Poetry Tow Truck 39: Will It Go Round in Circles?

Balloons. Bubbles. Planets. Cheerios. Rings. Merry-go-rounds. Hula Hoops. Superballs. Bowls. Oranges. M & Ms. Skittles. Lifesavers. Life preservers. Frisbees. Clocks. Drums. Cupcakes. Donuts. Wheels. Tires. Bracelets.

Round things rule. And circles are also symbols of connection, of cycles, of continuing. So today we will use this simple shape to inspire a poem in one of four ways.

1.  Make a list of round things (or use the one above.) Choose two or three of the items that come from different “categories” – for instance, I would consider balloons, bubbles, hula hoops and Frisbees all part of a “childhood” category.  Write a poem that features these images.

2.  Write a poem about a cycle: the water cycle, circadian rhythms, crop rotation, animal migration, lunar phases…you get the idea.

3. Write a poem that circles back on itself, either in language or in ideas. For instance, start and end a poem with the same line. Or start with an idea and follow it through free association until you can get back to the original thought, perhaps slightly altered. (Here is a sample of one type of circle poem, written by a teenager.)

4. Get inspired by Joni Mitchell’s “The Circle Game.”

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