The Fundamentals of Poetry Writing -- Lesson 1

Lesson 1 -- Use of the Senses

-- Welcome to the class! I am your teacher, Karen. There will be a few questions in the assignment below to tell me a little about yourself if you intend on getting feedback from me the teacher. You have the option of taking this lesson on your own or sending it to me for feedback, which is important for growing in your poetic skills.

First of all I would like to clarify what Poetry is and isn't. Writing Poetry is best described as a composition that uses literary techniques and is not Prose. However, the common type of writing that we use every day is Prose. Writing Prose is best described as writing that uses ordinary speech or language, such as a story or letter. However, there is such a thing as Prose Poetry that does use poetic devices, but it is still written in journal, letter, paragraph or story form. Poetry is very different than Prose or Prose Poetry. It is written with a certain poetic structure of line breaks and stanzas. Now that we have that cleared up, let's forge ahead.

1. Before writing a poem you should have an idea of what you are going to write about. First, pick out a subject that you want to write about. Try brainstorming your thoughts on paper first without worrying about how it turns out. For this assignment, you will be focusing on the senses, imagery and invoking an emotion in the reader. Once you have done this, review your free-write and edit it into a poem of your choosing. Remember that the concrete use of the senses makes a poem come to life.

2. Now, organize your poem and make sure it incorporates at least one strong example of a concrete use of one of the senses. Choose which one; sight, touch, sound, taste or touch. Which one of these senses will you focus on? The use of senses in a poem draws the reader in and makes them experience your poem. Since most poetry automatically uses imagery I would like you to choose one of the other senses to incorporate into your poem as well as the sense of sight.

3. Decide on what you wish your readers to feel. Do you want to put them at ease, make them irritable, make them cry, confuse them, make them laugh, make them think, excite them, put them in a dreamy mood etc...? Identify the emotion that you want to provoke in your readers.

Writing in the present tense makes a poem more real and vivid to the reader. Try to use tangible and concrete examples through the use of the senses directly.

In writing your poem, please be sure to show not tell, through the use of the senses. For example, you could write about how a rose smells, but never use the word 'rose', or, how something sounds without saying exactly what it is. You are showing the reader what something is through your describing of it through one of the senses in this lesson. Try not to use the word for the sense you are writing about in your poem. For example, if you are focusing on the sense of 'touch' for your poem, do not use the word 'touch' directly. The same goes for the other senses; sound, sight, taste and smell.

Assignment 1: First, answer the following six questions to tell me a little about yourself: (Note -- this is for those of you who want feedback from me, the teacher).

1. Where are you from?
2. Is English your first language?
3. Please tell me some poetry and other writings that you have read.
4. What is your favorite poetry style?
5. Lastly, please tell me your first name so that I may address you personally. Thank you.
PLEASE BE SURE TO INCLUDE THE FIRST ASSIGNMENT BELOW IN YOUR SUBMISSION. BE SURE TO FOLLOW THE DIRECTIONS CAREFULLY. THANK YOU!

Assignment 1 : Now, please write a new poem of 6 - 10 lines in free-verse or any form using one of the senses in a concrete and detailed way throughout your poem. If you go over the line limit a little, that's okay. Since most poems automatically use imagery, please use one of the other senses to write about. Of course your poem may include imagery/sight but you must include one of the other four senses in a vivid/strong way -- sound, touch, smell or taste. Think about your overall subject or idea and focus of the poem and what you want your readers to feel. Refer to you brainstorming and notes suggested above. Try to write your poem in the present tense. Use lines that have effective breaks and are not too long.

After your poem, state which one of the senses you have focused on besides imagery as well as the feeling or ambience you are trying to get across. In incorporating the sense that you are working on, try not to refer to the name of the sense you are using directly, but rather describe it. Remember to show, not tell what you are writing about and try to write in the present tense. Which sense are you focusing on besides imagery? What do you want readers to feel? Have fun!

The following topics that I wrote may prove helpful with tense and showing, not telling in poetry writing -- 'Writing in the Present Tense', 'Overcoming Writer's Block', 'Glossary of Terms' and 'Show Rather than Tell'. If you can't find them right away in my blog, I may be still working on posting them.

CHECKLIST -- 1. Is your poem 6 to 10 lines long? A little over is fine. 2. Did you focus on one sense besides imagery? 3. Are you 'showing' and not just 'telling' in your writing? 4. Is it in the present tense? 5. Are you using concrete descriptions of the sense? 6. Is there a clear emotion you are attempting to portray? 7. Did you use effective line breaks that aren't too long. 8. Did you list after your poem which sense and feeling you focused on? IMPORTANT -- Please be sure to save all of your work or future reference.

YOU HAVE THE OPTION OF TAKING THIS LESSON ON YOUR OWN OR SENDING IT TO ME FOR FEEDBACK. THANK YOU. I RECOMMEND THE FEEDBACK TO HELP YOU EXPAND ON YOUR WRITING SKILLS BUT ONLY IF YOU ARE WILLING TO ACCEPT CONSTRUCTIVE, HELPFUL CRITIQUE.

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