What do these poems have in common. What’s going on What do these poems have in common? What’s going on? On a piece of paper, I want you to free write on the personal effect of these poems. Ready?

The apparition of these faces in the crowd; Petals on a wet, black bough.

so much depends upon a red wheel barrow glazed with rain water beside the white chickens.

I have eaten the plums that were in the icebox and which you were probably saving for breakfast Forgive me they were delicious so sweet and so cold

Among the rain and lights I saw the figure in gold on a red fire truck moving tense unheeded to gong clangs siren howls and wheels rumbling through the dark city.

What do Imagist poems have in common? Word pictures The essence of an object, person or incident No explanations Freezes a single moment in time Captures emotions of the moment Language of everyday speech Juxtaposition (placing objects near one another to support a thematic contrast)

IMAGISM Direct treatment of “the thing” whether subjective or objective To use absolutely no word that does not contribute to the presentation Influenced by traditional Chinese and Japanese poetry such as haiku or tanka, which evokes emotion through image Imagist movement was short, lasting only until about 1918

Write your own Imagist poem Present a distinct image with sensory language Contain concise, precisely chosen language Write in free verse Display a sense of rhythm through repetition, cataloguing, parallelism, or sound devices (alliteration, consonance, assonance)

Sample Poem: Lament Play with me. But still in braids I am your childhood.   Shelved, I sit here— Still your sentinel, Your guard against the dark— And smile, Because I was painted that way And because you’re safe. I may not have changed as much As you— The grape juice stain On my blue-checked dress Never went away— But my bright red hair Is lighter now, Dulled by disuse and dust, But still in braids You plaited (The last time you held me) To practice a needed skill Rather than play.   You used to carry me everywhere. You carry worry now, And disappointment, But sometimes joy. I was made to banish worry To vanquish fear. I was made for wonder. Pick me up again. Play with me. I am your childhood.

Sample Poem: Noticing Details I watched him paint, With careful, meticulous strokes, The tiny figurines— Once grey warriors, Now green and snarling with battle-lust, Breathing with life in his rough hands— And I found another reason for love.