Two-Voice Poetry
Poetry spoken in two voices
What makes a good poem?
 Brainstorm why poetry is powerful.
Two Voice Poetry
 is a poem from two different points of view.
 These two points of view speak together and alone in a two-voice poem.
 They sometimes compliment each other’s voices
 Other times they clash with the other voice
 The purpose is two-fold: 1-to create a poem that shares two views; 2-create
the sound of the views being expressed
Listen to these examples of two-voice
poems:
 YouTube examples
 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=esgfG3BoAPc
 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j-5t8lFIzI4
 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=owb-B0h7iXw
 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z-Wr3QhOTE0
 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IJU4eJD2r8s
 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zhf9NoUXge0
 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0uGojuhJN9I
What stood out to you about these
poems?
 Brainstorm how these poems worked.
 What was different about the poems?
 What caught your attention?
 What parts worked?
 What parts didn’t work?
Let’s try it out with some published
poems
 As a class, let’s look at a two-voice poem.
 First, we should read ONE column of the poem. Now, read the other column.
 Now read the whole poem together (volunteer).
 Discuss these questions:
 What is the poem about?
 How does it capture the voices of the subject of the poem?
 Does the poem help you picture the subject of the poem? How?
 In what unique ways does the poem use words, sounds?
 What parts are spoken together?
 Why do you think these parts are spoken together?
Let’s try it with a partner:
 Pick a partner. (only two people in a group)
 Pick a two-voice poem from the poems in the front of the room.
 Alone, read ONE column of the poem. Now, read the other column.
 Now read the whole poem with your partner.
 Discuss these questions with your partner:
 What is the poem about?
 How does it capture the voices of the subject of the poem?
 Does the poem help you picture the subject of the poem? How?
 In what unique ways does the poem use words, sounds?
 What parts are spoken together?
 Why do you think these parts are spoken together?
 Practice the poem together and get ready to perform it to the class (in one day)
READ POEMS
 Perform poems to class.
Review:
 What are two-voice poems?
 What makes a two-voice poem effective?
What topics might work well for twovoice poems?
 VERSUS
 Goes Well Together
 ___________ versus ________
 _________ and __________
 ________ versus __________
 _________ and __________
 ___________ versus ________
 _________ and __________
 ________ versus __________
 _________ and __________
 ___________ versus ________
 _________ and __________
 ________ versus __________
 _________ and __________
Choose a topic
 Choose a topic and then begin
drafting a poem. Remember to
use rhyme, alliteration, parts that
speak together and separate,
alternating phrases, clashing
phrases, circular phrases, etc.
Voice 1
Together
Voice 2