Hello, dVerse poets! It’s Merril. I’m opening the southern New Jersey portal to the poets’ pub with this August prompt. Can you believe we’re halfway through August?
Here August is the beginning of the end of summer. It can be super-hot and humid, but the sun doesn’t rise as early or set as late as it did in June. I’ve even noticed some leaves turning color. In the US, children and teachers will soon be returning to school. School clothes and supplies are being advertised. Some schools, both public schools and universities, begin their autumn terms now in August.
Both of my parents were born in August. Neither is alive now, but I still think about them on their birthdays and eat food in their honor. Birthdays, I suppose, are a sort of transitioning to the next year.
So, for today I want you to write a poem that take place in some sort of transition time—perhaps just before school starts, or traveling on a bus or train in-between destination, or those few moments before you fall asleep, or a significant event in history that leads to something else, or . . . whatever you imagine fits the prompt of a transitional time.
I have also selected lines from two poems written by two very different poets born in August. Both selections have a sort of transition feel. The first is from a short poem by English, Romantic poet, Percy Bysshe Shelley. The second is by American poet, Rita Dove, who was the U.S. Poet Laureate 1993-1995. You may use these lines as inspiration, as well.
Percy Bysshe Shelley (August 4, 1792 – July 8, 1822)
English Romantic PoetMusic, when soft voices die,
Vibrates in the memory—
–Percy Bysshe Shelley, Music when soft voices dieRita Dove (August 28, 1952)
American poet. She was US Poet Laureate 1993-1995
Rosa
“How she sat there,
the time right inside a place
so wrong it was ready. “–Rita Dove, Rosa
So, to be clear, for this Poetics prompt, write a poem in any style about a transitional time—in nature, in your life, in history, or however you want to interpret it. You may also use the selected lines for inspiration.
Add the link to your poem in the Mister Linky box below. Then visit others to see how they interpreted the prompt!
kim881 said:
Good evening poets and thanks for hosting with this versatile Poetics prompt, Merril. The nights are already drawing in; it was so dark in here I had to switch the light on! And it’s only two more weeks of the summer holidays and my grandson will be starting year one. Tempus fugit!
merrildsmith said:
Hi Kim! Yes, indeed. I guess year one must be like our first grade. It seems like you were just talking about him as a baby!
merrildsmith said:
Hello! Welcome to the dVerse pub! It’s steamy here with a chance of thunderstorms (again). Typical August weather. We have hot and cold beverages, and we are featuring New Jersey peaches and blueberries in cobblers, pies, and cakes.
Laura Bloomsbury said:
mouthwatering on the menu Merril- what a choice! Peach cobbler or blueberry -hmm. I opt for and!!
Mostly rain and cool here so the dry days stand out from the crowd!
merrildsmith said:
I will give you a sampler platter of all our blueberry and peach treats, Laura!
Laura Bloomsbury said:
Good evening Merril – thank you for this prompt – that Shelley poem is such a perfect example of this prompt
merrildsmith said:
Thank you, Laura! I’m so pleased you think so.
I was going to use it myself, but I had another idea. 🙂
Björn Rudberg (brudberg) said:
Hello, I loved the prompt and for sure August is a good time to think of transitions…
merrildsmith said:
Thank you, Björn!
Grace said:
Hi Merril, Thanks for the prompt. Its been an erratic whether here – sun, rain, sun or rain? Blueberry or peach pie will be lovely.
merrildsmith said:
I will give you a small slice of each. 😋
Melissa Lemay said:
We had Halloween decorations out here weeks ago.😱 I’ll take an iced latte with light ice and some blueberry syrup if you have that.🫐💙
merrildsmith said:
Halloween decorations–crazy. Probably Christmas stuff will be out in a week or two. We have everything at the dVerse pub! Here’s your iced latte!
rog said:
hi Merril
hi all
the local plum trees here in southern England are dropping their sweet fruit by the bucket full. so I will swap for a bucket full for a peach cobbler and a pint of ice cold lemonade.
great prompt Merril took me to a previously poem from my spoken word and open mic evenings.
thanks rog
will read as and when i can
merrildsmith said:
Thank you so much, Rog! I will pass some peach cobbler and lemonade through and pick up the plums. I’m so pleased you liked the prompt!
rothpoetry said:
Thanks for hosting, Merril. This prompt has so many possibilities. It will be hard to choose. Some ice cold sparkling cider would be great on this hot day!
merrildsmith said:
You’re welcome, Dwight. I like sort of open prompts, but if you get stuck, the quotes might help. Here’s a big glass of cold, sparkling cider!
rothpoetry said:
Yum!
Mish said:
Hello everyone and thank you Merril for hosting. A thoughtful prompt idea that gave me a much needed outlet today. The peach and blueberry cobbler sounds delish. I will take it to go. An emotional day, so I will slip out and read a little later.
merrildsmith said:
Hi Mish–yes, I just read yours. Take your time. And really take the whole cobbler, too. 💙
Mish said:
Thank you, Merril. You really are a sweetheart.
merrildsmith said:
😘
Rob Kistner said:
Thank you for hosting Merril! Fascinating prompt. Transition proved to be a powerful prompt for me. Took me to a very personal place. Finished a couple new digital art pieces to go with the new poem. All of it is posted and linked here? 🙂✌🏼🫶🏼
merrildsmith said:
Thank you so much, Rob! I’m pleased the prompt resonated with you. 💙
memadtwo said:
A prompt with many possible dimensions. Thanks Merril. (K)
merrildsmith said:
You’re very welcome, Kerfe.
Christine Bolton, Poetry for Healing said:
Lovely prompt Merril. The year is speeding by, isn’t it? ☺️💕
merrildsmith said:
Thank you, Christine. It certainly is!
Stacy MS said:
thank you for the great prompt. i enjoyed the poems…both were new to me!
merrildsmith said:
Thank you! I’m happy you enjoyed the prompt and the poems. Just recently (after I scheduled this prompt), I saw an in-depth article on Rita Dove’s work in the NY Times. I
Frewin55 said:
Sometimes I see these invitations to the pub before I go to bed but morning is my best time to create so that is why I always turn up like one seeking the hair of the dog, sniffing the morning after sweetness of drinks and bonhomie. A truly great prompt, thank you Merril…
merrildsmith said:
Thank you very much, Andrew. I am a morning person, so I understand. I work best then. 🙂
Tina Stewart Brakebill said:
Thanks for providing a forum for my thoughts.
merrildsmith said:
You’re welcome!