I Love To Write Poetry

All the poems you are going to write follow a set formula or pattern. You must make sure you follow the guidelines for each poem.

Writing a Haiku – Haikus are generally about nature .

Subject Ideas: * daisy * brook * fall leaves

* wind * volcano * bee* parrot *ocean * forest

Pattern: TitleLine 1 – Five SyllablesLine 2 – Seven SyllablesLine 3 – Five Syllables

Example: Fragile Fluttering

Lovely butterfly Fluttering above the Earth. How fragile you are.

Writing a Tanka: Tankas are generally about nature.

Pattern:Title Line 1 – Five Syllables Line 2 – Seven Syllables Line 3 – Five Syllables Line 4 – Seven Syllables Line 5 – Seven Syllables

Example: Night Light

The moon shines brightly

Lighting the dark, dreary night

With a pale, white light; Touching forests, mountains, seas

Giving brightness to the earth.

Writing an Ode: a prose or poetry that is written about someone or something in honor of the subject.

It usually speaks about that person or thing with respect and fondness; however, it can also speak in an amusing or satirical manner.

Steps for Writing an Ode:

1. Select a subject to write about: person, place, or thing.

2. Write phrases describing how your subject makes you feel and why you feel this way.

3. Write many phrases telling unique qualities of your subject.  

4. Explain why your subject is important to you and why you adore it so much!   

5. Join some of your phrases into lines for your ode. Remember they don't have to rhyme! 

6. Your ode must contain 3 stanzas. Each stanza must have 4 lines of poetry.

Example: Ode to the End of Summer

Oh, Summertime you’ve come and gone.I greatly anticipated your arrival.I wanted you to linger on and on.But, alas, now you are gone.

No longer shall I bask in your warm sun.I shall find no joy in long days of fun.Swimming, hiking, camping are all done.The days grow short and the weather cools.

Fall awaits with autumn leaves.The bright flowers of summer go to rest.But memories shall linger.oh, the happy, carefree days of summer.

Another example of an ode

Ode to My FeetFeet, oh feet, I simply cherish you,You help me in every thing that I do.Feet, oh feet, you enable me to runWhen I lay down you take a break - have fun!

Your adorable, short, stumpy toes help me balance,How I idolize you and your so many talents.Your tiny toenails are fun to decorate,I enjoy putting glitter on them - they're also fun to paint.

My affectionate feelings for your ability to transport me to different places,Always bring a shock to other people's faces.So now you know exactly how much I prize you, my dearFor you my idol, I will always cheer.

Writing a Bio-poem: It is a very personal poem. It is about yourself.

Steps for writing a bio-poem:

Line 1….First nameLine 2….Four words that tell about youLine 3….Son or daughter of Line 4….Lover of (3 people or ideas)Line 5….Who feels (3 feelings and when you feel them)Line 6….Who needs (3 items)Line 7….Who gives (3 items)Line 8….Who fears (3 items)Line 9….Who would like to see (3 people or events)Line 10…Resident of (your city), (your state)Line 11… Last name

Example:

It’s About Me

BethTeacher, energetic, intelligent, stubbornDaughter of Robert and DotLover of God, family, friendsWho feels happy when with family, excited when teaching, scared when grading DGPWho needs family, friends, and students.Who gives love, friendship, and instructionsWho fears loss of loved ones, loneliness, and student’s failureWho would like to see any sandy beach, acceptance of others, 100s on DGP.Resident of Ninety Six, South CarolinaBrown

Cinquains: a 5-line, unrhymed poem.

Pattern:

TitleLine 1: It begins with a subject.Line 2: Followed by two descriptive words (adjectives)Line 3: Followed by three action words (verbs)Line 4: Followed by a phrase or sentence describing the subject Line 5: Followed by a word that means the same (synonym) as the subject. Example: Celestial Being

Planet Enormous, ringedSpinning, whirling, Twirling A most majestic sight.

Saturn

Couplet: a two lines stanza, usually with an end rhyme

Pattern: Title

Line 1: Begin with a descriptive word and add two items that fit description.Line 2: Something that rhymes with line 1

Example: Nature Beautiful mountains, rivers, and seas Are touched by the soft, summer breeze.

The Rain When I was riding through the town, The driving rain was driving down.

Sonnet: a fourteen line rhyming poem with a set structure. Each line must have 10 syllables. There are many patterns for the sonnet.

We will write an English or Shakespearean sonnet.

Pattern: The poem must have fourteen lines. There will be four stanzas. The stanzas will be divided into three quatrains (four lines each) and an ending couplet (two lines). The rhyme scheme is an end rhyme with a scheme of abab, cdcd, efef, gg.

The following sonnet is about a teenager who has been out until very late at night. His parents have been waiting up for him with fears for his safety. When he arrives home, he knows very well that there will ne an argument which will end in bad feelings and no solutions. It has all happened before. The sonnet expresses both the voice of the teen and his parents.

Example: I’m Not a Baby Anymore

It was silent on our street-late at night My folks in nightclothes hovered at the door This was the reason for another fight I knew by heart the pain that was in store.

Now once again they said, “You didn’t call!” We argued while my father paced the room I told them I forgot-that says it all! For them it was the painful voice of gloom.

“You could be hurt-you gave us quite a scare!” I never meant to give them so much grief These endless battles fill me with despair I’ve heard it all before- I need relief.

They say when I am grown that I will see. I know for sure we never will agree!

G.B. Lipson

Limerick: A five–line poem written with one couplet and one triplet. A couplet is a two-line rhymed poem. The triplet is a three-line rhymed poem. The rhyme pattern is aabba with lines 1,2,and 5 containing three meters and rhyming and lines 3 and 4 having two meters and rhyming.

Limericks are meant to be funny. They often contain hyperpole, onomatopoeia, idioms, puns, and other figurative devices. The last line of a good limerick contains the punch line or “heart of the joke.”

Pattern: TitleLine 1 – Three accented syllablesLine 2 – Three accented syllables; rhyme with line 1 Line 3 – Two accented syllablesLine 4 – Two accented syllables; rhyme with line 3Line 5 – Three accented syllables; rhyme with line 1

Examples: Sing and Dance

There was a young woman from Nance.Who loved to sing and to dance.She attended a ballAt the palace hallAnd soon was the pride of all France.

Man From PeruThere was an old man from Peru, (A)da DUM da da DUM da da DUMwho dreamed he was eating his shoe. (A)da DUM da da DUM da da DUMHe awoke in the night (B)da DUM da da DUMwith a terrible fright, (B)da da DUM da da Dumand found out that it was quite true. (A)da DUM da da DUM da da DUM

A Clumsy Young Fellow Named Tim

A clumsy young fellow named Tim (A)was never informed how to swim. (A)He fell off a dock (B)and sunk like a rock. (B)And that was the end of him. (A)