napowrimo-april-6th- converse with images

Many people collect favourite images, whether as memories or posters, sketches or computer files. Pick one such collection of yours – a stamp collection, a postcard book, a file of photos – and rifle through it until something catches your eye. (If you don’t have such a collection, try putting a word – any word – into Google image search or flick through the website of an art gallery.)


Once you have an image, begin to interrogate it for poems. Ask: Who or what in this picture could speak? What would they say? Why is this image meaningful to me? When I look at it, what am I remembering? How does this image make me feel? Which of my moods is easiest to find in it? Where would I want to display picture? Who do I want to see it?

Collect the answers to your questions as a hoard of words or phrases. Scatter them across a blank sheet of paper, then check for patterns. What rhymes? Where is there alliteration? Is any rhythm apparent? Patterns might suggest a form for the poem.

If there aren’t enough patterns, you have two choices: either write your poem as free verse or go back to the images and generate more words. Have fun!

My Father.

It's how I remember him best.
Sitting in his favorite chair.
Half smile half cheeky grin.
Eyes wide open.
Worn out red dressing gown.
Fully with it. Fully alert.
Open book. Forever studying.
Computer screen and keyboard.
Cup of coffee dangerously close.
Mostly silent but always listening.
Aware of everyone and everything.
Much later came the wheelchair.
The trembling hands.
Constantly dozing off.
Coffe in a cup with straw.
Vacant stare.
Laboured breathing.
Sadly (or is it thankfully? )
Those days did not last long.
All too soon he was called away.
I see him now
Painting heavenly sights.
But it's this photograph
Keeps the memories fresh.
Puts a lump in my throat.
I brush the tear from my eye.
How quickly time slips by!

(c) Ingeborg Apfelbaum, April 2010.