Poetry Resources
Poetry Log
Poetry Log (The beginning of your writer's notebook)
Read, listen to, or watch at least 20 poems. Choose a variety of different types of poems. Record them in your log.
Title of the Poem
Author
Book or Source
An interesting phrase or sentence
Why I liked/didn't like it
Read, listen to, or watch at least 20 poems. Choose a variety of different types of poems. Record them in your log.
Title of the Poem
Author
Book or Source
An interesting phrase or sentence
Why I liked/didn't like it
To Start a Fire, You Need Kindling
Before you can start a fire, you need kindling to catch the sparks. Before you can write a poem, you need inspiration!
Starting at the Back of your writer's notebook, try these ideas to start collecting your writing kindling:
Carry it with you everywhere. Do at least one of the above everyday. The more kindling you have, the easier it will be to write!
Starting at the Back of your writer's notebook, try these ideas to start collecting your writing kindling:
- when you wake up, write down your dreams
- write down pieces of conversation or interesting phrases that you hear
- pick an object and come up with as many descriptive words as you can about it - texture, colour, shape, sound etc.
- take pictures of unusual objects or interesting scenery
- use it like a scrap book and collect ticket stubs, make sketches, collect pieces of memory
- write down interesting lyrics from songs (write down the artist and name of the song as well)
- questions and random thoughts
- pieces of family stories, or your own experiences
Carry it with you everywhere. Do at least one of the above everyday. The more kindling you have, the easier it will be to write!
Literary Devices
What is a Metaphor?
A metaphor is a figure of speech in which there is an indirect comparison or contrast between two nouns or ideas. An indirect comparison means that no comparing words (like, as, etc) are used.
"John is the Tiger Woods of his golf team."
"His hair was bone white."
"She is an early bird."
"Dean can be such a frightened kitten at times."
What is a Simile?
A simile is a figure of speech that compares two things or persons which are not similar. The simile is usually in a phrase that begins with "as" or "like."
" As big as an elephant"
" As brave as a lion"
"As white as snow"
"As quiet as a mouse"
What is Alliteration?
Alliteration is the repetition of the same letter sounds across multiple words. The poem below is an acrostic poem that makes use of alliteration.
A metaphor is a figure of speech in which there is an indirect comparison or contrast between two nouns or ideas. An indirect comparison means that no comparing words (like, as, etc) are used.
"John is the Tiger Woods of his golf team."
"His hair was bone white."
"She is an early bird."
"Dean can be such a frightened kitten at times."
What is a Simile?
A simile is a figure of speech that compares two things or persons which are not similar. The simile is usually in a phrase that begins with "as" or "like."
" As big as an elephant"
" As brave as a lion"
"As white as snow"
"As quiet as a mouse"
What is Alliteration?
Alliteration is the repetition of the same letter sounds across multiple words. The poem below is an acrostic poem that makes use of alliteration.
"Bubbles"
Beautiful balls
Usually up
Best blowing
Before bouncing
Lift lightly
Easily elevated
Sometimes slippery
What is Repetition?
Repetition is repeating a word, phrase, or sentence, and is common in poetry. It is a rhetorical technique to add emphasis, unity, and/or power.
Poems that use repetition.
What is Onametopoeia?
The use of words which sound like what they mean.
"Buzz"
"Whoosh"
"Baa"
"Boo hoo"
What is Imagery?
This is the representation through language of sense experience. The image most often suggests a mental picture, but an image may also represent a sound, smell, taste or tactile experience.
What is an oxymoron?
Two words placed close together which are contradictory, yet have truth in them.
"Sweet and sour"
"Act naturally"
"Sweet agony"
Bitter Sweet Boy
Being alone together with an awfully good looking man
with a cool passion for bitter sweet chocolate
was sadly crash landing into an awkward defining silence.
-Sophia Ratevosian
The use of words which sound like what they mean.
"Buzz"
"Whoosh"
"Baa"
"Boo hoo"
What is Imagery?
This is the representation through language of sense experience. The image most often suggests a mental picture, but an image may also represent a sound, smell, taste or tactile experience.
What is an oxymoron?
Two words placed close together which are contradictory, yet have truth in them.
"Sweet and sour"
"Act naturally"
"Sweet agony"
Bitter Sweet Boy
Being alone together with an awfully good looking man
with a cool passion for bitter sweet chocolate
was sadly crash landing into an awkward defining silence.
-Sophia Ratevosian