THASSIM BEEVI ABDUL KADER COLLEGE FOR WOMEN (AUTONOMOUS) KILAKARAI, RAMANATHAPURAM

1. International Cooperation between & ALEF COMPLEMENTARY EDUCATIONAL SERVICES LTD. HONG KONG China THASSIM BEEVI ABDUL KADER COLLEGE FOR WOMEN (AUTONOMOUS) KILAKARAI, RAMANATHAPURAM DISTRICT, TAMIL NADU, INDIA. Poetry writing workshop Don’t Panic; Write a Poem Session I

2. Workbook p.2 PANIC • Panic is a normal human emotion and is characterized by fearand anxiety. • Word panic was coined after the Greek god Pan who was believed to induce fear in human beings. • We panic when we get into unfamiliar situations or when we are threatened or when we face exams. • People respond to panic in different ways: • somepace around the room • wring their hands • stutter • shout at loved ones etc. • What do you do when you panic? _____________________ How does writing a poem help in calming down? Mark the beauty of poet’s speech! Whatever she says, Seems to me the very thought I wanted to convey. Urdu poet Mirza Ghalib

3. Is this text prose or poetry? Workbook p.2 Pretty Ugly • To know if a text is prose or not ask 5 questions: • Is the text written from one end of the page to the other? Yes / No • Is every line a complete sentence? Yes / No • Does the text follow rules of grammar and punctuation? Yes / No • Are there paragraphs? Yes / No • Are there headings, subheadings and bullet points? Yes / No Workbook p.2 I’m very ugly So don’t try to convince me that I am a very beautiful person Because at the end of the day I hate myself in every single way And I’m not going to lie to myself by saying There is beauty inside of me that matters So rest assured I will remind myself That I am a worthless, terrible person And nothing you say will make me believe I still deserve love Because no matter what I am not good enough to be loved And I am in no position to believe that Beauty does exist within me Because whenever I look in the mirror I always think Am I as ugly as people say? Abdullah Shoaib Workbook p.3 • To know if a text is poetry or not, ask 5 questions: • Is there rhythm in the text? Yes / No • Is there certain musicality in the text? Yes / No • Is the writer expressing his deep thoughts and experiences? Yes / No • Did the text evoke images in your mind – writer being humiliated, laughed at? Yes / No • As a reader, did you get emotionally involved in the poem? Yes / No • Having read the poem, answer these questions: • Is the poet angry and frustrated? Yes / No • Has the poet accepted his fate – that he is ugly? Yes / No

4. Read the poem downside up Workbook p.3 I’m very ugly So don’t try to convince me that I am a very beautiful person Because at the end of the day I hate myself in every single way And I’m not going to lie to myself by saying There is beauty inside of me that matters So rest assured I will remind myself That I am a worthless, terrible person And nothing you say will make me believe I still deserve love Because no matter what I am not good enough to be loved And I am in no position to believe that Beauty does exist within me Because whenever I look in the mirror I always think Am I as ugly as people say? Abdullah Shoaib Pretty Ugly • Having read the poem downside up, answer these questions: • Is the poet angry and frustrated? Yes / No • Has the poet accepted his fate – that he is ugly? Yes / No • Is the poet fighting back against those who call him ugly? Yes / No • Have you changed your mind about the poem? Yes / No Can we call it a reversible poem? Yes / No

5. WRITING A POEM IN 3 STEPS Workbook p.3 • Step 1: Setting the stage: Readers read poetry because they look for something new or interesting. • Make writing a poem an event of self-discovery. • Don’t begin by stating the obvious or lamenting or indulging in self-pity. Don’t say, “My problems are huge, and I don’t know how to solve them.” Instead, choose a metaphor to convey your feelings. • Metaphor: A metaphor is a figure of speech which describes something or someone by comparison • Quicksand, darkness, deluge can be metaphors for your problems. • Ex. “I’m sinking in the quicksand”. • quicksand is the metaphor for your problem • act of sinking is a metaphor for your panic • Another metaphor – flood: “My house is flooded; the water is rising still”. Since your house is flooded, the readers expect you to do something to save yourself; they become curious; they want to know what happens next. • While choosing a metaphor consider that it • is big enough to show the enormity of your problem/s and • poses strong resistance to your efforts so that your victory at the end becomes spectacular. Simile: A simile is also a figure of speech. It compares two different things using word “like” i.e., “Night falls like a wounded bird.” • Whether simile or metaphor, choose your words with great care because the beginning will shape your entire poem including its ending.

6. Workbook p.3 • Step 2: Struggle and action: • It is the main body of your poem. • Make it action packed • focus on: • narration about what is happening to you, and • your struggle to overcome the problem/s. • Create moving images in the mind of the readers; let them feel they are watching a video. • Step 3: Resolution and ending: • Make yourself succeed • Describe feelings of joy or satisfaction. • To let the reader join you in your success, create a still image of victory – like the photo we take after winning a competition or sport. Workbook p.4

7. புதை மணல் Putaimaṇal Advice on how to get out of quicksand • 3) Keep your arms up and out of the quicksand. • 1) Make yourself as light as possible—toss your bag, jacket, and shoes. 2) Try to take a few steps backwards • 4) Take deep breaths. • 5) Try to swim. • 6) Move slowly until you reach the solid ground.  Let’s now turn this advice into a poem

8. Don’t panic, write a poem in 3 simple steps Walking on the edge of my dreams I suddenly screamed, Oh God! This is quicksand!!! I’m sinking, sinking deep toss your jacket toss your shoes toss your bag too, step back, arms up and out stay calm, take deep breath move arms as if to swim and chant your favorite hymn move slowly keep swimming keep swimming… I feel the earth under my feet There’s no doubt, I’m out I take a deep breath I’ve defeated death! *** • Step 1: • Compare the problem you are facing something else so that a larger audience can understand your problem. • Quicksand = the enormous problems you are facing • Which is more powerful saying: • “My problems are huge, and I am feeling so sad” • or • “I’m sinking, sinking deep”? • Also note, “sinking” is an action verb and it creates a clear image in the reader’s mind. Step 2: Think how you would overcome your problems and write using rhyme and rhythm Step 3: Think how would feel, what emotions will overtake you and write using rhyme and rhythm

9. Workbook p.4 Quicksand • The craft of writing a poem: • Catch attention of the reader: Begin with an interesting image. Compare “Walking on the edge” with “Walking on the edge of my dreams” – which image is more interesting? • Use of contrast: Word “dreams” evokes a pleasant image and it is immediately contrasted with “screamed” – horror or pain is evoked. • Effect of repetition: “sinking” is repeated twice in the 4th line to create an effect that the act of sinking is continuing for some time. Similarly, “keep swimming” is repeated in lines 13 and 14. • Use a concrete metaphor: The reader may or may not have seen or experienced quicksand but knows it is something to be dreaded. • The sound of words: Notice abundance of T, TH and D sounds – these sounds convey the difficulty that the poet is feeling. • Creating illusion: Short lines, comma and imperative sentences create an effect as if someone is speaking in your head  telling you how to save yourself. • Visual effects: A poem is not only read; it is also seen – notice the use of … Walking on the edge of my dreams I suddenly screamed, Oh God! This is quicksand!!! I’m sinking, sinking deep toss your jacket toss your shoes toss your bag too, step back, arms up and out stay calm, take deep breath move arms as if to swim and chant your favorite hymn move slowly keep swimming keep swimming… I feel the earth under my feet There’s no doubt, I’m out I take a deep breath in I have survived!

10. Workbook p.4 Homework Task: Imagine you are in panic and to calm down you are writing a poem. In the poem describe (i) your problem (ii) what efforts you make to get out of the problem and (iii) how you feel when you finally succeed. (iv) Choose a metaphor to represent your problem. Suggestions: deluge (flooding) drought rain thunder. Write your poem on page 4 of your workbook. Thanks for your time and attention.