Poetic Thursday: Channeling Connie Converse

Every other Thursday, I post a poetry-writing prompt here on the site.  This weekly tradition is designed to help you explore new ideas, experiment with different writing techniques, and expand your literary horizons.  My aim is to is to provide you with thought-provoking themes, intriguing images, or captivating wordplay that will stimulate your artistic senses.  You are free to interpret the prompt in any way you like and express yourself through poetry or creative writing.

Today we will be exploring the poetic prowess of Connie Converse and using her work as inspiration for a poetry writing prompt that will help unleash your creativity.  I first learned of this amazing lyricist/musician a few years ago via a documentary.  I have since been fascinated by her work and her story.  I think you will be inspired too!  So grab a pen, paper, and let's dive into the world of Connie Converse.

photo obtained from google images

The Biography

Connie Converse, born Elizabeth Eaton Converse on August 3, 1924, was an American singer-songwriter and musician known for her introspective lyrics and unique style. She was active in New York City's music scene during the 1950s and is considered one of the earliest artists in the singer-songwriter genre.

Born in Laconia, New Hampshire, Converse grew up in a family of academics and developed a passion for music at a young age. She learned to play the guitar and started writing songs in her teens. After attending Mount Holyoke College, she pursued her musical career in New York City while also working as an academic, writer, and editor.

Converse's music was ahead of its time, and she struggled to find success during her lifetime. In 1961, she recorded a collection of her songs but failed to secure a record deal. Disheartened, she quit music and focused on her academic career, becoming an editor for the Journal of Conflict Resolution at the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor.

In 1974, at the age of 50, Connie Converse mysteriously disappeared after leaving her family home in search of a new life. She was never seen or heard from again, and her family and friends were left with more questions than answers.

Decades later, in 2004, a radio show featured some of Converse's early recordings, sparking renewed interest in her music. In 2009, a compilation album titled "How Sad, How Lovely" was released, finally bringing her work to a wider audience. While the mystery of Connie Converse's disappearance remains unsolved, her music continues to captivate listeners and inspire new generations of singer-songwriters.

The Prompt

Connie Converse was known for her introspective, haunting, and deeply personal lyrics that were often rooted in her own experiences. Her lyrics carry an honesty that is both relatable and captivating. Although her work didn't receive much attention during her lifetime, she has since garnered a cult following, with her songs covered by various artists.

For this poetry writing prompt, we will be taking inspiration from Connie Converse's emotive and introspective lyrics. The goal is to create a poem that explores a significant event or experience in your life, tapping into the emotions and lessons learned from it.

Think of a moment in your life that has had a lasting impact on you. This can be a happy moment, a challenge you faced, or a turning point that changed your perspective and write about it from a very emotional, personal standpoint.  Allow yourself to be vulnerable and raw and honest.

You can choose to write a traditional lyric song, keeping in theme with the structure of Converse's writings.  Or, you can write a poem.  Free write or stanza, but do try to write in rhyme and melody!

Here are some of her original song lyrics for inspiration:

We Lived Alone

We lived alone, my house and I

We had the earth, we had the sky

I had a lamp against the dark

And I was happy as a lark

I had a stove and a window screen

I had a table painted green

Sat on a chair with a broken back

Wearing a pretty potato sack

I had a rug upon the floor

And roses bloomed around my door

Though my estate was never high

My house was snug and so was I

We lived alone, my house and I

We had the earth, we had the sky

I had a job, my wants were few

They were until I wanted you

And when I set my eyes on you

Nothing else would do

Nothing else would do

Sorrow is my Name

O keep on sleeping

When I pass your door

And keep on hoping

I will come no more

To me, tomorrow

Will be all the same

For sorrow, sorrow

Sorrow is my name

O keep on singing

When you hear my feet

And keep on dreaming

If your dream is sweet

And you may borrow

Candles for your game

But still your sorrow's

Coming just the same.

And if you fear me

I will come in haste

And if you love me

I will go away

And if you scorn me

I will lay you waste

And if you know me

I will come to stay

So keep on singing

When you hear my feet

And keep on dreaming

If your dream is sweet

To me, tomorrow

Will be all the same

For sorrow, sorrow

Sorrow is my name

Enjoy this original recording of one of her most famous songs:

Here is a short podcast about her mysterious disappearance:

I hope this Connie Converse-inspired poetry writing prompt helps you dive into your own experiences and emotions to create something truly unique and heartfelt. Remember, poetry, like music, has the power to connect us and help us understand the world around us. 

For a little more inspiration, here is a poem I wrote for the prompt:

Things Left Behind

The wind is whispering,

summer's almost gone.

But I'm still remembering winter,

your hands so warm.

The promise of your kiss

now a shadow in my mind

are amongst some of the things

I've had to leave behind.

We met beneath the moon,

you lost me in your gaze,

but those old stars are faded

gone with the morning haze.

In every passing face

I see your womankind,

all the shapes and grace of you

amongst the things I left behind.

Soon the autumn leaves will fall,

make a mirror of my heart.

All the scattered pieces forgotten,

we are worlds apart.

Echoes of the things you said

haunt me still at night,

I'm a mere linear pause

in the life you left behind.

My challenges and prompts are not interactive.  You don't have to come back to link up.  No comments are required, just your creativity!