Writing Poetry

1. Writing Poetry How can we creatively describe the world we live in?

2. Mystery Poem A yellow Rain jacket that’s worn by Wood, That hugs A smoky rock. My pink summit Smears The milky world. I dread The razor sharp Dark, dangerous Devious, demon That grinds me I illustrate, draw, And most of all Write this Poem.

3. The Bed I lay on a soft, fluffy cloud As the stars dance in the black sky I hear the cars roar by As fast as they are loud I turn and twist and think About imaginary tales and things But to me they are not imaginary As I fly through the black sky I am in a whole new world Ignoring the crickets’ fast and crooked sound Time goes as blank as my vision as it fades into a black sky Then I wake up to a miserable “Beep, beep, beep” And then I wish I could stay in my Sweet white heaven forever.

4. Beach I hear kids laughing Birds begging for more The waves are clashing On the sandy sea-shore I see all the birds Flapping around All the little treasures That are dreading to be found I feel hermit crabs Nipping at my feet All of the burning sun Excruciating heat I smell the sand and its cool bitter scent All of your money Is better well spent I taste all the saltwater Like bitter lemonade And all the sand From the sandcastles made.

5. Sun In the fall My leafy friends depart On a long and cold journey And I am left – alone. So in the winter I bundle up For an extended cozy nap Each and every day. Then in the spring My enemies appear And cover me up With dark clouds of tears. But at last, it’s summer When I love to shine! This is the season when I Am at the climax Of my time. Snowmen We are all just snowmen Improvised, Imperfect, Snow men We sit wasting our lives Waiting Hoping Wanting And yet we all Just melt in the snow There is no Communication You cannot see in each other’s head They’re all just Empty White Circles Placed on more Empty White circles We are all just incomplete snowmen.

6. Anybody can write poetry. But, poetry tries to get the reader to see that everyday object in a new, unique way. Poetry can be written by anyone, about anything. So long as you have personal experiences, thoughts, emotions, and observations, you will be able to write interesting, creative, and unique poetry. The Red Wheelbarrow so much depends
upon 

a red wheel
barrow 

glazed with rain
water 

beside the white
chickens. ~William Carlos Williams Poetry is usually written about simple, everyday objects, feelings or experiences.

7. Poetry Writing Assignment Assignment: Write a short poem that conveys something you have experienced, thought, felt, or imagined. Through your poem, you will try to find the exact words to capture the moment, idea, or observation. Form: • 8-24 lines long • Any form or style • No haikus • Must be typed in the font of your choice • Must be mounted on a piece of colored construction paper

8. You will be graded on the writing of your poem based on the following categories: Voice/Expression – The poet uniquely captures a moment, idea or observation. Sound – The poet experiments with sound devices such as repetition, alliteration, onomatopoeia, and/ or rhyme. Descriptive Language – The poet uses interesting, descriptive words that draw upon the senses and create vivid images. Figurative Language - The poem effectively uses a simile, metaphor, or personification at least once to convey thoughts and emotions. Form – The form adds to the overall effect and is appropriate to the subject. Certain words are emphasized to suggest meaning. Directions Followed – The poems is 8-24 lines in length, typed, and free of spelling errors. The poem is mounted on colored construction paper. The poem was completed on time.

9. In addition to writing… You will also be reading/performing your poem to the class as part of your grade. • You must introduce your poem by giving the title and a little information about your creative process. What is the subject of your poem? Why did you want to write about it? Were there any challenges you faced during the writing process? • You must read the poem with feeling . It should be read slowly and clearly for everyone to be able to hear. You should emphasize certain words and pauses. You can use hand gestures to add to the poem’s effect. • At the end, you should be prepared to answer 3 questions from the audience about your poem’s meaning.

10. The Writing Process

11. 1. Choosing a Subject • Your subject should be something that you know well, have experienced first hand, or that you have nearby so that you can observe it carefully and closely. • You also need to figure out how you feel about that subject so that you can convey mood & tone in your poem.

12. If you’re writing about a concept… • Some poets may choose to write about large, life concepts like love, death, friendship, or hope. • How can you write about something that can’t be seen or heard? • Think of looking at wind through a window: • How can you tell that it’s windy? • You can write about these concepts by describing everything that’s affected by it.

13. Step 2: Brainstorming

15. What makes a poem profound are the hidden details or qualities that you discover about your subject that you communicate through your poem. Your unique perspectivewill make the poem interesting.

16. Step 3: Writing Your Poem • Sit down to write your poem with all of your brainstorming materials in front of you. Then, put your pen to the page and just start writing. • Don’t state the obvious. For example, don’t write that grass is green or that snow is cold. Your poem should have your new, interesting and unique perspective on the subject. • Experiment with sound devices • Emphasize lines by using alliteration or repetition • Emphasize sounds by using onomatoepeoia • Add rhythm by using a rhyme scheme • Use figurative language & sensory detail to give your unique perspective on your subject

17. Step 3: Writing Your Poem • Don’t be afraid to experiment with form. • Your mood and tone will be affected by the way your poem is arranged, its form. • Does your poem sound better with long lines with many words? Or is your poem more appropriate to your subject if you use short, choppy lines? (Think of “Speak Up”) • How does your poem look on the page? • Is it dense & heavy? Or light and smooth? • Are there any lines that seem to “not fit?” • For example, does any line stick out too much? Is there one line that is way longer than all of the others?

18. Step 4: Revising Your Poem • Once the form of your poem is to your liking, then you should experiment further with form, sound devices, figurative language & sensory detail. • Think: How can you make your poem as descriptive and unique as possible? • Use a thesaurus to help you find the exact words that fit into your poem. • As you revise, make sure the words you’ve chosen are creating the appropriate mood & tone that you want to show the reader. • For example, if your poem’s subject is your dislike for homework, you wouldn’t want to use “good-feeling” words like “happy,” “light,” or “joy.” Why wouldn’t these words be appropriate for your poem?

19. Ask yourself… • What is the main image or idea that I want my poem to communicate? Does the poem accomplish this? • Would my point be clearer if there were fewer words or phrases? Which can I cut? • Is each word the best possible word I could use? Is it active? Vivid? Specific? • Are there any words I could add or change to improve the sound of the poem? • Does the poem end with force, a surprise or a message? How can I improve the ending?