module-02-project-original-poetry

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At this point you are studying the form and structure of poetry. You will be reading a wide variety of poetic styles including traditional poetic styles. Some will be like the sonnet and haiku, both of which have a specific length and rhythmic pattern; others will be more unconventional free verse, and even more modern examples can be found in “street poetry” or poetry “slams”. Contemporary poets often use a combination of several styles, as exhibited in the poetry of more contemporary poets like Robert Frost, Langston Hughes, and others of the 20th and 21st centuries.

After you have completed the assignment, don’t forget to write your learning experience piece for the portfolio by answering the questions in the Overview about your personal observations on your learning. There is nothing to submit for your personal observations on the writing until Module 05, but you should write the 1-page observation each week and copy and paste it into your writing portfolio. That way, you do not feel rushed at the end of the term.

Step One: Construct your original poems by following the guidelines below. Be sure to write your poems in Times New Roman 12 pt. font and double space the poem. Your poem should also have a title at the top of the poem. Each poem should be on its own separate page. You should have at least 3 original poems (4 if haiku) for this assignment. You should also label the poetic style you are employing in a line underneath the title. Prior to starting, read some poetry and take note of the ones you like best. These examples can be used as models to guide you through this process of creating your own poems.

  1. What poetic style is my poem to be written in?
  2. How many lines will my poem be?
  3. What is the subject matter of my poem?
  4. What is the theme of my poem? (Some common themes in poetry: life events, nature, love, war, grief, celebrations, death, current events, etc.).
  5. What symbols or imagery will I employ in the poem?
  6. Does my poem have a rhythm? Remember, even free verse poems have a rhythmic quality when read out loud.

Click this link to download a practice exercise of interesting topics that can serve as poetry starters.

Step Two: Decide on a title and style for each poem. Remember, you will need to create at least three. Work on each poem individually. For each poem, follow this helpful guideline.

  1. Write a rough draft of your poem.
  2. Read your work out loud, so that you can hear its internal rhythm and pattern better.
  3. Revise the vocabulary used if necessary to make it more vivid or to make it have a better rhythm or rhyme.
  4. Revise any lines, which seem too lengthy or too brief. Add any additional lines that you think would make it a better poem.
  5. Polish your poem for spelling, grammar, punctuation, etc.
  6. Now, repeat Steps 1-5 for the second and third (and/or fourth) poems.

Submit your collected poems on a single document with a title page in APA format.

Poetry Starters

Instructions: Use any of the following ideas/topics to write a poem about: This list is by no means complete; rather, it’s just several that can get you going in your writing.

  • The ocean
  • A bird
  • Any animal
  • The beach
  • The sun
  • The moon
  • Plants or flowers
  • Earth
  • Love
  • Death
  • Grief
  • Birth
  • Friendship
  • A piece of art or photo
  • The desert
  • Winter
  • Fall
  • Spring
  • Summer
  • Trees
  • Any holiday
  • Peace
  • War
  • America
  • A new planet in your imagination
  • The inside of a space ship
  • Alien/human contact
  • A place that exists only in your dreams or imagination
  • Nighttime
  • Morning
  • Dreams
  • Any experience which changed you in some permanent way
  • Your neighborhood
  • Your city or town or farm or country
  • A relative
  • A close friend
  • First love
  • Love of your life
  • Some type of sports you like: baseball, football, basketball, fishing, hunting, diving, beach-combing, surfing, snorkeling, ice-fishing, snow mobiling, skiing, hiking, rock-climbing, etc.
  • Your cell phone
  • Your car or whatever transportation you use—subway, tram, bike, train, walking, etc.
  • Your television
  • A zombie apocalypse
  • The world ending ( see Robert Frost’s “Fire and Ice”)
  • A vampire, werewolf, or simply any creature in your imagination.
  • You get the picture—poems can be about anything! Anything at all!