Poetry Challenge #31

Hello Earth! It’s Me _______________ the Tree

Since 1970, when Earth Day, a bigger, more expansive world-wide environmental “Movement” came into creation (take that J. Sterling Morton), Arbor Day has lost its popularity—but trees haven’t.

In the spirit of inclusivity, with a nod to Arbor Day on Earth Day, here we go:

For this prompt, you’ll need a clean sheet of paper (kind of ironic, isn’t it) and something to write with (a No.2 pencil perhaps).

We’re going to create a Shape Poem about a tree. But not just any tree, the tree you’d like to be.

FYI: “A Shape Poem is a type of poetry that describes an object and is shaped the same as the object the poem is describing.”

#1: Imagine Yourself as a Tree.

#2: Ask yourself what kind of tree are you? What do you look like? What’s your name?

#3: Draw a picture of YOU _____________ the Tree. As this is only a 7-minute prompt, make it a quick sketch (you can always embellish later).

Above your tree sketch, add the title:
Hello Earth! It’s Me ___your name here_____ the Tree.

Now, with You the Tree in mind, doodle words, phrases, questions, all around your tree’s roots, trunk, branches . . . add leaves, vines creatures.

And if you feel inspired, use those words to pencil a poem about You the Tree.

Or, heck, run outside and
Hug A Tree!
Climb A Tree!
Hang your poem from a tree!

Set the timer for 7 minutes.

Start writing!

Don’t think about it too much; just do it.

*Kelly Bennett and I began this 7-Minute Poetry Challenge over 750 days ago. We now take turns creating our own prompts to share with you. If you join us in the 7-Minute Poetry Challenge let us know by posting the title, a note, or if you want, the whole dang poem. Scroll down and click on the comments!