WHY POETRY? Why I choose to love words.

MR. WILSON 8th grade English teacher Encouraged us to express ourselves Wanted us to seize the day Taught form but didn’t constrict our creativity

His favorite poem was: She Walks in Beauty by Lord Byron

She walks in beauty, like the night   Of cloudless climes and starry skies;And all that’s best of dark and bright   Meet in her aspect and her eyes;Thus mellowed to that tender light   Which heaven to gaudy day denies…

(We will look at the rest of this poem later)

WILLIAM CARLOS WILLIAMS

so much depends

upon

a red wheel

barrow

glazed with rain

water

beside the white

chickens.

DIANE DI PRIMA & THE BEATS for you

i would no longer pick

my so-pickable nose

or bite my delicious nails

for you I would fix my teeth

and buy a mattress

for you

i’d kill my favorite roach

that lives in the woodwork

by the drawing table

WHY DO I LOVE THESE POEMS? Simplicity

A moment

A vivid picture

Real and tangible

WHY DO I LOVE POETRY?

POETRY IS MUSIC Gale’s Song by The Lumineers

It's a lonely roadfor the tired man,and you can see it in your face.And you'll be home in spring,I can wait 'til then.I heard you're on the big train.

And oh, this too shall pass.This loneliness won't last for long.

I wasn't there to take his place.I was ten thousand miles away.So when you hear my voice,when you say my name,may it never give you pain.

But I don't wanna go,but it's time to leave.You'll be on my mind, my destiny.

And I won't fight in vain.I'll love you just the same, oh.

I couldn't know what's in your mind,but I saw the pictures, you're looking fine.And there was a time when I stood in linefor love, for love, for love.But I let you go, oh,I let you go.

And he fell apartwith his broken heart,and this blood, this blood, this blood.Oh, it drains from my skin, it does.

POETRY IS A MOMENT

This Is Just To SayWilliam Carlos Williams, 1883 - 1963

I have eaten the plumsthat were in the icebox

and which you were probably saving for breakfast

Forgive me they were delicious so sweet and so cold

POETRY IS A LIFETIME

For sale: Baby shoes, never worn. – Ernest Hemingway

POETRY IS A PICTURE

A bee by Matsuo Basho

A bee

staggers out

of the peony.

A POEM IS IMAGINARY: THOUGH SOMETIMES BASED ON REAL LIFE, A POEM CAN BE (AND OFTEN IS) BASED ON FICTION. YOU MAY WRITE A POEM ABOUT SOMETHING THAT HAS NEVER HAPPENED TO YOU.

Jabberwocky

BY LEWIS CARROLL

’Twas brillig, and the slithy toves

Did gyre and gimble in the wabe:

All mimsy were the borogoves,

And the mome raths outgrabe.

“Beware the Jabberwock, my son!

The jaws that bite, the claws that catch!

Beware the Jubjub bird, and shun

The frumious Bandersnatch!”

He took his vorpal sword in hand;

Long time the manxome foe he sought—

So rested he by the Tumtum tree

And stood awhile in thought.

And, as in uffish thought he stood,

The Jabberwock, with eyes of flame,

Came whiffling through the tulgey wood,

And burbled as it came!

One, two! One, two! And through and through

The vorpal blade went snicker-snack!

He left it dead, and with its head

He went galumphing back.

“And hast thou slain the Jabberwock?

Come to my arms, my beamish boy!

O frabjous day! Callooh! Callay!”

He chortled in his joy.

’Twas brillig, and the slithy toves

Did gyre and gimble in the wabe:

All mimsy were the borogoves,

And the mome raths outgrabe.

SIX WORD POEMS I leave. Dog panics. Furniture shopping.

Painfully, he changed “is” to “was”

Joining the President is his husband…

Strangers. Friends. Best friends. Lovers. Strangers.

Her Mondays never meet her expectations.

Painted toenails scream "finally, it's spring!!“

No hit songs for his journey.

Let's not pretend I learned anything.

Sunday night: homework laughs at procrastination

WHAT DID YOU NOTICE?

- After reading the six-word poems, what surprises you about this form of writing?

- What were some of the common themes that emerged from the writing? Which themes stood out to you the most and why?

- What emotions are revealed through these six-word poems?

- Choose one of the six-word poems. What do you think is the backstory for this author’s six-word poem?

DISCUSS WITH YOUR NEIGHBOR: CHOOSE ONE OF THE SIX-WORD POEMS. WHAT DO YOU THINK IS THE BACKSTORY FOR THIS AUTHOR’S SIX-WORD POEM?

I leave. Dog panics. Furniture shopping.

Painfully, he changed “is” to “was”

Joining the President is his husband…

Strangers. Friends. Best friends. Lovers. Strangers.

Her Mondays never meet her expectations.

Painted toenails scream "finally, it's spring!!“

No hit songs for his journey.

Let's not pretend I learned anything.

Sunday night: homework laughs at procrastination

WRITE YOUR OWN SIX WORD POEMS Tips:

1. Make your six-word poem personal and honest.

2. Use the Six Word limitation to inspire creativity.

3. Think about the emotion/tone you wish to express through your writing.

4. Put the six best words in the best order to express exactly what you want to communicate.

5. Consider where you will place capital letters and punctuation marks.

WRITE A SIX WORD POEM ABOUT THIS SETTING:

WRITE A SIX WORD POEM ABOUT WHAT ONE OF THE CHARACTERS IN THIS PICTURE IS THINKING:

WRITE A SIX WORD POEM USING AS MUCH DESCRIPTIVE LANGUAGE AS YOU CAN: THINK TASTE, TOUCH, SMELL, SOUND AS WELL AS SIGHT

WRITE A SIX WORD POEM ABOUT YOUR HIGH SCHOOL EXPERIENCE…

CHOOSE ONE OF YOUR SIX WORD POEMS… Write two more six word poems about that same topic.

Do not try to tie them together as one poem – write two different poems. When you are finished, try reading them together

HW: WRITE ANOTHER THREE SIX WORD POEMS THAT FOCUS ON THE SAME THEME AND UPLOAD TO TURNITIN.COM Jumping off points:

Write a six word poem about spring break

…about a dream you had

…about a picture on your facebook, instagram, photo album etc.

…about your childhood

…about your family

…about your favorite place

…about your best friend

For more ideas go to: sixwordmemoirs.com/teens/index.php