Unit Six

How to Write a Rotten Poem with Almost no

Effort

1.HISTORY OF POETRYSome of the earliest poetry is believed to

have been orally recited or sung, closely related to musical traditions, and much of it can be attributed to religious movements: rhythm, rhyme, compression, intensity of feeling, the use of refrains.

Following the development of writing, poetry has since developed into increasingly structured forms.

Written composition meant poets began to compose for an absent reader.

Much poetry since the late 20th century has moved away from traditional forms towards the more vaguely defined free verse and prose poem formats.

2.CLASSIFICATION

Three major genres• Epic poetry: a long story about brave actions

and exciting events;• Lyric poetry: more personal, shorter

poems intended to be sung;• Dramatic poetry: comedy and

tragedy as subgenres.

 TEXT ANALYSIS Modern life is more about material and tangible

goods than about spirit pursuit. We set clear targets for our future, neglecting that we are gradually losing one joy that human kind usually have: the fun of spontaneity. The writer of this essay reminds us that poetry, especially creating poems, can provide us such pleasure. Though the writer of this essay writes in a half-mocking tone, and the method he introduces will not ensure us to create a wonderful, or even presentable poem, his real purpose is to make the creation of a poem less difficult than we may imagine and to induce amateurs to set their first steps on their journey to a more aesthetic life.

STRUCTURAL ANALYSIS Paragraphs

Main idea

1-3

4-9

10-12

The first part introduces the problem with poetry and the significance of the writer’s solution.The second part introduces in detail how people can create a poem of their own.The third part serves as the ending of the essay. In this part, the writer reiterates his intention and makes it clear he is just joking by presenting such a method of creating a poem.

Detailed Reading

How to Write a Rotten Poem with Almost No EffortRichard Howey

1 So you want to write a poem. You’ve had a rotten day

or an astounding thought or a car accident or a squalid love

affair and you want to record it for all time. You want to

organize those emotions that are pounding through your

veins. You have something to communicate via a poem but

you don’t know where to start.

Detailed Reading

2 This, of course, is the problem with poetry. Most

people find it difficult to write a poem so they don’t even try.

What’s worse, they don’t bother reading any poems either.

Poetry has become an almost totally foreign art form to

many of us. As a result, serious poets either starve or

work as account executives. There is no middle ground.

Good poets and poems are lost forever simply because

there is no market for them, no people who write their own

verse and seek out further inspiration from other bards.

Detailed Reading

3 Fortunately, there is a solution for this problem, as

there are for all imponderables. The answer is to make it

easy for everyone to write at least one poem in his life.

Once a person has written a poem, of whatever quality, he

will feel comradeship with fellow poets and, hopefully, read

their works. Ideally, there would evolve a veritable society

of poet-citizens, which would elevate the quality of life

worldwide. Not only that, good poets could make a living for

a change.

Detailed Reading

4 So, to begin, have your paper ready. You must first

understand that the poem you write here will not be brilliant.

It won’t even be mediocre. But it will be better than 50% of

all song lyrics and at least equal to one of Rod McKuen’s

best efforts. You will be instructed how to write a four-line

poem but the basic structure can be repeated at will to

create works of epic length.

Detailed Reading

5 The first line of your poem should start and end with

these words: “In the — of my mind.” The middle word of this

line is optional. Any word will do. It would be best not to use

a word that has been overdone, such as “windmills” or

“gardens” or “playground.” Just think of as many nouns as

you can and see what fits best. The rule of thumb is to pick

a noun that seems totally out of context, such as “filing

cabinet” or “radiator” or “parking lot.” Just remember, the

more unusual the noun, the more profound the image.

Detailed Reading

6 The second line should use two or more of the human

senses in a conflicting manner, as per the famous, “listen to

the warm.” This is a sure way to conjure up “poetic”

feeling and atmosphere. Since there are five different

senses, the possibilities are endless. A couple that come to

mind are “see the noise” and “touch the sound.” If more

complexity is desired other senses can be added, as in

“taste the color of my hearing,” or “I cuddled your sight in

the aroma of the night.” Rhyming, of course, is optional.

Detailed Reading

7 The third line should be just a simple statement. This is

used to break up the insightful images that have been

presented in the first two lines. This line should be as

prosaic as possible to give a “down-to-earth” mood to the

poem. An example would be “she gave me juice and toast

that morning,” or perhaps “I left for work next day on the

8:30 bus.” The content of this line may or may not relate to

what has gone before.

Detailed Reading

8 The last line of your poem should deal with

the future in some way. This gives the poem a

forward thrust that is always helpful. A possibility

might be, “tomorrow will be a better day,” or “I’ll find

someone sometime,” or “maybe we’ll meet again in

July.” This future-oriented ending lends an aura of

hope and yet need not be grossly optimistic.

Detailed Reading

9 By following the above structure, anyone can write a

poem. For example, if I select one each of my sample lines,

I come up with:

In the parking lot of my mind,

I cuddled your sight in the aroma of the night.

I left for work next day on the 8:30 bus.

Maybe we’ll meet again in July.

10 Now that poem (like yours, when you’re finished) is

rotten. But at least it’s a poem and you’ve written it, which is

an accomplishment that relatively few people can claim.

Detailed Reading

11 Now that you’re a poet, feel free to read poetry by

some of your more accomplished brothers and sisters in

verse. Chances are, you’ll find their offerings stimulating

and refreshing. You might even try writing some more of

your own poems, now that you’ve broken the ice. Observe

others’ emotions and experience your own — that’s what

poetry is all about.

12 Incidentally, if you find it impossible to sell the poem

you write to Bobby Goldsboro or John Denver, burn it. It will

look terrible as the first page of your anthology when it’s

published.

What does the writer think is the problem with poetry?

The problem with poetry is that most people don’t know how to write a poem and there is no market for good poets and poems.

Detailed Reading

Detailed Reading

1. What is the solution for this problem suggested by the writer?

The solution for this problem suggested by the writer is to make it easy for everyone to write at least one poem in his life.

2. How does the writer justify his solution?

The writer thinks this may not only enhance people’s recognition of poets but cultivate a poetry-loving society and elevate the quality of life.

Since the title of the essay bears a very obvious mocking feature, the last paragraph, which echoes with this tone, reminds his readers of the fact that he is merely joking.

Detailed Reading

1. What is the real intention of the writer to present such a method of creating a poem?

By introducing such a method of creating a “rotten” poem, the writer is actually encouraging people to start their journey to the appreciation of poetry and to acquire a more intimate feeling toward poetry.

2. What is the purpose of the last paragraph?

(P1) You want to organize those emotions that are pounding through your veins.

Paraphrase: ...extremely intense

pound: (vi.) strike or hit heavily and repeatedlyEg: Pounding on the floor, she shouted at the top of her voice.Tr: 带着偷来的文件夹她溜出了办公室，心砰砰跳得厉害。She sneaked out of the office with the stolen secret file, her heart pounding severely.

DETAILED READING (PART 1)

(P2) As a result, serious poets either starve or work as account executives. There is no middle ground.

Paraphrase: If anyone takes writing poetry as a serious job, he wou

ld either starve for he would find no place to sell his creations or he can only take a profitable job to earn his bread. There is no possible compromise between these two extremes.

middle ground: an area of compromise or possible agreement between two extreme positions

中间地带；中间立场

Pr: 在一场辩论赛中，每个人都必须支持一方， 中间立场是不被接受的。In a debate everyone has to take sides; middle ground is not acceptable.

(P2) Good poets and poems are lost forever simply because there is no market for them, no people who write their own verse and seek out further inspiration

from other bards.

Paraphrase: Good poets have stopped writing poems, because ther

e are fewer and fewer readers and fellow poets. They cannot depend on poetry writing for a living, and there is no more poetic society from which they can draw inspirations and stimulations.

(P3) Ideally, there would evolve a veritable society of poet-citizens, which would elevate the quality of life worldwide.

Paraphrase: An ideal situation would be the development of a socie

ty composed of citizens who are dedicated to poetry writing, and from doing this people will have better life quality.

evolve: (vi.) gradually change and develop into different forms1) 进化；演化Eg: Birds are widely believed to have evolved from dinasours.Tr: 许多雄鸟的鲜艳羽毛 (plumage) 被认为是为吸引雌鸟而

进 化来的。The bright plumage of many male birds was thought to h

ave evolved to attract females.2) 发展Tr: 整个想法是由一句脱口而出的话发展而来的。The whole idea evolved from a casual remark.

evolve into 进化成；发展成； evolve from 由 ... 进化 / 发展而来

veritable: (adj.) real; genuine 真正的；名副其实的Eg: It is a veritable heaven on earth.Tr: 在现在这个社会，一个没有阅读习惯的人就是个真正的没

有信仰的人。In this modern society, a man with no reading habit isveritably a man with no faith at all.

elevate:(vt.)1) raise from a lower to a higher position 提升；举起 Eg: In brief, her works neither elevate ( 升华 ) nor instruct.Tr: 多读好书，多旅游可以提升境界。Reading more good books and doing more traveling can elevate the mind. elevated coast 上升的海岸 elevated temperature 上升的气温2) raise in rank; give a promotion 提拔Tr: 这位助理教练仅仅在 9 个月内就被提拔到总教练的位置是件

令人惊讶的事。It was a surprise that the assisstant coach was elevated to th

e head coaching position within only 9 months. elevator/lift elevation=promotion

(P5) The rule of thumb is to pick a noun that seems totally out of context...

The rule of thumb: the practical principlev 经验法则

Pr: 美国比任何一个民族都更加遵循“工作时就工作，该玩时就玩”这条生活经验法则。

Americans follow more than any other people the rule of thumb: Work while you work; play while you play.

STAGE IV: DETAILED READING (PART 2)

(P6) The second line should use two or more of the human senses in conflicting manner, as per the famous, "listen to the warm".

conflicting: contradictory 矛盾的 ; 不一致的 as per : just likePr: 您需要在这两个矛盾的目标之间找到适当的平衡。You need to find the right balance between these two conflicting goals.

(P6) This is a sure way to conjure up "poetic" feeling and atmosphere.

Paraphrase:This is a way that will evoke poetic feeling and atmosphere for certain.

conjure up: bring to mind; evoke 想起；使在脑海中显现 Tr: 一闭上眼睛，他就能真真切切地回忆起他生命中的每时

每刻。When he closed his eyes, he could conjure up in exact color almost every moment of his life.

(P11) Chances are, you'll find their offerings stimulating and refreshing.

Paraphrase:Probably you'll find their poems quite inspiring and pleasantly new and different.

refresh: (vt.) make (to feel) fresh again refresh one's memory 唤起某人的记忆 refresh oneself 提神；清醒头脑 refresh rate 刷新率

refreshing: (adj.) 提神的；使清爽的； 使人重新振作的Tr: 在一个新的地方学习新东西比整天无所事事更能让人身

心放松、耳目一新。Learning something in a new place can be more relaxing and refreshing than trying to do nothing.

(P11) Observe others' emotions and experience your own---that 's what poetry is all about.

Paraphrase: The point of poetry is to express and record emotions.

So when you read poems, you will observe the emotions of the poet and when you write your own poem, you need to observe and organize your own.

incidentally: (adv.)1) by chance/by accident 偶然地Pr: 我非常偶然地在聚会上发现了有用的信息。Quite incidentally I found out some useful information at the party.2) by the way 顺便说一句Pr: 顺便说一句，我年底就要去美国实习了。Incidentally, I am going to US to do my internship at the end of the year.

STAGE V: POST-READING ACTIVITIES

1. What is your own thinking after reading this text?

2. How important do you think reading is to you? Have you found your favorite writer?