Monday Morning Writing Prompt–Writing the Erotic

Cover via Amazon

One of my favorite books about the art of writing poetry is “The Poet’s Companion–A Guide to the Pleasures of Writing Poetry” by Kim Addonizio and Dorianne Laux, both inspiring poets who, I believe, are from the San Francisco Bay Area.

In one of the chapters they discuss the art of writing eroticism. For those who find this challenging, they provide several suggestions that include using non-erotic imagery, metaphor and simile to suggest the erotic and they provide examples using the natural world, including landscape, to create sexual images.

For today’s exercise, I would like to challenge you to write an erotic poem or flash fiction about the landscape or any non-sexual activity such as cleaning house, driving a car…whatever. Please consider sharing it by posting a link in comments.

Here is a poem I wrote a number of years ago. It was published in the Tahoe Writers’ Association Literary Journal: Edge.

Today Should Be Autumn

Today should be autumn with its
skies like cornflowers or my lover’s eyes.
Angels toss pillows and
romp in mounds of feathers.

Wind sends leaves scurrying,
hurled about like stars at the moment of creation.
Woodstoves waft incense,
delight spirits who dance in naked branches.

Stagnant rainwater stands in a rusty bucket;
the layer of slime floats on its surface, smells rank.
A slug inches its way across bricks
spattered with specks of moss.

Underneath a pile of mulch
bulbs shoot out nipples of willow green leaves
aroused by a lick of sunshine.
Earth, wet and waiting, opens to receive spring.