The Sound of Poetry!

Introduction
The best poets choose words carefully for their sound and meaning (sense). I always remind my students to choose words that make people think and feel. One of the ways to achieve this is by choosing words for their quality of sound. The best poets use sound in a variety of ways to enhance their poems. We are not going to worry too much about meter right now. All I want you to do is write a poem with the idea of sound in mind.

Exercise Options

• Write a poem choosing words for the quality of their sounds. Don't worry about it making any sort of sense!
• Choose a word or words that you think have a unique sound and use them to start a poem. Stay focused on sound and rhythm throughout the poem.

*When we write poetry, we pay attention to all five senses (imagery), try to keep all of your focus on the sense of sound for this exercise.

Finish early?
Make sure you are all caught up!

• 8 Forms of poetry (4 workshopped/polished)
• 1 poem from book
• Blackout Poetry attempt
• Book of poems by contemporary poet chosen/in process of reading
• Article read/discussed

Prepare for Future Assignments!

• We will begin to put together chapbooks in the near future!
• Begin to brainstorm themes/ideas/titles for this major assignment.
• Are there poems you have written this semester that you would like to put in a chapbook? Any that might give you an idea for a theme?