Wesleyan University Press and Annie Finch invite you to participate in a friendly writing challenge. Take a chance at winning a copy of Annie’s new book, Spells: New and Selected Poems, while creating your own poetry.

Throughout the coming weeks, we will post poems by Annie Finch, along with related writing prompts from Annie. We invite you to respond to each prompt with a poem of your own. Annie will select the poem that moves her most. The author of the poem will win a free copy of Spells. Please feel free to reply to each prompt with a unique poem of your own. We ask that you reply to each prompt only once, with a single poem.

Prompt for Earth Goddess to Sky God: Write a poem in two voices.

The next prompt will be posted on Friday, November 22nd.

Happy writing!

Earth Goddess to Sky God

You haven’t formed me. I’m a monster still.

Then give me your body. Give it to me in rain.

Look up and fill me. I am too dark to stain.

You haven’t held me. I hold apart my will

Spread dryness through me. I have a night to fill

in high heat-speckled waves, apart from where

I will come down. I have nothing to share

with breath. I will give it back. There is one to kill,

one to renew, and one to persuade to weep.

My night holds everything except for sleep.

Courtesy of Annie Finch, from Spells: New and Selected Poems (Wesleyan, 2013)