A lizard in a blizzardGot a snowflake in his gizzardAnd nothing else much happened, I’m afraidBut lizard rhymed with gizzardAnd that my dear, is why most poems are made.-Shel Silverstein

What is poetry?

Where do you find it?

Ten thousand hours felt like ten thousand antsTen thousands ants, they carry meTen thousand hours felt like ten thousand antsTen thousands ants, they carry me

Ryan Lewis and Macklemore

But the tigers come at nightWith their voices soft as thunderAs they tear your hope apartAs they turn your dream to shameLes Miserables

Homer Simpson is a poet, what?

Poetry can make you buy products.Or can it?

It can be in different performances and entertainment.

What do you think is the emotion of this poem?Why?

What do you think the message of the poem is?Why?

Daybreak in AlabamaWhen I get to be a composerI'm gonna write me some music aboutDaybreak in AlabamaAnd I'm gonna put the purtiest songs in itRising out of the ground like a swamp mistAnd falling out of heaven like soft dew.I'm gonna put some tall tall trees in itAnd the scent of pine needlesAnd the smell of red clay after rainAnd long red necksAnd poppy colored facesAnd big brown armsAnd the field daisy eyesOf black and white black white black people

And I'm gonna put white handsAnd black hands and brown and yellow handsAnd red clay earth hands in itTouching everybody with kind fingersAnd touching each other natural as dewIn that dawn of music when IGet to be a composerAnd write about daybreakIn Alabama. Langston Hughes

Library Blackout Poetry1. One page of writing – read it.2. Then, read it again and circle in pencil words that you think are essential to the page3. Then, edit the words to create feeling and images..blacking out as the exampleOr rewriting on a separate page.

In my natureIs one who wishes to know

Himself;I am a sleeping thought

That does not cease thinkingI am a dream

That I see and feelI am

Example

Examples