Have you ever wondered what it would be like to be your cat, dog, rabbit, or lizard for a day? It's time to put your imagination to the test with a perspective-shifting poetry prompt!
One of the ways that poets get their inspiration is by paying attention to the questions they have about the world. Why is the grass green, for example? How do birds fly? What would it be like to be water or fire?
Let's concentrate on one question for today: what does the world look like from the perspective of your pet? (If you don't have any pets, just pick your favorite animal or an animal you see a lot.)
First, do some background research. Play with your pet. Get down on their level and look up at the ceiling or the sky. Take a look at their favorite toy and think about how it would feel, taste, or sound to them.
Do they have a favorite food? Favorite spot to nap? Favorite time of day? Jot down some ideas as you follow them around.
Once you've put yourself into their paws for a bit, it's time to start writing! Try one of these methods to get you started:
- Pick one object and describe it from their perspective. It can be a food, a toy, a blanket. This is what we call an "what-is" poem (see our guide for How to Read a Poem).
- Write a story-poem (or a "what-happened" poem) about something that happened in their day or an important event you remember in their life. What is it like for them to go on a walk? What if they went on a longer adventure? Tell their story with a poem!
Once you've drafted your poem, remember that the poetic process isn't over! Set the poem aside for a few days, then return to it and do some revising. You can use our guide for revising your poetry. Think about:
- What kind of sensory details can you add to make the poem more vivid? Add a taste, a smell, a sound, or a texture to the poem.
- How does your poem end? Think about leaving your readers with a specific feeling at the end: curiosity, wonder, surprise--it's up to you!
- Read it out loud. Can you add any sounds that remind you of your pet? Do they bark, scratch, chatter? See if you can add words or phrases that sound like them.
Be sure to share the final product with us here!