Today’s writing prompt is based on the poem Papa is the sky Write a poem about your family, a group of friends, your co-workers, or even parts of your own self and roles that assigns some kind of natural phenomenon to each. In today’s poem, five-year-old Zoya very simply says that Papa is the sky, […]
Day 14: Guardian Technology
Today’s writing prompt is based on the poem Eve’s Second Garden In today’s poem, we see a couple using simple technology (teeth, a sotol stalk) to save and protect themselves from variables in their environment that are, rightly so, frightening. Write a poem about something in our environment that frightens people (or frightens you). Include […]
Day 13: Working Out a Question
Today’s writing prompt is based on the poem Petit à Petit L’Oiseau Fait Son Nid Even if you’ve never written a sestina before, today might be the day to give it a try. Because of the particular way sestinas repeat end-of-line words, they’re a great form for dealing with something you’re trying to work out […]
Day 12: Influences
Who has influenced your stance towards our natural world? This creative writing exercise will give you a place to begin, in considering your earth care influences.
Day 11: Food as Love
Today’s writing prompt is based on the poem Awaiting Arrival Food is the center of hospitality in today’s poem, even though there is no particular guest expected on the horizon. Each improbable visit is anticipated even “after all these years of nothing coming down the road.” Like many of us, the people in the poem […]
Day 10: Look Up
Today’s writing prompt is based on the poem Drought on the Open Road Write a poem about ordinary needs that sometimes lead us to do or consume what is not natural or good for either us or our natural surroundings. Why don’t people “look up”? In other words, why do they almost blindly do things […]
Day 9: Beauty’s Price
Today’s writing prompt is based on the poem The Poetry of Money 2 Using natural images, write a poem about beauty’s price. How does beauty encourage us to take care of it, thus asking us to pay a cost for keeping it intact? Is it worth the price? Or, how does beauty take care of […]
Day 8: I Pretend
Today’s writing prompt is based on the poem Today by the Creek I Pretend I’m the Dalai Lama Think of the kindest public or religious figure you know, either in present times or history. Consider their aspect: how they dress (dressed), their looks, their way of walking or other gestures. Pretend you are this person, […]
Perspectives: What the Tree Sees
“Engaging your senses with something can alter everything you thought you understood,” says photographer and artist Kelle Sauer.
Day 7: Distances & Magnitude
Today’s writing prompt is based on the poem North on the Illahee Ferry Images of both distance and closeness, smallness and vastness, exist in today’s poem. Every life is sustained by both. Write a poem about an experience that is very close or small, the way the ferry, the pocket, and the orange are to […]
Day 6: No Rain & Road
Today’s writing prompt is based on the poem Aubade Write a love or friendship poem that captures a sense of loss. Include both: • some kind of natural element • some kind of human-made element For example, today’s poem uses the images of no-rain and a closed road. Want the whole 30 poems, 30 […]
Day 5: Prayer for or Ode to Food
Today’s writing prompt is based on the poem Prayer for the Pompadour Looking Up From My Plate Write a prayer for or an ode to a food item you are about to eat or already ate today. Will you (or did you) eat the whole item? Why or why not? If you aren’t going to […]
