Conceived in Light

Assignment: From primitive man to the craftsmen at Chartres Cathedral, from Galileo to Einstein, human beings have been fascinated by the properties of light. Compose a free-verse poem that incorporates or grows from an idea about light.

Process: Number from 1-20. Brainstorm 20 phrases that contain an idea about light, or refer to the appearance of light. Try to make each phrase as detailed as possible.

Examples:

• a thousand Bic lighters at a concert
• reflection from a ’possum's eyes in the shed

After you have generated a list, select a phrase or image that you consider unique.

Using the phrase you chose as a point of departure, draft a poem in free verse.

If you need more help...

• Don't try to compose the end of the poem until you get there. Work on one line at a time, as if you were climbing down a ladder.
• For this poem, stick to free verse. (Avoid rhyme)
• Try to eliminate words that seem excessive. Let the poem evolve.
• Never be a slave to your first draft.
• Show, don't tell. Get rid of words like beautiful, courageous, or dramatic; instead, show those concepts. Give your reader a picture.
• Remember that the breaks and spaces in a poem are as important as the words. (Where would you be without air?)
• Your ending should be "like the click of a Mercedes door."*
• It is not necessary to tell a complete story in every poem, but the work should have a feeling of closure.

*this phrase is from an essay on writing by Lance Morrow

Light Poem Example: Fire