write a poem 11
There is, in the poetry world, such thing as an epistolary poem, which comes from the word “epistle” which is just a fancy word for “letter”. By which I mean a written document from one person to another, like back in the day when I’d write a letter home to my parents from college, because there was no email (electronic mail). I’d put a letter in the USPS with a stamp on it. Or two stamps.
For this part of the creative writing portfolio, please first read through the link below about the epistolary form. Then, write a letter (an epistle!) TO your assigned poet. Tell your poet about the pandemic. You may want to tell them about some aspect of plague/disease – historical, fantastical, personal experience, as in what plagues you? How’s it going, what’s happening for you? You may choose to tell your poet how this pandemic is plaguing you, little things, funny things, big things, the way in which death seems to stalk the land. You may want to ask your poet a few questions. Any questions!
Imagine that only your poet will read this letter. Don’t worry about it being “a poem”. As an example of an epistolary poem, I include a link to WS Graham’s “Dear Bryan Wynter” (a painter friend of his who died). I’m also including a link to the great Elizabeth Bishop poem “Letter to NY” for Louise Crane. So your poem should begin, “Dear Ishmael Reed” (for example). Bring your own voice into the poem. Make it as long as it needs to be.
!!!!!!My poet name’s Nellie Wang. She has Chinese backgrounders. Please check her out.
Here;s the link:
https://poets.org/glossary/epistolary-poem
https://www.poetryfoundation.org/poems/55096/dear-bryan-wynter
