End-jammed/End-stopped Lines
• End Jam: The sentence runs into the next line
• An example is from an extract from The Winter's Tale by Shakespeare is heavily
enjambed (end jammed).
I am not prone to weeping, as our sex
Commonly are; the want of which vain dew
Perchance shall dry your pities; but I have
That honourable grief lodged here which burns
Worse than tears drown.
• End Stop: The unit ends when the line ends
• An example of end-stopping can be found in the following extract from The Burning
Babe by Robert Southwell; the end of each line corresponds to the end of a clause.
As I in hoary winter's night stood shivering in the snow,
Surprised I was with sudden heat, which made my heart to glow;
And lifting up a fearful eye to view what fire was near,
A pretty babe all burning bright did in the air appear.
All else is off the point: the Flood, the Day
Of Eden, or the Virgin Birth—Have done!
The Question is, did God send us the Son
Incarnate crying Love! Love is the Way!
“An Essay on Man: Epistle I”:
Then say not man’s imperfect, Heav’n in fault;
Say rather, man’s as perfect as he ought:
His knowledge measur’d to his state and place,
His time a moment, and a point his space.
If to be perfect in a certain sphere,
What matter, soon or late, or here or there?
The blest today is as completely so,
As who began a thousand years ago.
William Carlos Williams’s “Between Walls”:
the back wings
of the
hospital where
nothing
will grow lie
cinders
in which shine
the broken
pieces of a green
bottle
Writing prose, psalms, hymns, and epic poetry.
• You will choose one of the following types of poems and
create an original piece following the guidelines of the
type you select.
• Prose: Prose poetry looks a lot like an excerpt from a
narrative. A prose poem tells a story.
• While it lacks the line breaks associated with poetry, the prose
poem maintains a poetic quality, often utilizing techniques common
to poetry, such as fragmentation, compression, repetition, and
rhyme.
• The prose poem can range in length from a few lines to several
pages long, and it may explore a limitless array of styles and
subjects.
Read More Examples: http://www.prose-poems.com/examples.html
• Hymns: Hymns are like prayers that can be turned into songs.
Hymns are usually “composed” with the intent of putting it to
music.
• Hymns usually include rhyme or repetition (select one) and end
with the “best” line
• Options: Write your own, original hymn OR write 2 stanzas to a
hymn that already exists
Tip for Getting Started: Select a verse or passage from a religious based
text (such as the Bible) and use that as inspiration or select phrases/lines
that can be included in your hymn
• Psalm: Psalms are also known as prayers or songs
• The psalms cover the full range of human emotion through prayers, cries, questions,
laments and praises to a higher power
• Do not need to rhyme or be repetitive, but do include other poetic devices such as
extended metaphors or similes and imagery
• Topics to choose from:
1) praise
2) ask for help
3) gratitude
4) ask for forgiveness
5) Worship
• Psalms usually provide encouragement, joy, faith and hope.
Tips to writing a psalm:
http://www.fellowshipnwa.org/Websites/fellowshipnwa/images/Visitors/How_To_Writ
e_a_Psalm.pdf
• Follow the guidelines of the type you choose to write about
AND ALSO….
• Must be 8 lines (2 verses)
• Must have rhyme OR repetition (not both)
• Must include imagery
Rough draft due: Friday, 12/20
Final draft (typed, titled and in portfolio) due: January 2, 2014
Epic Poem: Writing about a larger than life figure!
Assignment:
Write about a hero (can be yourself, family member, god/goddess,
superhero) and tell about an adventure where the hero was
assigned a “task” or job to do and their journey to complete this
assignment then the hero’s return home;
• Must include super power but ALSO a flaw that derails the hero’s
journey
• Does not HAVE to rhyme but must be 20 lines!
• Must include at least 2 end-jammed and 2 end-stopped lines
• Rough draft due: Friday, 12/20
• Final draft (typed, titled and will go in portfolio): due 01/02