First Aid for Writing Poetry

Need help writing a poem?

Poetry 911:

First Aid for Writing Poetry

Forty formulas and ideas to help inspire you!

Copyright ? 2002-2010, T. Orman

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1. I AM... POEM (See Handout) Method for I Am... I am (two special characteristics) I wonder (something you are actually curious about) I hear (an imaginary sound) I see (an imaginary sight) I want (an actual desire) I am (the first line of the poem restated)

I pretend (something you actually pretend to do) I feel (a feeling about something imaginary) I touch (an imaginary touch) I worry (something that really bothers you) I cry (something that makes you very sad) I am (the first line of the poem repeated)

I understand (something you know is true) I say (something you believe in) I dream (something you actually dream about) I try (something you really make an effort about) I hope (something you actually hope for) I am (the first line of the poem repeated) Student Example: I am the wine and the future I wonder how many ripples I will have to swim I hear the trickle of time in a bitter bottle I see the translucent red drain from the wine I want the sweet satin liquid to stain my tongue I am the wine and the future.

I pretend to entertain the glowing embers I feel the dew that sours the grapes I touch the vine that grows new life I worry the drunkard may speak the truth I cry the dewdrop tears on the winery walls I am the wine and the future.

I understand the dust on the bottle I say it only makes it sweeter with time I dream the sponge cork may never be replaced by lips I try to glimmer the crack in my glass container I hope the sun-faded label never creases for lost identity I am the wine and the future.

--Katie Reilly (Grade 10)

2. BIO POEM (Variation - See Handout) Format: (first name) (four words that describe you) Relative of (list close family members) Resident of (place where you live) Who reads (four books, magazines, and or newspapers)

Copyright ? 2002-2010, T. Orman

Who likes (three things you like) Who loves (three things you love) Who fears (three things) Who wishes (three things) Who admires (three) Who needs (three things you need) Who aspires to (at least two aspirations) (last name)

3. AUTOBIOGRAPHICAL (See Handout) Write a poem about yourself using this form or another poetry form. Line 1: __ Your name Line 2: _, _, _ 3 personal characteristics or physical traits Line 3: Brother or sister of__ or son/daughter of Line 4: Who loves__, __, and __ 3 people, things, ideas Line 5: Who feels__ about__1 emotion about 1 thing Line 6: Who needs__, __, and __ 3 things you need Line 7: Who gives __, __, and __3 objects you share Line 8: Who fears__, __, and __3 items Line 9: Who'd like to see, __1 place, or person Line 10: Who dreams of __ 1 item or idea Line 11: A student of__ your school or teacher's name Line 12: __ Nickname or repeat your first name

4. CINQUAIN Cinquains have five lines: Line 1: Title (noun) - 1 word Line 2: Description - 2 words Line 3: Action - 3 words Line 4: Feeling (phrase) - 4 words Line 5: Title (synonym for the title) - 1 word Example: Mom Helpful, caring Loves to garden Excitable, likes satisfying people Teacher

5. DIAMANTE (See Handout) The Diamante is a form similar to the Cinquain. The text forms the shape of a diamond. Line 1: Noun or subject - one word Line 2: Two Adjectives that describe line 1 Line 3: Three 'ing words that describe line 1 Line 4: Four nouns - the first two are connected with line 1; the last two are connected with line 7 Line 5: Three 'ing words that describe line 7 Line 6: Two adjectives that describe line 7 Line 7: Noun Synonym for the subject (Example on following page)

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DIAMANTE: Example: Pencil Sharp, skinny Writing, answering, erasing Wood, lead, ink, plastic Drawing, smudging, leaking Durable, comfortable Pen

6. EPITAPH "Here lies Sam Shay, Smoked six packs a day. He started smoking when he was five. Now that fool is no longer alive."

7. HAIKU Haiku is Japanese poetry that reflects on nature and feelings. You use your observation skills to write what you see in a new or different way. There are three lines with five syllables in the first line, seven syllables in the second, and five syllables in the third.

8. I WISH POEMS Each line of the poem begins with the words "I wish" and then you fill in your ideas. The poem should be 8-10 lines long.

9. LIES Here is your chance to tell a falsehood and not get punished! In this type of poem, each line contains an outrageous lie. Each line must begin differently. The main rule is not to say anything that hurts anyone.

10. LIMERICK A limerick has five lines. The last words of lines one, two, and five rhyme. The last words of lines three and four rhyme. A limerick has to have a pattern of stressed and unstressed syllables.

U S U U S U U S U S U U S U U S U S U U S U S U U S U S U U S U U S Example: "There was an old man from Peru Who dreamed he was eating his shoe He awoke in the night With a terrible fright To discover it was totally true."

11. SHAPE (or CONCRETE) Shape poems are made up of words that have been placed in such a way that they make the shape of an object and also use words to describe the object. Start by making a simple outline of the shape or object ( an animal, a football, a fruit etc.) large enough to fill a piece of paper. Then brainstorm a minimum of ten words and phrases that describe the shape. List action and feeling words as well. Next, place a piece of paper over the shape and decide where your words are going to be placed so that they outline your shape but also fit well together. Separate words and phrases with commas.

12. FREE VERSE Free Verse is an irregular form of poetry in which the content free of traditional rules of versification, (freedom from fixed meter or rhyme). In moving from line to line, the poet's main consideration is where to insert line breaks. Some ways of doing this include breaking the line where there is a natural pause or at a point of suspense for the reader.

13. ODE An Ode is a poem praising and glorifying a person, place or thing. Example: An Ode To Dreamers When dreamers dream And lovers love Do they receive their visions From heaven above? Or do they originate Where all things start Within our minds Within our hearts? I know not all But what I do know is this You cannot build a Kingdom Upon a flimsy wish So believe in your dreams Follow them blind Lest you loose them all, To the hands of time.

Copyright ? 2000 B. R. Jording

14. ESSENCE The Essence, created by Emily Romano is a short, structured form of two-lines, six syllables each with an end rhyme and internal rhyme. (Examples on following page)

Copyright ? 2002-2010, T. Orman

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ESSENCE: Example #1: Winds howl; snow overwhelms the owl, and cowls the elms.

Published in P.O.E.T.S., Volume II 1981 & The Ties That Bind, 2005 Copyright ? 1981 Emily Romano

Example #2: Trees moan; stiff branches arch Pine koan: the Ides of March!

Published in And Still An East Wind Blows, 1979 Copyright ? 1979 Emily Romano

Example #3: Reflection Orion studs the sky as tulip buds grow high.

Copyright ? 2006 Jan Turner

Example #4: Odyssey Time marked by sifting sand, embarked on drifting land.

Copyright ? 2006 Jan Turner

15. SONNET A Sonnet is a poem consisting of 14 lines (iambic pentameter) with a particular rhyming scheme: Examples of a rhyming scheme: #1) abab cdcd efef gg #2) abba cddc effe gg #3) abba abba cdcd cd A Shakespearean (English) sonnet has three quatrains and a couplet, and rhymes abab cdcd efef gg. An Italian sonnet is composed of an octave, rhyming abbaabba, and a sestet, rhyming cdecde or cdcdcd, or in some variant pattern, but with no closing couplet. Usually, English and Italian Sonnets have 10 syllables per line, but Italian Sonnets can also have 11 syllables per line. French sonnets follow in this same pattern, but normally have 12 syllables per line. Example #1: Sonnet of Demeter--Italian Sonnet Oh the pirate stars, they have no mercy! Masquerading as hope they tell their lies; Only the young can hear their lullabies. But I am barren and I am thirsty Since she has gone. No hope is there for me. I will roam and curse this earth and these skies-Death from life which Zeus sovereign denies. My heart's ill shall the whole world's illness be

Till she is returned-- my daughter, my blood-From the dark hand of Hades to my care. With my tears these mortals shall know a flood To show Poseidon's realm desert and bare. No myrtle shall flower, no cypress bud Till the gods release her...and my despair

Copyright ? 2000 Erica Fay

Example #2: To--French Sonnet Elle est muette. Waiting in wind towards nightfall, dawn emerges early with purple hands, eager for a song of mountains. Silhouetting meager ground, sun throws her whispy shadow across and tall. (She had never been imprisoned or subdued beneath his lips, hands, or eyes, which roughly tasted, perhaps, the small of her back ere passion wasted her soul, or planets quit orbits standing still - queued.) Elle est muette. Sighing under sun - coming twilight beckons secret sentiments unspoken; verses promised in breaths - never to be revealed; curses against space and time for splitting the seams of night.

Fingers trace Venus in the sky - wishes are flung and whispers are sent from tenderly silent tongue.

Copyright ? 2000 Christine Ann Kelley

Example #3: Sonnet--Italian Sonnet I set my soul free down the dreamers lane Thoughts of joyful times bring my mind aflight Moons of memories drip so lovely light Stars above hum a tune to ease my pain I sail a sea where kings of past did reign Thoughts buried deep burn in the stars so bright To see the legends only I may sight A life of imagery that pumps in vein

As life is written in a hidden page I soar among all the things that will fly I'm always seeking my soul's so lost core Sooths all of my hate and my painful rage Sorrow from all my blood dripped tears I cry Dreams are the peace felt in life times before

Copyright ? 2000 Emily Webber

16. ANOTHER FORMULA POEM #1: Participle, participle, participle #2: Noun #3: Adverb (how) #4: Verb #5: Adverb (where or when) Example: #1: Leaping, soaring, flying #2: The superhero #3: Nonchalantly #4: Crashed #5: Into the wall

17. W's/H POEM Who? What? When? Where? Why? Use these questions to write a non-rhyming poem. Here's how: Line 1: Who or what is the poem about Line 2: What action is happening? Line 3: When does the action take place? (a time) Line 4: Where does the action take place? (a place)

Copyright ? 2002-2010, T. Orman

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Line 5: Why does this action happen? (a reason) Example: The laughing children Splashing in the water On a hot July day At the neighborhood swimming pool To just try and keep cool

19. PARODY This parody is a comical or humorous one based on a Mother Goose nursery rhyme. Minor changes are made to the original poem. You can parody any famous poem. Example: Humpty Dumpty Was quite tough He could even play sports That were very rough!

20. I DON'T UNDERSTAND POEM Begin this poem with the words "I don't understand." List several things you don't understand about the world, yourself, or other people. These can be serious or silly things. End your poem with something you DO understand. Example: I do not understand why my sister talks on the phone so much. I do not understand why I have to go to be home by 10p.m.. I do not understand why we have to be on Daylight Savings Time. I do not understand why I can't have my friends over. But most of all, I do not understand why three people can't get along. I do understand that some people are cruel.

21. MY YEAR IN ____ GRADE Reflect back on your year in ___ grade. Think of short phrases describing special events that you have enjoyed. Write a "phrase poem" about your experiences. Example: My Year in Third Grade Great teacher, shaving cream on desks geoboards and designs sharing every morning spelling tests big hugs doing jobs laughing again and again happy smiles reading together lunch inside

drawing on the chalkboard fun learning and wild science experiments!

22. A PREPOSITIONAL PHRASE POEM One that uses all prepositional phrases through seven lines which culminate into a place one is traveling. Example by Sapna: Over the fence Through the weeds Across the street Around a house In the puddles Towards the hall Into the classroom.

23. A NOUN VERSE A patterned poem of four lines. They should be pleasant poems that lend themselves to many different subjects. Here is the pattern: Line 1: noun Line 2: two adjectives that describe the noun Line 3: two "ing" verbs Line 4: a synonym Example: Butterflies delicate, colorful hovering, fluttering Monarchs

24. IF ONLY POEM One that honors a very special person. It can be written about a family member, a friend, or anyone fitting the above description. "If Only" formula: Line 1: Names a special person Line 2: Write two descriptive words separated by "and" or "but" Line 3: Tell what the person does and how Line 4: Write a simile using "as" Line 5: Write a wish (Each line begins with a capital letter, and the last line ends with either a period or an exclamation point) Example (about a school nurse): Mrs. Glass Busy but caring Treats you kindly As friendly as a puppy I wish she didn't have to give us all that medicine!

Copyright ? 2002-2010, T. Orman

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