~Poetry in the Classroom~
~It's no secret that I write poetry...Even as a kid when other kids would give me presents they were always poetry books,journals to write in or really expensive pens. I have been asked by my children's 6th grade teacher to come to class and read the students some of my poetry. I didn't really let myself think about it until tonight and I am really excited. Sure, I will have to fight my anxiety over leaving the house and more than that the nervousness I am sure to feel as I stand before 20-30 eleven and twelve year olds students but when you love something the way I love writing it's not as difficult to do.
~Now I just need to choose a few poems to read. Remembering that my "audience" will be young and very impressionable, I want to read them poetry that is light and fun yet still full of meaning. I would love to write a poem in class with the help of the kids too. I imagine standing there asking the students to come up with a subject, our "noun"(They are also learning about parts of speech so what better way to do this!) Then when we've decided on a noun we can build a poem where I can,hopefully,teach them the most important rule in writing I have learned...The art of "showing" the scene of the poem...It took years for anyone to teach that to me...I was forever writing about how I felt and the emotions while very real were flat. A writer's biggest goal is to present to their audience prose that not only makes them think, "Wow, I know what she means!" Or even, "Is that how it feels?" but also takes them from the place they are in emotionally and mentally and influence their thoughts and emotions. The best compliments I have ever gotten are when people tell me that they felt like I was in their mind writing down on paper what they were thinking and how they felt.
~When people can read a piece of writing and feel the very essence of the writer's voice and soul art is made~
~So I think I will chose 3-4 poems and make sure they each show different types of poetry-writing.So many people think that poetry has to rhyme. If that were true I would NOT enjoy writing so much. As much as I do like rhyming my words at times and when the right kind of poem, I like more a poem that is free flowing and doesn't have too many rules. One poem will rhyme, one will not and I want to show a poem that does a play on words as well as has fun with the literal paper its written on. (I like to play with shapes. For example I will write a poem where the lines when they are all done and put on the paper, make a circle. Other times I like to use words that mean two things and play with that. Check out the poet E.E. Cummings...He like(d)to do that.)
~Since I began writing and reading poetry I have always respected but rarely written a poem where the reader has to do a sort of biopsy to figure out the meaning. While often I will leave the "Noun" of the poem open for each reader's own choosing, I never try to use a word or phrase to mean something else. Sure, people have found their own meaning in my words and I more than welcome that, but I do not like trying to make someone research to find out what I meant by something...(Often in poetry and songs there are words that are meant to be taken to mean other things like code words for drugs, people or things.) Hey, have at it if that's the way you write. I truly respect many different kinds of writing techniques but it just isn't my way. Another think I try to never do that can be so difficult is to use phrases that are not mine, that are out there said often like "The grass is always greener on the other side" or "Not my cup of tea." While I am sure I have quite accidentally used overused phrases in my writing, I strive not to. How can I call it my writing if I use words that aren't mine?
~I am very excited and now that I have it in my head I will try to keep my anxiety at bay by coming up with some real specific poetry to share,writing out some key things to say and by coming up with a fun exercise to show the kids how fun poetry writing can be. I hope when I am done that I will have taught them that poetry is a great outlet for emotions as well as a fun way to express themselves. I want people to know that there are no "rules" that need to be followed when it comes to writing. Unless you decide to submit your writing into a competition or magazine publication and they want you to write under a certain amount of lines,etc., poetry can be done however you feel you want to do it. All poetry is not Shakespeare Soliloquies...I am more of a lover of Emily Dickinson or Robert Frost...Beautiful poetry written straightforward with a tender voice that is anything but simple.Writing and reading poetry can be fun and easy. Don't make the mistake of believing that poetry has to be filled with big words and hidden meanings to be good. Heart and real emotion,decorated with magnificent adjectives and images one can see without eyes~~~That's a great poem!
~Stacy J. Roosa
11/20/2010
~Now I just need to choose a few poems to read. Remembering that my "audience" will be young and very impressionable, I want to read them poetry that is light and fun yet still full of meaning. I would love to write a poem in class with the help of the kids too. I imagine standing there asking the students to come up with a subject, our "noun"(They are also learning about parts of speech so what better way to do this!) Then when we've decided on a noun we can build a poem where I can,hopefully,teach them the most important rule in writing I have learned...The art of "showing" the scene of the poem...It took years for anyone to teach that to me...I was forever writing about how I felt and the emotions while very real were flat. A writer's biggest goal is to present to their audience prose that not only makes them think, "Wow, I know what she means!" Or even, "Is that how it feels?" but also takes them from the place they are in emotionally and mentally and influence their thoughts and emotions. The best compliments I have ever gotten are when people tell me that they felt like I was in their mind writing down on paper what they were thinking and how they felt.
~When people can read a piece of writing and feel the very essence of the writer's voice and soul art is made~
~So I think I will chose 3-4 poems and make sure they each show different types of poetry-writing.So many people think that poetry has to rhyme. If that were true I would NOT enjoy writing so much. As much as I do like rhyming my words at times and when the right kind of poem, I like more a poem that is free flowing and doesn't have too many rules. One poem will rhyme, one will not and I want to show a poem that does a play on words as well as has fun with the literal paper its written on. (I like to play with shapes. For example I will write a poem where the lines when they are all done and put on the paper, make a circle. Other times I like to use words that mean two things and play with that. Check out the poet E.E. Cummings...He like(d)to do that.)
~Since I began writing and reading poetry I have always respected but rarely written a poem where the reader has to do a sort of biopsy to figure out the meaning. While often I will leave the "Noun" of the poem open for each reader's own choosing, I never try to use a word or phrase to mean something else. Sure, people have found their own meaning in my words and I more than welcome that, but I do not like trying to make someone research to find out what I meant by something...(Often in poetry and songs there are words that are meant to be taken to mean other things like code words for drugs, people or things.) Hey, have at it if that's the way you write. I truly respect many different kinds of writing techniques but it just isn't my way. Another think I try to never do that can be so difficult is to use phrases that are not mine, that are out there said often like "The grass is always greener on the other side" or "Not my cup of tea." While I am sure I have quite accidentally used overused phrases in my writing, I strive not to. How can I call it my writing if I use words that aren't mine?
~I am very excited and now that I have it in my head I will try to keep my anxiety at bay by coming up with some real specific poetry to share,writing out some key things to say and by coming up with a fun exercise to show the kids how fun poetry writing can be. I hope when I am done that I will have taught them that poetry is a great outlet for emotions as well as a fun way to express themselves. I want people to know that there are no "rules" that need to be followed when it comes to writing. Unless you decide to submit your writing into a competition or magazine publication and they want you to write under a certain amount of lines,etc., poetry can be done however you feel you want to do it. All poetry is not Shakespeare Soliloquies...I am more of a lover of Emily Dickinson or Robert Frost...Beautiful poetry written straightforward with a tender voice that is anything but simple.Writing and reading poetry can be fun and easy. Don't make the mistake of believing that poetry has to be filled with big words and hidden meanings to be good. Heart and real emotion,decorated with magnificent adjectives and images one can see without eyes~~~That's a great poem!
~Stacy J. Roosa
11/20/2010
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