How do you write a poem?
1. Write lots about your topic. 2. Write lots of phrases. 3. Write lots of detailed descriptions.
eagle flying higher than a skyscraper white head forward with piercing eyes wings spread out like he wants to cover the world a mile away a fluffy brown rabbit hops, munching grass eagle dives a hundred miles an hour scoops up the bunny in his crooked yellow talons squeezing tight brown feathers are fingers flapping in the cold winter wind eagle flowing flying flapping
4. Choose your favorite phrases and write them so the sound and order is interesting.
higher higher than a skyscraper eagle flies across the skies wings spread to cover the world searching with piercing eyes for a rabbit or a snake fluffy brown rabbit hops, munches, hops, munches white head drops and wings fold eagle dives one hundred miles an hour to scoop up the bunny in his crooked yellow talons and flies, flaps, flows through the sky with feather fingers flapping in the cold winter wind moving forward to feast on dinner
5. Now look for places you can add the tricks of poets:
Alliteration-- Repeated beginning consonant sounds, such as "feather fingers flapping" Assonance-- Repeated vowel sounds, such as flies across the skies Repeated words-- Repeat words for effect, like "hops, munches, hops, munches" to show the rabbit doesn't know the danger Vivid verbs-- Action words like flies, spread, searching, hops, munches, drops, fold, dives, scopp, flaps, flows Nifty nouns-- Specific nouns (persons, places, things, ideas); instead of dog, say German Shepard; instead of fast, say 100 miles an hour; instead animal, say rabbit or snake Personification-- Giving life to something not living; such as saying the feathers are fingers Onomatopoeia-- (ah no mah toe pee ah) Words that sound like the sound they make, such as Bam! Pop! Bang! slap gurgle Phzzzzt Simile-- Comparing two things that are different and finding a similarity -- write it using like or as , such as comparing how high the eagle flies to how a skyscraper is. The eagle flies as high as a skyscraper . Senses-- Write all sights, smells, tastes, texture, feelings about your topic How might it smell, taste? How might it feel if you touched it? Ideas from the poem: piercing eyes; white head; crooked yellow talons; munching grass; flapping in the cold winter wind Rhyme-- Repeated ending sounds, such as fold, cold; poems do NOT need to rhyme Line breaks-- Whereever you want the reader to pause or look carefully at a phrase, put a line break there (hit return).
Notice how I have changed the poem to add some tricks of a poet.
What tricks did I use?
higher higher than a skyscraper eagle flies across the skies wings spread to wrap the world peeking with piercing eyes for a rabbit or a snake; fluffy brown rabbit hops, munches, hops, munches white head drops and wings fold like a thunderbolt, he's bold -- bold to dive one hundred miles an hour Whoosh! he snares the hare in his crooked yellow talons held tightly like a vice and flies, flaps, flows through the sky with feather fingers flapping in the cold winter wind moving forward to feast on dinner high up in the Ponderosa Pine whose branch reaches out awaiting his glide home with food to feast on.
6. Now, work with the beginning, ending, and title to hook everything together. Also, add punctuation and capitalization.
Eagle Flight Higher, higher than a skyscraper, Eagle flies across the skies Wings spread to wrap the world Peeking with piercing eyes for a rabbit or a snake; Fluffy brown rabbit Hops, munches, Hops, munches; Eagle's white head drops and wings fold like a thunderbolt, he's bold -- bold to dive one hundred miles an hour -- Whoosh! He snares the hare in his crooked yellow talons held tightly like a vice and flies, flaps, flows through the sky with feather fingers flapping in the cold winter wind, moving forward to feast on dinner high up in the Ponderosa Pine whose branch reaches out awaiting his glide home with food to feast on; still high as a skyscraper. by Gramma
7. Now, it's your turn!
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