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Almost every week, I give a prompt for poets.
Many of the  2011/2012 blog post titles are from the brain of Simone Beaubien.
Photo by Marshall Goff.

I Don't Mean To Be Tolerant But...

5/25/2016

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PictureDon't be this creepy stain of disappointing humanity.
There is little worse than having a conversation with a stranger or, situation forbid, a person you care about and hearing them utter the phrase "I'm not racist but..." or "I'm not homophobic but..." or "I don't mean to sound misogynist but..."

Similarly, when someone taps you on the shoulder and says "I don't mean to be rude, but.."

They are going to be.

For this week's prompt, come up with a conversation starter that will result in something positive. 

Try opening an imaginary conversation with "I don't mean to be polite but..." and then continuing on in a way that isn't condescending, sarcastic, or otherwise problematic. Maybe let the "I don't mean to be tolerant" be silent and assumed as you begin a conversation to build someone's self-esteem or empower them, but without being, you know, self-aggrandizing. Unless you're going for humor, then be as self- flagellating as you can.

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If You Smell What The Prompt Is Cooking

5/18/2016

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Picture
This is probably the easiest prompt I've ever given. Write a poem you are comfortable writing. Themes you often work with, images that appear frequently, your usual narrative structure. Now, insert Dwayne The Rock Johnson into your poem. You can do it in such a way that it feels organic, or you can make his appearance turn your poem upside down.

Use of his catchphrases are up to your discretion.

This prompt inspired by my coming out of the back room and hearing a poet talking about fingering "the rock", meaning a basketball, and me completely misunderstanding.

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Always Focus On The Uplifting Parts

5/11/2016

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During routine exercises, which is when all things that go awry get noticed, a helicopter accidentally sent a line of porta potties airborne. The website where I saw the article chose to highlight "Reams of toilet paper soared high into the sky."

Write about an embarrassing event that happened to you (or choose an embarrassing event from history, if you're the private type). Focus on the least interesting or personal detail.
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This Exercise Accounts For The Inspiration For About Half The Poems I've Written Over The Past Five Years

5/4/2016

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PictureiPhone photo by Simone Beaubien
Head out to a place where you don't spend a lot of time, or else ride some form of public transportation and actively listen to some conversations. Wait until you hear a conversation that strikes you as one you would never have. Maybe it's too bizarre, or too confrontational, or more political than you'd be comfortable with.


Whether of not you write down actual quotes from the conversation is up to you, but I recommend it.

​
When you get back to your home or some more familiar place, write yourself into the conversation. What WOULD you have said, even if it made you uncomfortable. Do you think you could have diffused the very tense exchange? Could you have dragged the mundane conversation about a workday into surreal territory? Solve the conversation's problem, or else make it much, much worse or more complicated. Whichever makes you feel better.

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    Links
    Write Or Die

    Scott Woods's Twitter Prompts

    ​Rachel Mckibbens' Prompt Blog

    The 30/30 Prompt Blog

    Asterisk And Sidebar Prompts

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All work on the Crooked Treehouse is ©Adam Stone, except where indicated, and may not be reproduced without his permission. If you enjoy it, please consider giving to my Patreon account.
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