Two-Voice Poetry
What is a Two-Voice poem?
Two-voice poetry is written for two people to perform. The poetry usually has three columns—one
for each person who is reading the poem, and an extra column in the middle. Each person reading
the poem reads the text in one of the columns. Sometimes, the poet wants the two readers to say
something at the same time; so the poet writes the words in the middle column.
Example 1:
Being a bee
Is a joy
I’m a queen
Is a pain
I’m a worker
I’ll gladly explain.
What is the message of this poem?
What opposing/conflicting words do you see?
Example 2:
I am Telemachus
I am Orestes
My father is gone
and never came back
lost at sea
and returned as King
home at last
He suffered
for many years
Poseidon’s wrath
a quick death
my mother’s wrath
kept him from me
his home
plagued by suitors
his life
taken by her seducer
I must avenge my father
stand up to the suitors
murder Aegisthus
assert myself
but that I could not do.
What is the message of this poem?
What opposing/conflicting words and phrases do you see?
How do the two voices emphasize the message?
and that I did.
Creating your own two-voice poem:
In class today, we will be working in pairs to create a two-voice poem. The purpose of this activity
is to apply the knowledge we learned yesterday through the close reading of Helen and
Clytemnestra. Helen and Clytemnestra act as foils to the main female character of the epic,
Penelope, and in your poems you are to compare Penelope to either Helen or Clytemnestra to
emphasize one of the key differences.
Directions:
1) Choose to emphasize the theme of faithfulness or manipulation.
2) Choose either Helen or Clytemnestra to act as a foil to Penelope. Remember a foil character is
one whose values and behaviors contrast or are opposite of the main character’s values and
behaviors.
3) Using your annotations and notes from today’s discussion, make bullet point notes of similarities
and differences to plan your poem in the space below.
4) Transfer the notes into a two voice poem (minimum of 8 lines)
Your poem should include:
1) A theme you choose to emphasize
2) Two characters (one acting as a foil), each with a clear and distinctive voice
3) Key words from the text
Major difference between the two characters:
Similarities between the two characters: