THURSDAY poetry prompt

WRITE A "REFLECTION" POEM
================================

Old Dog Duo


We both head out
Before the sun rises each morning,
And just before it sets, walking,
Even though we weary.
Sometimes he's pulling me,
Or I'm pulling him. Either way
We need the exercise, limping
Around on some ailment or other,
Real or imagined, it has to be done,

For survival.
So the old dog duo shrugs,
Rises again and again, to
Limp off into
The  horizon again and again.










***Prompt posted by RL Brewer's "Poetic Asides" blog

POET PROFILE

PRISCILLA JANE THOMPSON (1871-1942)



Was born in Rossmoyne, Ohio. She was the daughter of John Henry Thompson and Clara Jane Gray, former slaves from Virginia.

Priscilla attended school in her home town, which was near Cincinnati, Ohio. She considered a career in teaching, however, ill health prevented her from pursuing this vocation. Instead, she devoted her energies to writing, publishing, and giving readings of her poetry.

Thompson's first book of poems, ETHIOPE LAYS, was published in 1900. In the introduction to this volume, Thompson says that she aims "as nearly as possible to picture the real side of my race, bringing in the foreground, their patience, fortitude and forbearance, devoid of that undertone of sarcasm, generally courted."

 Her second volume, GLEANINGS OF QUIET HOURS, was published in 1907. She self-published and sold both volumes.

Thompson's poems deal with the themes of romantic love, death, religion, and race.

thursday POETRY PROMPT

WRITE A "POP" POEM
========================================


Pop Culture



The Godfather of Soul
Hardest working man in show biz
Made a dance song
The popcorn
Get up
Get on up
Everybody

Doing the popcorn but me
Ain't it funky now
That lowdown popcorn
Had Mr. Dynamite exploding
Across the stage
Like hot flames of fire



*Prompt as posted by R.L. Brewer, "Poetic Asides Blog"

poetry WRITING CHALLENGE #34

USE THE FOLLOWING SENTENCE AS THE BEGINNING OF A POEM:



When the rain stops, the water level will recede...

WHAT POEMS ARE MADE OF...

... POEMS ARE MADE OF WORDS.

WORDS CAPTURE US.

WORDS PROVOKE AND EXCITE US
.
WORDS ABSORB THE THRUST OF OUR EMOTIONS AND PUSH BACK AT US.

WORDS MAKE PICTURES IN THE MIND.

WORDS TAKE ON THE SHAPE OF NEW IDEAS.

WORDS BY NATURE, LEAD AND GUIDE US.

POETRY writing CHALLENGE #33

***
USE THE FOLLOWING WORD GROUP TO MAKE A POEM:

***
TRIBE--RIVERBANK--GHOSTS--NAMES

POET profile

JAMES WELDON JOHNSON  1871-1938


James Weldon Johnson was born in Jacksonville, Florida in 1871. He grew up in a middle-class household. His mother was a school teacher, and his father headwaiter at a luxury hotel.

He was a versatile man of letters: a poet, a librettist and songwriter, novelist, historian, anthologist, and autobiographer.

JOHNSON is best known for his 1901 poem, "Lift Every Voice and Sing," as set to music by J. Rosamond Johnson. It is often referred to as the "Black National Anthem,". His true maturity as a poet, however, was reached with "Fifty Years and Other Poems published in 1917.

A graduate of Atlanta University. Johnson began his distinguished  and wide-ranging
 professional life simply enough, as a Jacksonville school teacher. Simultaneously pursuing studies in the law, Johnson embarked  on a law career after passing the Florida bar , then moved to New York City to write for Broadway.

JOHNSON died  in 1938.