Beware the Ides of March

This is the Open Write, a place for educators to nurture their writing lives and to advocate for writing poetry in community. We are organizing 30 days of poetry in April for National Poetry Month: Verselove. Pledge here to write one or more poems with us.

Our Host: Leilya Pitre

Leilya lives in Ponchatoula, LA, a small town celebrated for its strawberries. She teaches and coordinates the English Education Program at Southeastern Louisiana University. Preparing future English teachers, she hopes they become caring, competent, and effective teachers in the classrooms. She is an editor and contributing author of Where Stars Meet People: Teaching and Writing Poetry in Conversation. Her other books are devoted to teaching young adult literature in high school. Leilya loves people, cultures, and their rich traditions.  She reads, writes, listens to music, visits her children and grandchildren, and enjoys traveling with her husband.

 

Inspiration 

It’s the Ides of March, and it could be a great idea to write a poem that reflects the eerie and ominous atmosphere surrounding the date, especially considering its historical association with the assassination of Julius Caesar and the famous “Et tu, Brute?” moment. A poem that captures a sense of gloomy prediction could work well, delving into themes of fate, betrayal, and the tension before a catastrophic event.

However, it’s my birthday, so we can think about the original meaning of the Ides of March symbolizing a pivotal turning point, a moment of transformation, or a new beginning.  You may consider approaching it with a lighthearted tone to add an interesting, fresh twist. We can explore the idea of change, renewal, or an unexpected turn in a positive direction. 

Process

Depending on your mood and inclination is for today, you may choose one of the two prompts: 

First Poem Prompt:
“A voice from the shadows whispers, ‘Beware the Ides of March…’” (Shakespeare). 
Explore a mysterious prediction that looms over a key moment in history or personal fate. It could involve a figure who senses the danger approaching, or a symbolic event that hints at an unavoidable future.”

For a mysterious prediction, I recommend a villanelle, a 19-line form known for its repetition of key lines. The repeating refrains would lend an air of inevitability and doom to the prediction, mirroring the idea of a foretold fate. The rhyme scheme (ABA, with the refrains alternating) gives the poem a rhythmic, haunting quality.

A potential refrain could be something like:
“Beware the Ides of March,” a voice forewarns,” or “For fate will come, and blood will stain the day.”
To get a refresher on a villanelle structure, please, check out this link or this one. Both share some examples. 

Second Poem Prompt:
“On the Ides of March, the winds begin to shift. 
What once was still will rise and drift” (Shakespeare) Write a poem that celebrates a moment of change or transformation, akin to the original meaning of the Ides of March as a day of transition in Roman history. Explore the lightness, promise, or a hope of a new beginning, whether personal, societal, or even seasonal, where something previously hidden or stagnant starts to evolve. The tone can be playful, mysterious, optimistic, or filled with curiosity.

For a more playful and lighthearted tone, I’d recommend a limerick or a free verse poem.

The limerick, with its catchy rhythm (AABBA), can convey a sense of whimsy and change in a fun, punchy way. You can create a short, light narrative where the Ides of March is seen as a day of transformation and growth. You may have one or several limericks in your poem.
 
If you want a bit more room to explore nuances, free verse allows you to flow more naturally with your thoughts on change, transition, and new beginnings without being bound by a strict rhyme or meter. This form would help convey a sense of freedom and freshness.

As always, write whatever appeals to you today, and you are welcome to ignore the prompts and inspirations altogether. Just write ☺

Leilya’s Poem

Because I am in a more festive and hopeful mood today, I will use the second prompt and a limerick form for my poem. 

A New Day’s Promise

The ides of March, they greet me near,
My mother’s song I always hear—
The moon retreats, the dawn’s in bloom,
Spring fills the air, creates some room
For welcomed change that’s almost here.

I feel the breeze, its tender call,
It stirs my dreams, it lifts my soul—
Each ray of light, a soft embrace,
Renewing hope, reviving grace,
As winter’s shadows fade and fall.

I close my eyes and dare to pray,
For peace to find its gentle way—
To heal my homeland, end the pain,
And let love’s voice sing once again,
This hope—my gift—on my special day.

Your Turn

Now, scroll to the comment section below to write your own poem. (This is a public space, so you may choose to use only your first name or initials depending on your privacy preferences.) Not ready? That’s okay. Read the poems already posted for more inspiration. Ponder your own throughout the day. Return later. And, if the prompt does not work for you, that is fine. All writing is welcome. Just write something. Oh, and a note about drafting: Since we are writing in short bursts, we all understand (and even welcome) the typos and partial poems that remind us we are human and that writing is always becoming. If you’d like to invite other teachers to write with us, tell them to subscribe. Also, please be sure to respond to at least three writers.