Tweetspeak Poetry

Poetry Prompt: Quiet as Velvet

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quiet as velvet prompt

Poet and novelist Elinor Wylie was extravagant, if not notorious in her lifetime. Raised a debutante, she rebelled against society’s conventions of the turn of the century, often raising more than a few eyebrows due to her multiple marriages and affairs. Wylie was well known for her beauty but suffered from dangerously high blood pressure throughout her adult life, which caused blinding migraines and would eventually end her life.

While visiting her ex-husband William Benet in New York in 1928, she picked up a volume of John Donne’s poems and asked Benet for a glass of water; when he returned with it, she walked over to him and said quietly, “Is that all it is?” and fell to the floor, having died of a stroke.

One of her most anthologized poems, “Velvet Shoes,” takes the reader on a muted journey through snow.

Velvet Shoes

Let us walk in the white snow
In a soundless space;
With footsteps quiet and slow,
At a tranquil pace,
Under veils of white lace.

I shall go shod in silk,
And you in wool,
White as white cow’s milk,
More beautiful
Than the breast of a gull.

We shall walk through the still town
In a windless peace;
We shall step upon white down,
Upon silver fleece,
Upon softer than these.

We shall walk in velvet shoes:
Wherever we go
Silence will fall like dews
On white silence below.
We shall walk in the snow.

—by Elinor Wylie

Try It: Quiet as Velvet Poetry

Think of the softness of velvet and the hushed sound it makes on the fingertips. Write a quiet and gentle poem using velvet as one part of the poetic whole. Consider writing your poem in answer to the question, “Is that all it is?”

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Featured Poem

Here’s a recent poem from L.L. we enjoyed:

If you would agree
to be kind,
I would lay myself
down,

a bridge
between now
and what’s never,
yet, been dreamed.

—by L.L. Barkat

Photo by thephotographymuse. Creative Commons via Flickr.

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How to Write a Poem 283 highHow to Write a Poem uses images like the buzz, the switch, the wave—from the Billy Collins poem “Introduction to Poetry”—to guide writers into new ways of writing poems. Excellent teaching tool. Anthology and prompts included.

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—Callie Feyen, English Teacher, Maryland

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Heather Eure
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Comments

  3. Shannon Mayhew says

    In the Glow

    By the night-light glow
    I see you holding the hem
    Of the pink velvet dress
    Worn by your lovey-doll

    I watch, quiet,
    as you slide the velvet
    Along your rosebud mouth
    And your apricot chin

    The way you do
    When sleep tugs
    at your faded daisy pajama shirt
    And your sparkle-eyes grow soft

    Your breath hushes
    like a bamboo rustle
    The deeper, sleeping breath
    My own breath slows

    The velvet just resting now
    Between your finger and thumb
    I imagine you bring this softness
    Into your dreams

    I could quietly slide from your bed
    But instead I stay
    In the glow
    and listen

    This is all it is
    This is everything

    Reply

  4. Katie says

    tucking
    you into bed
    smoothing your soothing fleece
    velvet down over your shoulder
    sweet dreams

    smiling
    up at me your eyes are sparkling
    you’re so very grateful
    that small measure
    of love

    Reply

    • Donna says

      Now, I want a velvet nap to dream about my little ones when they were little ones.

      🙂 Thank you for taking me there.

      Reply

      • Katie says

        Hi Donna:)
        Thankful this sparked fond memories for you.
        I thought it might bring back some, which is wonderful.
        Actually, I just returned from caring for my 92 year old mom, who is recovering from flu and pneumonia. One night when I helped her into bed, she beamed up at me and said “You’re so good to me.” and I thought, “Well, I had a great role model.” 🙂
        Gratefully,
        Katie

        Reply

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