ABPA - Australian Bush Poets Association

Our poetry writing exercise for February is to write a poem to yourself. Not the 'yourself' who is looking back at you in the mirror right now, but the 'yourself' who was just venturing out on life, 30/40/50 years ago. Look up the year you were born on Wikipedia/Google, and you’ll find a long list of events. Choose a handful you find meaningful or interesting, even if you have to do a bit of research. Or use your stored memories of places, people, events - things that made their mark on who you are today.


Write your poem as if you were a participant, observing What advice would you give? What changes would you suggest to the 'younger' you with the knowledge gained by the 'older' you?

Recycle some of you old work you have squirreled away - you may have a particular verse that resonates, or a perfect feeling already captured but never expanded.

What momentous occasion impacted on you? eg the day you got married, had your first child, bought your first home, lost your job, did something really, really stupid.

Here are some prompts you can use if you choose .....

When you head hits the pillow

just before sleeping

the dawn of the day

I stood up to be counted

a mud puddles beauty

between light and shadow

Go to it my lovelies and have fun