Writing post #118: LOVERS

Hi Everyone,

Recently, I’ve been revisiting the life and work of poet Edna St. Vincent Millay, who lived as an openly bisexual woman—and who radicalized the love poem.

Here’s the opening to her 1920 poem, “What lips my lips have kissed, and where, and why”:

What lips my lips have kissed, and where, and why,

I have forgotten, and what arms have lain

Under my head till morning; but the rain

Is full of ghosts tonight, that tap and sigh

Upon the glass and listen for reply …

YOUR PROMPT: Have one of your characters reflect on their old loves and lovers. Who stands out? What’s most memorable? Any specific scenes or conversations? How did their experiences inform who they are today? Poets: you might consider tackling this as a persona poem.

Try 2-3 pages to start.

Enjoy!

Abrazos,

Cristina