Lillian here, delighted to host today’s Poetics at dVerse, the virtual pub for poets around the globe.

A PREQUEL is a story or movie containing events that precede those of an existing work. On the movie scene, all the prequels made after the original Star Wars movie come to mind. In our immediate world right here, some time back, Sanaa, who is a frequent pub tender and long time dVerser, read aloud a poem of hers about Medusa during an OLN LIVE session. In it, she described what Medusa was like before her infamous run-in with Athena when her hair was turned into snakes. In essence, she created a prequel to the mythological character, Medusa. You can read it here https://www.adashofsunny.com/treading-along-the-grasses-of-reverie-part-3/ 

Today, I’d like you to consider famous characters from nursery rhymes, Aesops’ Fables, books you’ve read, or perhaps mythology. And then I’d like you to imagine a previous life for that character, in terms of what they were like before they became famous. For example, just to throw out some ideas: What was King Cole like before he was a King? What about Alice as a toddler, encouraged her to fall down a rabbit hole and ultimately meet the Mad Hatter, the Cheshire Cat and the Queen of Hearts? Or alternatively, how did the Mad Hatter become mad? What is it about Peter Peter Pumpkin Eater’s background that made him become someone who couldn’t keep a wife? Who was the boy who always called wolf and how did he become a kid who did things like that? What was Mrs. Danvers from Rebecca like as a young child? What was Paddington Bear like as a young cub and why did he become an endearing bear to so many, including the late Queen Elizabeth? How did Hercules develop his muscles, and/or why? How did Peter Pan learn to fly? Or what in his past drove him to never want to grow up? You’ve got the idea now. It should be clear to us within your poem, who you are writing this prequel about. Have some fun with this prompt! There is no particular form required for your poem; no particular length or rhyme pattern. You’re simply being asked to think about the possible background of a famous character or mythological figure and write a poem showing a different side to them. It must be a prequel however. It cannot be about what happens to them after they’re famous. What is it about their upbringing, an event, a situation, that made them who they are when we get to know them in their famous setting (nursery rhyme, fable, mythology, book, etc). Image below from Pixabay.com

New to dVerse?  Need to be refreshed on the rules? Here’s what to do:

• Write a poem that is a prequel to a particular character from a nursery rhyme, aesop’s fable, book, or mythology. See explanation in prompt above. Be sure it’s clear in the poem, who you’re writing about.
  
• Post the poem to your blog AND add the exact URL for your poem to Mr. Linky below.

• REMEMBER to either TAG dVerse in your post, or include a link at the end of your poem that leads readers back to dVerse (https://dversepoets.com). 

• If you do not TAG or include a link to dVerse at the end of your post, I will gently remind you to do so. After all, this will increase your readership and comments, and others will find dVerse and hopefully join in the fun. If you do not add the TAG or link after my reminder, I will remove your post from Mr. Linky. I do not want to do that! So please do include the TAG or link!