Thursday, June 9, 2011

Writing Prompts with Percy Bysshe Shelley

 

STARS
©
Sergey Kravtsov | Dreamstime.com


For today's writing prompts, I'm happy to bring you an old, but sparkly poem by Percy Bysshe Shelley.  I hope you enjoy, "To Jane:  The Keen Stars Were Twinkling."  Read the poem and then you can you try the prompts based on the poem below. 


To Jane: The Keen Stars Were Twinkling by Percy Bysshe Shelley

     The keen stars were twinkling,
And the fair moon was rising among them,
        Dear Jane!
     The guitar was tinkling,
But the notes were not sweet till you sung them
        Again.

     As the moon's soft splendour
O'er the faint cold starlight of Heaven
        Is thrown,
     So your voice most tender
To the strings without soul had then given
        Its own.

     The stars will awaken,
Though the moon sleep a full hour later,
        Tonight;
     No leaf will be shaken
Whilst the dews of your melody scatter
        Delight.

     Though the sound overpowers,
Sing again, with your dear voice revealing
        A tone
     Of some world far from ours,
Where music and moonlight and feeling
        Are one.

"To Jane: The Keen Stars Were Twinkling" by Percy Bysshe Shelley. Public domain.


1.  Poetry Prompt:  Start a poem with this line, "Over the faint starlight of heaven comes. . . "

2.  Fiction Writing Prompt:  Write an opening scene from a story that starts in a scene, "Where the music and moonlight and feeling are one." 

3.  Creative nonfiction Prompt:  Write about a memory you shared with someone looking at the stars or the moon.   

2 comments:

  1. Wonderful prompts! This poem is so beautiful. My creative wheels are turning... :)

    ReplyDelete
  2. Thanks for commeting, Laura. I'm glad the prompts got your wheels turning!

    ReplyDelete

I only ask that all comments be polite and constructive.