Hello, dVerse Poets! Welcome! Today’s prompt is not for poetry, but for prose. We call this dVerse form, prosery.
The rules for prosery are simple:
Your prosery can be flash-fiction or creative non-fiction, but not poetry. It should be no longer than 144 words in total (not including the title). No versification, line breaks, meter, etc). Most importantly, it must include the given poetry line, word for word, within the prose.
You may break the line only to insert or add punctuation, but you cannot change the words in the line or insert words within the prompt line. You cannot break up the prompt line with sentences or paragraphs.
I think it is almost as much of a challenge to choose the prompt lines as it is to respond to them. I try to pick a line that is not too recognizable or too long, and that is poetic without being too flowery or archaic.
This past Saturday (June 3) was June’s full moon. It’s sometimes called the Strawberry moon, and I can attest to how we’ve been enjoying local strawberries in my part of the world. So, I chose a line that includes the moon.
The prompt line is:
“An early moon is just a piece of change
in the softening sky. “— James Masao Mitsui, “Spring Poem for the Sake of Breathing, Written After a Walk to Foster Island”
I hope you will take the time to read the full poem.
Full poem here.
James Masao Mitsui was born to Japanese immigrant parents in Washington state in 1940. During WWII, after the Japanese bombed Pearl Harbor, many Japanese Americans were forced to relocate, and many were interred in relocation camps. Among them, were Mitsui and his family. They were later permitted to return to Washington, but internment, relocation, and immigration are common themes in his poems. For example, see this one.
Here’s how to take part in the Prosery Prompt:
- Write a piece of flash fiction or other prose up of up to or exactly 144 words, including the given line from the poem.
- Post your Prosery piece on your blog and link back to this post.
- Place the link to your actual post (not your blog url) on the Mister Linky page.
- Don’t forget to check the little box to accept use/privacy policy.
- Please visit other blogs and comment on their posts.
kim881 said:
Good evening all and thanks to Merril for this lovely prompt. It’s still chilly here in North Norfolk, something warm would be perfect, with some pistachios on the side, please.
merrildsmith said:
Hi Kim! A cup of tea perhaps? And some pistachios.
kim881 said:
Something fruity and uncaffeinated, please, Merril!
merrildsmith said:
How about a berry blend? 🙂
kim881 said:
Yes please!
merrildsmith said:
🫖
merrildsmith said:
Welcome to Prosery! We have lots of strawberry desserts and drinks, as well as asparagus cooked in many different ways. We’re just about at the end of both seasons here in southern NJ. Enjoy a beverage and snack while you ponder and peruse.
Dale said:
Asparagus! Seems to be the time of year. 🙂 Our strawberries have just started. But who can afford them? My gosh. A little basket, I know not how much (1 pint?) is $9!! (This being from the farmer’s stands…)
merrildsmith said:
Asparagus and strawberries are almost finished here. I think our basket from the farm stand was about $7.
Dale said:
Goes to show what a meridian’s distance means! How big the basket? When I saw the size of the one going for $9, I cannot lie, I balked. I’m all for helping out farmers, but…
merrildsmith said:
It’s expensive. They were also doing you pick for less, but I just wasn’t ready for that this year. But the fresh from the farm strawberries taste a million times better than the store ones.
Dale said:
It is. I know I will succumb soon, no matter what. These are our EARLY ones!! There is no comparison taste-wise.
Oh yeah…. and our air quality is awful, as well. We have more than 160 wildfires burning in Quebec right now (not the mention the ones in the Maritimes and out west…)
merrildsmith said:
We got some of the haze from your wildfires, then we had two north of us in NJ!
Dale said:
I believe it. It’s been a scary start to fire season!
merrildsmith said:
Yes, it has been!
Dale said:
🔥
Helen said:
From Helen ~~~ You chose a gorgeous line, Merril! Strawberry Shortcake for this lady!
merrildsmith said:
Thank you, Helen!
Strawberry shortcake. Yum! Enjoy!
Kathy at writingpresence.com said:
Thank you for the introduction to James Maseo Mitsui, Merrill – the full poem is certainly worth reading (a few times). Ooooch.
Hot chocolate and strawberry tart please, though I’m not prosing tonight. Just perusing!
merrildsmith said:
Hi Kathy. His work is new to me, as well, and I’m very pleased you like it.
Here’s a hot chocolate and strawberry tart. Enjoy!
Kathy at writingpresence.com said:
Thank you Merril, and I’m sorry I mis-spelled you – and Masao – earlier!
merrildsmith said:
You’re welcome! 😊
Björn Rudberg (brudberg) said:
I love the sentence… but alas it took me to a sad ending (as usual) tomorrow is a holiday in Sweden so I will only be arounf for a little while.
merrildsmith said:
I enjoyed your story, and I’m happy you were around for a little while! 🙂
rothpoetry said:
Thanks for hosting, Merril. I found both poems most interesting. He is such a good writer. Seems to be so in touch with Nature. i will see what I can do with the prompt!
merrildsmith said:
I’m glad you like the poems and prompt. I look forward to reading your response.
rog said:
hi all
struggled with this as my mine was else were prepping to perform a poem at a local music festival. i am touch nervous.
cheers all. a Camille tea would do my state of mind good before bed
og
rog said:
and a bowl of strawberry ice cream as well please if you have any
merrildsmith said:
homemade strawberry ice cream with fresh-picked strawberries!
rog said:
Yum
merrildsmith said:
😋
merrildsmith said:
Good luck with your poetry event. Break a leg! 😉
Here is a cup of soothing chamomile tea.
rog said:
Cheers
memadtwo said:
The moon was beautiful this weekend, dancing with the clouds. (K)
merrildsmith said:
I didn’t see much of it unfortunately.
Truedessa said:
Good Evening – Of course the Prompt title drew me in immediately. A great line to use for the Prosery. I did see the Strawberry Moon over the weekend.
merrildsmith said:
I’m glad you like the prompt–and also that you got to see the moon! It was cloudy when I looked Saturday night and below my sight line when I looked on Sunday.
pvcann said:
Hi Merril, thank you for the line you chose, wonderful. Thank you too for the links to his work. Nice to be introduced to new work (I knew long ago I couldn’t possibly read everything so I love it when others share). His ‘Spring poem …’ is like an elegy for himself through others, or including others. I love how he did it.
merrildsmith said:
Hi Paul. Thank you. I agree about the work and about not being able to read or be familiar with everything. I only discovered him through rabbit-holing poetry sites. 🙂
pvcann said:
I like that, I enjoy surfing poetry sites. 🙂
merrildsmith said:
🙂
poetisatinta said:
Beautiful prompt Merril thank you 😊
merrildsmith said:
I’m so happy you like it! 😊