Poetry Unit
Fourth Term Project
Complete these statements on a sheet of paper:
1. Poetry is . . .
2. The subject(s) or theme(s) of poetry is . . .
3. I think poetry . . .
4. I wish poetry . . .
Our real poems are already in
us and all we can do is dig.
Jonathan Galassi
Introduction to Poetry
I ask them to take a poem
and hold it up to the light
like a color slide
or press an ear against its hive.
I say drop a mouse into a poem
and watch him probe his way out,
or walk inside the poem’s room
and feel the walls for a light switch.
I want them to water-ski
across the surface of a poem
waving at the author’s name on the shore.
But all they want to do
is tie the poem to a chair with rope
and torture a confession out of it.
They begin beating it with a hose
to find out what it really means.
-Billy Collins
Alliteration
Glossary: Alliteration is the repetition of similar
consonant sounds (not just the same letter), often
at the beginning of words that are close together.
It is used to create melody, establish mood, call
attention to important words and point out
similarities and differences.
Examples:
Peter Piper picked a peck of pickled peppers.
Blow, bugle blow, set the wild echoes flying…(Tennyson)
Blithe beaded bubbles blinking at the brim…(Keats)
Fran raced furiously to the phone.
Alliteration Assignment
Fast Run in the Junkyard
That junkyard fell down the side of the hill
like a river: baby buggy black leather
cracked car back seat, sofa wind-siphoned
by a clutch of tangled wire hangers hanging on
like spiders. We stood and fell as momentum told us
toward somebody’s sodden Sealey dying of galloping miasma,
jumped on bedsprings sprung to pogos, and leaped
for king-of-the-mountain where boxes and cans fountained
up the hill’s other side. Sailing saucers, we rode
back down, flinging hat racks, burlap sacks, chairs cropped
of backs and flotsam crockery, breezed in league boots
back out of everybody’s past hazards, up the road
to break tar bubbles all-the-way-home where things
were wearing out as fast as we were growing up.
-Jeannette Nichols
Poems #1-4
Your 4 poems need to use alliteration & must be 8-10 lines
List poems
Poem #1 topic: “Things that go away and come back again”
Make a list of “Things that go away and come back again”
Select a few items from this list and write a poem about these items that “go
away and come back again.” (This is due at the end of the class.)
Poem #2-#4 topic ideas: Choose from the following topics for each poem, or
create topics yourself and follow the instructions as listed in #1. Due next time.
Things that make me feel 10 feet tall
Things I do while trying to fall asleep
Things I leave behind
Things I should have done
Things I would rather forget
Things that happen once in a lifetime
Excerpt Example of Poem #1
Poem #1 (notice poem #)
“Things That Go Away and Come Back Again” (notice title)
Cold sores come quietly.
I never see the suckers coming.
The possibility of one looms over my lips.
When I feel the beginnings of one brewing,
I race to the mirror in the bathroom
And stare in horror, helplessly watching it grow.
And aside from the pain they put me through,
They make me want to put a paper bag over my poor head.
-Sierra, 10th Grade (2012)
Poem #1 Things that go away and come back again
Seasons come and go
Memories fade and later return
Zits are gone and now present again
School sets off then reappears
Consequences revisit
The sun comes flooding back day after day
The moon revisits after a long day
Birds abandon the cold so they can return to the warmth
-Abbie H. (student)
Poem examples #2-#4
#2 “Things that Flash Brightly”
Ocean waves rocking on a moonlit night.
Smiles from young lovers whenever they are together,
A camera flash, capturing memories for the rest of time.
A wife’s diamond sparkling on her wedding ring
Lightning dancing in the sky on a dark, stormy night
Children’s fresh faces while frolicking in the fields,
Dreams in a young child’s eyes when their imagination comes to life.
Life passing slowly as you live it happily.
-Jessica G. (student)
Poem #2
“Things I Do While Trying to Fall Asleep”
Drink warm cocoa.
Relax and read a book.
Listen to some relaxing music.
Watch the back of my eyelids.
Think about events of the day.
Watch the minutes and hours tick away.
Find strange shapes in the ceiling tiles.
Focus on breathing—in and out.
-KZB April 21, 2005
Poem examples #2-4
Poem #3 “Things That Make Me Happy”
People whose names start with the letter “A.”
Music makes my heart sing.
Warm spring days, summer isn’t too far away!
Late nights, hearing my phone ring.
Family movie nights,
Forgiving and forgetting petty old fights.
Making new friends,
And keeping old ones.
Serina (student)
Poem #4 “Things I want to do before I die”
Go sky diving,
Ride a zesty zebra in the zoo,
Own a horse and name him Henry,
Get in a really bad plane crash and survive,
Be in a movie with Ryan Reynolds running in the park,
Live in a tree house in the tropics,
Own my own island and have a pet shark,
Have someone love me like in a majestic movie.
Brianna (student)
Onomatopoeia
Glossary: Onomatopoeia is the use of
words that imitate sounds. An effect that
is both musical and meaningful is created
by using words that sound like their
meaning, such as, murmur, buzz, hiss, and
ping.
Examples:
zing
bang
poof
clank
thud
whack
pow
wham
rattle
smack
hum
plop
zip
screech
eek
click
Onomatopoeia
JABBERWOCKY
`Twas brillig, and the slithy toves
Did gyre and gimble in the wabe;
All mimsy were the borogoves,
and the mome raths outgrabe.
Beware the Jabberwock, my son!
The jaws that bite, the claws that catch
Beware the jubjub bird and shun
The frumious Bandersnatch!
He took his vorpal sword in hand:
Long time the manxome foe he sought
So rested he by the Tumtum tree,
And stood a while in thought.
And as in uffish thought he stood,
The Jabberwock with eyes of flame
Came whiffling through the tulgey wood,
And burbled as it came!
One, two! One, two! And through and through
The vorpal blade went snicker-snack!
He left it dead, and with its head
He went galumphing back.
And hast thou slain the Jabberwock?
Come to my arms my beamish boy!
O frabjous day! Callooh Callay!
He chortled in his joy.
`Twas brillig, and the slithy toves
Did gyre and gimble in the wabe;
All mimsy were the borogoves,
And the mome raths outgrabe.
-Lewis Carroll
Poems #5-#6 (Sources of)
Remember: your poems must use onomatopoeia
Here is a list of sources you can choose from. You do not have to use something on
this list, but you can if you wish:
Sources of…
friendship
brilliance
enemies
evil
squeaks
hardships
love
excitement
courage
anger
order
roughness
surprise
softness
quiet
hardness
grayness
kindness
goodness
endurance
commitment
solitude
white
stiffness
coldness
light
fright
black
mystery
hatred
bravery
valor
rage
loneliness
redness
knowledge
fear
pain
wonder
hate
contentment
dedication
insecurity
mercy
sorrow
calm
sighs
laughter
peace
joy
war
pressure
compassion
darkness
justice
Poems #5-#6 (Sources of)
Remember: your poems must use onomatopoeia
Use these prepositions to help tell where the source comes from:
about
above
across
after
against
along
amid
among
around
at
before
behind
below
beneath
beside
between
beyond
by
down
during
for
from
in
inside
into
near
of
off
on
onto
outside
over
past
through
to
toward
under
underneath
up
upon
with
within
without
Poem Examples #5-#6
Sources of Sadness
Sources of Refreshment
Sadness
An ice cold soda
Death (sniffle)
and a chocolate bar
Fights (ugh)
Natural disaster (crash)
don’t shake it up
Suicide (shatter)
or it will spill
Lies (pssh)
open it up
Regrets (hmm)
and listen closely
Sadness
Brayden (student)
a nice, crisp fsst!
Sources of Happiness
a refreshing noise
Happiness, the emotion/feeling of having excitement
Dalyn (student)
and or joy in one’s experiences
Happiness, when I see the A
on my report card
Happiness, the “click, click, click’ in the
cup on the course
Happiness, having that special someone with you in
that exact, perfect
moment that puts an amazing smile on your face
Brayden (student)
Simile & Metaphor
Gloassary: Simile is a figure of speech in which two unlike
things are compared using the words like or as.
Examples:
“Life is like a box of chocolates, you never know what you’re gonna get.”
(Forrest Gump)
“Her silent anger was like a rock wall, hard and impenetrable.”
“His words race through your head like a freight train.”
Glossary: Metaphor is a figure of speech in which two
unlike things are compared without the use of like or as.
A metaphor takes the form of a direct statement (or direct
comparison).
Examples:
“The test was a piece of cake.”
“That substitute teacher was a real ringmaster.”
“The ferocious-looking pimple was a rhino horn that hurt half of Hector’s
head.”
Poem #7 Simile & #8 Metaphor
Poem #9 Imagery Color Poem
Complete the Simile/Metaphor Worksheet.
Your simile and metaphor poems should each compare two different things throughout your 8-10 lines.
They should not be a poem with a bunch of similes and metaphors. Consider using a graphic
organizer like a VENN Diagram to find similarities of two things, then write a poem about the similarities.
Object
1
Object
2
For poem #7, you will write a poem (at least 8-10
lines) comparing two things with simile.
For poem #8 compare two things with metaphor.
For poem #9, you will write a color poem. Use
imagery (the five senses: sight, sound, touch, taste,
and smell).
Poem #7 Simile Examples
Words
We are spendthrift with words,
We squander them,
Toss them like pennies in the air—
Arrogant words,
Angry words,
Cruel words,
Comradely words,
Shy words tiptoeing from mouth to ear.
Nature is a World of Joy
The sky was a storybook full of white puffy characters,
Dancing across the deep blue mound.
Birds chirp like a choir of beautiful voices,
Echoes bouncing from place to place with the sweet
sound.
Flowers bloom like a never-ending rainbow,
Floating across the chocolate ground.
Everywhere you look there is a joy to be found.
-from “Words”
“Stars”
At dusk the first stars appear.
Not one eager finger points toward them.
A little later the stars spread with the night
And an orange moon rises
To lead them, like a shepherd, toward dawn.
-Gary Soto
-McCall W. (10th grade student*)
Simile Examples #7
Moon Simile Poem
The moon is like a cookie
It looks like it has a bite
And even though it may be full
every day
Every single day
Will have another bite
Taken out and
Then it will be no more.
-Ethan W. (student)
Life
Life is like a roller coaster
One minute you’re up
Next minute you’re down
There are screams of excitement
And screams of fright
Some looks of anger even
But in the end we’ll be alright
Because life goes on
-Morgan N. (student)
The Moon is a Silent Friend
The moon is a silent friend;
It comes and goes,
It waxes and wanes,
It guides you in the darkness of the night.
Its face can be as bright as the sun,
Lighting up your path like a spotlight
Or its face can be as dark as space itself
Visible or invisible,
All nights, even some days,
The moon will always be a quiet companion.
-Jessica G. (student)
My family
My family is like a circus
Always laughing and having fun.
We are loud and obnoxious.
Though we have our ups and downs
Bright clothing sometimes yelling,
When we are all together.
My family is like a circus,
And we love it all the time.
-Morgan S. (student)
Poem #8 Metaphor Examples
The Garden Hose
Metaphor
In the gray evening
I see a long green serpent
With its tail in the dahlias.
Morning is
a new sheet of paper
for you to write on.
It lies in loops across the grass
And drinks softly at the faucet.
I can hear it swallow.
-Beatrice Janosco
Whatever you want to say,
all day,
until night
folds it up
and files it away.
The bright words and the dark words
are gone
until dawn
and a new day
to write on.
-Eve Merriam
Metaphor Examples #8
Facebook
The Ocean is a Sapphire
Facebook is a drug
The ocean is a shimmering sapphire;
With many people addicted
It sparkles in the gleaming light,
It is always there when you should be busy
And pleases all eyes.
However it can be entertaining
Its deep brilliant blue mesmerizes you
It seems to call my name
Even if you look at it from afar.
And keep me on later than I should be
Its waves become a soft melody
It is hard to get rid of,
As you sit on the beach with your eyes closed,
And when you do, you come crawling back
And your feet dipping into the cool, liquid jewel.
-Abbie H. (student)
-Jessica G. (student)
Imagery Color Poem #9
1- On a separate sheet of paper, list your favorite colors.
2- Select a color, your favorite (or one you hate). Pick a color that you can use to paint a specific
memory using one central color.
3- Make a list of SPECIFIC IMAGES associated with the color you selected; for example, for
orange, you might write pumpkin, sunset, hunting vest, autumn leaves, tangerine, goldfish,
peach.
4- Choose descriptive words for each image. Try to describe not just in terms of sight, but ALSO
sound, touch, smell, and taste. Don’t say: it looks like…, it smells like…it sounds like…etc.
Imagery is conveying those senses without explicitly saying it.
5- How do you feel about EACH of the IMAGES you’ve selected? Select a specific mood other than
happy, sad, good or bad.
6- Consider all the words and phrases you’ve gathered. Can you find a place, a memory? Choose
one specific image only. Define it with specific words and phrases that paint it one central
color.
7- Extract a poem. Be descriptive! Use action words! Use POETIC LINES
8- Revise your poem, for example:
(rough draft):
ORANGE
On an autumn day
I wear a hunting vest
As rust-colored leaves
Fall.
(Not-So-Rough draft):
ORANGE
Misty morning, opening day.
Rust-gold-crimson leaves
Crackle, crumple,
Cling
to my vest
like fire.
-Bubba Boyd
Imagery/Color Poem Examples #9
Brown
Black
Weathered chicken coop and barn,
Black is the skull and crossbones
hanging limp in the calm before the storm;
The toasted marshmallow smell of
a house burned down.
The chiming of the midnight clock,
And deep, dark family secrets.
Black is the empty feeling
When someone you love is gone.
Leafless trees nearby, dead
Winter weeds in the orchard, busy
Chickens
Scratch the wet dirt.
-Erik Brinkerhoff
-Trevor Smith, Dana White, Gayle Buxton, Lynda Hamblin
Green
Pink
Wet moss whips in the current
As slimy trout swim by and
Tiny grasshoppers
Leap along the
Grassy banks.
-Riley Snelson
Eating cotton candy on a
bright sunny day.
Fresh flowers
and bubblegum popping.
There is a little girl
petting her pet pig.
-Danielle Gooch, Lachelle Beene, Tiffany Foster
Imagery/Color Poem Examples #9
Black
Black is what you feel
if you’re depressed and need to heal.
Black is what is in between
the moments between what you dream.
It is an unforgiving shade
yet it erupts the audience after a “black out” or fade.
Black is also what you eat
when you mother makes that one dish or specific meat.
Black is a haunting smell
when the new girl smells like the old one, Love Spell.
It is a consuming color, which makes you step back
In everything and everywhere, it is the color black.
-Zacharia C.
Orange
Drifting, falling
leaves cascade down
to the ground
and cover the once-green grass.
The sweetness of a ripe, round, sectioned fruit.
Another season in Utah when the roads are covered.
A word that nothing rhymes with.
The deepest color at sunset.
-KBaker April 30, 2008
Red
Dancing in a firestorm
Across a deep blue sky is red.
The bleeding heart of a love lost is red.
Never forgetting the anger inside.
A rose in remembrance of life and love.
Old Glory and her banners high.
To live, to love, to scream
is red.
-KZB Apr. 21, 2005
Blue
The tartness of blueberry pie
A reflection of the sky in water is blue.
When all is gone wrong.
A bouncing baby boy.
The melancholy yet, jazzy music
Navy, Seal, Sapphire, and Teal crayons.
Sadness and sorrow
is blue.
-KZB April 22, 2005
Glossary: Hyperbole is a technique where exaggeration is used to create
a strong
effect. With hyperbole, the notion of the speaker is greatly
exaggerated to emphasize the point, is the obvious stretching of the truth
to emphasize strong feeling or to create a humorous effect.
The word “hyperbole” is actually composed of two root words:
“hyper” which means “over,” and “bole” which means “to throw.” So,
etymologically, “hyperbole” translates roughly to “over throw” or “to
throw over.” True to it’s origins, hyperbole or language that is
hyperbolic overstates a point or goes a bit too far.
Examples:
If I eat one more piece of turkey, I will burst.
I am so hungry, I could eat a horse.
He lived across the street, yet it was a million miles away.
The music was loud enough to make your ears bleed.
://voices.yahoo.com/english-lesson-plan-identifying-using-hyperboles-10429759.html?cat=4
Facebook example of hyperbole and responses:
Using this sentence starter come up with as many
hyperboles as you can on a separate piece of
paper:
I’m so hot…
I’m so cold…
I’m so tired…
I’m so hungry…
Homework is…
Walking to school is…
My best friend and I…
Summer is…
Find all examples of hyperbole in the song
on the next slide.
Watch for use of hyperbole in many
popular songs today. Songwriters often
exaggerate things. No guy/girl would
realistically say these things to another,
once a relationship is established—it
usually comes in the “wooing” process.
Unless you are trying to make up for watching too much
football, or spending too much money on shopping outings :)
Just the Way You Are by Bruno Mars (Covered by
Eclipse)
Oh her eyes, her eyes
Make the stars look like they're not shining
Her hair, her hair
Falls perfectly without her trying
She's so beautiful
And I tell her every day
Yeah I know, I know
When I compliment her
She won’t believe me
And it’s so, it’s so
Sad to think she don't see what I see
But every time she asks me do I look okay
I say
When I see your face
There's not a thing that I would change
Cause you're amazing
Just the way you are
And when you smile,
The whole world stops and stares for awhile
‘Cause girl you're amazing
Just the way you are
Her lips, her lips
I could kiss them all day if she'd let me
Her laugh, her laugh
She hates but I think it’s so sexy
She's so beautiful
And I tell her every day
Oh you know, you know, you know
I’d never ask you to change
If perfect is what you're searching for
Then just stay the same
So don't even bother asking
If you look okay
You know I say
When I see your face
There's not a thing that I would change
‘Cause you're amazing
Just the way you are
And when you smile,
The whole world stops and stares for awhile
‘Cause girl you're amazing
Just the way you are
The way you are
The way you are
Girl you're amazing
Just the way you are
When I see your face
There's not a thing that I would change
‘Cause you're amazing
Just the way you are
And when you smile,
The whole world stops and stares for awhile
‘Cause girl you're amazing
Just the way you are
Songwriters: Lawrence, Philip / Mars, Bruno / Levine, Ari / Cain, Khari / Walton, Khalil.
© EMI Music Publishing, Universal Music Publishing Group, Warner/Chappell Music, Inc..
Choose 5 of the examples on the next slide and
respond to the hyperbole.
◦ Really?...use logic and examples that discredit the
statement. You’re essentially writing a comeback, like the
previous Facebook post responders.
What words in the statements make the phrase a
hyperbole?

Charlie gazed hopelessly at the endless
pile of bills stretching across the
counter.

Christmas will never come.
going to let you go.

He walked down the road to nowhere.


I’d rather French kiss a rattlesnake than
miss a gym period.
John always knows the right thing to
say.

Phoebe would be content anywhere.

My dad knows everything about cars.


Max is the fastest thing on two feet.
Nothing could ever go wrong with his
plan.

Basketball is the only thing that ever
mattered to him.

Pam was skinny enough to jump
through a keyhole.

Nothing can stop these guys.

Jasmine never forgets anything.

My mom is going to kill me.

Everyone knows that.

She can have any boy that she wants.


Nobody can beat level six.
Go to the park? That’s the best idea
ever.
You’ve made me the happiest man
alive, Rita.

I’d move mountains for her.

Tanya never stops talking.
The sight of them kissing is so gross
that it makes me want to puke.

I can’t do anything right.

Janet worked her fingers to the bone.

That woman has no self-control.

That was the easiest question in the
world.

Nothing can bother him.

I can smell pizza from a mile away.

I went home and made the biggest
sandwich of all time.

My dad is always working.

Patty drank from a bottomless glass of
Kool-Aid.

Allie has a million pairs of shoes in her
closet.


Old Mr. Johnson has been teaching here
since the Stone Age.


Forget knocking it out of the park,
Frank can knock a baseball off the
continent.

We’ll be best friends forever.


Now there is no star that is not
perfumed with my fragrance.
Jack was thirsty enough to drink a river
dry.

She is perfect in every way.

The lesson was taking forever.

I will never say “never.”•


I’ve seen this movie at least 80,000
times.

Chris won’t drive her home because
she lives on the other side of the
universe.
Your dad is the smartest guy in the
world.

We tried everything that we could.

I could listen to that song on repeat
forever.

Vanessa never has anything interesting
to say.

These shoes are killing me.

Shauna does everything for him.

The only thing that he ever wants to do
is play that game.

Once I get you in my arms, I’m never
“No Difference”
For a Hopi Silversmith
Small as a peanut,
Big as a giant,
We’re all the same size
When we turn off the light.
he has gathered the windstrength
from the third mesa
into his hand
and cast it into silver
Rich as a sultan,
Poor as a mite,
We’re all worth the same
When we turn off the light.
Red, black or orange,
Yellow or white,
We all look the same
When we turn off the light.
So maybe the way
To make everything right
Is for God to just reach out
And turn off the light!
-Shel Silverstein
i have wanted to see
the motion of wind
for a long time
thank you
for showing me
-Joy Harjo
Poem #10—Name Poem. Write your full first name down the side of
the page. Using the first letter, write a line that starts with that
letter. Continue through your entire name. Your name poem
should describe you (or exaggerate—hyperbole). Your poem
should not be one word for each letter. The letter starts an entire
line.
Poem #11—Family Name Poem. Write your full last name down the
side of the page. Continue as instructed in #8, but this time, your
poem should be about your family.
Poem #12—Definition Poem. Define a noun. Creatively tell what the
noun is or does. Creatively describe that noun to someone who
does not know what that noun is.
Lover. Plain and simple. Not always being
In love, but loving whoever needs it.
Shy at first, until I love you. Waiting for
Him impatiently. Him, the one to fall in love with
A soul mate.
-Lisha M. (student)
Skyler is
Kind of a shy person.
You wouldn’t think so though. He gets a
Little confused sometimes, but
Everything is
Really not that bad for him.
-Skyler H. (student)
Attractive little one that’s always
Loving
Everyone with all she has to give
Shy, but out going
Happy and bubbly always trying to make your day
An optimistic one who makes sure she is having fun
-Alisha (student)
Judge us not!
Our family is crazy
Running constantly
Dancing every evening
And
Never turning our back on one another
-B. Jordan (student)
Definition of a Book
Full of pages and information,
It’s not to be judged by its cover,
Has a spine to hold it together,
Written by an author,
Not for illiterate,
Better than watching television.
-Skyler H. (student)
“Definition of Spoiled”
Getting whatever you want.
Money.
The best and newest of everything.
Purchased perfections.
Being the youngest or an only child.
Rotten.
Moldy.
Rancid.
Spoiled.
-KZB April 25, 2005
Definition of Water
Hydrogen and Oxygen mingled together
Fun to play in
Gets you wet
Cleanses things
Hydrates you when you are thirsty
Floats boats and leaves and lilies
Comes from a mountain, the sky,
or a hole in the ground.
An odorless, tasteless, liquid
is water.
-KZB April 21, 2005
Repetition & Imagery
Glossary: Repetition is the recurrence of words and phrases for effect.
Examples:
While I nodded, nearly napping, suddenly there came a tapping,
As of someone gently rapping, rapping at my chamber door.
-from “The Raven” by Edgar Allan Poe
Glossary: Imagery is using vivid language to evoke emotion (using the 5
senses: sight, sound, touch/feel, taste, smell).
Example:
Hannah watched the desert glide by the truck window.
Her father drove silently,
his fingers beating a little pattern on the wheel
to the rhythm of the music from the CD player.
His music.
His truck.
His home.
Repetition & Imagery
Someone came knocking
at my wee, small door;
Someone came knocking
I am sure---sure---sure;
I listened, I opened,
I looked to left and right,
But nought there a-stirring
In the still, dark night;
Only the busy beetle
Tap-tapping in the wall,
Only from the forest
The screech owl’s call,
Only the cricket whistling
While the dewdrops fall.
So I know not who came
knocking,
At all, at all, at all.
-from “Someone” by Water de la Mare
The Sidewalk Racer
Skimming
an asphalt sea
I swerve, I curve, I
sway; I speed to whirring
sound an inch about the
ground; I’m the sailor
and the sail, I’m the
driver and the wheel
I’m the one and only
single engine
human auto
mobile.
-by Lillian Morrison
Poem #13 “Where I am From” Poem
Poems #14& 15 Imagist Poem
Poem #13 “Where I am From” (has repetition in poem)
Use the poem packet as a guide. Leave the bolded words
the same and replace the words in parenthesis with
what applies to you. Keep the format and indentation
of the poem the same. Use indentation and similar line
styles.
Poems #14 & 15 Imagist Poems (have imagery in poems)
Use slides #43-45 as a guide. Your “This is Just to Say”
poems should be about one moment, but be full of
details. It should be brief and to the point.
Poem #13 “Where I am From” Poem Example
“I’m From the Woods….”
I’m from the woods and the creek behind my fence
From the gray wooden backyard deck.
I’m from the honeysuckles,
The pear trees by the neighbor’s garden
From the creek when I swing over it.
I’m from the yellow walls of Grandma’s kitchen
From the Yorkshire pup, the coolest thing in my family.
I’m from macaroni pictures of the Ark
From “I just can’t snap my fingers and make it happen” and from David
the Gnome in summers long ago.
I’m from my mom’s side of the family,
From roasting turkeys for each holiday,
From when Papaw yelled at his boss and got fired
From the family pictures in the big wooden cabinet and
From the family gathering when we drag them out.
I am from those moments.
A root that no one sees, but walks all over
An important part of the tree.”
-by Nick (a student)
Poem #13 “Where I am From” Poem Example
Where I ‘m From….
I ‘m from baths in the kitchen sink,
From Downy and Mom’s perfume
I am from flowers by the fence (yellow and springy
they tasted like crayons).
I am from the ivy crawling up the house,
The baby tree whose sturdy trunk shot from the ground
A mirror image of my planted feet.
I’m from sprinkles and plastic table donut shops
From Bert and Ernie
I’m from stupid heads and dot dot I got my cootie shot
From don’t touch this and don’t touch that.
I’m from Hymn No. 96 and why is this piece of bread so small?
And Bible crafts made from neon pipe cleaners.
I’m from Bill and Darlene’s branch
From hot soup and freshly baked corn bread
From the “Well, when I was little’s” and the snowy games
Told to me by Green Bay Packer season ticket holders
In the storage room are boxes
Overflowing with shiny, color-coated memories
Bundles of dreams kept alive
To ask my mother about.
I am from those moments
A leaf changing color with the weather
Time only strengthens the branch that holds me.
-by Lauren (a student)
Poem #13 “Where I am From” Poem Example
“Where I am From”
I am from the clothesbaskets and mismatched socks,
from Malt-o-Meal cereal and Tide with Bleach.
I am from the yellow brick house with the brown roof,
now sadly, it looks nothing like when I lived there.
I am from the fresh garden vegetables and tree-grown fruit,
the lilac bushes that made Mom sneeze when we brought her a bouquet.
I’m from Third Sunday Family Dinners and the total blue-eyed family.
from Ray and Patricia.
I’m from tears whenever anyone in the family cries
and extreme competition in sports and other games.
From “Go ask your Father.”
and “Do I have to turn this car around?!”
I’m from church every Sunday, prayers at every meal,
and going to visit Grandma & Grandpa Sunday evenings.
I’m from England, Switzerland, and Syracuse, Utah
and sticky bread, 7-layer dip, and homemade ice cream.
From the great-grandfather who sailed alone to America at age 12
and the grandmother with cancer, tumors, and wayward children.
The numerous photo albums, boxes full of pictures,
old soundless home videos, and Rubbermaid bins
full of mementos, keepsakes, and memories.
I am from those moments
when I wish I could take back some of the words that I said,
when I knew I should show love for someone for all they have done, yet didn’t.
-KBaker May 5, 2008
Poems #14-15 Imagist Examples
Forgotten Railroad
Wild strawberries bloom
along the steep sides
of a forgotten railroad.
Poison ivy threatens.
Furry foxtails and wispy ferns
sway in the breeze;
thriving on the blackness of the cinders.
Rotting ties,
Loosened spikes,
Quiet winds,
Forgotten railroad.
-by gratefuldaisy
Remains
Burned and gutted,
the remains of the bombed building
cry with the captured wind
and shelter
a
single
blue
violet.
-by gratefuldaisy
Oceans Of Wheat
The wheat bent with the wind
in waves like the ocean,
rippling and rolling in huge breakers.
Watching, I became entranced
with the movement of it.
Running in the grass beside it,
I built sand castles from dreams
and found seashells of wishes.
Then the wind stopped;
and the oceans,
and the sand,
and the shells,
and the dreams
slipped away.
-by gratefuldaisy
The Red Wheelbarrow
so much depends
upon
a red wheel
barrow
glazed with rain
water
beside the white
chickens.
-William Carlos Williams
Poems #14 & 15 Imagist Poem Directions
 Imagist poets paint a picture with words. They use the five senses (sight, smell, touch,
taste, & sound)
to describe exactly what the image looks like, using imagery.
 Imagists believe in precise imagery, and clear, sharp language.
 Imagists focus on the “thing” as “thing” (an attempt at isolating a single image to
reveal its essence).
 Imagist poets don’t explain things too much. They don’t tell the whole story, but
rather, they let the reader decide why the image is important.
Steps to Writing Poems #14 & #15:
Sometimes we don’t say “thanks” and “I’m sorry” as much as we should, but we
can say these things in a poem. If we describe the incident in detail, the reader
connects to our hearts and knows how we feel.
1- Write about at time you intentionally did something inconsiderate (a small,
seemingly insignificant act) that perhaps you should have confessed and
apologized for. There should be a reason you did what you did, and perhaps you
are not terribly sorry because you’d do it again, given the chance. Explain in
detail the situation.
2- Write about a time someone did a thoughtful thing for you. Once again, focus
on one small seemingly insignificant act. Write about the small details you
remember.
Poems #14 & 15 Imagist Poem Directions
There are lots of ways to write imagist poems. Today, your assignment is to tell
someone how you feel by painting an image of something they did or something
you did. Somewhere in the poem, you should say “thank you,” or “forgive me,”
or “I’m sorry.”
3- What is your message to the reader? Forgive Me
I’m Sorry
Thank You
4- What image are you going to create?
5- What sensory details (sight, sound, smell, taste, touch) will you include (be
specific)?
6- If you are writing an apology poem, how will you acknowledge your reader’s
involvement? In other words, how did your inconsiderate act affect the other
person?
7- If you are writing an apology poem, what is your excuse for doing what you
did? Keep your answer short; you don’t have to explain everything.
8- If you are writing a thank you poem, how did your reader’s kind act affect
you?
Poems #14 & 15 Imagist Poem Examples
This is Just to Say
This is Just to Say
This is Just to Say
This is just to say
I am sorry for the childish
pranks I use to pull on you,
specifically when you were
4 or 5 and I wanted to get
you to go back upstairs. I
would turn off all the lights
in the basement and say,
“The Jabberwocky is
coming.” You would
scream in terror as I ran up
the stairs, leaving you
behind. Forgive me, it was
cruel and heartless. But I
thought it was so funny at
the time.
This is just to say
I woke up extremely tired this
morning and I didn’t want
to leave the house.
This is just to say
this morning as I was looking
for something to eat, I saw your
favorite cereal in the cupboard
it looked so enticing.
-KBaker May 3, 2012
This is Just to Say
This is just to say thank
you for the smile you gave
me today. I was having a
really bad day and it
brightened my mood.
-KBaker April, 10, 2012
Then I saw your note
on the refrigerator and
it made me smile and
forge ahead.
Thank you
you have made my day
have purpose.
-KBaker June 14, 2007
This is Just to Say
I noticed there was only enough
for you and I was sure
you were going to eat it
when you got up.
Brian, forgive me
but I ate it
and it was satisfying.
-KBaker June 14, 2007
The other day when I was visiting,
you were making your Oreo cheesecake dessert
to serve to your guests at a party that night.
And just as you were going to mix it in your Kitchenaid mixer,
I saw a fine white hair, undoubtedly from your dog, clinging to the
side of the bowl and then fall into the concoction.
I noticed it and cringed inside, but didn’t say anything because,
well, I wasn’t going to eat it.
-KBaker December 15, 2008
Assonance
Glossary: Assonance is the repetition of similar vowel sounds in
non-rhyming stressed (accented) syllables that are close
together. Assonance is not using the same word in the
poem to create the same sound, nor is it rhyming the end of
the word.
Examples:
Till the shining scythes went far and wide
And cut it down to dry.
from the “Hayloft” by R.L Stevenson
mellow-yellow, molten-golden
stars are slowly being born
I despise the ice on my windshield.
Blame the day, not the place.
It pleases me to see
a tree lean in a breeze.
Assonance
from "The Lady of Shalott“
I knew a simple soldier boy
Who grinned at life in empty joy,
Slept soundly through the lonesome dark,
and whistled early with the lark.
-from “...in the Trenches” by Sassoon
Willows whiten, aspens quiver,
Little breezes dusk and shiver
Thro' the wave that runs for ever
By the island in the river
Flowing down to Camelot.
Four gray walls, and four gray towers,
Overlook a space of flowers,
And the silent isle embowers
The Lady of Shalott.
-by Lord Alfred Tennyson, 1809–1892
Assonance
of
yellow
spice
boring
father
cryptic
elements
speaking
joking
truth
there
grinning
blue
goldenrod
another
stories
fairy
sheep
possible
crying
Poems #16-21
(How To, Haiku, Cinquain)
Use assonance in poems
Poems #16 & #17—“How To” Poems—You will write
instructions on how to become something or do something.
It is sort of like a recipe.
Poems #18 & #19—Haiku—You will write haiku after the
pattern of the Japanese format. It is three lines using the
correct number of syllables: 5-7-5. It is a short poem that
captures a moment in nature.
Poems #20 & #21—Cinquain—You will write cinquain using
the form of Japanese poetry. There are two types of
cinquains:
a word cinquain uses specific pattern of words in each line
a syllable cinquain uses specific syllables in each line.
(See your purple handout for instructions and patterns for this type of
poetry.)
Remember: your poems need to use ASSONANCE.
Poems #16 & #17 “How To” Examples
“How to Become a Princess”
Sleep on a pea,
Kiss a frog,
Make a deal with an evil sea witch.
Lose a glass slipper.
Marry a Prince.
-Adrienne Conover (student)
“How to Pass a Class”
Attend school each day.
Show up on time.
Do your homework.
Study for tests.
Try your best.
Participate in class.
Take charge of your own learning.
Do extra credit.
Be an angelic student.
-KZB April 21, 2005
“How to Fail a Class”
Sleep instead of pay attention
Don’t do your homework
Skip out on class
Mark “C” for every answer
Doodle instead of listen
Make the teacher mad
Ignore your alarm clock
Suck up to the teacher.
-KZB April 21, 2005
“How to Procrastinate”
Get home from school
Take a nap
Watch some TV
Then have a snack
All this time
I dread the fact
I still have homework
That just keeps coming back
Say you’ll do it in class
Math homework in English
“How to Lose a guy in 10 days” But something comes up
Be over protective,
You don’t get to finish.
Have him blow his nose in front of
-Syndey H. (student)
his friends,
Name his dog something girly,
Call him million times,
Show up at his work with the dog,
Decorate his house girly,
Make fake baby pictures.
-Brianna (Student)
Poems #18 & #19 Haiku Examples
Remember: a Haiku is 3 lines 5-7-5 (syllable pattern) and about NATURE.
Water, My Oasis
Crystal clear water (5)
Beckons me for a taste test (7)
Beautiful diamonds. (5)
-Lisha M. (student)
Crumbling Earth
As I place my hand (5)
In the wet ground and feel it (7)
It feels real to me (5)
-Lisha M. (student)
The Rose
The red blossom bends
and drips its dew to the ground.
Like a tear it falls
-Donna Brock
A Rainbow
Curving up, then down.
Meeting blue sky and green earth
Melding sun and rain.
-Donna Brock
“Untitled 1”
Clouds well up with tears (5)
They can hold it no longer (7)
They begin to cry (5)
-Skyler H. (student)
“Untitled 2”
The water splashes
Crashes hard against the rock
The water can’t stop
-Skyler H. (student)
“Untitled 3”
Trees have turned to green
The leaves have been born again
Soon they will all fall
-Skyler H. (student)
Snow
The snow falls down fast,
Making everything go white
And all the earth pure.
-McCall W. (student)
Poems #20 & #21 Cinquain Examples
Syllable Cinquains
Word Cinquains
Swimming
“Zombie”
Cool blue (2 syllables)
and I am calm, (4 syllables)
so sensuous a blue (6 syllables)
that now I am in rhythm with (8 syllables)
the tides. (2 syllables)
Zombie (noun)
Dead and emotionless (2 adjectives)
Murdering, crawling, feeding (3 ing verbs)
Terrified, scared, interested, needy (4 feeling words)
Undead. (synonym)
-Skyler H. (student)
-Amy Bodian (student)
“Ninja” (syllable cinquain)
Ninja (2 syllables—word)
Stealth and secret (4 syllables—description)
Throws shurikens at night (6 syllables—action)
I find them very intriguing (8 syllables—feeling)
Warrior (2 syllables—synonym)
-Skyler H. (student)
“Boys”
Boys
Crazy and confusing
Chasing, cheering, hurting
Exciting, annoying, frustrating, intriguing
Drama
-Sierra F. (student)
Rhyme & Personification
Glossary: Rhyme means using words whose endings sound
alike. End rhyme happens at the end of the lines. Rhyme is
organized in patterns called rhyme schemes. The lines that
rhyme are labeled with the same letter (aaba bbcb ccdc dddd).
They cannot be the same word at the end of the line to make the
rhyme.
Example:
I knew a simple soldier boy (a)
Who grinned at life in empty joy (a)
Slept soundly through the lonesome dark, (b)
And whistled early with the lark. (b)
Glossary: Personification is a form of figurative language in
which an idea, object, or animal is given the characteristics
of a person.
Example:
Brown trees frowned all down the lane.
Branches moaned in the wind.
Rocks stubbornly bite the plowshares,
Leaving ragged teeth marks.
Rhyme & Personification
Stopping By Woods On A Snowy Evening
“April Rain Song”
Whose woods these are I think I know.
His house is in the village though;
He will not see me stopping here
To watch his woods fill up with snow.
(a)
(a)
(b)
(a)
Let the rain kiss you.
My little horse must think it queer
To stop without a farmhouse near
Between the woods and frozen lake
The darkest evening of the year.
(b)
(b)
(c)
(b)
The rain makes still pools on the
sidewalk.
He gives his harness bells a shake
To ask if there is some mistake.
The only other sound's the sweep
Of easy wind and downy flake.
(c)
(c)
(d)
(c)
The rain plays a little sleep-song on
our roof at night—
The woods are lovely, dark and deep.
But I have promises to keep,
And miles to go before I sleep,
And miles to go before I sleep.
(d)
(d)
(d)
(d)
-Robert Frost
Let the rain beat upon your head
with silver liquid drops.
Let the rain sing you a lullaby.
The rain makes running pools in
the gutter.
And I love the rain.
-Langston Hughes
Poems #22 “Ode to”& #23 Sonnet
(use personification in #22 & rhyme in #23)
Poem #22—An Ode is a poem that is written for an
occasion or on a particular subject. Your poem is an
“Ode To.” You write an ode as though you are talking
to the object. You use the word: you—referring to the
object in second person. This poem should use
personification.
Poem #23—A sonnet is a fourteen-line poem written in a
specific rhyming pattern. The original poem is written in
iambic pentameter. (However, I will not require iambic
pentameter, but I will require the correct rhyming pattern).
Do not use the same word to “rhyme.” That is repetition, not
rhyme.
Poems #22 “Ode to” Examples
Ode to my Homework
How long are you going to pester me?
Always in the back of my mind, on
my list of to do’s that always
prevent me from having any fun.
Wouldn’t it be nice for you to just go
away, and I
Could just forget about you all
together?
But for now you’ll stay in my mind
and on my list, my worst pester
My homework.
-Justin J. (student)
Ode to Chocolate
You chunk of sweetness.
How do you do it?
You make me smile on the worst of days.
You come in almost every form,
I’m amazed.
And you are very good at sharing.
Chocolate,
My friend.
-Lisha M. (student)
Ode to My Bedroom
Stupid messy room! I just cleaned you today.
How in the world did you get this way?!
I put away my clothes
I even made my bed
All of this doesn’t make sense in my head
I am fed up you with as djkmelf!
From now on, you can clean yourself!
-Stephanie H. (student)
Ode to the Day of Excuses
Excuses, it’s your day.
You come in different forms:
“I was not here.”
“I did not know.”
“My printer broke.”
“My computer froze.”
“I left it home.” or
“I forgot.”
“Will you take it late?”
Don’t even ask,
You know I will not.
Excuses, you are fun to hear,
On this, the day of Excuses.
-Mrs. Baker—dedicated to all my students
that have excuses for why the assignment is not done
Poems #22 “Ode to” Examples
Ode to My Hair
Your cooperation would be nice,
If you would only choose to treat me kindly.
But instead you dance and prance.
Turning and twisting into curls unwanted.
When I ask you to be straight,
You tell me, “No! I want to wave!”
Then when I want you curly,
You want to lay down flat!
Ode to My Tummy
You’re the most talkative part of my body.
So hair, do it your way today! You complain constantly if I don’t feed you.
You grumble and mumble until you get your way.
-Jessica P.
You are never completely satisfied.
Thanksgiving is your favorite day.
Besides digesting you enjoy jiggling and jiving.
When you watch TV you are jealous of the Pillsbury Dough Boy.
Everyone thinks he’s cute but they think you need to be thin.
Maybe if you just tan then they’ll be more accepting of you.
Thank you for always talking to me and keeping me company.
I accept you.
-student 2010
Poem#23 Sonnet Examples
Sonnet Z
Every time I see you through these eyes (a)
My heart suddenly skips a beat (b)
And within my mind, I realize (a)
That without you, I am incomplete (b)
It’s the way you make me feel (c)
That pushes me on day to day (d)
From all this pain I need to heal (c)
Please come and take me away I pray (d)
Deep runs the beauty of your soul (e)
Everything about you puts me in a daze (f)
You are a part of me, together I’m whole (e)
Your smile alone sets me ablaze (f)
With anyone else this would be untrue (g)
For every today and tomorrow I will always need you. (g)
-Zacharia C. (student)
Poem#23 Sonnet Format
Line 1
Line 2
Line 3
Line 4
<skip a line>
Line 5
Line 6
Line 7
Line 8
<skip a line>
Line 9
Line 10
Line 11
Line 12
<skip a line>
Line 13
Line 14
(a)
(b)
(a)
(b)
(c)
(d)
(c)
(d)
(e)
(f)
(e)
(f)
(g)
(g)
Remember, you cannot use
the same word at the end of
the lines to make it “rhyme.”
Use rhyming sounds, not
repetition.
Synecdoche
Glossary: Synecdoche is a figure of speech which mentions a part
of something to suggest the whole, or a whole to represent a part.
Part to Represent Whole
It is common in our language for part of something to be used to represent the
whole.
For example:
• The word “bread” can be used to represent food in general or money (e.g. he is
the breadwinner; music is my bread and butter).
• The word “sails” is often used to refer to a whole ship.
• The phrase "hired hands" can be used to refer to workmen.
• The word "head" refers to cattle.
• The word "wheels" refers to a vehicle.
Sentence Examples & Explanations:
"All hands on deck.“
Meaning: all sailors to report for duty. Hands = help.
“My mother wears the pants in the family.”
Meaning: the person’s mother is the decision maker in the family.
“Friends, Romans, countrymen: Lend me your ears.” –Shakespeare’s Julius Caesar
Meaning: listen to the person speaking.
"Twenty sails came into the harbor."
Meaning: twenty ships came into the harbor
Synecdoche
Synecdoche is a figure of speech which mentions a part of
something to suggest the whole, or a whole to represent a
part.
Specific Part Representing A Whole
Sometimes a specific thing is used to denote an entire class or group of things.
• It is fairly common in the United States to refer to any carbonated beverage as
“Coke.”
• Facial tissue is often referred to as "Kleenex."
Whole to Represent a Part
Using the whole to refer to a part is also a common practice in speech today.
For example:
• At the Olympics, you will hear that the United States won a gold medal in an
event. That actually means a team from the United States, not the country as a
whole.
• If “the world” is not treating you well, that would not be the entire world but
just a part of it that you've encountered.
• The word "society" is often used to refer to high society or the social elite.
• The word "police" can be used to represent only one or a few police officers.
• The "pentagon" can refer to a few decision-making generals.
• "Capitol Hill" refers to both the U.S. Senate and the House of Representatives.
Metonymy
Glossary: Metonymy is a figure of speech which substitutes
one word or phrase for another that is closely related.
Examples of Metonymy:

















Crown - in place of a royal person
The White House - in place of the President or others who work there
The suits - in place of business people
Dish - for an entire plate of food
Cup - for a mug
The Pentagon - to refer to the staff
The restaurant - to refer to the staff
Ears - for giving attention ("Lend me your ears!" from Mark Antony in Julius Caesar)
Eyes - for sight
The library - for the staff or the books
Pen - for the written word
Sword - for military might
Silver fox - for an attractive older man
Hired Hands - for hired help
The name of a country - used in place of the government, economy, etc.
The name of a church - used in place of its individual members
The name of a sports team - used in place of its individual members
Metonymy
Metonymy is a figure of speech which substitutes one word or phrase for another that is
closely related.
Examples & Explanations:
“A Mercedes rear-ended me.”
The word me stands for the car that the speaker was driving.
“Nixon bombed Hanoi.”
Nixon stands for the armed forces that Nixon controlled.
“The Oval Office today reported…"
The Oval Office is intended to represent the President of the United States.
“The criminal received his sentence from The Bench.”
The judge issued the sentence to the criminal.
Other Examples:
Asking someone to put their “John Hancock” on a document refers to anyone putting their signature
there.
We must wait to hear from the crown until we make any further decisions.
The White House will be announcing the decision around noon today.
She's planning to serve the dish early in the evening.
The cup is quite tasty.
The Pentagon will be revealing the decision later on in the morning.
The restaurant has been acting quite rude lately.
The library has been very helpful to the students this morning.
That individual is quite the silver fox.
Can you please give me a hand carrying this box up the stairs?
The United States will be delivering the new product to us very soon.
The Yankees have been throwing the ball really well, and they have been hitting better than they have
been in the past few seasons.
Synecdoche & Metonymy
Synecdoche is a figure of speech which mentions a part of something to
suggest the whole, or a whole to represent a part.
Metonymy is a figure of speech which substitutes one word or phrase
Purpose of a Metonymy
As with other literary devices, one of the main purposes of using a metonymy is to add flavor to the writing.
Instead of just repeatedly saying, "the staff at the restaurant" or naming all of the elements of a dinner
each time you want to refer to the meal, one word breaks up some of that awkwardness.
Using a metonymy serves a double purpose - it breaks up any awkwardness of repeating the same phrase
over and over and it changes the wording to make the sentence more interesting.
for another that is closely related.
Synecdoche Forms
Part to Represent Whole
Whole to Represent a Part
Class as Representing the Whole
Specific Part Representing a Whole
Material Representing an Object
Container Representing its Contents
Synecdoche vs Metonymy
It is easy to confuse synecdoche and metonymy because they both use a word or phrase to represent something
else. They could also both be considered metaphors because the word or words used are not taken literally.
However:
A synecdoche uses part for the whole or the whole for a part.
A metonymy is a substitution where a word or phrase is used in place of another word or phrase. A good
example is the phrase: “The pen is mightier than the sword.” The word “pen” substitutes for written work, and
the word “sword” substitutes for violence or warfare.
Poems #24 “If I Were in Charge of the World”
Poem #25 Childhood Memory Poem
(Use Synecdoche or metonymy in one)
Poem #24—“If I Were in Charge of the World” Poem. You have a
handout for this poem. You will be filling in the blanks with
what applies to you—”if you were in charge.” You then need to
type it into your portfolio following the correct format. (due today)
Poem #25—For this poem, you are going to write about a childhood
memory. You will follow the rhyming pattern of
aabb ccdd eeff (where the end of the lines rhyme only with
that of the same letter—do not use the same word to “rhyme”).
(due today)
Poems #24 “If I Were in Charge of the World” Examples
If I Were in Charge of the World
If I were in charge of the world
I'd cancel bad grades,
Ugly clothes and
Monday Mornings,
If I were in charge of the world
There would be NO reports,
More fashion clothes, and
More candy.
If I were in charge of the world
You wouldn't have cigarettes,
You wouldn't have social studies,
You wouldn't have homework,
Or “No Talking.”
You wouldn't even have tests.
If I were in charge of the world,
A piece of chocolate would be a vegetable,
All Pirates of the Caribbean Movies
would be rated G.
And a person who forgot to leap,
And sometimes forgets to eat
Would still be allowed to be
In charge of the world.
-Katelyn Steidle
If I Were in Charge of the World...
If I were in charge of the world
I'd cancel rules, school,
drugs, and
also boringness.
If I were in charge of the world
there'd be brighter nights lights,
more theme parks,
and hotter guys.
If I were in charge of the world
you wouldn't have poorness.
you wouldn't have the starvation.
you wouldn't have chores.
or "don’t punch your brother."
you wouldn't even have brothers.
If I were in charge of the world
a chocolate sundae with whipped cream and nuts
would be called a vegetable.
all broken hearts would be fixed.
And someone who forgets to brush, and
sometimes forgets to flush
can still be allowed to be
in charge of the world
-by Unknown
Poem #25 Childhood Memory Poem Examples
Night Frights
One night, while I was sleeping, (a)
I thought I heard something creeping (a)
into my room and under my bed. (b)
I was so afraid and filled with dread. (b)
I slowly leaned to peek over the ledge (c)
though I felt I would fall off the edge. (c)
And what I saw would give you a fright. (d)
You see, there are monsters in my room at night. (d)
I pulled the covers up over myself (e)
and tried so hard not to yell for help. (e)
From then on, I never ever dangled my feet (f)
those monsters, you know, eat human meat. (f)
-KBaker May 19, 2004
Poem #25 Childhood Memory Poem Examples
Apples
It’s summertime, the trees are blooming. (a)
The apples on them soon will start zooming. (a)
Falling to the ground, they will lay and rot. (b)
They cover the grass like a bright green spot. (b)
Dad hands me a bag, I know what to do. (c)
It’s my job to pick them up before they turn to goo. (c)
I hate this job worst of all. (d)
I’d rather clean floorboards in the upstairs hall. (d)
Soon the worms will find them, making it their home. (e)
These worms turn them brown to look the color of chrome. (e)
These chrome colored apples make for a tedious job. (f)
If you’re not careful, your finger will smash through the blob. (f)
-McCall W. (student)
Poetry Unit
We have completed instruction for your poetry
unit. Now, go make it your own.
Remember your poems need to be in a portfolio in order #1#25. You also need to have your table of contents as the
first page in your portfolio. Each poem should be
numbered, 8-10 lines, have the poetic device underlined,
and have a title.
Do well—extra credit is available.
Extra Credit is also available for portfolios handed
in EARLY on Tuesday, May 21st (for A & B day).
Final Portfolio Due: May 23rd (A-day)/May 24th (B-day)