Body of Water

Recall something that happened many years ago near a body of water.

Recall as much as possible about the incident from the very beginning.

Let the memory play through from beginning to end as if it is a film, and then try to write down all the specific details: what things looked like, what scents were in the air, how things felt when touched, etc. You might have to recall the memory several times before getting all the details written down.

Then consider how this incident impacted you, either at that moment or over time or now as you recall it.

Paraphrased from: Kowit, Steve. In the Palm of Your Hand: The Poet’s Portable Workshop. Gardiner, Maine: Tilbury House, 1995.