The Human Body is Mostly Made of Water

The Human Body is Mostly Made of Water

In J.J’s honor, a bench,
a bench beneath a tree,
osage orange. 

In J.J’s honor, a sign
inscribed with four words:
fly like an eagle.

In J.J’s honor, I lie back,
watch the sky remake itself.
Every cloud
is water turned to wing. 

The Prompt

I do not know who J.J. Williams is, but there is a lovely bench in their honor about a mile into one of my favorite local hikes, and the time I spent reclined on that bench, gazing up at the clouds was the inspiration for this poem. If you would like a prompt to play with today, then go looking for inscriptions and dedications on the benches, trees, and buildings around you. Or if you’d like a really wide selection to work with, spend some time in a cemetery. (I know, I know, we’ve already had a cemetery prompt!)

When you find an inscription that speaks to you, let your imagination roam. Let yourself wonder at what prompted the inscription. Let yourself wonder about the lives, stories, loves, and losses behind the words. How might the words or names be in conversation with your own life?

Let your own poem flow from there. Or hey, if it doesn’t flow, let it start, stop, and stutter from there. Sometimes we have to get a few (or few dozen) clunky, effortful poems out of the way before the next easy breezy one blows in. It all has value, and I’d love to read whatever you come up with!

Don’t forget!

Last reminder! LeeAnn Pickrell and I are hosting an open mic for Substack poets on Saturday, August 16 at 12:00 PDT/3:00 EDT. The event will kick off with readings from Kim Nelson, Shondra Bowie, Thomas Rist, and Weston Parker. After these featured readers, we’ll open the mic to anyone who would like to share a poem of their own. If you have been wanting to try an open mic but haven’t yet worked up the courage or found the time, then let us be the first to cheer for your poems! Or simply join in for the pleasure of listening and supporting others. If you would like to attend, please send me a DM or reply to this email, and I’ll send you the Zoom registration link. I hope to see many of you there!