Pen My Path Week Three: Poetic Writing

Welcome to our third week: Poetic Writing! Please view the video before completing the activity. For this week's writing, we are defining Poetic Writing as writing that expresses the human condition using metaphor and narrative structure. We will provide samples and scaffolding for your poetic writing or you are welcome to go off in your own directions according to what the activities suggest. We suggest that you write for about 30 minutes this week, and remember, you do not have to share the content of your writing.

Part One

In this week’s video, Dr. John Evans read a poem to you. Now you are invited to re-create this poem using words that describe your thoughts and feelings about your day. The original poem is on the left side of the page below. Notice some words from the original poem remain, but there are blanks where other words of the original have been removed. Fill in your own words in the blank spaces to create a poem unique to you. Use the poem as a springboard for your thoughts and as a scaffolding for your own poem. You are not expected to share your poem with the group but are welcome to. We suggest that you write for about 30 minutes this week.

Otherwise

I got out of bed

on two strong legs.

It might have been

otherwise. I ate

cereal, sweet

milk, ripe, flawless

peach. It might

have been otherwise.

I took the dog uphill

to the birchwood.

All morning I did

the work I love.

At noon I lay down

with my mate. It might

have been otherwise.

We ate dinner together

at a table with silver

candlesticks. It might

have been otherwise.

I slept in a bed

in a room with paintings

on the walls, and

planned another day

just like this day.

But one day, I know,

it will be otherwise.

Otherwise

by _______________

I got of out bed

____________________

It might have been

otherwise. I ate

_______________________

______________________

____________________

It might

have been otherwise.

I ___________________

_____________________

All morning ____________

______________________

At noon I ______________

_____________________

It might

have been otherwise.

We ate dinner __________

_______________________

______________________

It might

have been otherwise.

I slept in a bed

______________________

_______________________and

planned another day

just like this day.

But one day, I know

it will be otherwise.

Part Two

You are invited to write a poem that "gives yourself permission." Like you did in Part One, read the original poem on the left side of the page below. Notice, on the right side of the image, some words from the original remain, but there are blanks where other words of the original have been removed. Include your own words in the blank spaces to create your own poem, but don’t worry about filling in the blanks precisely. Use the original poem and the scaffolding as a guide.

Permission Granted

by Sandy Roberts

You do not have to put on clean under pants every day

In case you are in a car accident.

You do not have to have

A migraine to play the drama queen-Or stay in bed all day. Or run away.

You don't need to write a poem about your fear of bringing the light near...

You can write a ridiculous sonnet about your grandmother's

Bonnet or snuff in her pocket--

You can lie about your weight and your age at least once a day--

You don't need to tell the truth but every four years in the voting booth.

You can be a vampire witch

On other days than Halloween.

If you feel shy, you can close your eyes become a pink wisp in the morning sky

thunder--between the whiplash and flash of wonder

Beaming from the third eye of the sun and saddle a cloud and fly.

Permission Granted

by _____________

You do not have to _______

________________________

You do not have to have ________________________

You don't need to write a poem about_____________________

You can write a_____________

Or how--in this stage of life, you can

You can lie about your ___________

You don't need to tell the truth about

____________________________

You can be a _____________

If you feel shy, you can ________

Or when you are bold, find your

_________________________

Please Share Your Reflections

When you are finished writing, in the comment space below or in the Pen My Path Expressive Writing Fall Workshop group space section, share a reflection of how your writing went today. If you wish, share your poem with the Pen My Path group, although you are not required to do so.

Please be sure to take the feedback survey on this week’s writing activity, available this Sunday, October 22nd on your home page.