The Poetry Stash: 11October2024

Ain't Got No, I Got Life by Nina Simone

Today’s selection is “Ain't Got No, I Got Life” by Nina Simone from the album, Nuff Said. Performed and written by Simone, the song is a combination of two songs from the musical production Hair: "Ain't Got No" and "I Got Life", lyrics by James Rado and Gerome Ragni and music by Galt MacDermot. To listen to the recording, click here.

Prompts:

1. Begin with "Ain't got no..."
2. Begin with "Nobody can take away..."
3. Draft a poem of celebration.
4. Write a draft in which some of the lines begin with an affirmation and another set of lines begin with a renunciation. Examples: I got / ain't got; you love / you don't love; the sky is falling / the sky is not falling, etc.

5. Photo by Olha Ruskykh via pexels.com. Use the image as a writing prompt.

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