Creative Writing Exercises

Exercise #1



Read “The Local Language”

One of the implications of Angel’s poem is that each human subculture, whether divided by region, class, ethnicity, or some other rubric, has its own system of expressive gesture and speech, and that these amount to a “local language.” Think of a subculture that you are a part of, or at least know well, and make a list of expressive gestures or ways of speaking common to that group. Your subculture may be a place of employment, or any community brought together by shared concerns or interests—church groups, neighborhood block, antique collectors, sports teams, etc. Your list may include elements of common speech, or physical gesture, or shared fragments of dream. After assembling your list, see how the elements might come together in a poem.




Exercise #2



Read “Even Because”

Angel employs anaphora in this poem—the repetition of a word or phrase at the beginning of each (or most—Angel uses subtle variations) line of the poem. Use anaphora to write your own “chant-like” poems. Try, as in Angel’s poem, to vary the structure in interesting ways.




Exercise #3



Read “First Impressions”

In this poem the speaker tells us a story, but it’s told only visually. All the exposition has been left out. In three paragraphs (or more), write out a story, a story with a beginning, middle, and end. Then put it aside for a while. When you come back to it and read it again, cross out all the explanatory language. And then, from what’s left, find the images that tell your story without exposition. Try to let the images themselves do the “talking.”




Exercise #4



Read “Untitled (for Rothko)

Go to a museum or gallery that exhibits a collection of works by an artist of interest to you. Spend time looking at the pieces, and write down your observations. Try to include not only physical descriptions of the art work, but also your personal experience of it—be it emotional, psychological, or even spiritual. Try to trust that your observations “hang together” because they are based a single artist’s works, and then make a poem comprised of your observations.