ENG 3U1
Introduction to Poetry
What is your initial response to being asked to read or write a poem?
What sort of poems have you liked/disliked in the past and why?
Introductory Writing Exercises (before reading any poems):
1. Write down five to ten words that you feel represent you in some way; they may be adjectives
(e.g. funny, good-natured, blue) or nouns (e.g. goalie, piano player).
2. Write down five words or phrases that describe your favourite place at home (e.g. your
bedroom, the kitchen, your tree fort etc.).
3. 10 abstract nouns/10 concrete nouns exercise
Reading Exercises:
1. Read "Mother" (288).
a) Focus on the speaker's description of his/her mother and how it is conveyed through simile
and metaphor.
b) What does ambivalent mean? What words or phrases suggest that the speaker has ambivalent
feelings for his/her mother?
2. Read "My Song" (238).
a) Examine the use of song as a metaphor throughout the poem.
b) Pick five words from the poem that are crucial to the poem's tone and/or central meaning.
Choose one of the following writing exercises (to be handed in for assessment and
feedback). Aim to write 5-10 lines.
1. Use "Ode to My Socks" (252) as a model to write an ode to a possession that you value (e.g., a
musical instrument, a camera, your MP3 player etc).
2. Use "Mother" (288) as a model to write a poem that focuses on a family member. Use at least
one simile or metaphor to describe your relationship to that family member.
3. Use part of the first line from Atwood's poem, "Up"(246), as a starting point for your own
poem: "You wake up filled with ___________".
4. Use "My Song" (238) as a model to write a poem about your own distinct voice. Include at
least one simile or metaphor to convey your voice.