Post on 24-Dec-2021
Dragon Poetry – descriptive language
Read the poem “Portrait of a Dragon” on the next page.
Discuss/think about the imagery used. (Imagery means the language or words used by a writer to help create images in our mind).
Has the poet, Moira Andrew, used alliteration, similes, personification, vivid adjectives/description etc.
Which words/phrases are particularly good? Why?
PORTRAIT OF A DRAGON
First published in 'Dragon Poems', OUP 1991
If I were an artist
I'd paint the portrait
of a dragon.
To do a proper job
I'd borrow colours
from the world.
For his back I'd
need a mountain range,
all misty-blue.
For spikes I'd use
dark fir trees pointing
to the sky.
For overlapping scales
I'd squeeze dye from
bright anemones.
I'd gild his claws
I like shining swords
with starlight.
His tail would be
a river, silver
in the sun.
For his head, the
secret green of forests
and deep seas.
And his eyes would
glow like embers in
a tinker's fire.
But I'd keep the best
till last. For his
hot breath
I'd use all reds and
yellows - crocus, saffron,
peony, poppy,
geranium, cyclamen, rose -
and fierce orange flames
from a marigold. Moira Andrew
Look at the “portraits” of dragons on the next few slides.
As you go through the pictures, start collecting words/phrases to describe them and each part of them.
Collect wow words, similes, metaphors, adjectives etc.
TASK: Create our own version of Portrait of a Dragon.
You can use Moira Andrew’s style or a style of your own. What would you use around the world to create your “Portrait of a Dragon”? Go back and look at her poem from the beginning.
Think about how you will start each sentence:- With fronted adverbials? – Carefully, Terrifyingly, Amazingly…-Or with a time adverbials? – First, Then, Next, After that, Finally…
- Or something else…
-Think about how you might need to change the order of your sentence to make it work.E.g. His scales would be...
For his scales, I would use …If I had ______, I would use them to paint his scales.
Check that your sentence makes sense.
If you use more than one adjective in a list, separate them with commas e.g. the stormy, blue sea.
Try to add a simile/vivid description/describe each part.
For his eyes..
I would use … for his eyes
After that, I would …
To paint his claws I would …
When you are done think about:Which parts worked really well? In which ways did you improve the sentences? Are they the best words in the best order?