the wolf oak sessions

looking for layers

To loosen up your writing brain, pick a spot in nature and look for layers. They could be layers of landscape (sky, branches, grass) or layers of one particular flower. Write short descriptions of those layers, leaving space on the page between each layer. Then invent imaginary in-between layers. In the spaces you left on the page, write descriptions of the unseen, possibly intangible, things that might exist between the layers of the landscape. Turn off your internal editor. This should be a quick exercise to get your brain moving. When you’re done, read Lucille Clifton’s poem about nature poems.

describing the scene/seen

Following Lucille Clifton’s example, write a poem “celebrating grass” or whatever your version of a straightforward descriptive nature poem is. The idea here is to really soak in a very specific place, to capture on the page one spot that you have truly seen (or, ideally, are truly seeing as you write.) When you’re done, read e.e. cummings’ distinctly not straightforward nature poem and let it start to unravel your brain.

the poem under the poem

Now that e.e. cummings has knocked your brain off center, you’re ready to look for the poem under the poem. Think about what Clifton might have meant by the phrase “an other poem”. (That’s not a typo; how is “an other poem” different than “another poem”?) Is there an other poem lurking under the descriptive poem you just wrote? Are there imaginary, intangible things hiding in the layers of your description? Tease them out. Write your other poem, the poem under the poem. Then enjoy another poem by Lucille Clifton, because why not?