I am grateful to Gabrielle Bates for sharing this poem by Matt Rasmussen. It took my breath.
For the first prompt, reverse an event in your life—note, the event doesn’t have to be a tragedy. Although tragedy—and regret—lends itself particularly well to this device, something smaller and lighter would also be effective. Perhaps write about the first kiss you received from your current lover. You may find it easier to write in the usual time order first.
For the second prompt, use the line “The unsuffering ends” as a ghostline. What happens next? Make sure to delete the line and credit the poet with your inspiration.
For a third prompt, take a narrative poem you have already written and reorder starting from the bottom. What works and what doesn’t? Do you like the reordering better?
Although Teresa Leo’s “After Twelve Months, Someone Tells Me It’s Time to Join the Living” isn’t in a reverse order, it plays with time so beautifully.
