Pick a card, any card.

I had forgotten how much I love Poetry Poker!

The other day while cleaning my office, I found these wild cards and the past rushed back to say hello. I made this deck years ago while leading youngsters to the power and fun of writing — but really, this prompt works for all ages (as is true for nearly every writing exercise).

This game, courtesy of Dr. Alphabet, is a fun way to loosen the mind and play with words. Simply take a deck of cards, add unusual words and phrases, deal a hand, and make a poem, write a song, start a story, or . . . . just have fun with possibilities.

And let’s take a moment to applaud Dr Alphabet, aka Dave Morice. He’s my kind of writer: ireverent, unusual, artful, and a “muse out of the world of Dr. Seuss.” Read all about his inspired, lifelong dedication to word play here.

Your turn: Make a Wild Card piece. Don’t think too much, just let the cards fall and the words flow.

More Writing Prompts:
Try This: Word Catching
Try This: Where I’m From
Try This: Make A Scramble
Try This: You Know the Gnaw