POETRY PORTFOLIO
Write a total of 4 poems. You need to write 1 poem of each style: “What
I Lost,” “I Am,” “Bio-Poem,” and “Shrink.” Each poem must be written
from a different character’s point of view. All 4 poems are due on
Tuesday, September 2nd. No late work will be accepted unless you have
an excused absence on Tuesday, September 2nd; the poetry portfolio will
be due the day that you return from the absence.
"What I Lost" Poem
The "What I Lost" or "What I Gave Away" poem is designed to focus on
a character’s realization of his or her losses. Follow the model below to
create such a poem for your first character from Antigone.
First three (3) stanzas follow this pattern:
What I lost, you ask?
(Name the item lost)
(How the character lost it)
Now, I (tell why the character regrets losing it)
What I lost, you ask?
(Name the item lost)
(How the character lost it)
Now, I (tell why the character regrets losing it)
What I lost, you ask?
(Name the item lost)
(How the character lost it)
Now, I (tell why the character regrets losing it)
Last stanza pattern:
Something I will never lose is
(name item)
(Where he/she got it)
(Why it is important to the character)
"I Am" Poem
The "I Am" poem is designed to introduce a major character. Follow the
model below to write your "I Am" poem for a second character from
Antigone.
FIRST STANZA:
I am (two special attributes of the character)
I wonder (something the character is likely to be 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 repeated)
SECOND STANZA:
I pretend (something the character pretends to do)
I feel (a feeling about something imaginary)
I touch (an imaginary touch)
I worry (something that really bothers the character)
I cry (something that makes the character very sad)
I am (the first line of the poem repeated)
THIRD STANZA:
I understand (something the character knows is true)
I say (something the character believes in)
I dream (something the character dreams about)
I try (something the character really makes an effort about)
I hope (something the character hopes for)
I am (the first line of the poem repeated)
"Bio-Poem"
The "bio-poem" is another format used to introduce a character. For
your next poem, create a bio-poem using the model below to introduce
your third character from Antigone.
Line 1: First name of character
Line 2: Four traits that describe the character
Line 3: Relative of...(such as Brother of...)
Line 4: Lover of (provide three items, aspects, and/or people)
Line 5: Who feels...(provide three descriptive words)
Line 6: Who fears...(three items)
Line 7: Who gives...(three items)
Line 8: Who would like to see...(two actions or events)
Line 9: Who believes in...(two values important to the character)
Line 10: Resident of...
Line 11: First and last name
"Shrink" Poem
“Inside every fat book or play is a skinny book/play trying to get out,
struggling to cut through the mummy like wrapping of long-winded
descriptions, superfluous characters, and endless conversations. Our
literary salvation depends on our making less and less of more and
more. With that in mind literature can undergo a SHRINKING process
which boils out the fat and renders the meat into verse [. . .]”
-Maurice Sagoff
Based on the above, write a shrunken version of Antigone from a fourth
character’s point of view. Additional directions include:
1. Your poem must be a minimum of three (3) stanzas of 6 lines each
plus 1 couplet (2 lines) for a total of 20 lines.
2. Remember to include the following elements in your shrink poem
* Setting
* Plot
* Characters
* Themes
Format:
Lines 1-6
Lines 7-12
Lines 13-18
Lines 19-20 (These final two lines must rhyme.)