Writing Prompt: Pantoum
On translating oral history into poetry.
What is an untold or undertold story in your family, biological or chosen, that haunts you or holds significant weight? This can be a story of a grandparent, a distant ancestor, a close friend. It can be a rumor, or a whispered, verified truth passed down across generations. Begin by brainstorming phrases and specific images you’ve heard associated with this story. Then, craft your pantoum using these lines.
When translating oral history into poetry, it is important to consider a few key questions about your position as the writer in relation to the person you are speaking with:
1. Who am I in relation to the speaker? Reflect on the relationship and dynamics present.
2. What is the story I want to tell? Why?
3. How can I tell the story in a way that centers and honors the speaker’s life?
Here is a template of the form to practice. You can add or omit stanzas as you like:
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“Not Too Hard to Master” is a series of poets writing on form and sharing a prompt. Read River 瑩瑩 Dandelion’s essay on the pantoum.
River 瑩瑩 Dandelion (he, him, keoi / 佢) is a poet, educator, and healing arts practitioner. He is the author of remembering (y)our light (Dandelion Books, 2023). He received a 2024 Judith A. Markowitz Award for Exceptional New LGBTQ Writers from Lambda Literary and the 2022 AWP Kurt Brown Prize. He was also a finalist for a 2023 Ruth Lilly and Dorothy Sargent Rosenberg Fellowship.
Dandelion earned ...