THE BOPIt’s almost The Blues

The BOP history

A recent invention, the Bop was created by Afaa Michael Weaver during a summer retreat of the African American poetry organization

 The Bop is a form of poetic argument consisting of three stanzas

Each stanza is followed by a repeated line, or refrain, undertaking a different purpose in the overall argument of the poem

This same contextual structure is used in novels and short stories as well. Take the Trojan War, for instance: Problem: Troy abducts Helen Expansion: Though the Greeks are angry, Troy is fortified and

well armed Solution: Trojan (actually Greek) Horse

The BOP form

The first stanza (six lines long) states the problem

The second stanza (eight lines long) explores or expands upon the problem.

If there is a resolution to the problem, the third stanza (six lines long) finds it.

If a logical resolution cannot be found, then this final stanza documents the attempt and failure to succeed.

Assignment

Find an example of a poem written in the Bop form

Write your own example of a Bop poem Bring both in Monday, March 4 to be

entered in the grade book (if I don’t receive your work on Monday you will not receive full credit. I must have your poems to preview before the workshop)

Tuesday, March 5, work with your small poetry group, sharing out both your own work and the work you’ve discovered.