ms. becky’s classroom

Rewrite the four letters — reduce each letter to two sentences — what is the biggest idea in each letter?

What is your favorite poem from the four poets (Pow, Prelutsky, Rosenberg, and Schertle) and why?

Also, post a poem that you are drafting… a poem inspired by another poem (like Where I’m From) or a poem inspired by an art piece or a poem that is just from you….

What is your golden line from the four sets of readings?

Thinking about G.E. Lyon’s poem, Where I’m From, ask your parents, grandparents, aunts, or uncles the following questions.  Then try to write and post your own Where I’m From poem.

What year was it when you were in 6th grade?

What toys did you play with?

What sports and games did you play?

What else did you do in your spare time?  What were your hobbies?

What singers or groups did you listen to?

What celebrity or public figure did you admire or have a crush on?

What candy did you buy?

What was your favorite TV show?

What was your favorite book or series of books?

What was a saying or expression that adults or other kids were using?

What did you want to be when you grew up?

Write a letter back to one of the poets.  How would you respond?  What would you like to say or ask?

Also, remember to bring in a couple of your rough draft poems (they can be based on famous poems by published poets).

Pick the most important line – the golden line, the line that made you sit up and take notice – from each of the letters (not the poems, but the letters).  Why are those lines important, why did they strike you?

What is your golden line in these readings?  Why?

What is your favorite poem?  Why?

George speaks of “moments of discovery.”  What is a moment of discovery for you that you remember well?  Describe your discovery, why was it meaningful to you?

Hemp speaks of “things” as the “stuff of poems.”  What are important things to you?  Why?  What things did you notice today?  What thing caught your attention?

What do you see, think, wonder?

What is your golden line?

The importance of words is emphasized.  What is one of your favorite words?  What is a word that impresses you?  What is a word that feels good to say?  Feels good to write?

The importance of words is one idea that seems to be repeated by many of the poets.  What is another thing all their letters to young poets have in common?  Is there one piece of advice that seems to be offered again and again?

What is your favorite poem from the five readings?  Why?

Reflect on the following questions and add your own thoughts.  What do you see, think, wonder?

What is your “golden line” from these readings?  (Golden Line = the one phrase, sentence, line that really caught your attention, made you think of something new, seemed like it was written just to you…)

Bruchac was told that he would never be a poet.  But he felt that he could write poetry.  Do you feel like you can write poetry?

How would describe the feeling Cedering captures in the poem, The Changeling ?

Dakos seems to notice poems everywhere.  Where do see a poem?

Which was your favorite poem out of the readings?  and Why?

hello students – I will be placing posts on the blog, where you can post reflections, comments, questions, and ideas as we read Seeing the Blue Between: Advice and Inspiration for Young Poets (compiled by Paul B. Janeczko).