Prompt 6 on the NaPoWriMo site stumped me, I confess. Obviously, not all prompts work for everyone. But this one was more difficult because it felt vague. Also? I ADORE the Stevens’ poem referenced, & its several riffs. All beyond my skill set! Oh well, I tried. Here it is:
I’d like to challenge you to write a poem that looks at the same thing from various points of view. The most famous poem of this type is probably Wallace Stevens’ “Thirteen Ways of Looking at a Blackbird”. You don’t need to have thirteen ways of looking at something – just a few will do!
I can think of so many things that I see from varied perspectives. You’ll have to decide if my flight of fancy works for you. Here it is:
The hands of a craftsman
A draftsman An engineer A fisherman
A man
A scholar A father A builder
A son
The hands of a draftsman
A surveyor A pen holder
A line follower
A rule
A compassman A sketcher
A ruler
A blade
The hands of a fisherman
A hook baiter Line knotter
Lure caster
Fish
Reel tangler Float sinker
Knife
The hands of a lover
Fisherman
Surveyor
Visionary clear
Scholar & blade
Precise & careful
Magician true
Tea and Breath 