Polish the Old to New

Jane Hirshfield sees art as an "ancient bazaar in which the same pieces of jewelry are continually stolen, polished up and resold." Ezra Pound said, "Make it new."  Leo Tolstoy suggested, "Make it strange."

Writers hunt for originality by taking the old and making it different. They use rebellion, courage, playfulness or independence.

Choose a subject from your favorite story or poem.  Write it again with your flavor of rebellion.  Next add a tint of courage. Move onward with a playful slant. End with a sense of independence.

Reveal the ways you have polished, made new and strange.