ALL IN THE FAMILY

I wish I could remember where I first heard this one so I could give credit, especially as it has become one of my favorite writing challenges. It goes something like this: Gather all of the members of your family of origin, put them in one place, and see what happens. The first time I did this, I wrote a poem entitled Year of the Jellyfish that had us all at Cape San Blas, Florida, where we spent many a summer night during my childhood. The trick with this exercise is to be honest and avoid sentimentality. Good luck!