The Official “SHOW ME DON’T TELL ME” Poetry Project!
NO curses. “Slang” in quotes. YES, check spelling and punctuation. No references to drugs. No stealing lyrics!!!
This project will be in lieu of a major writing assignment. So, choose what you want to do very carefully. Both quality and quantity of work will be considered in determining the final grade. This project is due on or before ___/___/___(see the work for the week): you will receive a grade for all work done in your notebook, as class work, as homework assignments, on tests, and as a final project grade!!
I. All projects must be saved properly, in order to print them and must include the following, in the following order:
A) A cover sheet: which must include your name and a title for your project (other embellishment is encouraged).
B) You must include a table of contents.
C) A one page open letter to the reader in which you first introduce your poetry and your feelings about it (e.g. Dear Reader...), second, identify the grade you are trying to achieve, third, write about how easy or difficult it was for you to write the poetry fourth, invite the reader to respond at the back of your project, and fifth, explain the significance of the phrase “Show me don’t tell me!” And be sure to include two blank pages at the back of your project for responses from readers
II. Your Choices:
To possibly earn the grade of “A,” write the following:
1. One biographical poem, any style.
2. Five haiku, 17 syllables within three lines 5-7-5.
3. Two sonnets, containing 14 lines, in iambic pentameter with rhyme scheme.
4. Three cinquain poems, 5 lines of 2-4-6-8-2 syllable pattern.
5. Two pattern poems of your choice of pattern, 10 lines, (e.g. ab ab cd cd) identify the pattern!
6. One free verse poem according to the guidelines for the Walt Whitman Poetry Contest.
7. One poem on the topic of “The American Dream,” any style but use imagery!
8. One dream poem (about a real “dream or nightmare”) any style but use imagery!
9. One poem where you create an image using words in a pattern to describe the image.
10. Write an explication of one (1) of your poems where you discuss a specific lit. element of your
11. One poem of at least 20 lines where you describe the ideal man or woman based on popular media.
12. Extended Metaphor Poem
13. Find your favorite lyrics to a song or lyrics that you feel have a special meaning and copy the lyrics: be sure there is no vulgarity even in slang used. Slang must be defined in parenthesis and you explain the poems theme.
Or To possibly earn the grade of “B,” write the following:
1. One biographical poem, any style 20 lines minimum.
2. Five haiku, 17 syllables within three lines 5-7-5.
3. Two sonnets, containing 14 lines, in iambic pentameter with rhyme scheme.
4. Three cinquain poems, 5 lines of 2-4-6-8-2 syllable pattern.
5. Two patterned poems of your choice of pattern (e.g. ab ab cd cd),10 lines, identify the pattern!
6. One free verse poem according to the guidelines for the Walt Whitman Poetry Contest.
7. One poem on the topic of “The American Dream,” any style 20 lines minimum.
8. One dream poem.
9. One poem where you create an image using words in a pattern to describe the image.
10. One poem of at least 20 lines where you describe the ideal man or woman based on popular media.
11. Find your favorite lyrics to a song or lyrics that you feel have a special meaning and copy the lyrics: be sure there is no vulgarity even in slang used. Slang must be defined in parenthesis and you explain the poems theme.
Or To possibly earn the grade of “C,” write the following:
1. One biographical poem, any style 20 lines minimum.
2. Three sonnets, containing 14 lines, in iambic pentameter with rhyme scheme.
3. Two cinquain poems, 5 lines of 2-4-6-8-2 syllable pattern.
4. Three patterned poems of your choice of patterns, 10 lines minimum identify the pattern.
5. Two poems on the topic of “The American Dream,” any style 20 lines minimum.
6. Two free verse poems according to the guidelines for the Walt Whitman Poetry Contest.
7. One poem of 20 lines min describing the ideal man or woman based on popular media.
III. The presentation of the final draft will be an important factor in the grading of this project. Please feel free to illustrate by drawing, pasting pictures, or pasting photographs (neatness counts). Also, consider such things as the following: the color of the paper, the color of ink you use, as well as the final binding of your project.