Journal 1
101 topics sheet. Choose a topic off of the sheet and write a one page journal. Then circle the 8 key points. THen decide what the "lesson learned" is. Then write a poem
"There was a boy/girl..."
"He/She knew then"
Journal 2
Color list poem. Pick your favorite color and then list as many things that you can that are that color. OR do an I prefer poem. Example here.
Journal 3 Sights/Sounds poem
Answer these questions:
What is the most pleasing sound you can think of?
What place can you think of that gives you an immediate smell memory? Describe that smell. What month or time of year do you associate with that place?
What are some well know RHS smells?
What do some of your favorite people smell like?
Describe the voice of one of the people from the previous question.
What is the most negative thing anyone has ever said to you? And then describe that person's voice as they said it.
What is the most offensive or annoying sound you can think of?
Journal 4 Picture Poem
See me.
Journal 5 Choices Poem (List choices and problems with choices)
See me.
Journal 6 Nature Poem
Go outside and write a poem about what you see. This sheet will help you with things to write about.
Journal 7 Haiku
Link here to what a haiku is. Four are due as part of this journal (one can be funny)
Journal 8
Obsessions poem
Make a list of your obsessions, choose the one that is potentially the most destructive, and then write about the moment right before you realize that it's taking you over
Journal 9
finish the other half of this poem
Journal 10
Make your own poem or do the 10 things you know for certain and household chores poem...see me about this.
Poem 11: on your own
END POEM PACKET ONE
Journal 12 Abstract Questions Th. Oct 24
Answer all the questions from page 109 in the Practice of Poetry Book. You will need to see me for this.
Journal 13
"Pass the poem around the room" activity. Here is a link.
Journal 14
Take an ordinary thing in your life and make it extraordinary. We used examples from the Kielor book good poems for hard times. You will need to talk to me for details.
Journal 15 (moral dilemma because, because, because)
Here is a link to what we did. You need to make a poem like this.
Journal 16 all is right in the world
Make a list of things that, for you, indicate perfection or near perfection. (Ex: warm chocolate chip cookies, swimming in the summer, sitting by a fire outside, etc.) This should become a poem about good things. OR it could become a poem about how these things are like a person you know, someone who is important to you. Come talk to me for clarification. But make the list first.
Journal 17 pairs of pictures
Choose a picture off of the sheet and write a description/story about what is behind the scenes. Here is a link to the sheet.
Journal 18 sonnet
Journal 19 Translation Poem
Choose one of the poems from off of this sheet and do a mock translation of it to create a poem.
Journal 20 Death Poem
Ah, the classic topic. Here is a sheet with random words on it to push you somewhere. Here is a sheet with random nouns on it to perhaps give you a focus.
Journals 21 and 22
ON YOUR OWN
END OF POETRY PACKET 2
Journal 23 Political Poem
Brainstorm a list of political/social issues and them write a poem about it. Here is a link to the sheet we used.
Journal 24 Poem about a family member
P. 91 or 101 from The Practice of Poetry book. Choose a family member who is the most interesting OR chose a family member who is kicked out or ostracized. The interesting person is going to be set in a position where he or she meets a famous person. The black sheep poem is going to be about how even though they are the one on the outside, it is really all of us who fear being the one who is kicked out.
Journal 25 Poem of address
this is from p. 85 in Writing Poetry
Journal 26 Poem about an Object (totally homework poem, p.55 from writing poetry)
Journal 27 Found Poem: List of words from TV channel
Turn the channels on the TV and write down the first word/words/phrase you hear. Change the channel every few seconds for about 20 channels. Then use this word list to make a poem. You don't have to use the list in order or use all the items on your list.
Journal 28 Historical Time Period poem
Pick a time period you would have like to have lived in. What is the iconic symbol for that period? Write about that.
Journal 29
On your own
Journal 30
Journal 31
Journal 32