Who is one of your favorite fairy tale characters? Maybe it’s Rapunzel, or perhaps the Goose Girl. What about your least favorite? The Big Bad Wolf? In today’s poetry prompt, you can reimagine the good, the bad, and the ugly fairy tale characters through poetry!
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Let’s begin by choosing a fairytale character. It can be a classic favorite like Cinderella, or one you absolutely despise, like Cinderella’s stepsister Drusilla. Then, imagine their speaking voice. If they were standing in front of you, what would they say? If you invited them to your Poetry Teatime, would they sip daintily or smash all your best teacups?
Next, imagine the “untold story” of these characters. Maybe the Big Bad Wolf has a perfectly good explanation for gobbling up Red’s grandmother. It turns out the grandmother was actually an evil tyrant who had been controlling the woods for far too long! Or perhaps Cinderella wasn’t such a great role model after all, and she kept the mice working late at night in her sewing shop.
If your characters could defend their actions, what would they say? Think through some ideas for different ways to view the “good” and “evil” characters. Remember, one of the best part of poetry is when it surprises you or gives that twist so the poem takes on a whole new meaning.
Then, write your poem! Use the tips in this post from Poetry Teatime to help you figure out a form and get started writing.
For more inspiration, be sure to check out the wonderful fairytale collections Mirror Mirror and Follow Follow by Marilyn Singer! Happy writing!
