Writing Prompt
POEM STARTER
Submitted by Butterfly Queen
Write a poem that centres around one of the elements: fire, water, earth, or wind.
It could be descriptive or metaphorical.
Writings
The Earth Swallows You
She screamed from her fiery core— She cannot keep herself cool and collected on the surface Because the sun stepped out of the atmosphere And sprinted toward her bodies of saltwater seas To soothe the blistering of his own weathered, leathery skin But it angered his wounds—
And Gaia offered him her shaded forests to rest his head. Pillows of moss and fig leaves for shelter from the whistling wind.
If he sits still, He can hear the sound of Earth spinning her axis, Dancing on her heels to touch the stars above her.
Another space rock called her from the neighborhood of Andromeda, It’s much less heat And everyone minds their business.
She says she’s outgrowing the Milky Way And must go where her lifesource will not be exploited.
She’ll only miss whispering to the moon While the baby slept, Wandering the unlit hallways of her many hills and valleys, Releasing the pent-up fury that has been building since before her waters separated from the firmanent.
Tripping over a hornets nest, Unleashing the winged beasts, Watching as the curtain closed like their swollen throats.
Four Ancient Elements
FIRE!
Fire! We fear it. We tremble at its blaze. We hear its deadly roar. We cry in its thick haze. And we see all its destruction Throughout all of our short days.
Fire! We loathe it. See the destruction in its wake. Smell the smoke. See the ash. Of all that it did take. We mourn with those who suffer We cry with them and for their sake.
Fire! We need it. But we are nobody’s fool. For deep down inside, we know that fire is a tool. But we must be ever vigilant Lest the fire becomes cruel.
Fire! It heats us. It cooks all of our food. It is ever neutral. It is never bad or good. So we must wield it carefully Piping it to our neighborhood.
Fire is a tragedy, a destructor we do blame. Fire is a tool, a heating source, a brilliant flame. Fire is a wild creature That we can never truly tame.
WATER
Water. It cleanses us. It makes us new. It is necessary for me and for you. Whether for a shower or a bath It washes over us to make us new.
Water. It calms us. When it goes babbling by. When it rushes near us we don’t even need to try To be calm or to relax We don’t even wonder why.
Water. We need it for life. For drinking and for growing. It rushes by in the clouds when the wind is blowing. It nourishes the plants and it gives us slake It is more important, than we be ever knowing.
Water. It is just like food, but we need it first. Not just in the desert, when we need it far the worst. And regardless of what the ads may say, It is the best thing to quench your thirst.
Water is a cleanser. It calms us. Life it gives us. Water is for plants. And growth without much fuss. Water is for drinking and I already said before Water is important, for water, life it gives to us.
EARTH
Earth. It is important. We grow food in the ground. And when we build a building, we need a foundation sound. And I know it might sound silly But people say the earth is round.
Earth. We feel its awesome power when the ground does shake. And though we hate to see the destruction of a big earthquake We marvel at the universe As we ponder the path we take.
Earth. An itty bitty speck in the great universe wide Some say it is a place where an alien may reside But it gives us amazing views Of that universe so wide.
Earth. It is our only home. We must give it our full care. We must be good stewards of the earth for we cannot live out there. The stars cannot provide a second home. So we must give this earth our finest care.
Earth is where we walk. It is the ground beneath our feet. Earth is where we see the universe with an amazing front row seat. Earth is where we live so we must give earth our care Lest a disaster of our making we ultimately do meet.
WIND
Wind. It travels ‘round the earth. Bringing destruction. Bringing rains. I don’t really need to say it, but wind brings typhoons and hurricanes. And besides all that destruction Did I mention that wind brings rains?
Wind. It blows the earth. Blows the water. Blows the fire. It can make a sticky situation all that much more dire. But without the wind, life would just stand still Then all of life would just be dire.
Wind. It is the global current of all the world’s air. It circulates the precious gasses needed everywhere. I know that the wind is not the cause But it lets us breathe without a care.
Wind. Can also be so gentle. A caress upon the breeze. It also scatters pollen that often makes us sneeze. But the scattering of pollen gives us food So much depends upon that breeze.
Wind, it is a driving force, causing havoc, causing pain Wind also gives us life, gives us air, brings us the rain. Wind and fire, earth and water, taken all together These four ancient elements always shall remain.
Wind
Wind. It travels ‘round the earth. Bringing destruction. Bringing rains. I don’t really need to say it, but wind brings typhoons and hurricanes. And besides all that destruction Did I mention that wind brings rains?
Wind. It blows the earth. Blows the water. Blows the fire. It can make a sticky situation all that much more dire. But without the wind, life would just stand still Then all of life would just be dire.
Wind. It is the global current of all the world’s air. It circulates the precious gasses needed everywhere. I know that the wind is not the cause But it lets us breathe without a care.
Wind. Can also be so gentle. A caress upon the breeze. It also scatters pollen that often makes us sneeze. But the scattering of pollen gives us food So much depends upon that breeze.
Wind, it is a driving force, causing havoc, causing pain Wind also gives us life, gives us air, brings us the rain. Wind and fire, earth and water, taken all together These four ancient elements always shall remain.
Earth
Earth. It is important. We grow food in the ground. And when we build a building, we need a foundation sound. And I know it might sound silly But people say the earth is round.
Earth. We feel its awesome power when the ground does shake. And though we hate to see the destruction of a big earthquake We marvel at the universe As we ponder the path we take.
Earth. An itty bitty speck in the great universe wide Some say it is a place where an alien may reside But it gives us amazing views Of that universe so wide.
Earth. It is our only home. We must give it our full care. We must be good stewards of the earth for we cannot live out there. The stars cannot provide a second home. So we must give this earth our finest care.
Earth is where we walk. It is the ground beneath our feet. Earth is where we see the universe with an amazing front row seat. Earth is where we live so we must give earth our care Lest a disaster of our making we ultimately do meet.
Water
Water. It cleanses us. It makes us new. It is necessary for me and for you. Whether for a shower or a bath It washes over us to make us new.
Water. It calms us. When it goes babbling by. When it rushes near us we don’t even need to try To be calm or to relax We don’t even wonder why.
Water. We need it for life. For drinking and for growing. It rushes by in the clouds when the wind is blowing. It nourishes the plants and it gives us slake It is more important, than we be ever knowing.
Water. It is just like food, but we need it first. Not just in the desert, when we need it far the worst. And regardless of what the ads may say, It is the best thing to quench your thirst.
Water is a cleanser. It calms us. Life it gives us. Water is for plants. And growth without much fuss. Water is for drinking and I already said before Water is important, for water, life it gives to us.
Living Water
Water flowing down the stream Enters our minds and makes us dream Of lands afar and sandy beaches Where nary a nightmare ever reaches Where worries roll out with the tides Emotions stop their coaster rides Where ocean swells are so hypnotic Stopping notions of the neurotic No water dripping in the sink No worries of most anything.
But is the ocean deep enough To deposit all our bad stuff? Does the water do such things? Like take the pains and sufferings? Can it wash away our fears? Can it absorb all of our tears? Maybe not, but then again I know One who surely can Baptized by the Spirit in the water I know there can be no other
So let the waters flow over me Now that I can truly see The One who came to set me free The One like who I want to be He will give me living water He is the only, like no other His holy water can wash my fears His flowing stream takes all my tears. The things that used to make me scream Go flowing down the gentle stream.
Fire!
Fire! We fear it. We tremble at its blaze. We hear its deadly roar. We cry in its thick haze. And we see all its destruction Throughout all of our short days.
Fire! We loathe it. See the destruction in its wake. Smell the smoke. See the ash. Of all that it did take. We mourn with those who suffer We cry with them and for their sake.
Fire! We need it. But we are nobody’s fool. For deep down inside, we know that fire is a tool. But we must be ever vigilant Lest the fire becomes cruel.
Fire! It heats us. It cooks all of our food. It is ever neutral. It is never bad or good. So we must wield it carefully Piping it to our neighborhood.
Fire is a tragedy, a destructor we do blame. Fire is a tool, a heating source, a brilliant flame. Fire is a wild creature That we can never truly tame.