says
basket
or box, holes or
lid, guess it must depend
whichever the contents you will
put in