My Thoughts Are the Antlers

Sorry it's a late one today.  As the sun sets on another day of salty underarms, burnished lawns and panting dogs, here is an exercise (#3 to be precise) from one of my poetry workshops.  In touch with nature Stories and poems which include strong visual imagery are more likely to be retained by the reader.Use visualisation to put yourself in a scene and make it vivid for yourself.If you can see what you’re describing you’re more likely to be able to make it clear for the readers.
Exercise 3:
Write down an emotion:
e.g. worry
Think of an animal to represent that emotion:
e.g. sparrow
Think of a scene for that animal to exist in:
e.g. garden path
Think of an action for that animal to carry out:
e.g. watching
Create your example of metaphorical nature-based imagery:
e.g. She waits by the window    a sparrow on the garden path        restless        eyes searching the trees        for the ill-fitting shadow         
And here are some examples of superlative nature-based poetry which should inspire you to look at the details around you and capture them for your own nefarious poetic means.  Enjoy!
The moment Echo saw Narcissus She was in love.She followed him Like a starving wolf Following a stag too strong to be tackled. And like a cat in winter at a fire She could not edge close enough To what singed her, and would burn her.
Ted Hughes, from Tales from Ovid (1997)
You know me as a turbulent ocean clouded with thunder and drama.
Carolyn Kizer, from In the First Stanza
  I’ll chatter metaphysics with a chimpanzee, now       my thoughts are the antlers of the Irish elk,             the wings of flightless birds, peptides             spelling out the phrase             very like a whale
Brook Emery, from Very like a Whale
No lik the past which lies Strewn around.Nor sudden death. No like a lover we’ll ken An connect wi forever. The hem of its goin drags across the sky.
Kathleen Jamie, from Skeins o Geese

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