Tuesday, June 26, 2012

Writing Prompt Tres

Hi folks,

Today’s writing prompt will be a little more on the imagination side of writing. Everyday I walk a few blocks to work on what most believe to be your typical, average city blocks (mostly). But for some reason the most amazing and astonishing things happen to me on those seven blocks. Today I would like you to write a poem or short story that keeps this idea in mind. Tell your audience the emotions and feelings you get from certain encounters along your path, i.e. work, friends, etc. and paint a picture with your words for the reader to visualize! Can’t wait to see what you’ve come up with. Keep writing and keep creating!

Oz

Written by Jason Gunn

From my apartment on Chester Ave to work at Warrior Writers on Hazel Ave is what most individuals consider your typical, three block walk past row homes and quiet side streets with the occasional car or hipster cutting you off with his bike as you step into the street. But for me, those little blocks have seemed to define strange and beautiful as one in the same. As you enter you quickly realize the sounds and echoes from the city seem to be blocked out and a sort of sweet silence hangs over you. The silence breaks from an unseen child’s laughter or the quiet meow from a small orange tabby perching on a wooden fence as you glide down the birch and Japanese cherry tree laden walkway. You suddenly develop the feeling of being “misplaced” as the reality of this place begins to converge on itself. For me this realm creates the impossible to the possible! I’ve been attacked by a swarm of monarch butterflies covered in beautiful, swirling vibrant oranges and blacks, which seemed to keep pace as I bolted down the street barely missing a large Chester drawer converted into a tropical flower garden. I’ve been caught in the rain where on one side of the street the rains feel hard and fat but the other side remained dry as a bone (while the sun was still shinning!) I’ve seen a troll walk its dog and greet its neighbors as if this was an everyday thing! I’ve seen front porch family folk music bands playing old tunes on tired instruments to a homeless man belting out love songs with a golden voice under the street lamps. I’ve seen these blocks totally disappear under a blanket of white snow and come to life during a hurricane. Many say that this could happen to anyone at anytime and I agree but for now those short three blocks will always hold a special place in my heart, a place where my imagination gets its start and helps me visualize these wonderful and fantastic events - my own personal OZ.

Thursday, June 21, 2012

Writing Prompt DOS!

As some of us see the summer as a time for a break, others are still taking classes. We all joined the military for a reason-no matter what it may be. But we all left with something that had been taught in one way or another. Appropriately, let's use this as what guides us to write this week. The military taught me...

Thursday, June 14, 2012

Superheroes Poem by Trent Love

Super Heroes (A Father’s Day Tribute)
by Trent Love

 Look …up in the sky, 
It’s a bird, 
No, it’s a plane, 
No, No, it’s…. 

 D….A…..D 

 That’s right, 
the greatest honor that can be 
bestowed upon any man on earth. 

Is being a D….A….D 

 Hmmmm, that should be seen as something special, 
Something Special, especially on Father’s Day. 

 But depending on the situation. 

 You see, Sometimes they call us deadbeats, Damn them. 
Sometimes they call us heroes,
 And yet, at othertimes, maybe for a chosen few, 
superheroes, 

 Yeah, Real Superheroes living here and now amongst us. 

 Its…D…A…D 

 But even superheroes need love. 

 After all, we are still only humans, 
We make mistakes, 
We fall down, we get up, we fall down again. 
We do the best we can, with what we have. 

 We’re just ordinary people, 
doing extradonary things, 

 But everything has a cost you see, 
The price for Freedom is never free. 
 We may not get credit, nor fortune,nor fame, 
But our love for our children is always the same. 

 So here are my words, 
If ever I have caused pain, 
I say that I’m sorry, 
And let’s start again. 

I’m sorry 

Superheroes: A Father's Day Tribute

This work is a combination of multi media performances by Trent Love and Friends and is a Tribute For Fathers, For Families, Forever....Happy Father's Day!!!!!

http://youtu.be/HNyBGpVjhdk

When I say..."I am an American soldier"
I cringe at the very thought of being called a hero;
a defender of freedom.

My skin crawls and tightens,
while the tiny hairs on my arm
stand at perfect attention.

When I say..."I am an American soldier"
my mind wanders back to the hot sand
and smokey skies.

I try to wrap my mind around it all.
The war.
The blood.
The oil.

When I say..."I am an American soldier"
I vomit at the very thought.
I feel all the pain inflicted upon my "enemy".

I feel the dirt and grit in my mouth.
I will always carry this burden on my back.
I am an American soldier;
I am a master of masking the horrors.

Wednesday, June 13, 2012

Writing Prompt Uno

Hello everyone, today I would like to do a writing prompt that will take a previously written poem by Michael Anthony from our new book, After Action Review entitled “American Soldier,” and have people write the poem in their own words. Below I have an example of how I took the poem and reworked it using my own language. This exercise will allow you to use the opening lines of the poem - “When I say…I am an American Soldier,” and create your own poem or story. You can be as creative as you want you just have to use the opening line at least once, if not repeatedly. I am really looking forward to reading what everyone comes up with! Keep writing and keep creating!

Jason Gunn

When I say… “I am a soldier”

I am not a bringer of peace

But a destroyer of families and nations

When I say… “I am a soldier”

I am not supported by my country

But brought down by its negligence

When I say… “I am a soldier”

I am not proud or strong

But betrayed and broken

When I say… “I am a soldier”

I am not the image you see on the posters

I am the shut-out you do not wish to see

When I say… “I am a soldier”

I am not proud of the medals that hang from my chest

But honored by the memories of fallen friends and the scars

Earned in the protection of others on the line

When I say… “I am a soldier”

I am no longer fighting for a country’s greed

But fighting myself to forgive and forget

Tuesday, June 12, 2012

Introduction

Hi everyone my name is Jason Gunn and I am the new outreach coordinator with Warrior Writers. I live in West Philly and I am also a contributing artist as well as an Army veteran who served in Iraq in 2003. Every Wed., Amber and I will be posting writing prompts with our own works to get some more activity going on the site. I am looking forward to posting on this site, and I hope you enjoy my creativity.