Madiba Poem

"An Issue in our City"

ANOTHER ISSUE ORIENTED SPOKEN WORD POEM.

WHAT ARE THESE KIDS SAYING?

"Let My People Glow" by Lebohang Masango

Somewhere in America

Sarah Kaye "Hands" - Lilah "I am Different - Telling Lies Poem

Part of Body POEM

Now, using Sarah's poem as inspiration, write a poem about a part of the body that we never really think about, but take for granted.  Hands - Feet - Eyes - Fingers - Head - Hair, etc, etc.

Telling Lies

Telling Lies Poetry

A different way of looking

One of the pleasures of writing poems is that you can tell lies without getting into trouble! It’s just using your imagination.

• Each member of your group will write three lies about the something other than the sea (the sky, the moon the stars, the sun, the clouds etc. can also work well)

• Be wild and imaginative with your lies avoiding the obvious or the dull (the moon is made of cheese).

A few examples of what they could write are:

The sea is made of blue ink and green paint

The sea hates it when it’s drawn as a wavy line.

The sea is cold because it hasn’t got a coat on

The sea going up and down is a sign it’s still breathing

The sea feeds on rubbish but even he can’t manage it all

If you smack the sea it will splash you back

The sea has a small cousin who is a pond

The sea will wave to you when you turn to leave

As you can see, what starts off as a lie becomes a mix of word play, sometimes truth, and off-the-wall creativity. It gives a chance to use imagination without forcing it and with a sense of fun.

Your group will perform/read the poem aloud - reading each member’s own line.

Spoken Word Poem Guidelines and Link to Organizer

LINK TO SPOKEN WORD ORGANIZER

GUIDELINES FOR SPOKEN WORD POEM    

DUE May 21 (BD) May 22 (EFH)

SPOKEN WORD poetry is poetry that is written on a page but performed for an audience. Because it is performed, this poetry tends to demonstrate a heavy use of rhythm, improvisation, free association, rhymes, rich poetic phrases, word play and slang. It is more aggressive and “in your face” than more traditional forms of poetry.

Solo or with 2 or 3 partners

2 to 4 minutes

Must have an overall theme - cannot be random

Must come from a place of angst, a place in your heart, - passion is the driving force

Minimum 6 stanza w/6 lines in each stanza

Must memorize

USE exciting words - refrain from the mundane

CUT out the fat

USE poetic tools and figurative language that help you create rhythm

            Alliteration, hyperbole, onomatopoeia, similes, personification, repetition, line

            Length, etc

READ aloud and make changes

PRACTICE with your group - be dramatic and passionate

Kid Poems and "If I had Only Known

If I Had Known

Related Poem Content Details

BY ALICE MOORE DUNBAR-NELSON

  If I had known

  Two years ago how drear this life should be,

  And crowd upon itself allstrangely sad,

  Mayhap another song would burst from out my lips,

  Overflowing with the happiness of future hopes;

  Mayhap another throb than that of joy.

  Have stirred my soul into its inmost depths,

                    If I had known.

  If I had known,

  Two years ago the impotence of love,

  The vainness of a kiss, how barren a caress,

  Mayhap my soul to higher things have soarn,

  Nor clung to earthly loves and tender dreams,

  But ever up aloft into the blue empyrean,

  And there to master all the world of mind,

                    If I had known.