Welcome to your second and final work shop. The same rules apply during this work shop. Be sure to read everyone's poem. I want you to comment make at least five comments on your fellow classmates poems. After you've finished this activity, go back and read the comments people posted about your poem. Write me a one page paper reflecting on these comments and whether or not they were helpful. After you've finished this reflection, email it to me and revise your poem.
Once you finish revising your poem I need you to email it and your other completed to me.
Congrats, you have finished this poetry lesson.
Friday, December 15, 2006
Writing Assignment 10
Be finishing up on your poems because we will be doing your second and final workshop tomorrow.
Haiku
A Haiku is a Japanese form of poetry. A haiku consists of three unrhymed lines. The first line consists of five syllables and the second line is made up of seven syllables. Te third and final line is also five syllables. Another of the main features of a haiku is the tone. Haiku's are heavily influenced by Zen Buddhism. As a result, haiku are deeply connected with scenes from nature and oftentimes convey some insight or deeper meaning to life. Traditionally haiku include a seasonal reference. These seasonal references are sometimes little more than a vague reference like 'cold'.
Lets take a look at a haiku by Masaoka Shiki.
A mountain village
under the pilled-up snow
the sound of water.
I would recommend that you read this poem aloud to appreciate this haiku form. As you read count the syllables, they follow a 5-7-5 pattern. Even though there isn't very much to this poem, it speaks volumes. Shiki indicates that it is winter by telling us about the snow. What happens when the snow falls? When winter comes and the snow falls everything either dies or goes dormant in nature. So, in the first two lines of this poem we are introduced to a cold, dead environment. However, Shiki gives us a glimpse that not everything is dead, the “sound of water” that is mentioned indicates that the snow is melting and life will soon be returning. You could also take this reference of water running as an indication even in death (death being winter) there is life (water).
Since you have your poems to finish up for tomorrow, all I want you to do tonight is write me a haiku. To do so please use the following steps.
1.Choose a topic involving natures
2.Choose a season. When you write about this season you don't have to be specific. You can say 'cold' or 'hot' or any other word or occurrence that makes a seasonal reference (like snow)
3.Now down to the specifics, in the first line of your haiku describe your scene (A mountain village)
4.In the second line you elaborate on the scene (under the pilled-up snow)
5.In the third line show action (the sound of water)
6.Remember that this third line is supposed to get across some insight into nature and the poem.
Good Luck. Be sure you post your poems for tomorrow
Haiku
A Haiku is a Japanese form of poetry. A haiku consists of three unrhymed lines. The first line consists of five syllables and the second line is made up of seven syllables. Te third and final line is also five syllables. Another of the main features of a haiku is the tone. Haiku's are heavily influenced by Zen Buddhism. As a result, haiku are deeply connected with scenes from nature and oftentimes convey some insight or deeper meaning to life. Traditionally haiku include a seasonal reference. These seasonal references are sometimes little more than a vague reference like 'cold'.
Lets take a look at a haiku by Masaoka Shiki.
A mountain village
under the pilled-up snow
the sound of water.
I would recommend that you read this poem aloud to appreciate this haiku form. As you read count the syllables, they follow a 5-7-5 pattern. Even though there isn't very much to this poem, it speaks volumes. Shiki indicates that it is winter by telling us about the snow. What happens when the snow falls? When winter comes and the snow falls everything either dies or goes dormant in nature. So, in the first two lines of this poem we are introduced to a cold, dead environment. However, Shiki gives us a glimpse that not everything is dead, the “sound of water” that is mentioned indicates that the snow is melting and life will soon be returning. You could also take this reference of water running as an indication even in death (death being winter) there is life (water).
Since you have your poems to finish up for tomorrow, all I want you to do tonight is write me a haiku. To do so please use the following steps.
1.Choose a topic involving natures
2.Choose a season. When you write about this season you don't have to be specific. You can say 'cold' or 'hot' or any other word or occurrence that makes a seasonal reference (like snow)
3.Now down to the specifics, in the first line of your haiku describe your scene (A mountain village)
4.In the second line you elaborate on the scene (under the pilled-up snow)
5.In the third line show action (the sound of water)
6.Remember that this third line is supposed to get across some insight into nature and the poem.
Good Luck. Be sure you post your poems for tomorrow
Writing Assignment 9
Goodness, where has the time gone? I hope you are already started on a new poem because our next work shopping session is just two class sessions away.
Have no fear you hopeless romantics, Dr. Love is here. Today we are going to work on your ability to write love poetry. Valentine's Day is just around the corner and I want to help each and everyone of you sweep that special someone off their feet.
So without further ado, lets get started. This time we are going to do things in a step-by-step style.
1.Remember that speed writing activity you did before the first work shop day? What we going to do is similar, I want you to write for a minutes straight about falling in love for the first time, or how you feel when you are together with that special someone.
2.Next, go through what you have written and circle every verb you see.
3.Look at these circled verbs. Do any of them seem rather week? If so, then replace them with stronger sounding verbs. Love is all about extremes. You don't 'kind sorta like them', you ADORE them and can't live without them.
4.You know what this poem needs now? Metaphors. Love and metaphors go together like steak and baked potatoes. You need to think of some metaphor representation of your love. Usually right before I get a restraining order placed on me, I like tell that special someone that “our love is like the deep blue sea.” This out course is a reference to the depth of my love. Looking back I should have compared that love to a creek, its shallow.
5.Now that you have some romantic metaphor in mind, try to work it into your poem somewhere.
6.Finally, love poems are typically packed full of words that evoke the sense. Try to add some imagery into your poem. Don't just tell him or her that you love them, show them with words. If you need some help then just out those sensory words I posted a while back. I would however strongly recommend that you refrain from using words like 'putrid' or 'slithering'. Rarely are those words considered flattering.
7.Finally, get a guitar and stand outside your loves window and recite this poem while playing guitar poorly at around 3 A.M.
8.Don't call me to bail you out of jail. You should have known better than to listen to me in the first place.
There you have it, Dr. Love's 8-steps to romantic poetry. For your assignment tonight, I want you to follow steps 1-6. If you perform step 7 then be sure you've read step 8, because your on your own.
BTW keep these poems clean and wholesome. Somethings are better left unsaid.
Good Luck.
Have no fear you hopeless romantics, Dr. Love is here. Today we are going to work on your ability to write love poetry. Valentine's Day is just around the corner and I want to help each and everyone of you sweep that special someone off their feet.
So without further ado, lets get started. This time we are going to do things in a step-by-step style.
1.Remember that speed writing activity you did before the first work shop day? What we going to do is similar, I want you to write for a minutes straight about falling in love for the first time, or how you feel when you are together with that special someone.
2.Next, go through what you have written and circle every verb you see.
3.Look at these circled verbs. Do any of them seem rather week? If so, then replace them with stronger sounding verbs. Love is all about extremes. You don't 'kind sorta like them', you ADORE them and can't live without them.
4.You know what this poem needs now? Metaphors. Love and metaphors go together like steak and baked potatoes. You need to think of some metaphor representation of your love. Usually right before I get a restraining order placed on me, I like tell that special someone that “our love is like the deep blue sea.” This out course is a reference to the depth of my love. Looking back I should have compared that love to a creek, its shallow.
5.Now that you have some romantic metaphor in mind, try to work it into your poem somewhere.
6.Finally, love poems are typically packed full of words that evoke the sense. Try to add some imagery into your poem. Don't just tell him or her that you love them, show them with words. If you need some help then just out those sensory words I posted a while back. I would however strongly recommend that you refrain from using words like 'putrid' or 'slithering'. Rarely are those words considered flattering.
7.Finally, get a guitar and stand outside your loves window and recite this poem while playing guitar poorly at around 3 A.M.
8.Don't call me to bail you out of jail. You should have known better than to listen to me in the first place.
There you have it, Dr. Love's 8-steps to romantic poetry. For your assignment tonight, I want you to follow steps 1-6. If you perform step 7 then be sure you've read step 8, because your on your own.
BTW keep these poems clean and wholesome. Somethings are better left unsaid.
Good Luck.
Writing Assignment 8
Painting Prompt
Take a moment to look at this painting by Pieter Brueghel painting Fall of Icarus. See if you can find Icarus.
In case you're having trouble, you can see Icarus's arm sticking out of the water underneath the boat on the right-hand side.
If you're unfamiliar with Icarus, he is a Greek mythological figure. As the story goes Icarus's father made a set up wax wings for him and his son so that they could escape from the Minotaur's maze. Rather than go straight home, Icarus disobeyed his father's orders and started flying higher and higher. Icarus flew so high that the sun melted his wings and he plummeted to is death. Because he died while trying to go as high as he could go, Icarus is sometimes considered a romantic figure. Instead of listening to reason Icarus pushed himself to the limits and eventually paided the ultimate price.
Now I would like you read this poem by William Carlos Williams entitled “Landscape with the Fall of Icarus”.
According to Brueghel
when Icarus fell
it was spring
a farmer was ploughing
his field
the whole pageantry
of the year was
awake tingling
near
the edge of the sea
concerned
with itself
sweating in the sun
that melted
the wings' wax
unsignificantly
off the coast
there was
a splash quite unnoticed
this was
Icarus drowning
Do you see how Williams' was able to draw inspiration from Brueghel's painting to create this poem?
Sometimes it is helpful for poets to seek out inspiration objects. For the purpose of this next assignment I would like to find a picture to write about. This picture doesn't have to be a famous painting, it could technically be any type of image. Next I would like you to this this picture as an apparatus for today's writing activity.
Just as a suggestion, I would recommend that you find a picture that has a particular meaning to you. It could be a family photo or a picture of something important, such as the World Trade Center. These types of images would probably stir a greater emotional response from you than say a picture of Justin Timberlake (unless you are a huge Justin Timberlake fan.
Good Luck.
Writing Assignment 6
Class, I was really pleased with our first workshop session. It seems that nearly everyone had a poem to post and everyone appeared to be offering their fellow classmates advice. Keep up the good work!
As poets it is important for us to have an extensive vocabulary. Today I would like to offer you a list of sensory oriented words. Please feel free to use these words during your revision and creation of poems.
Touch Words
breezy downy gritty sharp sweaty
bumpy dry hard silky tender
chilly dusty loose slick tepid
cold elastic lukewarm slimy tight
cool filthy melted slippery uneven
cuddly fluffy plastic slushy warm
damp frosty rough smooth waxen
dank gooey searing sodden wet
dirty greasy shaggy stinging wooden
Sound Words
bang echoing lapping purring sloshing
bark faint melodious quietly snapping
boom groan moan raspy snarl
buzz gurgling muffled reverberate squeak
coo harsh mumble rumble thud
crackling haw murmur rustle thundering
crunching hiss mutter scream tinkly
cry hoarse noisy shriek wail
deafening howl pealing shrill whimper
Smell Words
acrid medicinal sour
antiseptic musty spicy
bitter pungent stale
burning putrid stinky
choking rancid strong
clean rich sweet
delicious rotten
fragrant salty
fresh smoky
Taste Words
acidic mild sticky
bitter nutty strong
cool peppery sweet
creamy ripe tangy
delicious salty tart
gooey savory tasteless
hot sour
juicy spicy
Movement Words
advance dodge leap scamper sprinkle
billow drift limp shake squirm
bob fidget lumber shove sway
bounce flounder lurch shower swell
bound float move shuffle swivel
burrow flutter plummet skid thrash
creep glide prance slide topple
dance hover rebound slither tremble
descend jump rock soar waddle
Your assignment is to use these descriptive words and write a poem for EACH category of words. These poems can be only a few lines long or incomplete upon submission. You do however need to have at least a total of 20 lines written.
Good Luck.
As poets it is important for us to have an extensive vocabulary. Today I would like to offer you a list of sensory oriented words. Please feel free to use these words during your revision and creation of poems.
Touch Words
breezy downy gritty sharp sweaty
bumpy dry hard silky tender
chilly dusty loose slick tepid
cold elastic lukewarm slimy tight
cool filthy melted slippery uneven
cuddly fluffy plastic slushy warm
damp frosty rough smooth waxen
dank gooey searing sodden wet
dirty greasy shaggy stinging wooden
Sound Words
bang echoing lapping purring sloshing
bark faint melodious quietly snapping
boom groan moan raspy snarl
buzz gurgling muffled reverberate squeak
coo harsh mumble rumble thud
crackling haw murmur rustle thundering
crunching hiss mutter scream tinkly
cry hoarse noisy shriek wail
deafening howl pealing shrill whimper
Smell Words
acrid medicinal sour
antiseptic musty spicy
bitter pungent stale
burning putrid stinky
choking rancid strong
clean rich sweet
delicious rotten
fragrant salty
fresh smoky
Taste Words
acidic mild sticky
bitter nutty strong
cool peppery sweet
creamy ripe tangy
delicious salty tart
gooey savory tasteless
hot sour
juicy spicy
Movement Words
advance dodge leap scamper sprinkle
billow drift limp shake squirm
bob fidget lumber shove sway
bounce flounder lurch shower swell
bound float move shuffle swivel
burrow flutter plummet skid thrash
creep glide prance slide topple
dance hover rebound slither tremble
descend jump rock soar waddle
Your assignment is to use these descriptive words and write a poem for EACH category of words. These poems can be only a few lines long or incomplete upon submission. You do however need to have at least a total of 20 lines written.
Good Luck.
Work Shop 1
Welcome class, today is the day that we share our poetry. If you have not done so yet, please post your poem in your blog. Remember, that you should not put a password on these blog entries. You need to let your fellow classmates read your poem.
After you have read everyone's poems and commented on at least five poems, write up a one page review about this workshop experience. I want to know what you learned through this activity. Please be sure to include whether you were offered any helpful advice, if so be sure to include how you plan on implementing it into your poem.
Since we are on the topic of sharing, I'd like to share a poem I've been working. Your comments are welcomed but not required. Also, replying to my poem does count toward the five comments you need to leave on your classmates' blogs. I would much rather you focus your attention on your fellow students.
Thanks for your participation.
After you have read everyone's poems and commented on at least five poems, write up a one page review about this workshop experience. I want to know what you learned through this activity. Please be sure to include whether you were offered any helpful advice, if so be sure to include how you plan on implementing it into your poem.
Since we are on the topic of sharing, I'd like to share a poem I've been working. Your comments are welcomed but not required. Also, replying to my poem does count toward the five comments you need to leave on your classmates' blogs. I would much rather you focus your attention on your fellow students.
Thanks for your participation.
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