Poetic Definition
A poem is
a group of words
that say more than they mean
and mean more than they say.
A poem
Is
the
answer
To a question
That has never
been
asked.
Directions: On your paper, write your own poetic definition of a poem/poetry.
This definition will go on the cover of your poetry notebook.
Lyric Poem
Red is a festive color;
It wraps a gift package,
Stripes a Christmas candy cane,
Bubbles like sparkling Burgundy
Shines like a neon sign,
And explodes in a Fourth of July firecracker!
Lyric Guide
Color is an Emotion color;
It present tense action verb_________________,
Present tense action verb__________________,
Present tense action verb (simile)____________,
Present tense action verb__________________,
And present tense action verb_______________,
Directions: Use the guide to create a lyric poem.
The I Am Poem
I
I
I
I
I
I
am (two special characteristics you have)
wonder (something you are actually curious about)
hear (an imaginary sound)
see (an imaginary sight)
want (an actual desire)
am (the first line of the poem repeated)
I
I
I
I
I
I
pretend (something you actually pretend to do)
feel (a feeling about something imaginary)
touch (an imaginary touch)
worry (something that really bothers you)
cry (something that makes you very sad)
am (the first line of the poem repeated)
I understand (something that you know is true)
I say (something that you believe it)
I dream (something that you actually dream about
Directions: Using the guide, write “The I Am Poem” on your own paper.
Acrostic Poems
Acrostic poems are written down the page with each line beginning with
the succeeding letters in a word. Most of them are based on names, like this
example written by a high school student.
Beer-drinking guy
In a bar singing.
Loud
Lingering songs,
Rough
On
Girls’ hearts.
Even
Rough is
Smooth.
Directions: Beside your own names on your paper, write your own Acrostic
poem. You may base your poem on qualities (love, jealousy, pain, etc.), sports,
food, hobbies, or book titles.
Bio Poem
Line 1: Your first name
Line 2: Four traits that describe you
Line 3: Sibling of…(can also be son of,
daughter of, etc.)
Line 4: Lover of… (3 people or ideas)
Line 5: Who feels…(3 items)
Line 6: Who needs…(3 items)
Line 7: Who gives…(3 items)
Line 8: Who fears…(3 items)
Line 9: Who would like to see…(3 items)
Line 10: Resident of (city or state)
Line 11: Your last name
Personification Poem
Directions: You are to represent one of the
emotions listed below as a person. Select an
emotion from the list and imagine what kind of
person it would be like if it were human. What
would it look like? Sound like? Fill in the
description of the person you’ve imagined in Part
A, and then transfer your description to Part B,
so as to turn your answers into a poem.
Emotions: joy, grief, fury, loneliness, boredom,
hysteria, peace, jealousy, shyness
Personification: Part A
Fill in the description of the kind of person you
imagined.
Example:
1. Emotion you are representing as a person:
anger
2.
3.
The person’s body type: big, strong, muscular
Way the person moves: lunges forward, fist
4.
The person’s coloring (hair, eyes, etc.): red
5.
6.
Way the person speaks: shouts
Way the person makes you feel: afraid
raised
skin, black eyes
Personification: Part B
Transfer your answers from Part A to the blank spaces below to create
a poem.
I saw (1) __________ clearly.
He/She was (2) ____________.
He/She turned and (3) ____________.
I saw his/her (4) ____________.
And heard him/her (5) ___________.
And I felt (6) ___________.
Example:
I saw anger clearly
He was muscular and strong
He turned and lunged at me, his fist thrust forward.
I saw his red skin and black eyes.
And heard him shout with rage
And I felt afraid.
Parts of Speech Poem
Parts-of-speech poems are an easy way to start writing poetry. All you do it supply the
words and ideas while you follow the given formula.
Follow the formula to create your own poem:
1 article and 1 noun
1 adjective and 1 conjunction and 1 verbal
1 verbal (form of verb) and 1 conjunction and 1 verbal
1 noun that relates to the noun in the first line
Examples:
The text book
wordy but factual
Teaching and explaining
your world.
The sleeper
comfortable and cozy
Walking and remembering
his dream
The sneakers
worn and comfortable
Playing and running
all day.
List Poem
A list poem has repetition. In a list poem you repeat a
word or phrase in each line to provide emphasis.
For example: (mom telling you to do chores)
Go clean your room
Go clean the dishes
Go wash the dog
Go sweep the floor
Directions: Write a list poem. The poem must be at least
10 lines long.
Diamante
Diamante is a seven-lined, diamond-shaped poem based
on contrasting words:
Winter
white and silver
fading, sleeping, slowing down
March exchanges vows with April
nodding, rising, waking up
green and goldburst
Spring
The pattern is clear; lines two and six are two adjectives
describing the beginning and ending nouns; lines three
and five, three participles (-ing or –ed words) also
describing the nouns, and line four, the pivotal turning
point, which may be a word or a phrase.
Diamante Cont’d
Directions: Choose one of the following polarities (good/evil,
sunlight/shadow, dream/nightmare, beauty/beast, love/hate,
food/garbage, pleasure/pain, failure/success, weak/strong,
rich/poor, clean/dirty, hot/cold, city/country) create your own
diamante. Use the guidelines to write your poem.
__________________
1(first polarity; a noun)
______________________________
2 (adjectives describing the beginning and ending nouns)
_____________________________
3 (three particles –ing or –ed)
____________________________________
4 (the pivotal turning point, which may be four words or a phrase)
____________________________________________
5(three particles –ing or –ed)
___________________________________________
6 (two adjectives describing the beginning and ending nouns)
____________________
7 (last polarity; a noun)
“I Used to Be” Poem
Before you begin to follow the steps outlined below, think of 2 objects that
could symbolize yourself. One to stand for the way you used to be when
you were younger, and one to represent the way you are now. Then follow
the steps listed below.
Examples:
I used to be
A caterpillar
Inching along.
But now I am
A butterfly,
Floating free.
Once I was
An empty notebook
Waiting…
For a pen,
A poet
To come by.
Now I am
A heap of crumpled notes
Waiting for
The janitor.
“I Used to Be” Cont’d
Steps for writing the “I Used to Be” poem:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
For the first line of your poem, write down either “I
used to be” or “Once I was”
For the next line, write down the name of the object
you chose to stand for yourself when you were
younger.
Describe (in a line or two) something about the object
named that made it like you.
For the next line, write down either “But now I am” or
“Now I am”
For the next line, write down the name of the object
you chose to stand for yourself right now.
In a line or two, describe something about this object
that makes it seem like you.
Comparison Poem
Example:
Water beetles skimming the still surface of the water
Like tiny skaters gliding round a rink,
Just one small push of their feet easing them forward until
They are dizzy with motion—
Me, I have always kept
My feet on the ground.
Steps:
1.
Focus on an image of some object or scene that you can imagine
clearly. Describe this image in words that sound well together (1 or 2
lines)
2.
Think about what this image reminds you of-something to which you
might compare it to. Express this comparison in 2 or 3 lines.
3.
Show the basis for the comparison you have made by indicating some
way(s) in which your two images are alike.
4.
Decide how you feel about the object or scene you have described.
Indicate your own feelings briefly. (1 or 2 lines)
Cinquain Poem
Pronounced “cin-kain” this five-line form was
invented by Adelaide Crapsey, who used a
wavelike syllable count of two-four-six-eight-two.
Following is perhaps her most famous example,
as well as a cinquain by a student.
November Night
by Adelaide Craspey
Listen…
With faint dry sound,
Like steps of passing ghosts
The leaves, frost crisped, break from the trees
And fall.
Cinquain Cont’d
Engagement
By Vivian Riner
Promise
Of heart and hand
Ring of stone and gold band.
Days of sweet anticipation
Waiting.
Directions: Write a cinquain poem using the more manageable
patter of a one-word title, two adjectives describing the title, three
–ing participles, a related phrase, and a synonym for the title.
Example:
Sheepdog
Gentle, shaggy
Ambling, rambling, shambling
A rollicking hayrick of unruly hair
Sadie
Creating A Poem by Answering Questions
Below are two sets of questions, both of which can be used to create poems. Select one
of the sets of questions to answer, writing each answer on a separate line. Do not
try to answer in complete sentences. Put down phrases or images that occur to
you as you think about the questions. Use descriptive words.
Set 1:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
What is your favorite kind of tree?
What does this type of tree look like? color, shape, height, etc.
What does this tree do when a heavy wind blows?
How does this tree look on a very dark night?
Of what object or kind of person does this tree remind you?
Set 2:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
What is your favorite season of the year?
What special objects does this season remind you of?
What colors do you think of when you think of this season?
What special smells or sound do you associate with this season?
What activities do children do at this season?
What changes in weather mark the end of this season?
How do you feel when this season ends?
Question Poem Cont’d
Revising your poem: You might wish to revise and rearrange your answers
when writing your poem. Edit your poem so that is flows nicely.
Example Original version:
Birch tree,
Tall and slim and white,
Swaying in the wind,
A dancer in the darkness,
A lonely lady in a thin gown.
Example Revised version:
Birch tree,
Slender and white,
Swaying in the wind,
Lonely lady in a thin gown,
Dancing in the darkness.
Poem based on Similes
Steps:
1. Select a pair of closely related objects to compare.
(Some of the pairs you could use might be boys and
girls, a dog and a puppy, and ocean and a lake, a weed
and a flower, the moon and a star.) List the two objects
you are going to compare.
2. For the first line of your poem, write down what season
of the year Object 1 is most like.
Line 1: _____________ is like _______________
3. For the second line of your poem, describe something
about Object 1 that makes it seem like that season.
Line 2: ______________________________________
4. For the next line, write down what different season of the
year Object 2 is like.
Line 3: ___________________ is like
_________________
5. For the next line, describe some quality of Object 2 that
makes it seem like that season:
Line 4: _________________________
6. On the fifth line, write down what animal Object 1 is like:
Line 5: __________ is like ___________
7. For the next line, indicate why Object 1 is like this animal:
Line 6: ___________________________
8. On the next line, write down what different animal Object 2 is
like:
Line 7: _____________ is like _____________
9. On the last line of your poem, describe some quality of Object
2 that makes it seem like that animal:
Line 8: __________________________________
10. Look over the lines you have written and be sure that they
read smoothly and make sense. Make revisions as needed.
Epitaph
An epitaph is the message that appears on one’s tombstone.
Some famous epitaphs are below:
Shakespeare
"Good Friends, for Jesus' sake forbear,
To dig the bones enclosed here!
Blest be the man that spares these stones,
And curst be he that moves my bones."
Jim Morrison
KATA TON DAIMONA EAYTOY
"To the divine spirit within himself"
Directions: Your assignment is to write your own epitaph, as you
would want it to appear. You may write whatever you wish, as
long as it is school appropriate.
Free Verse
Directions: Write a poem of your choice in
“free verse” format. Review your notes if
you don’t remember what this is. You
may write about whatever you choose,
as long as it is school appropriate.