Tuesday, March 29, 2011

A new look at writing what you know

Slice of Life Challenge #29 - March 29, 2011

In preparation for poetry month, I’m still trying to write some different styles of poetry in order to show students the possibilities. Here’s a follow up to writing what you know a little differently. All of us, students included, grow up hearing different ‘wise old sayings’ from family (and even teachers) to help guide our lives. So, to take one of those and imagine what might be the origin is the idea. It can be as serious or as humorous as wished.

Mythology Hurts

It’s ever interesting

to contemplate

the crack

on the sidewalk,

to guess what

kind of person could

possibly believe that

even a faint touch

could harm someone.


Who created this myth

that utters threats to

youth

to beware of their

actions,

to check all their

Impulses,

to mind what they’re

told?


It has to have been

someone’s mother,

wise in her discipline

or wicked, or just

plain tricky.

6 comments:

  1. Where did that saying come from? Never thought of it as mythology--it is. I didn't like teaching poetry at first, but worked up a lesson plan from Ralph Fletcher and his Pillars of Poetry chapter of Poetry Matters. I looked forward to it every year after that. Have fun.

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  2. The question caused me to think and respond. I never thought about using a saying in this form. Brilliant.

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  3. Did you ever think that perhaps this saying was started by a psychiatrist trying to create more OCD clients?
    I really liked it the poem, especially the second stanza where the words youth, actions, impulses, and told were each on a line by themselves...unless it was just default formatting...but even so, it makes a statement just in those words being set aside.

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  4. I love the Power of Three in this poem. Great idea, great rhythm.

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  5. Wonderful idea. I think I will borrow this for my students. I thought you did a great job. I enjoyed the last stanza attributing the saying to someone's mom. It makes sense.

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  6. Cool idea for a poem. I'm off to spend some time crafting one in my notebook. Thanks for the inspiration.
    Ruth

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