WORDS ARE THE VOICE OF THE

HEART--CONFUCIUS

Proper words in proper places,

make the true definition of

style.—Jonathan Swift

Words mean more than what is set down on paper. It takes the human voice to infuse them with deeper meaning.—Maya Angelou

Better than a

thousand hollow

words, is one word

that brings peace.

—The Buddha

“WORDS TO LIVE BY”

HOW DO POETS CHOOSE THE RIGHT WORDS?

Some tips from The poetry home repair manual

by Ted Kooser

DID YOU KNOW THAT I WAS THE US POET

LAUREATE FROM 2004-2006? AND I CAME TO YOUR SCHOOL A FEW

YEARS AGO!

“THE SHADOWS CAST BY NOUNS”

• NOUNS ARE SO CONCRETE• READER HAS

PERSONAL ASSOCIATION• THE “SHADOW” IS

THE METAPHOR THE READER “THINKS” COMES FROM THE NOUN . . .

• “HER EYES WERE LIKE A CHICKEN”

• “HER HEART WAS LIKE A WASHING MACHINE.”

“HOW POETS CONTROL THE READER’S ASSOCIATION”

• ADJECTIVES!• HELPS WITH

VISUALIZING• DEEPER

MEANING/TONE/MOOD• BEWARE!!• OBVIOUS OR OVER-USE

MAKES FOR BAD POETRY:

“HER DEEP PRETTY BLUE EYES WERE LIKE AN ENDLESS OCEAN”

• “HER EYES WERE LIKE A DEAD CHICKEN”

• “HER HEART WAS LIKE A RUSTY WASHING MACHINE”

WHAT ABOUT ADVERBS?

• AGAIN, CHOOSE CAREFULLY!• MIGHT NOT BE

NEEDED?• CHOOSE A MORE

ACCURATE VERB!-THAT MIGHT DO THE TRICK!?

• “SHE WALKED VERY SLOWLY AND WARILY UP THE STAIR”

OR. . .

• “SHE CREPT UP THE STAIR”

LET’S ANNOTATE SOME POEMS WITH A FOCUS ON WORD CHOICE!

BROKEN PROMISES—DAVID KRIBY

NIGHT TRAIN—THEODORE THOMPSON GENOWAYS