Creative Writing

You Said

Writers Say

“The natural language of all worship” “devil’s wine” “an imitation of imitation” “painting that speaks” “a criticism of life” “a way of taking life by the throat” “an escape from emotion” “the antithesis of science”

Writers Say “Poems are not language, but the content

of the language” (Mary Oliver). “It is a kind of possible love affair between

something like the heart (that courageous but also shy factor of emotion) and the learned skills of the conscious mind” (Mary Oliver).

“Poetry is a river; many voices travel in it; poem after poem moves along in the exciting crests and falls of the river waves” (Mary Oliver).

Writers Say “Poetry is memorable speech” (W.H.

Auden). “Poems obey no rules and serve no

single purpose; rather they adapt to the distinct needs of specific times and individual poets… Any definition we formulate precludes others and imprisons us prematurely in a partial understanding of poetry” (Carol Burke and Molly Best Tinsley).

Writers Say

“an extreme emotional passage that runs throughout the human body internally releasing the full extent of one’s true being” (Jose C.)

Types of Poetry• Narrative Poetry

• tells a story. • Common types of narrative poetry include ballads and

epics.

• Lyric Poetry• highly musical verse that expresses the emotions of the

speaker. • Common types are sonnets, odes, free verse and elegies.

• Dramatic poetry • verse that relies heavily on dramatic elements such as

monologue, or dialogue. • Two types of dramatic poetry are dramatic monologue

and soliloquy.

You Said

You Said

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How will we do these things? Read and discuss examples. Try to write our own. Use strategies the pros use. Stretch ourselves using all sorts of

prompts. Practice in our journals.

No rules. Be prepared to share. Write a poem about love. Write a poem about snow.

Mystery #1

How do poets add multiple layers of meaning to their poems?

Denotation & Connotation The literal meaning

of a word. What the dictionary

says.

The implied meaning of a word.

A result of emotional ties to the word.

May initially be hidden.

The man drank whiskey quietly.

Denotation Connotation

A guy drank whiskey and didn’t make much noise.

The word "quietly," in association with alcohol, seems to mean "alone.“

Intensifying this feeling is the fact that "the man" is anonymous to the reader (he isn't "Jack"), and he is drinking whiskey.

Let’s Practice.

Connotation

“Poets gravitate toward words with strong connotative possibilities because they are so rich with connotative possibility, like leaves falling in autumn (graceful and beautiful, but signifying a kind of death)” (virtuaLit).

Homework:

Write a list poem (see handout).