Prose to Poetry

Note: Before beginning this activity, students have an understanding of poetry forms, styles, and poetry, in general. They can recognize a simile, metaphor, personification, alliteration, and onomatopoeia. They know free and blank verse from rhymed verse and more traditional forms of poetry.
1. Write a prose piece (a paragraph) of no more that 100-200 words;
2. his piece must be very descriptive and very focused. You should try to create a single main impression. You can write it on any subject you wish. Keep in mind that you are not writing a narrative, but rather you are trying to evoke a picture of something for your reader. Use specific sensory details;
3. You must use very vigorous verbs, very precise adjectives and adverbs;
4. Try to include a simile or a metaphor in at least one place in your prose piece. Go for fresh and original and avoid clichés, overused words and phrases;
5. Word process this piece and save;
6. After some time, return to the prose piece and begin to think poetry. Think about writing in fragments, (when does an English teacher tell you to do that?) eliminating punctuation that writing in prose demands;
7. Think literary shorthand. Say it with less, but evoke that picture nonetheless;
8. Move words around, cross-unnecessary words out and have some fun cutting all your prose wordiness and go for the poem. You might want to slot more specific words or go for the sound of alliteration or assonance or use a word that is onomatopoeic;
9. You can do this on your draft or at the computer, but if you do it at the computer, make sure you save the original so you can play, but return to the original if you want to.
10. Print or write your poem version paying particular attention to how you set it up. You can print various versions and see which one looks better to you. Make it look like a poem in its form.
11. Create a title for your final version. It can be mysterious, or repeat an image in the poem, or echo the last line or somehow create interest or a focus into your poem;
12. Your poem will probably be free verse or look like Sandburg's blank verse, but you will not go for rhyme or story. Your attention is focused on an impression you leave for the reader of your poem.
13. When the poem is all finished and you are satisfied with the final result, we will enter it the Poetry Index of Skaneateles Schools. It will be entered under title, author, first line and key words. You will have to decide which key words would be best. It may be cross-referenced with more than one key word. You will learn how to do this.