“Great poetry is always written by somebody  straining to go beyond what he can do.”

Poetry What is poetry? Where do you encounter poetry in your life? Name a few places you could find poetry if you were told to bring in 5 examples of it.

Steps to Reading Poetry Read the poem more than once and aloud at least once. Pay attention to the punctuation: , ; stop briefly at commas and semicolons . stop longer after periods -- if you see hyphens, expect a shift in thought None if you see no punctuation at the end of a line, don’t stop Feel the poem’s mood. Create a picture in your mind. What is the poem trying to tell you? Does it make you look at something in a new way?

Figurative Language Term: Symbol Definition: Something that has meaning in itself, while at the same time representing or standing for something else. Example:

Figurative Language Term: Personification Definition: Giving human qualities or characteristics to a non-human thing. Examples: The wind whispered. The front door greeted me. The moon smiled.

Figurative Language Term: Simile Definition: A comparison of two distinctly different things linked by words such as like or as. Example: The wind whipped through the window like a freight train.

Write down all the similes that you can find in the following poem: When I wake up in the morning I am like a grouchy grizzly bear Growling and roaring at all those around After a lengthy shower I am like a butterfly landing on a fresh petal I am sweet to everyone When I arrive at school I am like a tornado turned loose I am all over looking for my friends In Mrs. Peterson's Algebra class I am like a calculator without batteries I am unable to function At the end of the school day I am like a loaf of molded bread I have been sitting around too long. After a good supper and lots of phone calls I am like a collector's Corvette I am in good shape and I am ready to go.

__________________________________________ Finish these lines with similes. When I am tired, I am as _________________________________ When I am sad, I am like ___________________________________ When I am annoyed, I am as _________________________________ When I am sleepy, I am like _________________________________ Now come up with two of your own: __________________________________________ ______________________________________________

Add this definition to your poetry definitions. Term: Metaphor Definition: A direct comparison of one thing with something completely different using is, are, or were. Example: My love is a red, red rose. Example: My uncle is a circus elephant.

The _____________ -- William Jay Smith Answer the following questions. 1. In reality, what is the dragon? 2. How do you know? 3. Is a dragon a good metaphor for this item? Why or why not? 4.Give an example of the use of personification in this poem. Silver-scaled Dragon with jaws flaming red Sits at my elbow and toasts my bread I hand him fat slices, and then, one by one, He hands them back when he sees they are done.

Determine whether each of the following is a metaphor or a simile. No one invites Harold to parties because he’s a wet blanket. As the teacher entered the room she muttered under her breath, “This class is a three-ring circus!” The giant’s steps were thunder as he ran toward Jack. The pillow was a cloud when I put my head upon it after a long day. I feel like a limp dishrag. Those girls are like two peas in a pod. The fluorescent light was the sun during our test. The baby was like an octopus, grabbing at all the cans on the grocery store shelves. The bar of soap was a slippery eel during the dog’s bath. Ted was as nervous as a cat with a long tail in a room full of rocking chairs.

Add this definition… Term: Alliteration Definition: The same sounds at the beginning of words Example: Peter picked a peck of pickled pepper.

Can you read these alliterations? Angela Abigail Applewhite ate anchovies and artichokes. Bertha Bartholomew blew big, blue bubbles. Clever Clifford Cutter clumsily closed the closet clasps. Dwayne Dwiddle drew a drawing of dreaded Dracula. Elmer Elwood eluded eleven elderly elephants. Floyd Flingle flipped flat flapjacks. Greta Gruber grabbed a group of green grapes. Hattie Henderson hated happy healthy hippos. Ida Ivy identified the ivory iris. Julie Jackson juggled the juicy, jiggly jello. Karl Kessler kept the ketchup in the kitchen. Lila Ledbetter lugged a lot of little lemons. Milton Mallard mailed a mangled mango.

Norris Newton never needed new noodles. Olivia Ostrich opened olives on the ocean in October. Patsy planter plucked plump, purple, plastic plums. Quinella Quist quite quickly quelled the quarreling quartet. Randy Rathbone wrapped a rather rare red rabbit. Shelly Sherman shivered in a sheer, short, shirt. Trina Tweety tripped two twittering twins under a twiggy tree. Uri Udall usually used his unique, unusual unicycle. Vicky Vince viewed a very valuable vase. Walter Whipple warily warned the weary warrior. Xerxes Xenon expected to xerox extra x-rays. Yolana Yvonne Yarger yodeled up yonder yesterday. Zigmund Zane zig-zagged through the zany zoo zone.

Work on your own or with a partner and write at least four alliterations.

Add this to your definitions… Term: Onomatopoeia Definition: A word that sounds the same as the noise it represents.

Ankylosaurus Jack Prelutsky Clankity Clankity Clankity Clank! Ankylosaurus was built like a tank,Its hide was a fortress as sturdy as steel,It tended to be an inedible meal.It was armored in front, it was armored behind,There wasn’t a thing on its miniscule mind,It waddled about on its four stubby legs,Nibbling on plants with a mouthful of pegs. Ankylosaurus was best left alone,Its tail was a cudgel of gristle and bone, Clankity Clankity Clankity tank. Write a line that gives an example of onomatopoeia. Write a simile from the poem. Write a metaphor from the poem.

Add this to your definitions… Term: Free Verse Definition: A poem that doesn’t have a regular rhythm, line length, or rhyme scheme. It relies on the natural rhythms of speech. The trick is to sound like familiar speech without all the um’s and ah’s.

Free Verse Example Topic: Jeff hits a home run. Sample: Jeff stood, firmly planted inside the batter’s box. With a kick of his shoes, the dust flew into the air and sweat began dripping off his brow as the umpire shouted, “Batter up!” The ball came whizzing straight at him; one could almost hear the buzz in the air.

Jeff reached his arm back behind his shoulder, mustering all his strength. There was a loud “Whack” as the ball met the wooden bat. Jeff wasted no time heading for his trip around the bases. Jeff heard the crowd cheering as he felt the familiarity of home base beneath his feet.

Add this to your definitions… Term: Imagery Definition: A sensory experience put into words; this connects with one of the five senses.

Oranges -- Gary Soto The first time I walked with a girl, I was twelve, cold, and weighted down with two oranges in my jacket. December. Frost cracking beneath my steps, my breath before me, then gone, as I walked toward her house, the one whose porch light burned yellow night and day, in any weather. A dog barked at me, until she came out pulling at her gloves, face bright with rouge. I smiled, touched her shoulder, and led her down the street, across a used car lot and a line of newly planted trees, until we were breathing before a drugstore. We entered, the tiny bell bringing a saleslady down a narrow aisle of goods. I turned to the candies tiered like bleachers, and asked what she wanted - light in her eyes, a smile starting at the corners of her mouth. I fingered a nickle in my pocket,

and when she lifted a chocolate that cost a dime, I didn’t say anything. I took the nickle from my pocket, then an orange, and set them quietly on the counter. When I looked up, the lady’s eyes met mine, and held them, knowing very well what it was all about. Outside, a few cars hissing past, fog hanging like old coats between the trees. I took my girl’s hand in mine for two blocks, then released it to let her unwrap the chocolate. I peeled my orange that was so bright against the gray of December that, from some distance, someone might have thought I was making a fire in my hands. Read the poem again. Underline or highlight lines where the author uses imagery.

Hyperbole Extreme exaggeration The class sounded like a herd of elephants.

Add this to your definitions… Term: Rhythm Definition: The music in poetry.

Add these to your definitions… Term: Rhyme Definition: Repeating of two or more words that sound alike. They can be within a line or at the end of a line. Term: Rhyme Scheme Definition: The pattern of rhyme in a poem.

Adventures of Isabel by Odgen Nash Isabel met an enormous bear, Isabel, Isabel, didn't care; The bear was hungry, the bear was ravenous, The bear's big mouth was cruel and cavernous. The bear said, Isabel, glad to meet you, How do, Isabel, now I'll eat you! Isabel, Isabel, didn't worry. Isabel didn't scream or scurry. She washed her hands and she straightened her hair up, Then Isabel quietly ate the bear up.

Once in a night as black as pitch Isabel met a wicked old witch Once in a night as black as pitch Isabel met a wicked old witch. the witch's face was cross and wrinkled, The witch's gums with teeth were sprinkled. Ho, ho, Isabel! the old witch crowed, I'll turn you into an ugly toad! Isabel, Isabel, didn't worry, Isabel didn't scream or scurry, She showed no rage and she showed no rancor, But she turned the witch into milk and drank her. Isabel met a hideous giant, Isabel continued self reliant. The giant was hairy, the giant was horrid, He had one eye in the middle of his forehead.

Good morning, Isabel, the giant said, I’ll grind your bones to make my bread. Isabel, Isabel, didn’t worry, Isabel didn’t scream or scurry. She nibbled the zwieback that she always fed off, And when it was gone, she cut the giant’s head off. Isabel met a troublesome doctor, He punched and he poked till he really shocked her. The doctor’s talk was of coughs and chills And the doctor’s satchel bulged with pills. The doctor said unto Isabel, Swallow this, it will

After you read this poem, answer the following questions in your Notes: What does the author mean by “If you brought some walking bacon”? Write down a line that demonstrates alliteration. How do the author’s thoughts change by the end of the poem? No Thank You -Shel Silverstein No I do not want a kitten ,No cute, cuddly kitty-poo, No more long hair in my cornflakes, No more midnight meowing mews. No more scratchin’, snarlin’, spitters, No more sofas clawed to shreds, No more smell of kitty litter, No more mousies in my bed. No I will not take that kitten – I’ve had lice and I’ve had fleas, I’ve been scratched and sprayed and bitten, I’ve developed allergies. If you’ve got an ape, I’ll take him, If you have a lion, that’s fine, If you brought some walking bacon, Leave him here, I’ll treat him kind. I have room for mice and gerbils, I have beds for boars and bats, But please, please take away that kitten – Quick –‘fore it becomes a cat. Well . . . it is kind of cute at that.

Cynthia in the Snow Gwendolyn Brooks It SHUSHES It hushes The loudness in the road. It flitter-twitters, And laughs away from me. It laughs a lovely whiteness, And whitely whirs away, To be Some otherwhere, Still white as milk or shirts, So beautiful it hurts.

Answer the following questions about “Cynthia in the Snow.” What does the author do to make you think of snow? 2. Give an example of onomatopoeia in this poem. 3. Give an example of personification. 4. Give an example of a simile. 5. Give an example of a metaphor

Steam Shovel Charles Malam The dinosaurs are not all dead. I saw one raise its iron head To watch me walking down the road Beyond our house today. Its jaws were dripping with a load Of earth and grass that it had chopped. It must have heard me where I stopped, Snorted white steam my way, And stretched its long neck out to see, And chewed, and grinned quite amiably.

What do you think amiably means? Why might a steam shovel remind the author of a dinosaur. 3. How do you think the author feels about dinosaurs? What makes you think that?

POETIC FORMS Bio-Poem ________ _____ _____ _____ _____ _____ _____ _____ _____ _____________________________ Lover of… ______________________________ Who feels… Who fears… Who would like to see… Resident of… __________________________

Bio Poem Instructions Line 1: Your first name only Line 2: 4 adjectives/traits that describe you Line 3: Sibling of or son/daughter of Line 4: Lover of (3 things, people, or ideas) Line 5: Who feels (3 items) Line 6: Who needs (3 items) Line 7: Who fears (3 items) Line 8: Who would like to see (3 items) Line 9: Resident of your street/road & city Line 10: Your last name only

Example Keri Who is energetic, creative, sensitive, and organized. Wife of Angus Lover of hiking, warm weather, and farmer’s markets. Who feels shy, worried, and loved. Who needs sushi, outdoors, and her grandfather. Who fears death, sickness, and clowns. Who would like to see her family, a basketball game, and spring. Resident of Ouray Street, Boulder, Colorado. Shee

The listed letters become the first letters in a string of words. Acrostic Poems Word is written vertically (downwards). The listed letters become the first letters in a string of words. Acrostic poems can be one-word-per-line or many words per line. FOCUS ON CREATIVE WORD CHOICE

Limerick 5 line humorous poem Name comes from Limerick, Ireland First two lines rhyme with the fifth line Third and fourth lines rhyme Can cover a wide range of subjects Follows this pattern: Line 1 States the situation Line 2 Tells what happened Line 3, 4 Tells what went wrong Line 5 So what! (or, what happened then)

Example 1 There was a young lady of Wilts, Who walked up to Scotland on stilts; When they said it was shocking To show so much stocking, She answered, “Then what about kilts?”

Example 2 A gentleman dining at Crewe Found quite a large mouse in his stew. Said the waiter, “Don’t shout, And wave it about, Or the rest will be wanting one too!”

Example 3 Hippo Ballet A hippo decided one day   A hippo decided one day That she would take up ballet, So she stood on her toes And said, “Okay, here goes!” And fell back with a splash in the bay.

Example 4 The Wall Pig There was a shy pig by a wall Who was frightened when guests came to call. At the sound of their chatter His shape became flatter, Until he was not there at all

Example 5 A lady who was smelling a rose Found a parakeet perched on her nose. The rose made her sneeze Which buckled her knees Now the parakeet sits on her toes.

Definition Poems Choose one subject to define in many ways. Use personification!

Color Poems Choose a color and follow the planning guide to write your own color poem. Use simile and metaphor in this poem!

Color Poems YELLOW Yellow never wants help,   Yellow never wants help, But steps right out on its own, Throwing bright light everywhere. Yellow dashes through flower gardens, Splashes on fried eggs, Drips on traffic lights, And wraps itself around bananas. Yellow reaches out from the sun, And never gives up. Yellow is BOLD.

GREEN   Green is the quiet of a secret garden, The smell of mint, A cricket’s chirp, Pickles, And a leprechaun. Green is the mountains and algae-filled ponds, Happiness and mold. It’s the feeling you get when you have the flu. Green is sour. It’s broccoli and lizards, celery and loneliness. Cold is green, And frostbite. Green is lime And crunchy salads.

Haiku 5 syllables, 7 syllables, 5 syllables Haiku (HI-coo) The Rose – Donna Brock The red blossom bends and drips its dew to the ground. Like a tear, it falls. A Rainbow – Donna Brock Curving up, then down. Meeting blue sky and green earth Melding sun and rain. 

Some of Mrs. Shee’s Haikus Dusty baby grand Ivory and ebony Willow sways with song Twilight conquers day Bowl of lemons behind clouds Pink haze rises up

Some more where that came from! Missing kitty cats. Four signs on the bulletin board. Mad tiger runs loose. Butterfly flitters Dewdrops cling at daybreak Flowers are sucked dry.

Fill in the seven syllable line. 5 syllables Green elms in the woods 7 syllables _______________________________ 5 syllables Standing tall and proud   Fill in the two five syllable lines. 5 syllables ___________________________ 7 syllables The petals bend to the earth

Slurping, sliding, falling Between my plate and mouth Cinquain Spaghetti Messy, spicy Slurping, sliding, falling Between my plate and mouth Delicious (by Cindy Barden) Line1: A noun Line2: Two adjectives Line 3: Three -ing words Line 4: A phrase Line 5: Another word for the noun

Diamante Poem A diamante is a seven line poem, shaped like a diamond. Dad supportive, messy encouraging, working, golfing pipe, remote control, purse, lipstick shopping, cooking, nurturing beautiful, organized mom Line 1: one word (subject/noun that is contrasting to line 7) Line 2: two words (adjectives) that describe line 1 Line 3: three words (ending in –ing or –ed) that relate to line 1 Line 4: four words (nouns) first 2 words relate to line 1; last 2 words relate to line 7 Line 5: three words (ending in –ing or –ed) that relate to line 7 Line 6: two words (adjectives) that describe line 7 Line 7: one word ( subject/noun) that is opposite to line 1

More examples of Diamante Poems: Win accomplished, cheerful pleasing, delighting, overcoming score, cheers, tantrum, yells forfeiting, falling defeated, unlucky lose Penny cold, round buying, saving, spending cent, copper, cash, paper keeping, collecting, earning crinkly, green dollar

Please use alliteration with your diamante.

Concrete Poem A concrete poem takes on the shape of what it describes. Use onomatopoeia

Free Verse Now it’s time to explore your creative side with a free verse poem. Choose a moment or series of moments that has some significance to you. Use IMAGERY to make the moment(s) come alive.