Hello, dVerse Poets! It’s Merril from Yesterday and Today with your prompt for the dVerse form called Prosery.

For this form, we take a line of poetry and place it into a prose piece. The prose can be fiction or non-fiction, but it must be a piece of prose, not poetry. You are not permitted to insert words into the given line, but you may punctuate it. This is sort of a slippery slope, using someone else’s words in your own work. Please acknowledge the line, the work, and the poet. The piece you write can be no longer than 144 words.

Today is inauguration day in the U.S. Today, the convicted felon and sex-offender who previously held office before President Joe Biden (and who was impeached twice) will be inaugurated because tragically, he was reelected. This year the inauguration falls on Martin Luther King, Jr. Day. It’s a sad day for most American and for democracy; most Americans did not vote for him, despite what he says.

I thought it fitting then, to use a line from Amanda Gorman’s poem, “The Hill we Climb.” Gorman became the youngest person to deliver a poem at a presidential inauguration in the United States. She was 22 then. I was mesmerized when she read this at President Biden’s inauguration. The line I’ve chosen can be used as you wish. It has nothing to do with politics.

By the time this is posted, the inauguration will probably have taken place, I won’t be watching it. I can’t imagine what it might include, though I doubt there will be a poet.

Here then is the line:
“where can we find light in this never-ending shade?”
–From Amanda Gorman, “The Hill We Climb”

If you’re new to dVerse. Here’s how to participate:

• Write a piece of prose, fiction or non-fiction, up to 144-words, using the given line.
• Post your story on your blog and link back to this post.
• Enter your name and the link to your post by clicking Mr. Linky below (remember to check the little box to accept the use/privacy policy).
• Read and comment on your fellow storytellers’ Proserv pieces. We all like to have our work appreciated. There will be a great variety of wonderful stories, I’m certain!