Poetry Exercises For Penfield Poetry Contest

Use as many of these prompts to create poems. Write poems today. Try to write as many as possible. Call these "First Drafts".

1. Leaf through one of the many poems we have in class. Or use the internet and view poetry 180. (see link). Pick a poem that you like, read it. Follow any of the steps below:
A. Write an answer to the poem--a mirror image poem, shaped as much like the one you have read as you can make it, made up of the thoughts you have in response to the original poem.
B. Cannibalize it. Pull out 10 or 12 words or short phrases from the poem. Choose those that really appeal to you because they are unusual sounding, visually evocative, or strange. Work them into a poem of your own.
C. Take a line from the poem and use it as the first line for a poem of your own, one that need not resemble the original poem at all.

2. Dramatic Monologue Poem:
Write a poem from the perspective of a fictional/historical character (not you). Your monologue should be written as a poem, in poetic structure (line breaks, etc.) Remember that monologues help us understand the inner personality of a character through narrative and voice.

3. Variation on the Dramatic Monologue (Internal dialogue):
A. Invent a character/choose a historical character as above. Begin your poem with a provocative or interesting/thought provoking statement. For example: Ghandi: I'm not sure now that when I sat down in protest to the British Government, I wasn't squatting on the Indian people.
B. Think of some replies to this fictional quote from Ghandi. For example: ME: Ghandi, Do you have any idea how many people have followed your lead around the world?
C. Then allow your character to respond to your question or comment. For example: Ghandi: If a blind man leads, perhaps we all are destined for the cliff's edge. Let me tell you how it really was....
D. Go on from there. After writing the first draft, it may be necessary to trim the poem down to under 20 lines. Keep only the most interesting part of the conversation. Feel free to reshape the poem structure as much as you'd like.

4. The Dinner Party: Meals are an occasion of ritual and revelation--even meals taken alone. Think of some memorable occasion(s) ocurring at the table. Thanksgiving is obvious, so don't use it. Think of one such occasion. Write about it, including descriptions of who was there, what was said, what the room looked like, how the table was set, what the weather outside was like, what you ate, what was NOT said. After describing the event, choose the best parts and work this into a poem of fewer than 30 lines.

5. Myth: People of all cultures have created myths to explain their world. Choose something in your culture that is mysterious or profound. How might you explain such things? Write a contemporary myth to explain this "magical" phenomenon. Then use the best parts to form a poem.

6. Culture: Write about your culture through the eyes of a relative. Narrow the culture by describing a specific unique aspect of your history/familial lineage, etc. Leave yourself out of it. This poem is about a relative (fictional or real). See their work, music, traditions, etc. from their perspective. Write a poem that incorporates such things.

Complete drafts and then turn in when they are done. With time remaining, try another and another poem. Send to your workshop group for feedback AFTER you have completed the first draft, if you want to.