one or many

Many series poems are little more than extended writing exercises. One or two poems could count for the many.

poem made of ideas

I enjoyed reading the poetry prompt and thinking of a poem that might come from it...one I'd never write.

propped up

One of those books filled with insipid writing prompts for the uninspired.

exercise room

Trying to teach poetry with the ‘freeing strictures’ of exercises/prompts.

preempt the prompt

Writing that comes from ‘prompts’ is not going to be important.

flarf = word barf

Flarf is word barf. A glorified writing exercise, as if the world needed another
reason or method to perpetrate bad poems. (It’s no coincidence that ‘flarfing’ arose at the same time the ‘paradelle', Billy Collins’ pet form, had its day.) Has anything of lasting interest ever been created by an artist absent a compelling subject or profound emotion? Silence should be a satisfying alternative to the poet who hasn’t any reason to write.