Assignment: 11/23: Original Poem Assignment

ENGLISH LANGUAGE ARTS 10-A (H)
2021-11-17T15:15:51Z

Due: Nov 23, 2021 by 11:59pm

ORIGINAL POEM ASSIGNMENT

ASSIGNMENT: For this poetry unit, you will be writing an original poem. You can write your poem in closed form (such as limerick, haiku, sonnet, villanelle, or Burmese climbing rhyme) or open form (like an ode). Your poem can be about anything you want. Re-read the poems we’ve read for inspiration!

Due: Tue, Nov 23rd to Canvas by midnight.

I will be grading you on:

Form

If you write in closed form, play by the rules! Pay attention to stanza length, meter, and rhyme scheme.

If you write in open form, pay attention to where you want each line to end. It should look like a poem. See Neruda’s poems for examples of open form. Diction and literary devices are arguably even more important in open form poetry.

Content

Word choice matters! Poems are shorter than other texts, so literally every word matters. Whenever possible, use “loaded” words (words that have heavy connotations like “connive,” “tyrant,” “crushed,” and “pioneer.” Avoid “blah” words that you use so often that they no longer mean anything, like “depressing,” “awesome,” “everything,” and “cool.”)

2 literary devices (minimum) – the most common ones are simile/metaphor; personification; symbol/motif; allusion; hyperbole; paradox/oxymoron. At the bottom of your poem, copy the passages with literary devices AND name the literary device you used.

Imagery – Good poetry relies heavily on sensory imagery. Remember how Neruda described Spain before and after the war? Or the “visual images” of autumn leaves falling and ferns unfurling in the haikus we read? That’s what you’re going for!

Length -- 14+ lines. If you choose Limerick, you must write 5 of them. If you choose Haiku, you must write 5 of them. If you choose Villanelle, you need 19 lines!

Here's the unit slides if you need to review the rules: https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/131zzz6-aVdAJOBclgUYM9_iLcuh9be6Q/edit#slide=id.p52

How do I decide what to write about?

What really makes you emotional, either in a positive or negative way? Think of a person, concept, place, thing, or event that you are deeply connected to. (Re-read “Do not go gentle into that good night” for inspiration.)

Have you done something recently that you are particularly proud of? Or ashamed of?

Have you noticed something in your daily life that you want to praise? Consider writing an ode! (See “Ode to an Onion” for inspiration.)

Is there a social justice topic that you are passionate about? An injustice in the world that you want to bring attention to?

ORIGINAL POEM ASSIGNMENT

ASSIGNMENT: For this poetry unit, you will be writing an original poem. You can write your poem in closed form (such as limerick, haiku, sonnet, villanelle, or Burmese climbing rhyme) or open form (like an ode). Your poem can be about anything you want. Re-read the poems we’ve read for inspiration!

Due: Tue, Nov 23rd to Canvas by midnight.

I will be grading you on:

Form

If you write in closed form, play by the rules! Pay attention to stanza length, meter, and rhyme scheme.

If you write in open form, pay attention to where you want each line to end. It should look like a poem. See Neruda’s poems for examples of open form. Diction and literary devices are arguably even more important in open form poetry.

Content

Word choice matters! Poems are shorter than other texts, so literally every word matters. Whenever possible, use “loaded” words (words that have heavy connotations like “connive,” “tyrant,” “crushed,” and “pioneer.” Avoid “blah” words that you use so often that they no longer mean anything, like “depressing,” “awesome,” “everything,” and “cool.”)

2 literary devices (minimum) – the most common ones are simile/metaphor; personification; symbol/motif; allusion; hyperbole; paradox/oxymoron. At the bottom of your poem, copy the passages with literary devices AND name the literary device you used.

Imagery – Good poetry relies heavily on sensory imagery. Remember how Neruda described Spain before and after the war? Or the “visual images” of autumn leaves falling and ferns unfurling in the haikus we read? That’s what you’re going for!

Length -- 14+ lines. If you choose Limerick, you must write 5 of them. If you choose Haiku, you must write 5 of them. If you choose Villanelle, you need 19 lines!

Here's the unit slides if you need to review the rules: https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/131zzz6-aVdAJOBclgUYM9_iLcuh9be6Q/edit#slide=id.p52

How do I decide what to write about?

What really makes you emotional, either in a positive or negative way? Think of a person, concept, place, thing, or event that you are deeply connected to. (Re-read “Do not go gentle into that good night” for inspiration.)

Have you done something recently that you are particularly proud of? Or ashamed of?

Have you noticed something in your daily life that you want to praise? Consider writing an ode! (See “Ode to an Onion” for inspiration.)

Is there a social justice topic that you are passionate about? An injustice in the world that you want to bring attention to?