How Do I Brainstorm A Story? Poem by Denis Martindale

I had no basis from the start, no characters at all,
No inspiration in my heart or ideas to recall.
So I put my computer on, prepared to start from scratch,
Decision made, now doubts were gone, with new plots meant to hatch.
I waited for one thought to come, that gentle genesis.
Unbidden wisdom's hope for some so there's no fault in this.
A million stories every day await the writers' pens,
Yet mostly for the ones who pray, no reasons to feel tense.
That's why I waited patiently, my story to begin,
When suddenly words came to me, from somewhere, deep within.

I started typing my first line without a single care,
With no location, no design, like acting on a dare,
So chapter one had now appeared, like nothing else before!
The mental fog completely cleared so who could ask for more?
I visualised unfolding scenes upon a movie set,
As if I watched some TV screens with extra facts to get.
I saw the costume colours, too. Men's uniforms were gold.
Court ladies dressed in sapphire blue. So wondrous to behold!
The music played, the people danced, and magic filled the air!
I wrote descriptions that enhanced this beautiful affair.

The King sat on his throne again. The Queen sat by his side.
The Jester played the fool and then the Prince sat by his bride.
The acrobats performed their act, with leaps and bounds, of course.
The Royal Poet spoke with tact, his phrases to enforce.
Then Princess Kate appeared on stage, with every eye on her.
For she was at a tender age when true love could occur.
That's when the Witch flew on her broom and frightened everyone!
She sprinkled dust across the room that blotted out the sun!
And when that cleared, the Witch was gone, the Princess now her slave!
Both far away, though now light shone, no hero there to save!

A knight stood up, his quest declared, to bring the Princess home!
So he was sent off well-prepared, the Kingdom's length to roam.
Within a year, the knight returned. The Princess in plain view!
And that was when the people learned, their baby had come, too!


Denis Martindale. September 2020.