We’ve carefully curated this month’s playlist to bring you the songs of heroes and villains. Sarah Buxton beckons, “I Need a Hero” while Five For Fighting reminds us it isn’t easy being Superman. Whether you’re ready to save the day or perhaps create a little chaos, we’ve got you covered.
Your theme song awaits. Just click play.
Thanks to everyone who participated in last week’s poetry prompt. Here’s a poem from Prasanta we enjoyed:
Words fall like mist upon
morning; awaken dust,
soak dry bones. I wipe off dew
and see that you have left your
prints on my flesh. I am no longer
a ghost; I move like wind, seek
quiet shadows, and translate
their words into music.
The traditional roles in the timeless battle of good versus evil were once well-defined. However, modern comic book archetypes have evolved; their principles a closer reflection of real life. The story lines aren’t always black-and-white as the morals of both superhero and villain are often two sides of the same coin.
POETRY PROMPT: There’s a lot of pressure placed on the shoulders of a superhero. Voltaire’s words are echoed by Peter Parker’s uncle in Spiderman: “With great power comes great responsibility.” Write a poem about the inner conflict your superhero might face. What kind of character flaws hide beneath the surface?
Photo by Alex. Creative Commons license via Flickr. Post by Heather Eure.
_____________
Sometimes we feature your poems in Every Day Poems, with your permission of course. Thanks for writing with us!
Browse more Poetry Prompts
Browse more Poetry Teaching Resources
- Poetry Prompt: Misunderstood Lion - March 19, 2018
- Animate: Lions & Lambs Poetry Prompt - March 12, 2018
- Poetry Prompt: Behind the Velvet Rope - February 26, 2018
L. L. Barkat says
“Spider Woman”
Silk or linen,
needle or body
in this battle—
where to pin
the air?
Richard Maxson says
Wonderful. You have such a skill with brevity.
L. L. Barkat says
Why thank you. ‘Tis the soul of wit, I hear. (Maybe we should offer a class in brevity? 🙂 )
Richard Maxson says
Hmmmm. I am in need of a course like that. I always tend on the wordy side.
Maureen Doallas says
Remember my poem about the Hunchback: ‘A Monster’s Love’?
http://writingwithoutpaper.blogspot.com/2010/04/monsters-love-poem.html
Richard Maxson says
The Heart As Hero
How shall the heart be reconciled
to its feast of losses?
—Stanley Kunitz
My first home rendered in me
her ichorous flesh and sinew.
We shared the nails of pain
that pushed the rusting rivers
through my veins; I lived
like a vessel moored in darkness,
bumping in its slip, bumping,
like a lightless beacon, unmindful
of light to come,
and the darkness confining it.
What evaporates before me is this:
the sea that was mine,
a heaven that is no one’s in this life;
our sin of longing for the tide
that swept us here,
original as window frost;
the cradle of arms,
that diminished as we grew,
hands that fashioned us,
then railed in anger, leaving
us, in the distance
of a room, to walk or fail.
Nails dissolve and leave
their scars and gristle,
from these we make a heart—
an ancient drum, with a simple song.
Words wrap me now,
like a chrysalis, swaddle me
in their mysterious mercy;
they bind me to my song,
like the prattling voice of rivers;
mined phrases for the changes
in the night sky—
the milk of creation lost
in the light of its children—
leaving me watching a broken moon,
through threadbare trees, valiantly
waiting for the weight of winter.
Heather Eure says
So good, Richard. I like your words. 🙂
Robbie Pruitt says
The Unintentional Un-Super Hero
I was going to leap
Over buildings
In a single bound
I was going to go
‘Up! Up! And Away!’
But lack of imagination
Made me stay
Insecurities held me at bay
Left me standing before the gape
This and you were standing on my cape
© May 4, 2015, Robbie Pruitt
Maureen Doallas says
Made me laugh, Robbie. Love the title.
Robbie Pruitt says
Thank you Maureen! Fun topic. Can’t say that I have explored this often.
Prasanta says
Haha! I love this!
Robbie Pruitt says
Thank you! . . . I think most of us have had similar feelings before. . . It is an identifiable sentiment . . .
Maureen Doallas says
Love the image of trying “to pin / the air”, L.L. Great to see you back here!
Prasanta says
So honored to have my poem featured here! Thank you!
I’m still thinking about the heroes/villains theme– but I sure do love Robbie’s poem above. It’s just what a real-life hero would do. 🙂
Robbie Pruitt says
Prasanta, You are too kind. Thank you. I appreciated your featured poem, especially the line, “soak dry bones”. Reminds me of Ezekiel. I also like the notion of hearing words like music, in your line, “translate their words into music”. So good.
Prasanta says
Thank you for your kind words, Robbie! (And you are right — Ezekiel is where the idea of that imagery came from.)