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How to Write Good Poetry. English 8 Voice Unit. What is Poetry?. Poetry . Prose. Fewer words Contains rhyme / rhythm Often has deeper, hidden meaning Can be about universal themes Can be about the small moments in life Line Breaks Poetry is often meant to be read out loud
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How to Write Good Poetry English 8 Voice Unit
What is Poetry? Poetry Prose Fewerwords Contains rhyme / rhythm Often has deeper, hidden meaning Can be about universal themes Can be about the small moments in life Line Breaks Poetry is often meant to be read out loud Emphasis on figurative language Writing goes until the end of the space Many words Have more “room” to make your point Rhyme / rhythm not important Breaks exist in the form of sentences
Why Write Poetry? • Poetry can be cool because: • Every word matters and is carefully chosen • Grammar and mechanics rules can (and are) broken • You have a deeper meaning to express, which makes it mysterious • There’s a lot of room for creativity and self-expression. • You can play with figurative language and imagery.
How to Write Good Poetry • Choose your words carefully. They are all important and have meaning. • Line breaks: • Poetry doesn’t go until the end of the page. As an author, you choose to break the line sooner. • Option 1: You break the line on an important word. • “I love the hour before takeoff, that stretch of no time, no home” - “Vacation”, Rita Dove
Line Breaks • Poetry doesn’t go until the end of the page. As an author, you choose to break the line sooner. • Option 1: You break the line on an important word. • “I love the hour before takeoff, that stretch of no time, no home” - “Vacation”, Rita Dove • “I am the darker brother. They send me to eat in the kitchen When company comes,” - “I, Too, Sing America”, Langston Hughes
Line Breaks, Cont’d. • Option 2: • You break the line to make the important word isolated. • Ex: “a good poem is a hot turkey sandwich when you’re hungry,” - “Defining the Magic”, Billy Collins • Ex: “Happiness. It comes on Unexpectedly.” - “Happiness”, Raymond Carver
Line Breaks, Cont’d. • Option 3: • You break the line to create a certain pattern (like a rhyme): • Ex: “There is a place where the sidewalk endsAnd before the street begins,And there the grass grows soft and white,And there the sun burns crimson bright,And there the moon-bird rests from his flightTo cool in the peppermint wind.” - “Where the Sidewalk Ends”, Shel Silverstein
Experimentation • There is no right or wrong way to write a poem (except for when you accidentally write prose). • We will be experimenting with poetry and how to use poetry to express certain types of figurative language. • Your job is to keep an open mind and be willing to work and rework a poem until it really speaks to you and to your audience. • Everyone can be a good poet!!