December 10th - Prompt: Working Prompt

Today, we're going to begin getting into the writing method.  This prompt will incorporate (for the first time, sadly) a quick explanation of one of the most potent tools that a poet has at his/her disposal: the metaphor. So, with that in mind, let's get to the first piece of this prompt.

Think about a job you have worked in the past.

This is a pretty simple task.  Think of a job, any job, at which you have worked.  Got one?  Maybe two if you're unsure about the second piece of the prompt?  Okay, good! Let's go on.

Write 5 metaphors which describe this job.

Metaphor is a somewhat scary word.  I still am humbled by its power.  But the basic structure, grammatically, of a metaphor is relatively simple:

Noun + a "be verb" (click for link to explain) + another noun

This could look like:

My job was a fire breathing dragon.

The morning commute was a march into chains.

Or any number of other things you could possibly relate your work experience to.  Keep in mind (my take on poetry and metaphor incoming) that metaphors are meant to take the unique and make them universal.  No one else can have your work experience.  Therefore, it is up to you to make that very unique experience make sense to other people through the use of metaphor.  What was your work?  Can we see it better?  Can we maybe taste it?  Smell it?  Experience it?  Help us understand.

Now the final part of this prompt (which is sort of a workshop):

With one (maybe two) of the metaphors you wrote in mind, expand upon that into a full-fledged poem.

For example, using one of the lines above, I might find:

My job was a fire breathing dragon: it was always angry and seemed to burn when I got too close, but it guarded treasure which I was loathe to pass up.

Now, we have a better understanding of what your job was and why.  The reason you wrote 5 metaphors but only used one was to help if you ever got stuck.  If you get stuck in writing, look at your other metaphors (your pre-writing) and use those as inspiration.

If anyone has questions about this writing prompt, feel free to post below.  And, as always, I welcome you to share your work in the comments below as well!

Have fun and happy writing!