ALPHAPOETICA

An author extends an invitation to compose in this collection of poems and writing prompts.

Though she had produced verse starting in childhood, it was not until Moore was chosen as the poet laureate for San Ramon, California, that she realized the best motivation for writing a poem is an invitation. In her capacity as poet laureate, she was asked to write poems for various occasions—openings, unveilings, ceremonies—and found these commissions to be extremely fruitful for her output. With this book, the author collects some of her poems and background on the occasions that inspired them for the purpose of helping poets generate pieces of their own. “Each entry begins with a brief description of my inspiration, followed by the poem that emerged, and finally, an invitation for you to give it a try,” writes Moore. “It’s an invitation to enter the life of a working poet to share in the creative process of poetry making.” One poem, for example, “Walt Whitman Sampler,” was originally written on a postcard as a thank-you note for the docent who let Moore into the Walt Whitman House even though it was closed for the day: “As grey light filtered / through / uncurtained windows / we counted the steps— / reverent footfall / across uncarpeted floors / where shadows and / ghosts / whispered his song / in rooms of Prussian blue.” After explaining the context, the author invites readers to compose postcard poems of their own, customizing them with photographs and mailing them to the intended audiences. Moore’s poems focus on approachable, everyday topics, and her spare, image-laden verses lend themselves to imitation. The prompts are simple—write a poem of protest; write a poem about home—and will likely appeal most to those who are relatively new to writing. The better exercises—the echo poems, the ekphrastic poems—tend to be borrowed (with credit given) from other poets and teachers. Moore’s best contribution is her encouraging and nonjudgmental tone. These invitations feel sincere, and readers will be happy to accept.

A functional, unfussy volume of poetry prompts for those who need a bit of inspiration.