1. Verb Poem Butterfly Wings Merge into watercolors, A contorted etching,
Like a sunset on a lake,
Shape flutters, darting erratically,
Mute
It skims vivacious,
Zigzagging above the winking daisies,
Taunting petals,
Its rushing heart vamps wild,
Feigning recklessness, till possessed, it halts,
Alone as thought
Listening for secrets passed by the wind.
Wings erect on a still body,
Lit like a stained glass.

2. Verb Poem How To…
Think of a favorite activity. Brainstorm at least 5. Circle the activity you want to write about. Be sure the activity you selected is something you know a lot about.
2. Brainstorm a list of powerful, expressive verbs to use with this activity. Use a thesaurus to help you.
3. Study the verbs in the “Butterfly” poem.
4. Create figures of speech to use in your poem: simile, metaphor, personification.
5. Use alliteration –words that begin with the same consonant sound in neighboring words.
6. Write words that “show”—create images, don’t use words that “tell.”
7. Use specific nouns and verbs.
8. Think of the tone you are using—how do YOU feel about your subject?
9. Think of the mood you want the READER to feel as they read your poem.
When writing your poem:
Use lines for emphasis
Consider setting powerful single words on lines by themselves to add impact
Arrange your poem in stanzas (groups of lines)
Capitalize the first letter of each line—even when it isn’t a complete thought.
Punctuate as you would a normal sentence—include commas.

3. Stair Poem Line 1 – noun Line 2 - 3 adjectives to describe the noun
Ocean
musical, misty, blue
over the rocks
the ocean flows.
Leaves
falling, withering, rustling
down to the ground
leaves fall.
Line 1 – noun
Line adjectives to describe the noun
Line 3 – prepositional phrase
Line 4 – contains a verb; try to say something profound that will complete the sentence.

4. Parts of Speech Poem Line 1 – (an, an, the) + noun
A flag
patriotic and free
blowing and waving
always
a symbol
The universe
Intense and extreme
open and spacious
amazingly
infinite
Line 1 – (an, an, the) + noun
Line 2 – adjective + conjunction + adjective
Line 3 – verb + conjunction + verb
Line 4 - adverb
Line 5 - a noun which relates to the noun in line 1

5. Parts of Speech Poetry Writing Each line in a 5 W’s poem answers who
Parts of Speech Poetry Writing Each line in a 5 W’s poem answers who? what? when? where? and why?
Noun
Line 1 –adjectives to describe noun (who?)
Line 2 – verb, adverb adverb (what?)
Line 3 – demonstrative pronoun (this, those, these, that), adjective, noun (when?)
Line 4 – prepositional phrase (where?)
Line 5 – infinitive (to + verb) steps down slowly (why?)
Brother
My warmly bundled brother
steps down slowly
these frosty mornings
on frozen puddles
to hear the ice crack.