Rae Rose

Steve Kowit called a list poem a “creative inventory.” Each word should be carefully chosen and memorable, but it still really is just a list.

For example, here is one I found on the internet:

“What’s in the box under my bed?
eight marbles and a shoestring

a shiny bubble gum ring

two valuable baseball cards

some chocolate candy bars

a letter from my friend”

But ::my:: FAVORITE list poems are magical and strange.

My favorite is Joy Harjo’s She Had Some Horses. Here is an excerpt:

“She had some horses. She had horses who were bodies of sand. She had horses who were maps drawn of blood. She had horses who were skins of ocean water. She had horses who were the blue air of the sky. She had horses who were fur and teeth. She had horses who were clay and would break. She had horses who were splintered red cliff. She had some horses.”

My assignment is to write a list poem of your feelings own feelings. What kind of feelings do you have? What do they look like? What do they eat? Feel free to add images and magic.

Here is my draft:

“I have feelings that sing sad tunes.

Feelings that run from a cup of tea.

I have feelings that are scared

of men with a fondness of books.

I have feelings that move lie acrobats, like smoke.

Feelings that get drunk like bees and sting me when I try to move.”

Email me your poems at raeroselarkbloom@gmail.com

Write a list poem of your feelings!