Know It, Poet.

This post is for JUNIORS only.

Your task for today? Write two poems. One should be in the form/style of William Carlos Williams' "This Is Just to Say":

This Is Just to Say

I have eaten
the plumbs
that were in
the icebox

and which
you were probably
saving
for breakfast

Forgive me
they were delicious
so sweet
and so cold.


Pay attention to length, organization, message, etc. Here are the samples we created in class yesterday:

This is just to say

I have knocked down

your Christmas tree

next to the fireplace.

I know Boxing Day

means so much to your family

Forgive me

But there was no other way

to burn down your house.

This is just to say

I have stolen your medical degree

From the wall of your office.

I know you worked long hours

At Oakton

To earn it.

Forgive me

I needed it so that I could

Play doctor with your wife.

She is so sweet and so cold.

This is just to say

I have taken your crutches

That you got from the

Emergency room.

You probably needed them

to walk around the school.

Forgive me

I took them because

I needed to swordfight

And now you have to hop.

This is just to say

I have laced your brownies

With laxatives.

By the time you read this,

You will be destroying your toilet

And sweating up a storm.

Forgive me

But laxatives were on sale

At K-Mart.

This is just to say

I just kicked you in the nards

And pushed you down the stairs

You didn’t know it was me

Because I was wearing a Luchador mask

Forgive me,

but you were blocking the stairs.

And also, I’m a mute.

The second poem you are going to write is in the style/form of Tom Andrew's "Six One-Line Film Scripts":

Six One-Line Film Scripts

Film Noir
Everyone on earth is asleep – except Robert Mitchum.

French Flick
The camera is an emptiness that longs to be a camera.

Historic Epic
Thousands of extras…reset their alarm clocks.

Stephane Mallarme Counts the Buttons on the Hangman’s Vest
Mallarmé: Two, three…no…two…no…wait, two, three…one, two…

God, Guilt and Death
This will not work on film.

The Needle
Medium shot of a camel squeezing through the eye of a needle.

Again, as you write you poem be sure to pay attention to length, organization, message, etc. Here are the samples we created in class yesterday:

Six Kinds of Sports

Team sports

You always have someone else to blame for losing.

Individual sports

I only lost because the ball was rigged.

Boring sports

Wait for it … wait for it … wait for it …

Non-sports

Stop the music! I can’t find my unitard.

Dangerous sports

I’m thill hanthome wiffout my teef.

Ball sports

And the kick is no good. Neither is the catch or the throw

Six Roller-Coasters

Spinners

Puke rains down on the bystanders like a refreshing spring mist.

Loopers

I’m afraid of heights.

Danglers

Oops, there goes my wallet. I might as well spit on that kid.

Droppers

I can see my house … ooof. Now it’s gone. So are my testicles.

Back-and-forthers

We’re going up, up … oh, now we’re going down, down … oh, now we’re going up, up … oh, now we’re going down, down … oh, now …

Whiplasher

That was fun. Now take me to the chiropractor. And my attorney’s office.

Six Kinds of Junk Food

Greasy

You just ate my dog.

Spongy

I don’t know how they get this white stuff in there, but it’s delicious.

Salty

I’m thirsty.

Smelly

How many calories in a single whiff?

Crunchy

Don’t eat the MerMan pencil topper that comes in the box.

Sweet

When’s my next dental appointment?