Week 2: Creative Writing Assignments (4 poems)
Review the “ideas for writing” in The Poet’s Companion, following the chapters “The Family,”
(36-38), “Death and Grief,” (44-45) and “Simile and Metaphor” (101-103).
Read the whole direction – in the book -- before you start. Try these:
On page 37, choose either #2 (write about a gift from someone in your family) OR #5 (describe
an object you associate with a family member) and develop a poem using the instructions given.
Make the poem rich in imagery; direct description of the thing itself. In addition, you’ll want to
say what that object means, the person (or people) it evokes, the feelings that come with it. 14
lines or more.
On page 44, choose either #1 (first experience with death), #2 (speaking after your own death),
or #3 (a letter to someone who is dead). Develop a poem using the directions in the book. Use
imagery. 14 lines or more.
“Simile and Metaphor” #6: Write a poem that serves as a metaphor for an emotion or abstraction
(Loneliness, Joy, Greed, Fear, or whatever). Do not mention the abstraction or emotion in the
poem. Use it for a title. 10 lines or more.
Your Call: choose one of the other suggested exercises from one of these three chapters and
follow the directions as given in the book.
Remember that all creative assignments should have a title!
Hand in to me all 4 creative assignments by Tuesday, January 17 (the extra day for
MLKing holiday).
 Family poem
 Death poem
 “emotion or abstraction” poem
 your choice poem – say which assignment in the book you are responding to.
Choose one of these to submit to your group for discussion, also by Tuesday, January 17.