Poetry Poems
Today students will write a poem about how they feel about poetry. The students
should first read the poems “Eating Poetry” by Mark Strand, and “Valentine for
Ernest Mann” in their poetry packets.
Next, students should write a poem about poetry. It can be about the way they
feel about poetry. It could be about where they find poetry. It could be a surreal
poem about poetry like Mark Strand’s “Eating Poetry” where the poet turns into a
dog while reading poetry. Surreal means super real or exaggerated reality. Finally,
they could write a poem about writer’s block if they can’t think of anything else to
write about poetry.
Here are student examples of each type of poem.
Finding Poetry Example
Where Poetry is Found
Poetry is found in the folds of an old gown
Clinging to bits of dusty thread,
It gathers together in one huge compound,
Swimming in glee and dread.
It sleeps in a book, hiding from you,
It crosses the sky in shades of blue
It has parties in your brain, and it falls in the rain
It shimmers with the stars at night, and along with the eagle it takes flight
It orbits with the earth and shines with the sun
It walks around town inside of everyone
It grows in your garden and climbs up your trees
It sings with the diva and buzzes with the bees
That’s where poetry is found
Sadie Oliver
Surreal Poetry
Inside Poetry
Now I’m in a mess
Right now I’m in poetry and well…
I’m stuck on the P and it’s too far to jump to the O
Then I still have the E,T, R, and Y.
Once I jump I know I’ll be in the stream of ideas, and there’s
A tough simile hiding around here, I think he’s on the T
There is also a crazy metaphor.
I’ve got to be careful for the pencil spikes.
Back to the point.
How do you get across poetry?
Maybe a flying pencil will help? Or I’ll give you a sock?
What about a simple simile?
Don’t worry he really is all bronze and not brains.
I’m finally free.
I’ll never mess with poetry again.
Dalen Erickson
Feelings about Poetry
Poetry
Writing poetry is harder than listening to it.
Listening to poetry is easy, close your eyes, open your ears, clear your mind.
Look at your surroundings.
Find the weirdest thing like the turtles squirting water getting drips on your paper,
The sand castle you built when you were seven
The little girl crying with a splinter in her foot,
The crow making its morning sounds.
When you write your body goes somewhere else.
Find the taste of a snowflake on your tongue, a hot dog just off the grill.
Touch a fish’s gills, the dry skin of a lizard.
Writing is harder than listening.
Find the craziest things.
Ciana Winchell
Writer’s Block
I can’t write, the clock’s ticking
Draining me of concentration
Tick tock tick tock
I feel numb all over, like a frozen statue.
My pencil can’t move.
I feel like I’m going into a black hole.
I try to write, only I see that, no, it’s not right.
I throw the paper away.
Ahhhhh.
It falls with a soft whisper into the garbage can.
Maybe I will try again tomorrow.
Olivia Crowley