I’ve been traveling, so I haven’t written prompts for a while, but tomorrow begins a new year, and somewhere there is a new leaf fluttering in the wind, hope leaks like an old faucet and all that.

I believe I’ve used Lucille Clifton’s poem, but I love it.

For the first prompt, write an apology to your former selves for all the terrible things you’ve said about them. Or write a poem from the perspective of a former self—your 17-year-old self or your 30 year-old self or yourself at any age or period of your life—and forgive your current self for leaving you and your hopes and beliefs behind. Be kind.

For the next prompt, make a list poem of all that you plan to let go in the coming year.

For the last prompt from this poem, use the repeated line, “I am running into a new year,” as a ghostline. Remember to erase the line and give credit to Lucille Clifton.

These next prompts are from Barbara Crooker’s “The New Year.”

For the first prompt from “The New Year,” begin with a list of failures, mistakes, rejections, and/or losses but end on an image of perseverance as the poet did.

For the last Crooker-inspired prompt, use the line “Nobody wants another poem” as a ghostline or as your title. Prove the bastards wrong.

And finally the last prompt of the year is an ekphrastic using the photos below.

I hope the new year is full of sparkly wonder. Best of luck writing and editing!!! <3