Character Poem Cycle Project

Please turn in your first draft of your poem that you were to complete as homework from last class.

We've been talking about poetry cycles. Believe it or not, a poet can write a "story" with the appropriate plot elements like rising action, climax, denouement. A poet usually connects their work thematically (all poems deal with one or two themes), or through a central character or setting.

Let's read Anne Sexton's poem cycles: "The Death Baby" and "The Jesus Papers."

These poems are, again, considered cycles. There is more than one poem that comprises the whole. This sort of thing allows a writer to examine different scenes, placing their characters in various locations, or dealing with separate but connected events--just like you do in writing fiction.

A good rule of thumb is that if you have more than one scene in a poem, consider dividing it into "chapters" or "scenes" just like a play script or film script. One problem for young poets is that they often try to write about too much, too broadly. Don't do that. Or use a cycle. That's their strength.

Writing: Create a character or pick a historical "realish" character. Center a group of poems around this person. Write at least 3 first drafts of a connected theme or character. Just like a fiction story, develop the plot of your cycle. Choose a poem that might be considered your rising action, climax, denouement, etc. Use Gwendolyn Brooks or Anne Sexton as models or examples of style.

Due: Friday, September 17.